Call for Papers 2026: Emerging Research in Business, Management, Marketing, Finance and Strategy | ISBMJBIR

Call for Papers 2026: Emerging Research in Business, Management, Marketing, Finance and Strategy

The business environment of 2026 is being reshaped by rapid technological advancement, changing consumer expectations, new models of competition, sustainability pressures, evolving financial systems and a growing emphasis on evidence-based managerial decision-making. For researchers, academicians and practitioners, these developments are creating important questions that require rigorous investigation and informed scholarly discussion. The ISB&M Journal of Business Issues & Research (ISBMJBIR) invites researchers, academicians, doctoral scholars and professionals to contribute original scholarly work addressing contemporary and emerging issues in business and management research. The journal provides a platform for research that contributes to academic knowledge while also helping organisations, managers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and other stakeholders better understand complex business challenges. Researchers working across management, marketing, finance, economics, entrepreneurship, strategy, organisational studies, digital transformation, analytics and related interdisciplinary fields are encouraged to consider submitting their work. For 2026, particular attention is being drawn to research that moves beyond merely describing business change and instead provides strong theoretical insights, empirical evidence, practical implications or innovative research methodologies.

Why Business and Management Research Matters More in 2026

Business research has always responded to economic, technological and social change. However, the speed at which organisations are now required to adapt has created a particularly important period for management scholarship. Artificial intelligence is changing how organisations analyse information. Digital platforms are transforming relationships between businesses and consumers. Sustainability expectations are influencing investment and corporate strategy. New entrepreneurial models are emerging. Financial technologies are altering transactions and financial decision-making. At the same time, organisations continue to face enduring management questions involving people, leadership, productivity, competitiveness, organisational culture, customer behaviour, financial performance and strategic decision-making. Academic research can help organisations understand these developments systematically rather than responding only through intuition or short-term trends. Research submitted to ISBMJBIR may therefore examine established business questions through new theoretical perspectives, investigate emerging management phenomena or explore how contemporary technologies and social changes are transforming traditional business practices.

Priority Research Area 1: Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage

Strategic management continues to be one of the most important fields for understanding how organisations create, protect and renew competitive advantage. In increasingly dynamic markets, organisations cannot rely exclusively on strategies that were successful in the past. Firms need to evaluate technological disruption, changing customer expectations, new competitors, geopolitical developments, sustainability requirements and evolving regulatory environments. Research opportunities include:

• Competitive strategy in rapidly changing markets
• Strategic agility and organisational resilience
• Corporate growth strategies
• Digital business strategy
• Strategic innovation
• International business strategy
• Strategic decision-making under uncertainty
• Business model innovation
• Mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring
• Platform and ecosystem strategies
• Resource-based approaches to competitive advantage
• Strategy implementation and organisational performance

Researchers are particularly encouraged to examine how strategic theories operate in emerging economies, SMEs, family businesses, start-ups and technology-driven organisations.

Priority Research Area 2: Artificial Intelligence and Managerial Decision-Making

Artificial intelligence has moved from being predominantly a technology research topic to becoming a significant management research domain. Businesses are experimenting with AI for forecasting, customer service, recruitment, financial analysis, marketing automation, supply chain management, productivity improvement and strategic planning. However, technological capability alone does not determine whether an AI initiative succeeds. Research is increasingly needed around organisational readiness, management capability, employee skills, governance, implementation strategy, ethical considerations and measurable business value. Potential areas include:

• AI readiness among SMEs and large enterprises
• Generative AI in business decision-making
• AI-supported managerial analytics
• Human-AI collaboration
• AI adoption barriers
• Responsible AI governance
• AI and workforce productivity
• AI-enabled marketing
• AI applications in finance
• Predictive analytics for management
• Artificial intelligence and organisational change
• Measuring return on AI investment

The strongest studies in this field will distinguish between enthusiasm surrounding AI and measurable organisational outcomes.

Priority Research Area 3: Marketing and Consumer Behaviour

Marketing research is undergoing substantial transformation as businesses gain access to more customer data while simultaneously operating in an environment where privacy, authenticity and trust are increasingly important. Consumers now interact with brands through websites, applications, marketplaces, social platforms, influencers, physical stores and increasingly AI-mediated interfaces. This creates opportunities for research into both established and emerging marketing phenomena. Important topics include:

• Digital consumer behaviour
• Social media marketing effectiveness
• AI-powered personalisation
• Customer experience management
• Brand trust and authenticity
• Neuromarketing and behavioural insights
• Influencer marketing
• Customer loyalty
• Omnichannel marketing
• Marketing analytics
• Sustainable consumer behaviour
• Business-to-business marketing
• Rural and emerging-market consumers
• Pricing psychology
• Digital advertising effectiveness

Researchers may also examine whether new marketing technologies genuinely improve consumer outcomes or simply increase the volume of customer interactions.

Priority Research Area 4: Finance, FinTech and Financial Decision-Making

Financial research remains central to understanding business performance and economic development. At the same time, traditional finance is increasingly intersecting with artificial intelligence, digital payment infrastructure, automated investment tools, alternative financing models and financial technology. Potential research directions include:

• Corporate finance
• Capital structure decisions
• Investment behaviour
• Behavioural finance
• Financial risk management
• FinTech adoption
• Digital payments
• Financial inclusion
• SME financing
• Working capital management
• Financial analytics
• ESG investment
• AI applications in financial decision-making
• Financial literacy
• Corporate financial performance

Research combining financial theory with empirical evidence from emerging markets can be especially valuable because many financial models have historically been developed using evidence from mature economies.

Priority Research Area 5: Entrepreneurship, Start-ups and Innovation

Entrepreneurship remains an important driver of innovation, employment and economic development. However, entrepreneurship itself is changing. Modern founders may build businesses through digital platforms, operate remote teams, access customers internationally from an early stage and rely on technologies that dramatically reduce traditional barriers to market entry. Researchers can investigate:

• Start-up ecosystems
• Entrepreneurial intention
• Entrepreneurial finance
• Women entrepreneurship
• Social entrepreneurship
• Rural entrepreneurship
• Digital entrepreneurship
• Innovation management
• Start-up survival and failure
• Venture capital and alternative finance
• Entrepreneurial leadership
• University entrepreneurship ecosystems
• Family businesses
• SME growth strategies

There is also substantial scope for research examining entrepreneurial ecosystems across different Indian states, cities and regional economic environments.

Priority Research Area 6: Human Resource Management and the Future of Work

Organisations may invest heavily in technology, but people remain central to organisational performance. The workplace continues to evolve through remote and hybrid work, automation, skills transformation, changing employee expectations and increased attention to wellbeing and organisational culture. Relevant research areas include:

• Employee engagement
• Talent management
• Leadership development
• Hybrid and remote work
• Employee productivity
• Organisational culture
• Learning and development
• Employee retention
• Workplace diversity
• AI in recruitment
• People analytics
• Digital workforce transformation
• Performance management
• Employee experience
• Future workforce skills

Studies connecting human resource practices to measurable organisational outcomes are particularly important for strengthening evidence-based management.

Priority Research Area 7: Sustainability, ESG and Circular Business Models

Sustainability has moved significantly closer to the centre of corporate strategy. Businesses increasingly need to understand environmental responsibility not only as a compliance matter but also as an issue affecting investment, supply chains, product design, brand reputation, operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness. Emerging research areas include:

• Sustainable business strategy
• Environmental, social and governance practices
• Green finance
• Circular economy models
• Sustainable supply chains
• Corporate sustainability reporting
• Green consumer behaviour
• Sustainable entrepreneurship
• Corporate social responsibility
• Climate-related business risk
• Responsible investment
• Waste reduction and resource efficiency

Researchers should critically examine sustainability claims rather than automatically assuming that every initiative described as sustainable produces meaningful environmental or social outcomes.

Priority Research Area 8: Digital Transformation and Business Analytics

Digital transformation involves far more than implementing new software. Meaningful transformation may require changes in processes, leadership, organisational structure, employee skills, data governance and customer engagement. Research opportunities include:

• Digital transformation strategy
• Business analytics
• Data-driven decision-making
• Cloud technology adoption
• Enterprise digitalisation
• Platform business models
• Digital maturity assessment
• Cybersecurity from a management perspective
• Technology adoption in SMEs
• Digital supply chain management
• Business intelligence systems
• Automation and productivity

Studies that compare expected digital transformation benefits with observed organisational outcomes can make particularly valuable contributions.

Priority Research Area 9: Operations and Supply Chain Management

Supply chains have become strategically important following years of disruption, increased global interconnectedness and heightened concern about resilience. Modern operations research can examine efficiency alongside adaptability, sustainability and technology adoption. Relevant areas include:

• Supply chain resilience
• Inventory management
• Logistics optimisation
• Procurement strategy
• Demand forecasting
• Digital supply chains
• Sustainable logistics
• Supplier relationship management
• Risk management
• Operations analytics
• Automation in operations
• Last-mile delivery

Research incorporating real organisational data, sector comparisons or emerging-market evidence is particularly encouraged.

Priority Research Area 10: Corporate Governance, Leadership and Business Ethics

Questions of governance and ethical leadership remain important as organisations gain access to more powerful technologies and increasingly complex global markets. Research may explore:

• Corporate governance structures
• Board effectiveness
• Leadership styles
• Ethical decision-making
• Corporate accountability
• Responsible business practices
• Stakeholder management
• Corporate transparency
• AI governance
• Business ethics
• Governance in family-owned businesses
• Leadership during organisational change

These topics are particularly important because organisational decisions increasingly have consequences extending beyond shareholders to employees, customers, communities and other stakeholders.

Interdisciplinary Business Research Is Welcome

Many of today's most important business questions cannot be understood from a single disciplinary perspective. Digital transformation can involve management, information systems, economics and behavioural science. Sustainable business may connect finance, strategy, public policy and environmental studies. Consumer behaviour may draw on marketing, psychology, behavioural economics and data science. Artificial intelligence research may require insights from technology, management, ethics and organisational behaviour. ISBMJBIR therefore provides an appropriate platform for interdisciplinary research where the work maintains a meaningful connection to business issues, organisational decision-making or management research.

What Types of Manuscripts Can Researchers Consider?

Researchers may consider a range of scholarly manuscript types depending on the nature of their work. Original research articles can present empirical findings based on quantitative, qualitative or mixed research methodologies. Review articles can critically synthesise existing literature and identify important theoretical or empirical research gaps. Case studies can examine organisations, industries, managerial interventions, entrepreneurial ventures or business phenomena in depth. Conceptual and theoretical contributions can develop models, frameworks or propositions that advance understanding of important business questions. Researchers should ensure that every manuscript clearly explains its research problem, theoretical or practical relevance, methodology where applicable, findings and contribution to existing knowledge.

What Makes a Strong Business Research Manuscript?

A strong manuscript requires more than a contemporary topic. Authors should demonstrate why the research question matters and how their study contributes something meaningful beyond what has already been established. A well-developed manuscript generally includes:

• A clearly defined research problem
• A relevant and current literature review
• An identifiable research gap
• Appropriate theoretical foundations
• Clear research objectives or hypotheses
• A defensible research methodology
• Transparent presentation of findings
• Critical interpretation of results
• Practical or managerial implications
• Limitations and future research opportunities

Authors should avoid assuming that a fashionable subject automatically constitutes a research contribution. For example, merely adding artificial intelligence, sustainability or digital transformation to a paper title is insufficient unless the research addresses a meaningful question and produces defensible insights.

Opportunities for Indian and Emerging-Market Business Research

India offers an exceptionally diverse environment for business research. Researchers can study large corporations, MSMEs, family-owned enterprises, digital start-ups, rural entrepreneurship, formal and informal markets, rapidly developing digital payment systems and diverse consumer populations. This provides opportunities to test existing theories under different institutional, cultural and economic conditions while also developing contextually relevant frameworks. Potential themes include:

• MSME digital transformation
• AI adoption among Indian enterprises
• Indian consumer behaviour
• Financial inclusion and digital finance
• Start-up ecosystems
• Family business management
• Rural markets
• Women-led entrepreneurship
• Sustainable business practices
• Regional economic development
• Digital commerce
• Workforce transformation

Researchers should nevertheless avoid treating India only as a geographical setting. Strong studies should explain why the context improves, challenges or extends existing business knowledge.

From Academic Research to Managerial Impact

Business and management research achieves greater relevance when its implications are clearly understood. Researchers should consider questions such as: What should managers do differently because of these findings? How might organisations improve policies, processes or strategies? Do the results challenge conventional management assumptions? Can the findings inform entrepreneurs, investors or policymakers? What are the implications for employees or consumers? These questions do not mean that every academic paper must become a consulting report. Theoretical contribution remains essential. However, clearly articulating practical implications can strengthen the relevance of business scholarship.

Submission and Peer Review

Authors planning to submit to ISBMJBIR should prepare their manuscripts according to the journal's current author guidelines and submission requirements. The journal follows a scholarly editorial process that includes manuscript preparation, submission, peer review and publication stages. Authors should carefully review instructions relating to manuscript structure, abstract and keywords, references, tables, figures, ethical requirements and supporting documentation before making a submission. Submitting a technically complete manuscript helps editors and reviewers focus more effectively on the academic contribution of the work.

Why Digital Publishing Infrastructure Matters for Modern Academic Journals

The quality of a scholarly journal depends primarily on its editorial standards, peer review and published research. At the same time, appropriate digital infrastructure can make those standards easier to administer consistently. Modern journals increasingly require structured online manuscript submission, editorial tracking, reviewer coordination, article publication, metadata management and accessible archives. ISB&M Journal of Business Issues & Research is powered by ScholarJMS, which provides journal website, manuscript submission and editorial workflow infrastructure. For universities, management schools, scholarly societies and research institutions planning their own journals, professional publishing infrastructure can reduce administrative complexity and help establish organised publication workflows from the beginning. ScholarJMS: https://www.scholarjms.com Organisations already using Open Journal Systems may alternatively require managed hosting, migration, technical maintenance or publishing consultation. OJSCloud supports OJS hosting and migration as well as journal launch guidance and ISSN consulting. OJSCloud: https://www.ojscloud.com

ISSN, DOI and Research Discoverability

Launching a journal involves more than creating a website and collecting manuscripts. Publishers also need to consider journal identity, metadata quality, persistent article identification and long-term discoverability. An ISSN provides an internationally recognised identifier for a serial publication. New journal owners should therefore consider ISSN requirements and journal website readiness during the early stages of publication planning. OJSCloud provides consulting support for institutions preparing journal infrastructure and documentation for ISSN-related processes. At article level, Digital Object Identifiers can provide persistent links and help support reliable citation and metadata workflows. Journals considering Crossref DOI registration should plan their DOI strategy carefully rather than treating DOI assignment as a purely technical task. GetDOI provides support relating to Crossref DOI setup, sponsorship routes and DOI workflow guidance. GetDOI: https://www.getdoi.com For journals exploring greater transparency in scholarly assessment, Scholar9 provides a research trust ecosystem focused on transparent peer review and research credibility. Scholar9: https://www.scholar9.com

A Note for Institutions Planning to Launch a Business or Management Journal

The increasing volume of research produced by universities and management institutions is encouraging many organisations to explore launching their own scholarly journals. A sustainable journal, however, requires considerably more than a website. Institutions should think carefully about:

• Journal title and academic positioning
• Aims and scope
• Editorial board structure
• Author and reviewer policies
• Publication ethics
• Peer-review workflow
• Journal website architecture
• Online manuscript submission
• ISSN readiness
• DOI and metadata planning
• Publication scheduling
• Long-term indexing readiness

Building these elements correctly from the beginning can prevent significant operational difficulties later. Need help launching or upgrading an academic journal? Our journal publishing technology and consulting ecosystem can support:

• ScholarJMS journal website setup
• Online manuscript submission workflows
• Editorial and peer-review workflow setup
• OJS hosting and technical support
• OJS to ScholarJMS migration
• ISSN consulting and journal readiness
• Crossref DOI support and DOI workflows
• Journal launch guidance

WhatsApp: +91 82003 85143 WhatsApp Direct: https://wa.me/918200385143 Email: inquiry@ojscloud.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ISB&M Journal of Business Issues & Research? ISB&M Journal of Business Issues & Research is an academic journal providing a platform for scholarly research relating to business issues and interdisciplinary research. Its areas of interest include contemporary themes relevant to management, organisations, markets and business decision-making. Is ISBMJBIR accepting papers in 2026? Yes. Researchers interested in submitting should consult the journal's current Call for Papers and author submission pages for the latest submission status and instructions. What business research topics can be submitted? Potential topics include management, marketing, finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, organisational behaviour, human resource management, digital transformation, business analytics, sustainability, supply chain management, governance and related interdisciplinary research. Can researchers submit artificial intelligence research? Yes, where the study has a meaningful connection to business or management. Potential areas include AI adoption, managerial decision-making, SME AI readiness, marketing automation, financial analytics, workforce transformation and AI governance. Can marketing research be submitted? Research involving consumer behaviour, digital marketing, branding, social media, customer experience, marketing analytics, neuromarketing and related fields can be relevant to the journal's business research orientation. Is finance research suitable for the journal? Finance-related research examining corporate finance, financial decision-making, FinTech, behavioural finance, risk, investment, financial inclusion and business performance can be considered where it aligns with the journal's scholarly scope. Can doctoral and early-career researchers submit manuscripts? Researchers should be evaluated on the scholarly quality and suitability of their manuscripts rather than career stage. Doctoral scholars and early-career researchers should therefore carefully follow the journal's author guidelines and submission requirements. Does the journal accept interdisciplinary research? Interdisciplinary research can be especially valuable when it maintains a clear connection with business, management or organisational issues. Examples include AI and management, sustainability and finance, psychology and consumer behaviour, or data science and business analytics. How should authors prepare their manuscripts? Authors should consult the latest Author Guidelines before submission and follow the journal's requirements concerning structure, abstract, keywords, references, figures, tables and supporting documentation. How can an institution start its own management research journal? An institution should first establish the journal's academic purpose, aims and scope, editorial board, peer-review model, ethics policies, publishing schedule and technical infrastructure. It should then plan its website, manuscript workflow, ISSN readiness, metadata and DOI strategy. ScholarJMS, OJSCloud and GetDOI can provide technical and consulting support across these stages. What is the difference between a journal website and a journal management system? A journal website primarily presents information and published content. A complete journal management system additionally handles activities such as manuscript submission, editorial screening, reviewer assignment, revisions, decisions, publication workflows and article management. Why should new journals plan DOI workflows early? DOI implementation involves more than displaying identifiers on published papers. Journals need consistent article metadata, DOI registration processes and ongoing record maintenance. Early planning can make the workflow more reliable as publication volume grows.

Looking Ahead: Building Stronger Business Research in 2026

Business scholarship is entering an important period. Artificial intelligence, digital transformation, sustainability, changing consumer behaviour, financial innovation and evolving organisational models are creating new research questions. At the same time, traditional areas such as leadership, strategy, finance, marketing, entrepreneurship and human resource management remain central to understanding organisational success. The ISB&M Journal of Business Issues & Research encourages scholars to approach these subjects with rigorous methodologies, critical thinking and a clear understanding of how their research contributes to academic knowledge. Researchers preparing manuscripts for 2026 are encouraged to look beyond fashionable terminology and identify meaningful problems that can be examined systematically. Strong scholarship should explain not simply what is changing, but why it is changing, what evidence supports the conclusions and what the findings mean for theory and practice. Researchers, academicians and professionals interested in contributing to this growing body of knowledge are encouraged to review the journal's Call for Papers, Author Guidelines, policies and submission information before preparing their manuscripts. The objective is not simply to publish more business research, but to encourage research capable of improving our understanding of organisations, markets, management practices and the wider economic environment in which businesses operate. Publishing support for journal owners and institutions Universities, management institutes, scholarly societies and independent publishers planning to launch or modernise an academic journal can also seek assistance with:

• ScholarJMS journal website and management system setup
• OJS hosting, support and migration
• ISSN consulting
• Crossref DOI workflow support
• Editorial workflow configuration
• Journal launch and publishing consultation