AcademicJournalQualityGuideVersion4Copyright©CharlesHarvey,AidanKelly,HuwMorrisandMichaelRowlinson,2010PublishedbyTheAssociationofBusinessSchools,137EustonRoad,London,NW12AA,UnitedKingdomISBN978-0-9567461-0-8iContentsAdvisoryPanelMembers.....................................................................................................iiContactatABS:....................................................................................................................iiIntroduction..........................................................................................................................11.WhatPurposesdoAcademicJournalsServe?........................................................................12.WhataretheFunctionsofJournalQualityLists?...................................................................23.TypesofJournalQualityList...................................................................................................24.CommonlyPerceivedProblemsofJournalQualityLists........................................................35.CompilationandQualityAssessmentProcedures.................................................................46.ContentsoftheABS2010Guide............................................................................................77.Whydoesitallmatter?.......................................................................................................11Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................11References..........................................................................................................................................12Appendix1:DataonSub-FieldsofBusinessandManagementStudies.............................................14Appendix2:Providingfeedbacktotheeditorsandtheadvisorypanel.............................................15iiEditorsProfessorCharlesHarveyPro-Vice-ChancellorforHumanitiesandSocialSciences,UniversityofNewcastle(advisor:BusinessHistory)AidanKellySeniorLecturerinSocialResearchMethods,DepartmentofSociology,GoldsmithsUniversityofLondonProfessorHuwMorrisPro-Vice-Chancellor(Academic)UniversityofSalfordProfessorMichaelRowlinsonProfessor,SchoolofBusinessandManagement,QueenMaryUniversityofLondonAdvisoryPanelMembersProfessorDavidBlackabyEconomicsUniversityofSwanseaSchoolofBusinessandEconomicsProfessorRobertBlackburnEnterpriseandSmallBusinessKingstonBusinessSchoolProfessorChrisCooperTourismandHospitalityManagementOxfordBrookesUniversityBusinessSchoolProfessorChristineEnnewMarketingNottinghamUniversityBusinessSchoolProfessorEwanFerlieOrganizationStudiesandPublicManagementKingsCollege,UniversityofLondon,DepartmentofManagementProfessorGerardHodgkinsonPsychology,OrganizationsandGeneralManagementUniversityofLeedsBusinessSchoolProfessorMargaretHoggMarketingLancasterUniversityManagementSchoolProfessorRolandKayeAccountingNorwichBusinessSchool,UniversityofEastAngliaProfessorColinMasonEnterpriseandInnovationStrathclydeBusinessSchoolProfessorPhilipMolyneuxFinanceBangorBusinessSchoolProfessorHuwMorrisHumanResourceManagementPro-Vice-Chancellor(Academic)UniversityofSalfordProfessorBobO’KeefeInformationManagementUniversityofSurreySchoolofManagementProfessorHowardThomasStrategyWarwickBusinessSchoolProfessorChrisVossOperations,TechnologyandManagementScienceLondonBusinessSchoolContactatABS:JulieDaviesHeadofResearchandDevelopment,AssociationofBusinessSchoolstel.+44(0)2073880007email:jdavies@the-abs.org.uk1IntroductionWelcometoversion4oftheAssociationofBusinessSchool(ABS)AcademicJournalQualityGuide.TheABSAcademicJournalQualityGuideisahybridbasedpartlyuponpeerreview,partlyuponstatisticalinformationrelatingtocitation,andpartlyuponeditorialjudgementsfollowingfromthedetailedevaluationofmanyhundredsofpublicationsoveralongperiod.Itprovidesaguidetotherange,subjectmatterandrelativequalityofjournalsinwhichbusinessandmanagementacademicsmightpublishtheresultsoftheirresearch.ThebriefagreedbetweentheeditorialteamandthechairoftheABSResearchCommitteecanbesummarisedasfollows:I.TheGuideshouldbedesignedprimarilytoservetheneedsoftheUKbusinessandmanagementresearchcommunity.II.TheGuideshouldclassifyjournalsintofourcategories(grades1to4)plusanewcategoryof4*whichrecognisesthequalityofthosejournalsrankedasa‘top’classjournalinatleastsevenofteninternationallistingsconsulted.III.Theclassificationprocessshouldbestringentandmethodicalinallcases,embracingfivesourcesofevidence:a.theassessmentsofleadingUKresearchersineachofthemainsub-fieldscoveredb.themeancitationimpactscoresforthemostrecentfiveyearperiodc.evaluationbytheeditorsofthequalitystandards,trackrecords,contentsandprocessesofeachjournalincludedintheGuided.thenumberoftimesthejournalwascitedasatopjournalintenliststakentoberepresentativeofthe‘world’ratingbusinessandmanagementjournalse.thenumberoftimesajournalwascitedinthesubmissionstothe2008RAEIV.TheGuideshouldbecomprehensiveinthecoverageofresearchconductedinBusinessSchoolsintheUKan