Asia Journal of Management and Social Science (AJMSS)

Aims & Scope

AJMSS seeks to offer a platform for a range of scholarly works in management and social sciences. Key features of its scope:

• Emphasis on original research, both empirical and theoretical (including case studies, literature reviews, book reviews, and opinion or commentary pieces)

• Topics include: Management Sciences, Commerce, Finance, Banking, Economics among core management/business fields. Also Social Science disciplines like Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, Education, Anthropology, Communication Studies, Development Studies, etc. 

• Interdisciplinary areas are also included: e.g. sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, environmental management, gender studies, technological impacts on society. 

• Geographical orientation: while international in ambition, particular interest in issues relevant to Asia, and increasingly to Pakistan/national/regional issues in the social, economic, political, and developmental spheres. 

Editorial Structure & Peer Review

• Editor‐in‑Chief: Asghar Kamal (though there might be additional editorial changes; the editorial board includes academics from Pakistan and abroad).

• Editorial Board / Advisory Members: Comprises scholars from Pakistani institutions and some international faculty (e.g. UK, China). ajmss.com

• The journal aims to ensure academic rigor and methodological soundness. Empirical research is given preference when possible.

Indexing, Metrics & Recognition

• The journal is listed on IP Indexing. 

• According to JournalSeeker/ResearchBib, the impact factor for 2025 is pending (i.e. not yet established in recognized reporting systems). 

• There is no clear evidence (from available information) that AJMSS is indexed in major international citation databases like Scopus or Web of Science. This makes assessment of its visibility and academic “weight” harder.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

1. Relevance to Region: Because it is based in Pakistan and explicitly aims to cover socio‑economic, political and development issues relevant to Asia, it may better appreciate local context, which many international journals may neglect.

2. Inclusive Scope: The journal’s wide disciplinary breadth allows for diverse types of submissions (empirical, theoretical, commentary), which may help scholars whose work cuts across conventional boundaries.

3. Open Access: Since articles are available online openly, there is potential for wider dissemination (especially in countries or institutions with limited access to subscription journals).

4. Editorial Diversity: Having editorial board members both local and international can help in maintaining standards as well as increasing the journal’s potential reach.

Weaknesses / Risks / Challenges

1. Lack of Established Metrics: With impact factor pending and unclear indexing in the most visible databases, the journal may not carry strong recognition in many academic evaluation systems (promotion, grant evaluation, etc.).

2. Early Stage of Reputation: Because it is relatively new or less well known, the journal may have less cited legacy articles, which can affect how new articles are perceived in terms of impact.

3. Frequency: Twice per year means fewer opportunities per year to publish, potential for backlog, and possibly longer time from submission to publication (depending on how efficient the editorial process is).

4. Transparency Needs: There is little publicly available information (in the sources I checked) about peer review timelines, review quality, plagiarism checks, publication fees (if any), and ethical policies (e.g., handling misconduct). These are increasingly important for authors making publishing decisions.

5. Potential Perception Issues: With many journals in the “management + social sciences” area, differential reputation matters. Some might question whether the journal is “predatory” or less rigorous if indexing and editorial processes are not transparent.

Implications for Authors / Users

For scholars considering AJMSS as a venue, here are some considerations:

• If your research is regionally focused (Pakistan / South Asia / Asia), applied or empirical with clear relevance to development or socio‑economic policy, AJMSS could be a good fit.

• If your career evaluation (e.g. for hiring, promotion, or funding) requires publication in journals indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, or having an IF, publishing here might not fully satisfy those formal criteria (at least, not yet).

• It may be wise to check directly with the journal (via its website) about:

  1. Review process and turnaround time.

  2. Publication charges (if any).

  3. Whether the journal is indexed in databases that your institution or discipline values.

  4. Ethical policies (plagiarism, conflicts of interest, authorship, etc.).

Academic Evaluation

From an academic standpoint, AJMSS appears to be an emerging journal aiming to balance regional relevance with international academic norms. It offers real opportunity for scholars, especially those whose topics are aligned with development, management, or social issues in Asia, to publish work that might otherwise struggle to find a venue in higher‑impact, more selective journals.

However, its current status means that for high‑visibility or high‑prestige goals (e.g. very competitive grants, highly selective academic promotions), it may not yet carry as much weight as more established journals. For these reasons, using AJMSS as part of a broader publishing strategy (including aiming at both local / regional journals and higher indexed journals) could be wise.