IBAM 12 – Providence 2004

1. Moving from Conference Paper to Journal Article: Strategies for Success as an Author & Developing a Reputation as a Good Reviewer • John Humphreys, Eastern New Mexico University, Editor, Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management • Herbert Sherman, Southampton College – LIU, Editor, The CASE Journal • John J. Sosik, The Pennsylvania State University- Great Valley, Associate Editor, Group and Organizational Management • Marko Grünhagen, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Associate Editor, Journal of Small Business Management • Daniel J. Rowley, University of Northern Colorado, former Editor, Journal of Behavior and Applied Management • Panel Chair: Melody L. Wollan, Touro University International IBAM 12 – Providence 2004

2. Group & Organization Management • Innovative and diverse • 30 years of research on group dynamics, leadership and organizational development • 6 issues published per year • Rigorous and relevant • Strong impact factor, ranked as A- journal, fast approaching the top tier • Deep submission stream and solid ISI rankings • Internationally recognized Editorial Board • A distinguished sponsor • Eastern Academy of Management

3. Oldest journal in small business and entrepreneurship • Consistently ranked among the top journals in small business research • 2500+ subscribers around the globe • Acceptance rate < 10% (20-25 published out of 300-400 received) • High quality, mostly empirical manuscripts • Interdisciplinary focus • Progress toward positioning as number one journal in small business

4. The CASE Journal • The audience for this journal includes both practitioners and academics and thus encourages submissions from a broad range of individuals.  • SCHOLARLY WORKS: Cases with teaching notes; conceptual papers and papers reporting original research as well as the applied implications of others' research in terms of case teaching, research, and instruction; and creative learning, research and writing methods are encouraged. We request that submitters of empirical research provide appropriate data set analyses to allow for meta-studies (i.e. correlations matrices and chi-alphas). • First Edition just released.

5. Journal of Behavioral andApplied Management • The Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management is the online journal of the Institute of Behavioral and Applied Management • Currently three editions are published each year (January, May, & September) • Strives to maintain academic excellence while emphasizing the continuing development of academics, practitioners, and students • Publishes peer-reviewed management articles and case studies – acceptance rate approximately 25%

6. Content of Successful Submissions … • have clear objectives… and findings that answer the research question(s) • Ground the paper in solid theoretical framework and support hypotheses with strong theory and logical arguments • Methods: sample size, power, measurement and data analytical issues are VERY important • Make sure the discussion section does three things: (a) integrates results into extant literature, (b) reframes limitations in terms of opportunities for future research, and (c) provides meaningful practical implications • balance rigor & relevance

7. Expectations of Publishing… • Don’t expect acceptance on the first go round; very few journals accept papers as is! • If you receive a “rewrite/resubmit” – do just that – many papers are not published form lack of perseverance. • Research the journal before you send a manuscript; call the editor if need be to make sure there is a good fit.

8. Presentation and Impression of Successful submissions … • are well organized, including “familiar” and “distinct” sections • are “clean” – with regards to format, spelling/grammar etc. • answer the “so what?” question – “Why should I read this?” • Cite an article or two from the journal you are submitting to. Every citation counts for increasing the journal’s impact factor.

9. Responding to revisions-Successful submissions • Pay close attention to the instructions of the editor and reviewers and respond to their comments directly in a separate letter, using an appropriate tone (polite and scholarly) • Work on point-by-point response letter systematically before you attempt to revise the paper • You do not have to agree with their comments; you do have to explain why you have or have not changed your manuscript given their feedback. • Submit revisions in a timely manner • Don’t make any changes to original paper except for those requested by reviewers – don’t open up a can of worms when you don’t have to. • Thank the reviewers – their unselfish work goes unrewarded and they deserve great credit for their hard work and effort.

10. Good reviewers … (content) • know their literature and evaluate the contribution of the paper to the overall field. Good reviewers research the topic before they review the case/article. • are developmental/provide guidance • critique alone is not enough – make suggestions how to fix things • Pay attention to both theoretical and empirical issues. • Demand practical implications and solid integration of results in discussion section. • Realize that no research study is perfect. Reviewers talk about the strengths as well as the need for improvement.

11. Good reviewers … (process) • are constructive, developmental, and polite, not just critical. A few positive comments also go a long way in motivating authors to persist through the revisions. Good reviewers show that they care. • distinguish “big” from “small” issues • start with crucial points, end with grammar/spelling • are on time! Meet deadlines for reviews: the faster the reviews are in, the faster the authors can get feedback. • provide 2 sets of review comments – 1 for author(s) & 1 for editor • Point out style and formatting issues to authors.