Meet the Journal Editors
The “Meet the Journal Editors” session at ICEBTM 2025 provided an exceptional platform for participants to engage with leading journal editors and gain insights into academic publishing. The session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Md. Mamun Habib, featured prominent editors Prof. Dr. Jonathan Liu, Prof. Dr. Maniam Kaliannan, and Prof. Dr. Rajah Rasiah.
The session, initiated by Prof. Habib and focused on key aspects of scholarly publishing, beginning with the importance of selecting journals that align closely with the research topic and scope. Editors emphasized that proper alignment significantly improves the likelihood of publication. Participants were guided on the essential elements of manuscript preparation, including clear articulation of research objectives, rigorous methodology, and strict adherence to ethical standards.
A substantial part of the discussion was dedicated to navigating the peer-review process. Editors shared practical advice on responding constructively to reviewer feedback, handling manuscript rejections, and revising submissions to enhance clarity and impact. Participants also raised questions about open-access publishing, research integrity, and strategies to increase digital visibility. Editors recommended utilizing indexing databases, online platforms, and social media to enhance research exposure and citation potential.
Improving research quality was highlighted as another critical theme. Editors stressed originality, relevance, and rigorous data analysis as key factors for successful publications. Ethical considerations, including plagiarism avoidance and proper authorship attribution, were emphasized as essential standards in scholarly work.
Prof. Dr. Rajah Rasiah reflected on the realities of publishing, explaining that even strong papers are sometimes rejected due to misalignment with journal scope or editorial oversight. He cited examples of Nobel laureates such as Ronald Coase and Paul Krugman, who faced rejections early in their careers, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and patience in academic publishing. He encouraged participants to maintain dedication to their research passions, noting that initial setbacks are a normal part of the scholarly journey.
Prof. Dr. Jonathan Liu highlighted the timeline of publication, noting that papers accepted in one year may not appear in print until the next. He explained how the International Journal of Business Management increased its publication frequency from two issues per year to eight issues, expanding opportunities for authors. Prof. Liu also provided statistics, noting that approximately 65% of desk rejections occur due to simple oversights, such as non-compliance with submission guidelines, lack of empirical grounding, or ignoring journal requirements. He encouraged careful attention to submission details and methodological rigor.
Prof. Dr. Maniam Kaliannan emphasized the importance of publishing in journals recognized within the ABDC, ABS, and Scopus indexing frameworks. He advised participants to carefully review journal scopes, adhere to author guidelines, and ensure appropriate formatting, word count, and abstract quality. Prof. Kaliannan cautioned against submitting the same paper to multiple journals simultaneously, highlighting that such practices can lead to automatic rejection. He further underscored that manuscript rejections are not indicative of poor research quality and encouraged authors to approach publication as a long-term, iterative process requiring patience and diligence.
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A segment, where participants shared experiences, asked questions, and sought guidance on overcoming common challenges in publishing. Editors highlighted the importance of mentorship, collaboration, and networking, particularly for early-career researchers aiming to build a strong publication record.
Overall, the session successfully bridged the gap between authors and editors, offering actionable insights, practical strategies, and motivation to produce high-quality, publishable research. The discussions underscored the need for careful planning, ethical rigor, and proactive engagement to navigate the academic publishing landscape effectively.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17ffgAA6Sq/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7395398373882859520
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/_ZVw59nEL60?si=SkLrQDUIrn_7PCGH