BAS publishes new scholarship (i.e., original research). BAS will consider a wide range of theoretical, conceptual, empirical (i.e., quantitative and qualitative), methodological, and social issue submissions; together with book reviews and dissertation abstracts. Commentary pieces and rejoinders are considered on an individual basis. The scope of business and society scholarship is quite broad and not limited to the following examples: business ethics, business-government relations, corporate governance, corporate political activity, corporate social performance and responsibility, environmental management and policy, international management and policy issues, regulation, social issues, stakeholder theory and practice, etc.
Submissions using undergraduate student populations should provide an explicit argument as to why such a sample is appropriate; and how the manuscript advances theoretical and empirical knowledge.
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/bas where authors will be required to set up an online account in the SAGETRACK system powered by ScholarOne.
1. The submission should consist of two separate WORD documents: (i) a manuscript without title page and without author identification information of any kind, and containing an abstract (about 150 words) and keywords (3 – 5); (ii) a title page with full author contact information. These documents are converted by the online submission system to PDF format (with line numbering). PDF conversion typically eliminates WORD properties with author identification information, but submitters should use security (tools-options) and properties (file) devices to eliminate identification information even in advance of submission. A cover letter is not necessary, but can be submitted as a third document.
2. Prior presentation at a conference is acceptable. In the event of prior or expected publication in conference proceedings, please inform the editor. To avoid identification of a submission during review, authors should refrain from presentation or online posting after submission to BAS (or most other journals).
3. Citations to prior work by authors should be avoided in a new manuscript. Either replace with (Author, Year) or avoid entirely for subsequent insertion. For the (Author, Year) approach, provide the editor with a separate list of what these citations are. (A list can be uploaded as a submission document.) Extensive self-citation begins to raise the issue of newness.
4. A submission should not be submitted elsewhere during the review process without notifying the editor of intent to withdraw. Duplicate submission is grounds for immediate rejection and if necessary additional sanctions.
5. A manuscript should be double spaced, with 1-inch margins, in 12-point Times New Roman (or similar font). BAS does not have specific length limits. Generally, manuscripts below 30 pages are probably not ready for external review (exceptions are rare, and typically dense empirical papers); and manuscripts much beyond 50 pages may be providing too much information (exceptions can occur). All tables, charts, and figures should appear at the end of the manuscript (with an indication in the manuscript of where the item goes).
6. Submissions should be reasonably American Psychological Association (APA) compliant: (i) In-text citations take the form (Windsor & Windsor, 1999, pp. 31-32). (ii) Specific standards are used for the reference list (which should in alphabetical order at the end before any tables, charts, and figures). Examples are provided below for precise guidance (punctuation and italics matter):
a. Orlitzky, M., & Benjamin, J. D. (2001). Corporate social performance and firm risk: A meta-analytic review. Business & Society, 40(4), 369-387.
b. Preston, L. E., & Windsor, D. (1997). The rules of the game in the global economy: Policy regimes for international business (2nd ed.). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. [So typically country or U.S. state, except New York.]
c. Mintz, B., & Schwartz, M. (1990). Capital flows and the process of financial hegemony. In S. Zukin & P. DiMaggio (Eds.), Structures of capital (pp. 203-226). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. [An edited book proceeds as a book with (Eds.) and without page numbers: Sukin, S., & DiMaggio, P. (Eds.). (1990). Structures of capital. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.]
d. Scheessele, R. (2002). Black and White disparities in subprime mortgage refinance lending (Working Paper No. HF-014). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
e. Rubin, R. E., & Rubinger, M. (2004, December 4). Don’t let banks turn their backs on the poor [Op-ed]. New York Times. Retrieved June 13, 2007, from http//... [with exact url address for the item].
f. IABS proceedings should be cited per that publication’s instructions (basically a combination of a and c above).
Authors who want to refine the use of English in their manuscripts might consider utilizing the services of SPi, a non-affiliated company that offers Professional Editing Services to authors of journal articles in the areas of science, technology, medicine or the social sciences. SPi specializes in editing and correcting English-language manuscripts written by authors with a primary language other than English. Visit http://www.prof-editing.com for more information about SPi’s Professional Editing Services, pricing, and turn-around times, or to obtain a free quote or submit a manuscript for language polishing.
Please be aware that SAGE has no affiliation with SPi and makes no endorsement of the company. An author’s use of SPi’s services in no way guarantees that his or her submission will ultimately be accepted. Any arrangement an author enters into will be exclusively between the author and SPi, and any costs incurred are the sole responsibility of the author.
