Submit Special Issues
Special Issue Proposals
A Special Issue of the Journal of Management Studies (JMS) presents a peer-reviewed collection of articles focused on a specific theme within the field of management studies. These themes typically address under-explored areas and aim to stimulate new or distinctive lines of inquiry.
JMS particularly welcomes proposals that:
- address neglected or emerging topics; and
- have broad relevance to the JMS readership
- Submission Deadline: 31 March (annually)
- Decision Timeline: Within one month of submission
- Submission Format: Word or PDF
- Submit to: Margaret Turner at business.jms@durham.ac.uk
- Executive Summary
- Justification for the Special Issue’s relevance and timeliness
- Novelty and originality compared to past Special Issues
- Suitability for JMS
- Proposed timeline and activities
- Backgrounds of Guest Editors
- List of potential contributors and reviewers
2. Justification and Timeliness
Explain the current state of the topic and its significance. Highlight why the topic is under-explored and why that matters. Show how the issue will open new research avenues or challenge existing ones. Include potential research questions and societal relevance.
3. Novelty and Originality
Clearly differentiate from previous JMS and other journals’ Special Issues. Emphasise innovative approaches and perspectives.
4. Suitability for JMS
Align with JMS’s scope and audience. Clarify whether the topic continues or initiates a conversation within JMS. Balance focus with JMS’s broad readership.
5. Timeline and Activities
Include marketing plans and pre/post-submission events. Submission deadline should be ~12 months post-proposal. Completion expected within 3 years of submission deadline.
6. Guest Editor Backgrounds
Demonstrate topic visibility and editorial experience. Ensure diversity (gender, ethnicity, geography, career stage). Show ability to attract quality submissions and manage reviews professionally.
- Should your proposal be accepted, you will be asked to sign an agreement with JMS regarding the behaviour expected of Guest Editors.
- A dedicated JMS Editor will join your team post-approval to assist you with the Call for Papers and Introductory piece.
- All submissions are handled via the JMS ScholarOne portal, and a coordination meeting will be arranged prior to the submission deadline.
- Guest Editors will manage all manuscripts from initial submission to final decision.
- The JMS Editor will oversee the process and ensure consistency. Guest Editors must consult with the JMS Editor during revisions.
- One commissioned paper may be allowed with prior JMS approval.
- Guest Editors may not publish in the issue (except the introduction).
- A minimum of 5 papers (including the introduction) is required for publication as a full issue; fewer papers will result in a themed section.
What JMS Will Do:
- Circulate the Call for Papers via email, its social media, and other networks.
- Announce the Special Issue upon publication.
What Guest Editors Should Do:
- Share the Call within their personal and professional networks.
- Consider organising a conference, workshop, or symposium.
Recalibrating Entrepreneurship Research: A Call to Decolonize and Embrace the Pluralism of Entrepreneurial Activity
There is a major disconnect between theory and phenomenon in the study of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is the study of diversity (Welter et al., 2017), yet the body of knowledge developed over the past decades has been built primarily by studying start-ups with elite characteristics such as high tech, high growth, venture capital investment, or IPO status. The reality is that most entrepreneurship is not so glitzy. The… Read...
Extending the Turn to Work: New Directions in the Study of Social‐Symbolic Work in Organizational Life
Over the past forty years, there has been a growing interest in how actors intentionally shape the key “objects” of organizational life including emotions, identities, relationships, boundaries, and institutions. For each object in question, a stream of literature has developed that focuses on a kind of “work” intended to shape that object – emotion work, identity work, relationship work, boundary work, institutional work, etc. This “turn to work” emphasizes the purposeful efforts of reflexive actors –… Read...
Beyond Hybridity: Addressing Complex Social and Environmental Problems through Multi‐Level Processes
Introduction: This Special Issue explores how organizations can move beyond traditional boundaries to address today’s most urgent social and environmental challenges. The articles showcase how charities, social enterprises, businesses, and cross-sector partnerships experiment with new governance models, innovate for social value, and mobilize collective action to create systemic change. From studies of UK charities and… Read...
The Future of Work
This Special Issue explores how technological, demographic, and societal shifts are transforming the way we work. As artificial intelligence, digitalization, and smart technologies reshape jobs, organizations, and careers, the articles in this issue examine both the opportunities and risks these changes bring. Contributions range from how professionals adapt to AI and digital disruption, to the… Read...
Organizing and Strategizing In and For Extreme Contexts: Temporality, Embodiment, Materiality
This Special Issue examines how organizations navigate extreme contexts – from crises and disasters to high-risk environments – where time pressures, emotions, and material conditions can mean the difference between failure and survival. The articles explore themes of temporality, embodiment, and materiality: how urgency and crisis reshape strategy, how emotions and the human body shape… Read...
The Management of Socio‐Political Issues and Environments: Organizational and Strategic Perspectives
This Special Issue examines how firms navigate the growing complexity of socio-political environments. In a world of regulatory pressures, social movements, populist politics, and global uncertainty, businesses increasingly engage in nonmarket strategies that extend beyond competition in markets alone. The articles explore how corporations manage political engagement, corporate social responsibility, activism, and stakeholder relations across… Read...
Organizational Goals, Firm Outcomes and the Assessment of Performance: Reconceptualizing Success in Management Studies
This Special Issue reconsiders what it means for organizations to succeed. Moving beyond the narrow focus on shareholder value, the articles explore how diverse goals (financial, social, and hybrid) shape outcomes and influence how performance is assessed. Contributions investigate goal tensions in family firms, the value of hybrid goals in academic spin-offs, how stretch goals… Read...
Rethinking Control and Trust Dynamics in Organizations: Expanding our Understanding of Formal and Informal Mechanisms of Collaboration across Levels of Analysis
This Special Issue reexamines how organizations balance control and trust; two forces that shape collaboration, governance, and performance. While control provides structure and accountability, trust fosters commitment and cooperation. Understanding how the two interact is crucial for navigating today’s complex organizational environments. The articles explore how control-trust dynamics play out across contexts, from hazing in… Read...
(Re)Conceptualizing Middle Managers’ Roles in Modern Organizations
Middle managers are the lynchpins of organizational strategy and operations, yet their role is increasingly questioned in today’s fast-changing, technology-driven workplaces. This special issue brings together cutting-edge research examining how middle managers create value, navigate digital transformation, drive innovation, and manage intergroup dynamics, while balancing the pressures of hierarchy and organizational change. From exploring the… Read...
Heuristics and Biases of Top Managers
Top managers play a pivotal role in shaping organizational strategy and outcomes, yet their decisions are often influenced by heuristics: cognitive shortcuts that can lead to systematic biases. This special issue looks at research exploring how these heuristics and biases affect key management decisions, from resource allocation and risk-taking to innovation and strategic direction. By… Read...