Submissions

Author Guidelines

1. Manuscript Title

• Word Count: The manuscript title must consist of 14 to 20 words.

• Bilingual Presentation: The title must be presented in two languages (primarily in US Academic English alongside its synchronized counterpart).

• Substance and Relevance: The title must be specific, compelling, and accurately reflect the core research variables or empirical locus within the domains of economics, business, marketing, or electronic commerce (e-commerce).

• Formatting: Format the title using Capitalize Each Word (Title Case), wherein the first letter of each major word is capitalized, excluding coordinating conjunctions and prepositions.

2. Abstract and Keywords

• Length and Format: The abstract must be written between 150 and 250 words as a single, cohesive, and concise paragraph. It must be presented in formal US Academic English accompanied by an accurate translation.

• Prohibitions: Authors are strictly prohibited from including literature citations (references) or localized abbreviations/acronyms that are not universally recognized or defined.

• Internal Structure:

  1. Opening (1–2 sentences): Immediately address the core business/economic problem or central empirical phenomenon.

  2. Objective and Methodology: Clearly state the research objective and concisely outline the methodological approach employed.

  3. Key Findings (~50% of the abstract): Dedicate the largest proportion of the abstract (approximately half of the total word count) to elaborating on the primary empirical or analytical findings.

  4. Closing: Conclude the abstract by articulating the theoretical or managerial implications of the study.

• Keywords: Provide 3 to 5 specific and academically functional keywords, arranged in alphabetical order. Avoid overly generic or broad terms.

3. Citation and Referencing Rules

• Reference Management: Authors are mandatory to use reference management software (such as Mendeley or Zotero) to ensure metadata accuracy and formatting consistency.

• Citation Style: In-text citations and the reference list must strictly adhere to the journal's standard style (APA Style).

• Digital Object Identifier (DOI): All cited journal articles must include an active DOI link ([https://doi.org/](https://doi.org/)...).

4. Manuscript Structure and Substance

A. Introduction

• No Sub-headings: The Introduction section must not be divided into sub-sections (such as separate sub-headings for Background, Problem Formulation, or Literature Review).

• Funneling Approach & Proportion: The Introduction must be constructed comprehensively using a deductive "funneling" pattern, guiding the reader seamlessly from macro-level industry or economic phenomena down to micro-level organizational or empirical specifics. The ideal length for this section is 15–20% of the total manuscript.

• State of the Art & Gap Analysis: The narrative must immediately engage with concrete, real-world problems and incorporate a rigorous literature mapping (state of the art) synthesizing 10 to 15 recent articles published in reputable journals within the last 5 years. Through this literature synthesis, authors must establish a clear research gap (gap analysis) and explicitly declare the theoretical novelty offered by the study.

• Closing Paragraph: The final paragraph of the Introduction must integrate the problem formulation and research objectives narratively within the paragraph, rather than listing them as numbered or bulleted questions.

B. Research Methods

The Research Methods section must be written analytically and operationally, comprising 10–15% of the total manuscript. Authors must avoid citing basic textbook definitions of general research methodologies. Instead, the narrative must flow cohesively and explicitly cover four core operational components:

1. Research Approach: Specify the exact research design implemented (e.g., cross-sectional survey, netnography, experimental design, or descriptive qualitative inquiry).

2. Data Sources: Detail the target population, sample size, sampling technique, or the specific secondary datasets utilized.

3. Data Collection Procedures: Explain the research instruments, measurement scales, and specific inclusion/screening criteria applied during data gathering.

4. Data Analysis Techniques: Precisely describe the analytical tools and statistical/qualitative procedures employed to test hypotheses or extract themes (e.g., Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling [PLS-SEM], multiple linear regression, or thematic coding analysis).

C. Results and Discussion

• Core Proportion: This section represents the core body of the manuscript and must account for a dominant 60–70% of the total manuscript length. It may be organized into thematic sub-sections as needed to enhance clarity.

• Critical Analysis Over Description: The presentation must not be merely descriptive (such as presenting raw statistical outputs or tables without substantive interpretation). Every segment must feature a sharp, critical analysis explaining the underlying economic, behavioral, or managerial mechanisms driving the results.

• Academic Dialogue: Authors are required to build a robust scholarly dialogue by confronting their empirical findings against the prior literature (state of the art) established in the Introduction. Explicitly demonstrate whether the findings support, extend, refine, or refute previous theories and empirical studies.

• Managerial Implications & Visuals: Synthesize the findings to deliver actionable managerial, strategic, or policy implications that resonate with both scholars and industry practitioners. Graphs, figures, and tables should be incorporated proportionally to reinforce and visualize key arguments.

D. Conclusion

• Narrative Format: The Conclusion must be written strictly as narrative paragraph(s) without numbering or bullet points.

• Substance: It must directly and concisely fulfill the research objectives, synthesize the essence of the core findings, and provide conclusive theoretical and practical implications.

• Restrictions & Future Directions: Authors are not permitted to repeat detailed statistical figures (such as $t$-values, $p$-values, or coefficients) or introduce new literature citations in this section. Research limitations and actionable recommendations for future studies should be integrated smoothly at the end of the paragraph.

References

• Quantity and Recency: The manuscript must include a minimum of 15 credible references, with at least 80% consisting of peer-reviewed journal articles published within the last 5 years.

• Active Identifiers: Every cited journal article must include an active URL or DOI link.

• Formatting: The entire reference list must be generated and formatted automatically using a Reference Manager (Mendeley/Zotero) in strict compliance with the journal's APA Style guidelines.