---
name: jibs-submission
description: Use when running the final pre-submission preflight for a Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS) manuscript — the Springer Nature portal, double-blind anonymization, JIBS Style Guide formatting and the inclusive word limit, the DART Data Accessibility Statement and Code of Ethics, and required files. Checks readiness to submit; it does not handle the post-decision response (jibs-rebuttal).
---

# Pre-Submission Preflight (jibs-submission)

## When to trigger

- "We're submitting this week" — the last check before submitting
- Unsure what the JIBS portal requires (anonymized manuscript, title page, DAS)
- Need to confirm double-blind anonymization is complete
- Verifying the manuscript matches the JIBS Style Guide and the inclusive word limit

> Always re-verify current limits, the submission-platform name, fees, and policy wording on the official JIBS submission-guidelines page and the JIBS Style Guide before submitting — specifics change. As of 2026-06-01 the key specs are below; items marked 待核实 are not confirmed against a single primary source.

## Verified JIBS specs (confirm current values)

- **Length (inclusive):** Articles ~**10,000 words** for strong/broad contributions or ~**7,000 words** for narrower contributions; the count is **inclusive of everything** — abstract, text, endnotes, references, tables, figures, appendices. Research Notes in principle **under 4,000 words** (inclusive; exact ceiling 待核实).
- **Abstract:** up to **200 words** (raised from the historical 100-word limit).
- **Formatting:** **JIBS Style Guide** — **11-point Times New Roman, double-spaced**; **author-date (name, year)** in-text citation style.
- **Submission portal:** Springer Nature online manuscript-submission system, reached via the JIBS submission-guidelines page. (Exact platform name 待核实 — the AIB page references "Manuscript Central" while an aggregator names "Editorial Manager"; confirm the live link.)
- **Review:** **double-blind** (authors and reviewers mutually anonymous), preceded by an editorial desk-screen for fit and contribution.
- **Integrity:** manuscripts are screened with **iThenticate/CrossCheck**; format-compliance checks run on the platform.
- **Data transparency (DART):** the **JIBS Data Access and Research Transparency (DART)** policy applies; on acceptance, authors provide a **Data Accessibility Statement (DAS)**; data made available should be deposited in a reputable repository with a **DOI**.
- **Ethics:** read the **JIBS Code of Ethics** before submitting.
- **Fees:** **no submission fee** (submission fees abolished); subscription-published with no mandatory APC. An optional gold open-access APC exists (amount 待核实).

## Pre-submission checklist

### Anonymization (double-blind)

- [ ] Manuscript file contains **no** author names, affiliations, or acknowledgments
- [ ] Self-citations are neutral ("prior research (Author, 2020)"), not "our earlier work"
- [ ] Acknowledgments, funding, data-source thanks live on a **separate title page**
- [ ] File metadata/properties and file names scrubbed of author/institution identity

### Format (verify against the JIBS Style Guide)

- [ ] Abstract ≤ **200 words**
- [ ] **Author-date** citations and a matching reference list, alphabetized and complete
- [ ] **11-pt Times New Roman, double-spaced** throughout
- [ ] Total length within the **inclusive** ~10,000 / ~7,000 word budget (tables, figures, references, appendices counted)
- [ ] Tables/figures self-contained; country groupings spelled out; acronyms (MNE, FDI, OLI) defined

### Cross-country specifics

- [ ] Country coverage and any concentration disclosed
- [ ] Measurement-equivalence evidence included or in the online appendix
- [ ] CMV and (dynamic-)endogeneity treatments reported where applicable

### Files & declarations

- [ ] Anonymized main document (as the portal specifies)
- [ ] Separate title page with all identifying information
- [ ] Cover letter (fit, IB contribution, not under review elsewhere)
- [ ] Online appendix / supplementary files if any
- [ ] **Data Accessibility Statement (DAS)** drafted per the DART policy (repository DOI, or a justified explanation of limited availability)
- [ ] **JIBS Code of Ethics** read and complied with; human-subjects/IRB stated where applicable
- [ ] Suggested area/keywords selected so the manuscript routes to the right IB area editor

## Portal operation notes

- Submit via the Springer Nature system reached from the JIBS submission-guidelines page; keep your account and ORCID current.
- Select the IB subfield/area (e.g., economics-finance-accounting, strategy, organization & management, marketing & operations, entrepreneurship, political economy, culture-conflict-cognition, HR/IR) so routing reaches an appropriate area editor.
- Preview the built PDF before final submission.

## Output format

```
【Anonymization】pass / fix: ...
【Format vs. JIBS Style Guide】11-pt TNR, double-spaced, author-date; abstract ≤200 ...
【Word budget (inclusive)】within ~10k/7k/<4k? ...
【Cross-country evidence】coverage / invariance / CMV / endogeneity present ...
【DART / DAS & Ethics】statement drafted; Code of Ethics read ...
【Files】manuscript / title page / cover letter / appendix: ready? ...
【Area routing】selected ...
【Next step】await decision → jibs-review-process; on R&R → jibs-rebuttal
```

## Anti-patterns

- Self-identifying language ("in our 2019 study") left in the anonymized file.
- Acknowledgments/funding inside the anonymized manuscript.
- Forgetting that references, tables, figures, and appendices count toward the word limit.
- No Data Accessibility Statement, or not having read the JIBS Code of Ethics.
- A non-author-date reference style straight from the reference manager.

## Resources

- [`../../resources/external_tools.md`](../../resources/external_tools.md) — cross-country data sources and analysis/measurement-equivalence software
- [`../../resources/official-source-map.md`](../../resources/official-source-map.md) — official JIBS/AIB/Springer URLs behind every verified fact (accessed 2026-06-01); 待核实 items flagged