Indian Journal of Marketing
The Indian Journal of Marketing is a double-blind, peer-reviewed refereed monthly journal published in English since 1968. Every manuscript submitted to IJM undergoes a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process to ensure the highest standards of scholarly quality and integrity.
Initial Desk Review
Upon submission, the editorial team assesses the manuscript for suitability — scope alignment, formatting compliance, and minimum scholarly standards. Papers that do not meet these criteria are rejected at this stage without being sent for peer review.
Plagiarism Check
All manuscripts are screened using specialised anti-plagiarism software. Submissions with unacceptable levels of similarity to existing published work are returned to the author or rejected outright.
Assignment to Reviewers
Manuscripts that pass the desk review and plagiarism check are assigned to a minimum of two independent subject-matter experts. Both the author and reviewer identities are concealed throughout the process (double-blind).
Expert Peer Review
Reviewers evaluate the manuscript against established criteria (see Review Criteria below) and provide structured feedback. They recommend one of the following outcomes: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.
Editorial Decision
The Editor-in-Chief reviews the consolidated reviewer feedback and makes an editorial decision. In cases of divergent reviewer opinions, a third reviewer may be consulted.
Revision Rounds
Accepted manuscripts typically undergo 2–3 rounds of revision. Authors are required to address all points raised by the Editor and Reviewers and clearly highlight major revisions in the manuscript using red font colour.
Revised Manuscript Re-review
Revised submissions are sent back to the original reviewers for assessment of whether the authors have adequately addressed the requested changes. This cycle continues until the manuscript is deemed acceptable.
Final Acceptance
Once all reviewers and the Editor are satisfied with the manuscript, a formal letter of acceptance is issued to the corresponding author.
Copy Editing & Production
The accepted manuscript undergoes professional copy editing to ensure compliance with IJM's language, style, and formatting standards before typesetting.
Publication
The final typeset manuscript is assigned a DOI and published in the relevant monthly issue of the Indian Journal of Marketing.
Contribution to Marketing
The extent to which the manuscript advances knowledge in the field of marketing, management, or related disciplines and offers actionable insights.
Originality
Whether the study presents a genuinely novel research question, methodology, or finding that has not been previously published or substantially reproduced.
Literature Review
Adequacy and currency of the literature reviewed, and whether the paper is correctly positioned within the existing body of knowledge.
Conceptual & Methodological Rigour
Soundness of the conceptual framework, research design, data collection, statistical analysis, and validity of conclusions drawn.
Quality of Writing
Clarity, coherence, and logical organisation of the manuscript, including abstract quality, language standards, and adherence to IJM's style guidelines.
Managerial Implications
The practical relevance of the findings for marketing practitioners, business managers, and policy-makers, in addition to the academic contribution.
Ethical Disclosures
Appropriate disclosure of funding sources, conflicts of interest, institutional ethics approvals (where applicable), and data availability statements.
Scope Alignment
Whether the manuscript fits within the stated aims and scope of the Indian Journal of Marketing as a peer-reviewed scholarly publication.
For queries regarding the review process, contact the Editorial Office:
Email: [email protected] | Phone: +91 9667428899