Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines for the Asian Journal of Professional and Business Studies (AJPBS)

1.     Overview

The Asian Journal of Professional and Business Studies (AJPBS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes high-quality original articles, research papers, and concept papers in the fields of business, economics, accounting, management, and social sciences. The journal is published twice a year in June and December. Submissions must adhere to the journal’s guidelines, which are available in the manuscript template.

2.     Language

All manuscripts must be written in English, using clear and academically appropriate language.

3.     Article Types and Word Count

AJPBS accepts the following types of articles:

• Research Articles: Should be between 4,500 to 6,000 words, including references, tables, and appendices. These are original studies based on empirical or theoretical research.
• Concept Papers: Should be between 3,000 to 5,000 words, including references. These papers typically discuss theoretical frameworks, models, or propose new perspectives in the field.

4.     Manuscript Format

• Font: Times New Roman, Size 12
• Spacing: Single
• Margins: 1 inch on all sides
• Paper Size: A4
• File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx)
• Citation Style: APA 7th Edition
• Page Limit: Not exceeding 25 pages including references

5.     Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts submitted to AJPBS should be arranged in the following order:

a. Title Page

• Title of the manuscript (concise and descriptive)
• Full names of all authors
• Institutional affiliations with full postal addresses
• Designation of Corresponding Author (with an asterisk) and email address

b. Abstract

• A structured abstract (150–250 words) including purpose, method, findings, and implications
• Should not contain citations or undefined abbreviations

c. Keywords

• Provide 3–5 relevant keywords separated by commas

d. Main Body

• Introduction (with brief literature review and objectives)
• Methodology
• Results / Findings
• Discussion
• Conclusion

e. Acknowledgements

• Acknowledge funding agencies, institutions, or individuals who supported the research but are not listed as authors.
• Example: This work was supported by [Funding Body Name] under Grant No. [XXXXX

f. Conflict of Interest Statement

• Declare any potential or perceived conflicts.
• Example: The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this publication.

h. Ethics Statement

• Required for research involving human participants or sensitive data.
• Example: This research was approved by the [Name of Ethics Committee], Ref No. XXX.
• If not applicable: This research did not involve human or animal participants.

i. Data Availability Statement

• Inform readers how to access the data used in the study.
• Example: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request. Or  Data are accessible at [repository name] via [DOI/link].

j. References

• Follow APA 7th edition.
• All citations must be listed, and all listed references must be cited in the text.

h. Tables and Figures

• Insert tables and figures in the text close to where they are referenced
• Number them sequentially (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1)
• Add titles and sources as applicable
• If reusing content, obtain permission and include a citation
• Example: Reproduced with permission from [Source], [Year]

6.     Submission Process

Manuscripts must be submitted via the official journal email or submission portal (to be provided). A cover letter should accompany the manuscript.

7.     Peer Review Process

AJPBS uses a double-blind peer review process. Authors are expected to respond to reviewer comments and revise the manuscript within 2–4 weeks. Submissions without timely revisions may be withdrawn.

8.     Open Access and Copyright

All published articles are under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal permission to publish.

9.     Ethical Practices

AJPBS strictly enforces publication ethics. Plagiarism, data manipulation, or unethical authorship practices will lead to rejection or retraction.

10. Retraction and Withdrawal

If authors wish to withdraw a submission, they must submit a formal request. Once accepted, retraction is strongly discouraged except under justified circumstances.

11.  Proofreading and Production

Once accepted, a final proof will be sent to the corresponding author. Only one round of corrections is permitted. Delays in returning proof may affect publication scheduling.

12. Privacy Statement

Author information provided will be used solely for the journal’s editorial and publishing processes and will not be shared externally.

13. Metadata and Discoverability

All articles are indexed with full metadata (including title, authors, abstract, and keywords) and are fully searchable via academic databases, ensuring easy discovery and accessibility.

14. Archiving and Long-Term Preservation

We ensure that all articles are preserved for long-term access through digital archiving and compliance with industry-standard preservation practices. Our journal partners with UPTM Library to ensure the long-term digital preservation of all published content. Articles are archived in Eprint repository.