We are committed to ensuring that you have a professional and respectful experience throughout the review and publication process.
As an author, you are expected to:
Respond promptly to any queries raised during the publication process.
Take full responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of your work, including addressing and resolving any issues related to errors or research ethics.
Treat all correspondence with the journal’s editorial team as confidential until a final editorial decision has been communicated.
According to our research ethics for authorship, you must:
Include contributors: List as authors only those who have made a substantial and meaningful contribution to the submission. Any individuals involved in the work who do not meet authorship criteria should instead be acknowledged in the acknowledgements section.
Exclude non-contributors: Do not include as authors anyone who has not contributed to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research, or anyone who has chosen not to be associated with the work.
Use of AI tools: In line with COPE’s position statement, Large Language Models (LLMs) and similar AI tools cannot be credited with authorship, as they are incapable of independently conceptualising research design or taking responsibility for the integrity, originality, and validity of published work. Authors are required to clearly state any use of AI tools, including the name and version, and describe the content created or modified. Any additional sources drawn upon by the AI must also be cited and referenced. Standard tools used for spelling, grammar, or reference formatting are exempt. The Editor and Publisher reserve the right to determine the acceptability of AI tool usage in submissions.
Ethical approval: If your article involves human participants, you are responsible for ensuring that ethical approval has been obtained where necessary. A statement confirming approval, or clarifying that it was not required, must be included as part of your submission.
Author Responsibilities
Atmaz Policy on AI Usage
Atmaz is committed to ensuring responsible, transparent, and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in academic publishing. The following principles and rules apply to all submissions:
1. Overarching Principles
Accountability: Authors and peer reviewers are solely responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and validity of their work.
Transparency: Any use of AI tools must be disclosed clearly within the manuscript.
Human Oversight: AI tools may support but must not replace human judgment, analysis, or authorship in the publication process.
2. Authorship and AI
Not Permitted: Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, LLaMA, etc.) cannot be listed as authors, since they cannot conceptualise research, design studies, or take accountability for published work.
Disclosure Required: If AI tools were used to assist in the preparation of the manuscript (e.g., editing, language polishing, idea organisation), this must be disclosed in the acknowledgements section, including the name and version of the tool used.
3. Copywriting vs Copy-editing
Copywriting: Using AI tools to generate, draft, or write any part of a scholarly submission is not permitted. Submissions must represent the intellectual and creative work of the author(s).
Copy-editing: Using AI tools to refine grammar, improve clarity, edit language, or adjust structure of your own original text is permitted, provided that such usage follows the principles of accountability and transparency.
4. Examples of Acceptable Use
Correcting grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
Improving sentence flow and readability of author-generated text.
Formatting references or text according to a specified style guide.
5. Examples of Unacceptable Use
Generating new research content, data, or arguments.
Writing sections of the manuscript (e.g., introduction, discussion, literature review).
Producing fabricated references or sources.
6. Editorial Authority
The Editor and Publisher reserve the right to determine whether the use of AI tools in any submission is appropriate and permissible. Submissions found to violate this policy may be rejected.
Open Access Submissions and Information
Our journal is proud to be a fully open access publication, ensuring that all articles are freely and immediately available to readers worldwide without any barriers or subscription fees.
At this time, we do not charge any Article Processing Charges (APCs). This policy reflects our commitment to:
Encouraging Authors – We aim to support researchers, especially early-career scholars and those from developing regions, by removing financial barriers to publishing.
Promoting Knowledge Sharing – By eliminating APCs, we make it easier for valuable research to reach a global audience and foster open dialogue across disciplines.
Upholding Open Science – We believe research should be accessible to everyone, and by offering a no-cost publishing model, we contribute to a more inclusive and equitable research community.
Manuscript requirements
Before submitting your manuscript, please ensure you carefully read and follow the guidelines below.
File Format
Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format.
A PDF version may be uploaded in addition to the Word file, but PDFs alone are not acceptable.
Article Length / Word Count
Submissions should be between 6,000 and 8,500 words in length.
The word count includes all text (e.g., structured abstract, references, tables, figures, and appendices).
Please allow approximately 250 words for each figure or table.
Article Title
A concise and clearly worded title must be provided.
Author Details
A separate title page should list all contributing authors in the preferred order of publication. For each author, please include:
Full name (with any middle names or initials you wish to appear in the publication).
Institutional email address (preferred).
Institutional affiliation (at the time the research was conducted).
For multi-authored submissions, ensure that all individuals who made a significant contribution are listed as authors.
Contributors who supported the work but did not directly contribute to the research should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section.
Individuals who did not contribute, or who do not wish to be associated with the research, must not be listed as authors. (Refer to our Research Ethics for Authorship for further details.)
Biographies and Acknowledgements
If you wish to include author biographies and acknowledgements, provide them in a separate Word document uploaded with your submission.
Biographies should be concise and limited to 100 words per author.
Research Funding
All sources of external funding should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section.
You may describe the role of the funder or sponsor across any stage of the research process (e.g., study design, data collection, analysis, or manuscript preparation).
Structured Abstract
All submissions must include a structured abstract using the following required subheadings:
Purpose
Design/methodology/approach
Findings
Originality
The following subheadings are optional and may be included where relevant:
Research limitations/implications
Practical implications
Social implications
The abstract must not exceed 250 words in total, including keywords and article classification (see below).
Keywords
Authors should provide up to 12 concise and relevant keywords that accurately reflect the core themes of the paper. These keywords will enhance the discoverability of your article. While we make every effort to retain the keywords you provide, the editorial team may replace or adjust them to ensure consistency and improve search visibility.
Article Classification
During submission, authors must select both a type and a category for their paper:
Types
Original Article
Case Study
New Perspectives
Viewpoint
Categories
Research Paper: Reports on research conducted by the author(s), which may include model development, action research, empirical studies, market research, or practice-focused studies.
Viewpoint: Articles based on the author’s perspective, opinion, or interpretation, including journalistic or commentary-style pieces.
Technical Paper: Describes and evaluates technical processes, methods, products, or services.
Conceptual Paper: Focuses on theoretical development or hypotheses, often discursive, and may include comparative or philosophical analysis.
Case Study: Presents practical interventions, organizational experiences, or legal cases. May also include hypothetical cases used for teaching.
Literature Review: Provides a critical review or annotated bibliography of the literature within a particular field, exploring major contributors and perspectives.
General Review: Offers an overview or historical examination of a concept, method, or phenomenon, often descriptive or instructional in nature.
Headings
Headings should be concise and clearly reflect the hierarchy of the content. The preferred style is to use bold text for first-level headings and medium italics for sub-headings.
Notes / Endnotes
Notes or endnotes should be used only when absolutely necessary. They must be identified in the text by consecutive numbers in square brackets and explained at the end of the article.
Figures
All figures (e.g., charts, diagrams, line drawings, web screenshots, and photographic images) must be submitted electronically. Both colour and black-and-white files are accepted.
Key requirements:
Figures should be provided in the highest possible resolution/quality, with all numbers and text clearly legible.
Acceptable file formats include .ai, .eps, .jpeg, .bmp, and .tif.
Figures created electronically in other applications should be submitted in their original format and may also be copied into the article document.
All figures must be numbered consecutively and include clear captions.
Photographs should be numbered as Plate 1, 2, 3, etc., each with a caption.
Captions for figures and tables must include appropriate credit lines, acknowledgements, or attributions. If the figure or table belongs to the author(s), this should also be indicated in the caption.
Tables
Tables must be typed and submitted as part of the main article file.
Each table’s position should be indicated clearly in the article body with corresponding labels.
Tables should be numbered consecutively in numerals and given a brief descriptive title.
Superscripts, asterisks, or symbols used in tables must be explained as footnotes within the table, figure, or plate.
Supplementary Files
All supplementary materials must be submitted prior to acceptance. Files should be clearly labelled so that their supplementary nature is obvious. Atmaz recommends descriptive file names such as “Supplementary_Material_Appendix_1” or “Supplementary_Tables”.
Important points:
Supplementary materials will not be copy-edited or typeset, and proofs will not be provided. Authors are strongly advised to ensure the correct style and formatting before submission.
Accepted file types include:
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx)
Image files (.png, .jpeg, .gif)
It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that supplementary content is freely accessible and permanently available.
Extensive supplementary material may be subject to peer review, at the discretion of the Editor, where such content is deemed relevant for assessing the article during the review process.
References
All references in your manuscript must be formatted according to a recognized Harvard style. You are welcome to use the Harvard style adopted by Atmaz (outlined below). If you prefer to use a different Harvard variant, our typesetters will adjust your references during production if your manuscript is accepted. Please ensure all references are complete, accurate, and consistent before submission.
Atmaz Harvard Referencing Style
In-text citations should follow these conventions:
Single author: (Adams, 2015)
Two authors: (Adams and Brown, 2017)
Three or more authors: (Adams et al., 2018) – note that et al. should always be italicized.
Use p. (page) for a single page (e.g., p. 45) and pp. (pages) for ranges (e.g., pp. 145–149).
Page ranges should always be written in full (e.g., 125–129, not 125–9).
If a title includes a colon or dash, the first letter after it should be lowercase.
For works with multiple editors, use the abbreviation Ed.s.
References must be listed alphabetically at the end of the manuscript. Where a DOI exists, include it at the end of the entry.
Books
Surname, Initials (year), Title of Book, Atmaz Publishing Co., Place of publication.
Example: Johnson, P. (2019), Managing Innovation in Global Markets, Atmaz Publishing Co., London.
Book Chapters
Surname, Initials (year), “Chapter title”, in Editor’s surname, Initials (Ed.), Book Title, Atmaz Publishing Co., Place of publication, page numbers.
Example: Roberts, L.M. (2021), “Digital transitions in business models”, in Green, H. (Ed.), Handbook of Business Transformation, Atmaz Publishing Co., New York, pp. 55–72.
Journal Articles
Surname, Initials (year), “Title of article”, Atmaz Journal, Vol. X No. Y, pp. xx–xx.
Example: Smith, R. and Taylor, J. (2022), “Customer engagement in digital marketplaces”, Atmaz Journal, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 210–225.
Published Conference Proceedings
Surname, Initials (year), “Title of paper”, in Editor’s surname, Initials (Ed.), Title of Proceedings, Atmaz Publishing Co., Place, pp. xx–xx.
Example: Clark, M. and Wilson, D. (2023), “Agile practices in cross-border projects”, in Evans, R. (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Project Management Conference, Atmaz Publishing Co., Berlin, pp. 89–96.
Unpublished Conference Proceedings
Surname, Initials (year), “Title of paper”, paper presented at [Conference Name], [Date], [Place], available at: URL (accessed date).
Example: Lewis, A. (2020), “Sustainability integration in SMEs”, paper presented at the Global Entrepreneurship Forum, 12–14 March, Paris, available at: http://examplelink.com (accessed 5 April 2021).
Working Papers
Surname, Initials (year), “Title of paper”, Working Paper [Number if available], Institution, Place, Date.
Example: Walker, J. (2018), “Risk governance in multinational enterprises”, Working Paper No. 45, London School of Economics, London, 22 June.
Encyclopaedia Entries (no author/editor)
Title of Encyclopaedia (year), “Entry title”, Volume, Edition, Atmaz Publishing Co., Place, page numbers.
Example: Encyclopaedia of Management (2017), “Corporate social responsibility”, Vol. 4, 3rd ed., Atmaz Publishing Co., London, pp. 134–136.
Newspaper Articles (authored)
Surname, Initials (year), “Article title”, Newspaper Name, Date, page numbers.
Example: Harris, K. (2021), “Startups shaping Europe’s economic future”, The Business Times, 10 September, pp. 1, 3–4.
Newspaper Articles (non-authored)
Newspaper Name (year), “Article title”, Date, page numbers.
Example: The Times (2021), “Tech firms under pressure to reform data practices”, 15 July, p. 7.
Archival or Other Unpublished Sources
Surname, Initials (year), “Title of document”, unpublished manuscript, Collection name, inventory record, Name of archive, Location of archive.
Example: Miller, J. (1920), “Notes on early industrial trade”, unpublished manuscript, James Miller Papers, Record Series 14/3/11 Box 5, British Library Archives, London.
Electronic Sources
If available online, provide the full URL at the end of the reference along with the access date.
Surname, Initials (year), “Title of electronic source”, available at: persistent URL (accessed Date Month Year).
Example: Carter, L. and Johnson, P. (2019), “Writing clear research abstracts”, available at: https://www.academicwritingresources.org/abstracts (accessed 18 April 2022).
Standalone URLs without an author or date should be placed either in parentheses within the main text or, preferably, as a note (Roman numeral in square brackets within the text, with the full URL listed at the end of the article).
Data Sources
Surname, Initials (year), Title of dataset, Name of data repository, available at: persistent URL (accessed Date Month Year).
Example: Williams, K. and Anderson, R. (2020), European Social Survey 2018–2020, UK Data Service, Colchester, available at: https://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-12345-1 (accessed 5 January 2023).
Submit Your Manuscript
To ensure a smooth and efficient submission, please follow these steps carefully:
Before You Submit
Ensure your manuscript is complete, grammatically correct, and free from typographical errors.
Confirm that the manuscript aligns with the journal’s aims and scope.
Verify compliance with our research and publishing ethics guidelines.
Obtain and document any required permissions for copyrighted materials.
Follow all formatting requirements outlined in the author guidelines.
Prepare your manuscript for anonymous peer review:
Do not include author names in the text, references, figures, tables, or captions.
Refer to your prior work in a neutral way (e.g., “previous research has shown…”).
Exclude unpublished author work from the reference list.
Upload acknowledgements and author biographies as separate files.
Detailed OJS Submission Process
All manuscripts must be submitted by the corresponding author through the journal’s Open Journal Systems (OJS) portal. Please follow these steps:
Create an Account / Log In
If this is your first time, click Register on the OJS portal and create an author account.
Provide your full name, institutional email, affiliation, and ORCiD (optional but recommended).
If you already have an account, log in using your email (username) and password.
Start a New Submission
Once logged in, select New Submission.
Choose the appropriate section/category of the journal (e.g., Research Article, Case Study).
Read and Acknowledge Checklist
Confirm that your submission meets the journal’s requirements (file format, word count, ethics compliance, anonymity for peer review, etc.).
Agree to the journal’s copyright and open access policies.
Upload Submission Files
Upload the main manuscript file (Word format required).
Upload supplementary files separately (e.g., acknowledgements, biographies, figures, datasets).
Ensure file names are clear and descriptive.
Enter Metadata
Provide the manuscript title, subtitle (if any), and abstract.
Add all authors in the correct order of contribution, including their full names, affiliations, and institutional emails.
Enter keywords (up to 12).
If applicable, add funding information.
Review & Confirm
Double-check all uploaded files and metadata.
Ensure that the correct corresponding author is marked for communication.
Confirm everything is accurate before moving to the final step.
Submit Manuscript
Click Finish Submission.
You will receive an automated confirmation email acknowledging receipt of your manuscript.
Post-Submission
You can log back into your OJS account at any time to track the progress of your submission through review, revision, and decision stages.
The editorial office will communicate with you through the OJS messaging system.
Review & Decision Process
Each submission is first screened by the editor. At this stage, the editor may decline or return your manuscript if it does not align with the aims and scope of the journal, or if the overall language and quality of the manuscript are below the required standard.
If the manuscript is considered potentially suitable for publication, it will be sent to at least two independent reviewers for double-anonymous peer review. Once the reviewers have submitted their reports, the editor may decide to:
Accept the manuscript
Request minor revisions
Request major revisions
Decline the manuscript
While timelines may vary across journals, Atmaz strives to provide the first editorial decision within 10 days, with a final decision aimed within 30 days.
During this process, authors will receive automated updates via the OJS submission system. Authors can also log in to OJS at any time to check the current status of their manuscript. Each official communication will include the manuscript number assigned at the point of submission. If you receive any message that does not include these details, please treat it with caution and contact the journal editor immediately for verification.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aitzaz Khurshid
Editor-in-chief
Asst. Prof. Dr. Shehzad Hanif
Associate editor
Mr. Ammaz Sajid
Commissioning Editor
To Be Announced
editorial Assistant