Manuscript Submission and Formatting Guidelines
Submission Guidelines for Articles
To ensure a uniform and professional presentation of articles, authors are requested to adhere to the following detailed guidelines:
Length of Submission
Articles should not exceed 8,000-8500 words in length. Authors are encouraged to present their content concisely while maintaining clarity and depth to address the research topic comprehensively.
Language and Formatting
- Articles must be written in English.
- Use Times New Roman font, with a font size of 12 points.
- The text should be double-spaced throughout, including references, tables, and captions.
Types of Articles
The journal seeks to publish following types of contributions in the form of original articles, perspectives, management cases, review articles (conceptual papers), and book reviews.
Research Paper/Original Paper: This classification encompasses empirical research papers utilizing qualitative or quantitative methodologies. The word count for such papers should range between 6000-8000 words, inclusive of all components such as the abstract, tables, and references.
Perspectives: This category embraces viewpoints and insights concerning contemporary and emerging trends within industry and academia. We encourage submissions from practitioners and professionals in the field. Contributions in this category should fall within the 3000-5000 words.
Case Study: Case study involves examining issues, companies, departments, and special initiatives taken by academicians and practitioners. Submissions in this category should span between 3000-5000 words. Additionally, a teaching note must accompany each case study. This note should include a minimum of four questions to facilitate class discussion based on key subject concepts.
Literature/ Thematic Reviews: This category encompasses systematic literature reviews, bibliometric analysis, meta-analysis, and similar scholarly endeavors. The word count for submissions in this category should fall within 6000-8000 words. It contain unstructured abstract and includes up-to-date references. Meta-analyses are considered as reviews. Special attention will be paid to the teaching value of review papers.
Book Reviews: Authors can submit reviews of recently published books in management and business. The word range should be between 1500-2500 words.
Submission
- Authors should submit manuscripts as Word files (Word 2007 or higher) via the online Manuscript Tracking System and/or prescribed email. Only Word files (.doc, .docx, .rtf) can be submitted. There is no page limit. Authors should proofread their manuscript carefully to correct spelling, grammar, and formatting errors before submission.
- All the manuscripts shall be submitted to: research.cell@shubhashreecollege.edu.np
- Submissions must be made by one of the authors of the manuscript. Submissions by others will not be accepted. The submitting author is responsible for the manuscript throughout the submission and peer review process.
Formatting
- Use Times New Roman, 12 pt font, 1.5 line spacing, and fully justified text.
- Manuscripts should be in a single-column format with justified margins. Apply bold, italics, subscripts, and superscripts as needed.
- Use continuous line numbering throughout the text.
- Include page numbers consistently on all pages to facilitate review.
- For equations, use the Equation Editor or MathType.
- For tables, use the table function in Word rather than images.
- Use a decimal heading system with no more than three levels (e.g., 1., 2., 2.1, 2.1.1).
Peer Review Policy
All manuscripts are subjected to peer review and are expected to meet the standards of academic excellence. If approved by the editor, submissions will be considered by peer reviewers, whose identities will remain anonymous to the authors and vice versa, identities of authors will remain anonymous to the reviewers (Double-blind peer review). The decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript is the responsibility of the editorial board and is based on the recommendations of the reviewers (peer-reviewed process). Our ‘Research Integrity Team’ will occasionally seek advice outside standard peer review, for example, on submissions with serious ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal implications. We may consult experts and the academic editor before deciding on appropriate actions, including but not limited to recruiting reviewers with specific expertise, assessment by additional editors, and declining to further consider a submission. The revisions that have been made should be detailed, citing the line number and exact change so that the Editor can check the changes expeditiously. Revisions that do not meet these requirements will be sent back to authors requesting corrections and resubmitting. The average duration of the submission to the first decision is 4 to 6 weeks. The average duration of the submission to the final decision is about 12 weeks. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the final decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of articles. The Editor’s decision is final. We believe that Shubhashree Multidisciplinary Journal (SMJ) is the most appropriate outlet in case those authors need urgent but prestigious publications.
Revised Manuscripts
The authors must submit the revised version of their submissions within one month of receiving the editorial decision. Revision does not mean that the manuscript will be accepted for publication, as the amended submissions could be sent out for reevaluation. In response to reviewers’ comments, the authors must ensure that each comment is followed by their revision and/or response. In instances where an author disagrees with a comment or suggestion of a reviewer, please justify the reason. Any associated changes in the manuscript must be highlighted in the revised form of the manuscript to facilitate the process of re-evaluation. Clarifying the changes, you have made since the original submission by using the “Track Changes” option in Microsoft Word. Upload this as a “Revised Article with Changes Highlighted” file.
Response to Reviewers (R2R)
Type the specific points made by each reviewer. Include your responses to all the reviewers and editors’ comments and list the changes you have made to the manuscript. Upload this document as a “Response to Reviewers” file.
Revised Manuscript (clean copy)
Upload a clean copy of your revised manuscript with names, which does not show your changes. Upload this as your “Manuscript” file.
Copyright
SMJ provides immediate open access to its content so that research is freely available to the public. Articles available freely online are more often cited and have greater impact. Immediately after publication, authors are free to copy, post, share, and redistribute the material in any medium or format on any platform.
Author Rights
Authors will retain copyright alongside scholarly usage rights and Publisher will be granted publishing and distribution rights.
Open Access Statement
This is open access journal. Every article published in this journal will be published open access. This means that the article is universally and freely accessible via the Internet in perpetuity, in an easily readable format immediately after publication. The authors are not charged with any publication fees. Permitted third party (re)use is defined by the following Creative Commons user license: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
Publication Fee
This is an open-access journal and does not charge any publication fee.
Supplementary Materials
Authors can publish online supplementary files along with their articles or book chapter. Each supplementary file should include an article title, journal name, authors’ names, affiliations, and email address of the corresponding author. Supplementary files will be published as received from the authors without any conversion, editing, or reforming.
Tables and Figures: All tables and figures should be numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text, using Arabic numerals (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1). Ensure that letters and symbols within the tables and figures are of a comparable size for consistent readability.
Plagiarism and AI Detection Policy
Plagiarism and AI detection policies strictly prohibit submitting AI-generated, uncited content as original work, treating it as academic misconduct. Institutions commonly use tools like Turnitin to detect AI and plagiarism, requiring transparency through citation or limiting AI-assisted content (<20%). Violations often lead to zero grades, mandatory oral defenses, or penalties.
Article Structure
The manuscript should be compiled in the following order:
- Cover Letter
- Title page
- Authors’ Biography with Affiliations and ORCID
- Abstract, Keywords
- Introduction
- Review of Literature
- Research Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- Implications
- Acknowledgment(s)
- Conflicts of Interest
- Source of Funding
- Research Data Policy and Data Availability
- Authors’ Biography with Affiliations and ORCID & Author Contributions
- References
Cover Letter (Sample)
To
The Editor-in-Chief
Shubhashree Multidisciplinary Journal
Shubhashree College of Management
Pokhara University, Nepal
Subject: Submission of Manuscript for Consideration
Dear Editor-in-Chief,
I/we am/are pleased to submit the manuscript entitled “[Title of Your Manuscript]” for consideration for publication in Shubhashree Multidisciplinary Journal (SMJ). I/We believe that the study makes a significant contribution to the fields of management and hospitality by addressing [briefly state the research problem or contribution]. We confirm that the manuscript is original and has not been published previously, and not under consideration elsewhere. I/we have prepared the manuscript according to the journal’s guidelines and formatted it as required for submission. I/We kindly request that you consider our manuscript for review and publication. Thank you for your time and consideration. I/we look forward to your positive response.
Sincerely,
[Author Name]
[Designation / Department / Institution]
[Email Address]* Corresponding Author
Dated:
Title Page
The title page should include the following in English language:
Title: The title should be brief, concise, and descriptive. It should not contain any literature references or compound numbers or non-standardized abbreviations. It should be centered, typed in Times New Roman 14 point and bold running letters without underlined.
Authors and Affiliations: Supply given names, middle initials, and family names for complete identification. They should be centered beneath the title and typed in Times New Roman 11-point, non-italic, and boldface. Use superscript lowercase letters to indicate different affiliations, which should be as detailed as possible and must include department, faculty/college, University, the city, and country. The primary affiliation for each author should be the institution where most of his or her work was done. If an author has subsequently moved, the current address may additionally be stated. Addresses will not be updated after the publication of the article.
Corresponding Author: Should be indicated with an asterisk, and contact details (Cell and e-mail address). If available, the 16-digit ORCID of the authors. Title, Authors, and affiliations in English should be provided in the same order as mentioned above on a separate page in the same file. Short running title (running head) with 80 characters as maximum.
Abstract
The abstract should be self-contained, and citation-free. The abstract is a brief summary of the paper, presenting the study’s purpose, methods, key findings, implications, and originality in a single paragraph. It should not exceed 200-250 words and must include five keywords that capture the main aspects of the research followed by JEL Classification codes. Nonstandard or uncommon abbreviations should be defined at first mention within the abstract. The abstract should be typed in Times New Roman, 9-point, non-italic and non-boldface.
Keywords
Authors are asked to provide (5 to 8) keywords, separated with semicolons, and should be typed in Times New Roman, 10-point, non-italic and non-boldface. Keywords should be listed in alphabetical order, relevant, precise, and engaging to reflect the core focus of the study.
Introduction
This section should be succinct, with no subheadings. The author(s) should strive to define the significance of the work and the justification for its publication. Any background discussion should be brief and restricted to pertinent material.
Review of Literature
This section should contain detail on conceptual review, theoretical review, empirical review, conceptual/theoretical framework, and research gap of the study.
Research Methods
This section should clearly describe the research design, target population, sampling method, and sample size, along with any models used in the study. It must provide enough detail to allow the study to be replicated, while remaining concise. Authors should explain the data collection process and specify the data analysis tools and techniques, including the statistical tests applied and the chosen significance level (e.g., p < 0.05). Previously published methods should be properly referenced, with only necessary modifications described. Any limitations of the study should also be briefly acknowledged.
Results
The study results should be presented clearly and concisely in a logical order using text, tables, and figures, and they should directly relate to the study’s objectives, hypotheses, and research questions.
Discussions
This section details on empirical discussion on the major findings of the study. The discussion is made with theoretical bases too with a logical reasoning.
Conclusion(s)
The main conclusion(s) of the study should be presented in a short conclusion statement highlighting the goals of the study and its importance.
Implications
This section explains why the findings matter and how they can be applied in the real world, in theory, or in practice. It connects the research results to their practical, academic, or policy significance.
Acknowledgment(s)
Authors should acknowledge individuals, institutions, or organizations that have contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship. Examples include technical assistance, editorial support, or access to data or facilities.
Conflict of Interest
Authors must declare any financial or non-financial interests that could influence their research or interpretation of results, such as employment, consultancy, funding, grants, or personal and ideological interests. If there are conflicts, they should clearly state the type of support received or any roles held, even if unpaid. If there are no conflicts, authors should state that they have no financial or non-financial interests and no competing interests related to the article.
Sources of Funding
All sources of financial or material support for the work should be clearly stated. If an author has received funding, they should clearly state it in their paper, including funding details and a formal declaration.
Research Data Policy and Data Availability
The journal encourages authors to include a Data Availability Statement explaining where the data supporting their study can be found. This may include links to publicly available datasets, or a note that data can be requested from the authors if it is not publicly accessible. If no data were used or generated, authors should state that clearly. The journal supports sharing research data to improve transparency, reproducibility, and knowledge advancement, while also respecting privacy, confidentiality, and legal limits. Authors are expected to make data available whenever possible and to clearly explain how others can access or reuse it.
Author Contributions
Authors are encouraged to include a statement that specifies the contribution of every author to the research and preparation of the manuscript.
References
SMJ adheres to the American Psychological Association reference style (seventh edition). Authors are advised to visit https://apastyle.apa.org/ for details to ensure your manuscript conforms to this reference style. For cases, book reviews, and perspectives, authors should submit a Title page and content file with only relevant details and sections. A detailed teaching note and the class discussion plan must accompany case.
Contact Us
For enquiries relating to the submission of articles and for journal related information, please contact our editorial office via email at research.cell@shubhashreecollege.edu.np
Publisher Information
Publishing Body
Subhashree College of Management, Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Website: https://shubhashreecollege.edu.np/; Email: info@shubhashreecollege.edu.np; Phone: +977-1-4598528