Peer Review Process

Silk Road Journal of Management welcomes submissions from authors worldwide. All submitted manuscripts will go through a double-blind peer-review process. Each manuscript will be evaluated by a minimum of two independent experts, who will assess its originality, contribution to the foundational data, and relevance to the scientific field. All submissions must follow the instructions for authors.

Newly submitted manuscripts for consideration in the journal must not have been previously published, accepted for publication, or currently under review by another publication. Authors are required to submit their manuscripts via the journal's online submission system in compliance with the journal’s guidelines. Submissions sent via email or postal mail will not be processed. Adhering to these requirements is essential, as non-compliance may result in the manuscript being returned, potentially delaying the publication process. For detailed submission guidelines, please refer to the instructions for authors section.

Plagiarism screening: All submitted manuscripts will be screened for plagiarism using the iThenticate software. We will accept a similarity index of up to 15-20%; however, verbatim copying of text at the sentence, paragraph, or section level is strictly prohibited. If the similarity score exceeds 20%, the editor may review the plagiarism report and provide feedback to the author with suggestions for revisions.

First decision: All submissions are first assessed by the editor(s) to determine their fit with the journal’s aims and scope and their overall level of development. At this stage, a manuscript may receive a desk rejection if it is clearly outside the scope of the journal or insufficiently developed for peer review. Desk rejection decisions are typically communicated within one week of submission. If the editors determine that the manuscript has the potential to make a contribution and could reasonably progress through revision, it will be sent for double-blind review to independent reviewers. For manuscripts sent out for review, the first decision is normally expected within 8 weeks, although occasional delays may occur.

Submission of revised manuscripts: When submitting a revised manuscript, authors should provide a detailed point-by-point response explaining how they have addressed the comments and concerns raised by the editor(s) and reviewers. If the authors choose not to make a suggested change, they should explain their reasoning clearly and respectfully. There is no requirement to highlight revisions in color or mark them through underlining, but all changes should be incorporated carefully and consistently into the revised manuscript.

Page proofs: If an article is accepted for publication, the corresponding author will receive page proofs of the manuscript, a correction form, and detailed instructions via email before the publication of the manuscript. The author is required to document all corrections on the provided form and return it to the editorial office. While reviewing the proofs, authors should verify that the text is complete, all figures and tables are included, and any editorial queries are addressed. Carefully verify spelling, punctuation, formatting, and the accuracy of tables, figures, and figure captions. Corrected proofs should be returned within 72 hours (3 days) of receipt. Submissions can be made either by uploading the page proofs through the journal’s website or by email, including the manuscript ID.