What a revise-and-resubmit decision really means
A revise-and-resubmit is an invitation, not an acceptance. Learn how the common editorial decisions differ, what an R&R does and does not signal, and how to plan your next step.
Peer Review6 min read
Business and economics journals ask two questions first: what is the contribution, and how do you know?
Business & Economics: Management, finance, economics, entrepreneurship, marketing, and organizational studies.
Editors in management, finance, and economics typically screen a manuscript for two things: a clearly stated contribution to an ongoing conversation in the literature, and a research design that supports the claims. A strong dataset or a novel setting rarely carries a paper on its own if the theoretical framing or the empirical identification is unclear.
What editors in this field look for
The field also has publishing habits of its own. Economists often circulate working papers long before journal publication, review can run to several rounds, and a growing number of journals require replication packages. Business schools may weigh journals using lists such as ABDC or the Academic Journal Guide, which affects where authors aim, though those lists are institutional tools rather than measures of fit.
- 01
Theoretical framing and contribution
Management and organizational journals expect authors to say which theory they extend, challenge, or connect, and why that matters. A contribution statement that names the specific conversation and what changes in it is more persuasive than a general claim of novelty.
- 02
Empirical methods and identification
Reviewers in economics and finance focus on whether the design identifies the effect claimed: sources of variation, endogeneity, selection, measurement, and the assumptions behind instrumental variables, difference-in-differences, or regression discontinuity designs. Those assumptions should be stated and tested where possible, not left for reviewers to infer.
- 03
Alternative specifications and sensitivity
Expect requests for alternative samples, specifications, controls, and estimators. Placing the most important checks in the main text and the rest in an online appendix, with clear cross-references, helps reviewers see which results carry the argument.
- 04
Working papers and prior circulation
Posting to series such as NBER Working Papers (external link), SSRN, or RePEc is common in economics and finance; NBER describes its papers as circulated before peer review for discussion and comment. Policies on prior circulation vary, particularly among journals that use double-blind review, so check before submitting a widely circulated version.
- 05
Data and replication policies
Some journals require data and code at submission or before acceptance. The AEA Data and Code Availability Policy (external link) asks authors to deposit replication materials with a README before acceptance, with provisions for restricted data. Building the replication package alongside the paper is easier than reconstructing it afterward.
Typical manuscripts and outputs
- Empirical research articles
- Papers that test hypotheses or estimate effects with archival, survey, experimental, or administrative data, judged closely on identification and contribution.
- Theory and conceptual papers
- Articles developing new theory, formal models, or frameworks, common in management journals and economic theory, where the logic and its implications carry the argument.
- Working papers
- Pre-publication versions shared through institutional or field-wide series to establish priority and gather comments before journal submission.
- Case studies and qualitative research
- In-depth studies of organizations, industries, or decisions, used in management research and teaching, with attention to access, sampling, and analytical rigor.
- Replication packages and online appendices
- Data, code, documentation, and supplementary analyses submitted alongside a paper, increasingly required by journals with data availability policies.
Common writing and submission challenges
A contribution that reads as incremental
Reviewers often ask “so what?” when a paper tests a known relationship in a new setting without explaining what the setting reveals. Stating why the context matters theoretically, not only empirically, addresses this early.
An introduction that delays the finding
Economics readers expect the question, approach, main result, and contribution within the first few pages. Introductions that build slowly through background can lose an editor before the contribution appears.
Blurred causal and predictive claims
Describing correlations as effects, or moving between predictive and causal language, invites methodological objections. Matching each claim to what the design can support is a common revision request.
Revisions spread over many months
A revision can run through several rounds, during which data, coauthors, and the literature all change. Tracking every reviewer request and how it was addressed keeps later rounds manageable; see what a revise-and-resubmit decision really means.
Replication materials prepared too late
Rebuilding code and documentation after acceptance can delay publication, and a journal may find that results do not reproduce from the deposited files. Templates such as the Social Science Data Editors’ README (external link) help structure the package from the start.
Choosing a journal in this field
- Start with each journal’s aims and scope and its recent issues. A finance journal focused on asset pricing, a general economics journal, and a management journal will read the same data differently and expect different contributions.
- Treat journal lists with care. The ABDC Journal Quality List (external link) and the Chartered Association of Business Schools’ Academic Journal Guide (external link) are used by some institutions in evaluation, but ratings differ between lists and editions, and the Chartered ABS advises against using its guide as the sole basis for decisions.
- Consider typical review times and the number of rounds, which some journals report on their websites. In fields with long cycles, timing can matter for the job market, promotion, and grant reporting.
- Check data and code requirements before submitting. Journals with replication policies may need materials at submission or before acceptance, and restricted or proprietary data may need advance arrangements with the data provider.
- Look for evidence that the journal publishes your method and paradigm. A journal that rarely publishes qualitative or experimental work may not have reviewers ready to assess it, whatever the topic; choosing a journal beyond its impact factor covers further criteria.
More on this in how to choose a journal beyond its impact factor.
Support that often fits
Manuscript Editing
Clarifies contribution statements, introductions, and the link between theory, hypotheses, and empirical design.
Journal Selection Guidance
Compares economics, finance, and management journals by scope, paradigm, review timelines, and data policies, alongside any lists your institution uses.
Reviewer Response & Resubmission
Organizes responses across long, multi-round revisions, tracking each reviewer request and where the paper changed.
Publication Consultation
Helps plan the sequence from working paper to journal submission, including what to circulate, when, and how to prepare replication materials.
Authoritative resources
Official guidance worth reading alongside your target journal’s instructions.
- [1]AEA Data and Code Availability Policy (external link) · American Economic AssociationRequirements for depositing data, code, and documentation for AEA journals, and a common reference point for replication expectations in economics.
- [2]Template README for Social Science Replication Packages (external link) · Social Science Data EditorsA README structure reflecting practices defined by data editors at several social science journals.
- [3]NBER Working Papers (external link) · National Bureau of Economic ResearchA major working paper series in economics, circulated before peer review for discussion and comment.
- [4]ABDC Journal Quality List (external link) · Australian Business Deans CouncilA journal list used by some institutions; the ABDC states that only its own published version is authoritative.
- [5]Academic Journal Guide (external link) · Chartered Association of Business SchoolsJournal ratings for business and management research; registration is required, and the publisher presents it as one input among several.
From the research library
Follow the publishing journeyHow to respond to reviewer comments point by point
A clear response letter answers every comment, shows exactly what changed and where, and handles disagreement with evidence. Here is a method that keeps the letter and manuscript in step.
Peer Review6 min read
How to choose a journal beyond its impact factor
Impact factor is one signal among many. This framework covers scope, readership, editorial policies, indexing, fees, and warning signs so you can build a shortlist you can defend.
Journal Selection8 min read
How to assess a rejection and plan your next step
Not every rejection means the same thing. Reading the decision letter closely tells you whether to revise, retarget, appeal, or resubmit, and what to fix first.
Peer Review7 min read
Questions from researchers in business and economics
Can I submit a paper that is already posted as a working paper?
In economics this is common, and many journals consider papers that have circulated through NBER, SSRN, RePEc, or departmental series. Policies vary more among management journals that rely on double-blind review, so check the journal’s instructions and disclose earlier versions where asked.
How much weight should I give journal ranking lists?
Lists such as ABDC and the Academic Journal Guide may matter for your institution’s evaluation, so consulting them is reasonable. They do not measure whether a journal fits your paper, and ratings change between editions. Use them alongside scope, readership, review practice, and indexing verified in the official databases.
What goes into a replication package?
Usually the data, or instructions for obtaining them; all code needed to reproduce the tables and figures; and a README that maps each output to the code that produces it, with software versions and expected run times. The AEA policy (external link) is a useful reference even for journals with lighter requirements.
Can support cover both management research and economics?
The two fields differ in theory, methods, and writing conventions, and so do the manuscripts within them. Whether support is suitable for your paper is confirmed during consultation, based on its topic, methods, and target journal, before any scope is agreed. Tell us about your paper to begin.
Working on something specific?
Tell us the topic and the journal you have in mind. We confirm fit before proposing anything.
Ask about your manuscript
Discuss a manuscript in this field.
Tell us the topic, the study design, and where you hope to submit. We’ll confirm whether we can help well before proposing anything.