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BUSINESS FORA
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Pre-submission checklist
This checklist serves as a guide for authors to ensure that manuscripts submitted to Business Fora have complied with the preliminary requirements prior to submission. By carefully reviewing each item, authors can streamline the evaluation process and demonstrate readiness for peer review and publication.
- Authorship & Originality. Authors must ensure that the manuscript represents original scholarship and has not been published or submitted elsewhere. All listed authors should have made substantial contributions consistent with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Authorship and must approve the final version for submission. Where applicable, equal contributions or specific roles should be transparently declared to uphold integrity in authorship.
Reference:
Section 5 (Authorship & Contributions) of the Editorial Policies
- Ethics & Compliance. Manuscripts involving human participants or sensitive data must demonstrate adherence to recognized ethical standards. Authors should confirm that appropriate institutional approvals have been secured and that informed consent was obtained when required. Compliance with COPE guidelines (Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing) should be explicitly stated to safeguard ethical responsibility.
References:
Section 2 (Publication Ethics Statement) of the Editorial Policies
Section 3 (Publication Malpractice Statement) of Editorial Policies
Section 4 (Institutional Ethics Compliance and Approval) of the Editorial Policies
- Formatting & Structure. Submissions must follow the journal’s prescribed format, typically the IMRAD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). Authors should verify that manuscripts meet word count requirements, citation currency, with a majority of references drawn from recent scholarship. Abstracts and keywords must align with journal specifications, and required files – such as the anonymized manuscript and separate title page – should be uploaded correctly.
References:
Code 2–Paper Format Style Guide
Sample Journal Template (IMRAD)
Sample 2 – column Article (Published)
- Declarations & Transparency. Authors must include clear statements regarding funding sources, acknowledgments, and data availability. Any conflicts of interest should be declared, and where artificial intelligence tools have been used, their role must be responsibly disclosed. These declarations ensure accountability and foster trust in the published work.
References:
Section 5 (Authorship & Contributions) of the Editorial Policies
Section 7 (Conflict of Interest) of the Editorial Policies
Section 8 (Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence) of the Editorial Policies
Section 10 (Data Sharing & Transparency) of the Editorial Policies
- Technical Quality. The manuscript must be written in clear, professional English with attention to grammar and style. Figures and tables should be accurate, properly labeled, and referenced within the text. Authors must confirm that permissions have been obtained for any copyrighted or third-party material included, ensuring compliance with intellectual property standards.
Publication Readiness. Before submission, authors should verify that references and citations are complete, accurate, and formatted according to APA 7th Ed. Style Guide. The manuscript must fall within the scope of Business Fora and demonstrate relevance to its readership. Authors should also confirm readiness to comply with open access agreements and article processing charge (APC) policies to facilitate smooth progression to publication.
Peer review phases
The peer review process commences with the submission of the manuscript through the journal’s online portal. Upon receipt, the Operations Officer retrieves the manuscript and its accompanying data to ensure compliance with all pre-requirements outlined in the submission checklist. Once verified, the manuscript is assigned a unique study code at the publication level. This code serves as the official identifier of the manuscript throughout the workflow. This study code is also integrated in the published version as a suffix to the generated Digital Object Identifier (DOI), thereby ensuring precise traceability and consistency across the journal’s records. Following this administrative phase, the manuscript is formally endorsed for preliminary evaluation, marking the transition from submission to scholarly review.
The scholarly review begins with the preliminary evaluation phase, which typically lasts about 7 days from submission to first decision. During this stage, the Executive Editor and Editor-in-Chief determine whether the manuscript aligns with the journal’s thematic scope and whether its methodology and argumentation demonstrate soundness. If either of these requirements is not met, the paper is rejected at this stage. This early decision-making ensures that only manuscripts with potential scholarly value proceed to full peer review, thereby saving time for both authors and reviewers.
For manuscripts that pass the initial screening, the process moves into double-anonymous peer review proper, which spans approximately 30 to 45 days from submission to acceptance. At this stage, the Executive Editor, in coordination with the Editor-in-Chief, assign the manuscript to 2 qualified Reviewers (Associate Editors) who critically evaluate its originality, methodological rigor, and contribution to the field. Reviewers provide detailed comments and constructive suggestions, which are then communicated to the authors. Authors are expected to revise their manuscripts in response to these comments, applying the necessary rigor to strengthen their work. Revised manuscripts will undergo re-review to ensure that the revisions adequately address the reviewers’ concerns. The executive editor, in consultation with the editor-in-chief, makes the final decision to accept or reject the manuscript based on the reviewers’ recommendations and the quality of the revisions.
Once a manuscript is accepted, it enters the production phase, which typically lasts about 7 days. During this period, the paper undergoes two-column formatting, copyediting, and final proofreading. The Executive Editor coordinates closely with the production team to ensure that the manuscript is polished and ready for publication. After these final checks, the paper is lined up for publication.
This peer review process is deliberately exhaustive, combining administrative precision, scholarly evaluation, and rigorous revision. By applying the double-anonymous procedure, and involving the Executive Editor, Editor-in-Chief, and Associate Editors in clearly defined roles, Business Fora ensures that every manuscript is subjected to fair, thorough, and unbiased scrutiny. The journal maintains this high standard of review to safeguard its credibility and uphold the integrity of the scholarly record.
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What is the importance of DOI?
Publication fee
- Understanding Publishing Fees. Open access ensures your research reaches a global audience, maximizing visibility and impact. The publishing fees, known as Article Processing Charges (APCs), directly support high-quality editorial management, peer review, hosting, and indexing – services that amplify your work’s reach. With APCs varying by journal and article type, payment is only required once your manuscript is accepted, making the process both fair and rewarding.
- Coverage of Article Processing Charge. Article Processing Charge (APC) fully support the publication of your work by covering essential services. These include the management of editorial and peer review processes, professional lay-outing and formatting in 2-column format, and production in PDF format.
APCs also ensure your article is permanently hosted on VMC Analytiks’ open access platform – the Digital Journal Philippines website, securely archived at Internet Archive, and widely disseminated through indexing and post-publication promotion through congratulatory poster in our FB page to maximize visibility and impact. APC Rate for Business Fora. The article processing charge (APC) for Business Fora is set at 68.00 US dollars. For authors paying in Philippine peso, the equivalent amount will be determined using the prevailing dollar-to-peso exchange rate on the day the paper is formally accepted. It is important to note that this APC covers only the costs associated with online publication and does not include the hard print fee of the journal. Authors requesting printed copies will be charged a separate fee, which will apply once the hard copy version becomes available for distribution.
- Discounts and Publication Vouchers. Business Fora values the loyalty of its contributors by offering special discounts on article processing charges (APCs). Institutions or individual poolers submitting at one-time a minimum of five research articles receive a 5% discount, while those submitting at least ten articles enjoy a 10% discount. This initiative reflects the journal’s commitment to rewarding trust and continued support.
In addition, VMC Analytiks, the publisher of Business Fora, extends gratitude through free Publication Vouchers distributed during research-related events such as conferences, symposia, and anniversaries, further strengthening its bond with the academic community.
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Editing services and fees
- IMRAD Editing Service. The IMRAD editing service fee is 60 US dollars. The editing work is carried out in partnership with VMC Analytiks’ Partner Editing Group (PEG) – a third-party editing service provider. This collaboration ensures that manuscripts receive professional and rigorous attention as they are transformed from traditionally chaptered theses or research papers into journal-ready articles. The service covers the complete restructuring of the document into internationally recognized IMRAD format – Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion – with editors carefully reorganizing chapters, refining language, and aligning manuscripts with global journal formatting standards, including citation, headings, tables, and figures.
The process is rigorous, requiring extensive editing to condense lengthy chapters into focused sections while reducing redundancy. Particular attention is given to trimming the manuscript’s length to comply with Business Fora’s policy of a maximum 8,000 words. This reduction is not merely mechanical; it involves thoughtful rewriting to preserve the integrity of the research while enhancing readability and impact. By applying international formatting standards and enforcing strict word limits, the service ensures that the final article is concise, professional, and ready for submission to indexing databases and peer review.
Form: Code 4 – Request for Editing - Content Editing Service. Content editing is a specialized service designed to refine and improve a research paper that has already undergone peer review. Its primary purpose is to address the revision requirements provided by reviewers, which may include comments, suggestions, or requests for clarification. This ensures that the manuscript not only responds to reviewer feedback but also meets the standards expected by international journals.
The service is performed by Technical Experts from the Partner Editing Group (PEG) who are specialists in their respective fields. Their subject expertise allows them to edit manuscripts with precision, aligning revisions with disciplinary expectations and ensuring that the content remains accurate, relevant, and scholarly. Editors carefully restructure arguments, enhance clarity, and strengthen the overall presentation of the research, while maintaining fidelity to the author’s original work.
Because content editing requires extensive rigor, a minimum window of two weeks is allotted to complete the revision process. This timeframe allows editors to thoroughly analyze reviewer comments, apply necessary changes, and polish the manuscript to meet publication standards. The treatment of revision requirements is highly individualized, as each manuscript presents unique challenges depending on the scope and depth of reviewer feedback.
The fee for content editing ranges between 100 to 300 US dollars, reflecting the complexity of the revisions required. Final pricing is determined after a careful assessment of both the manuscript and the reviewer’s comments by the assigned editor. Authors who wish to avail this service must complete the corresponding request form below.
Form: Code 4 – Request for Editing
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