Call for papers

Business Studies is a broad, multidisciplinary field that examines how organizations operate, compete, and grow. Topics of interest for submission include any topics on:

1. Business Environment & Strategy

This area focuses on the "big picture"—how a business interacts with the world and plans for the future.

  • External Environment Analysis:

    • PESTLE Analysis: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors.

    • Porter’s Five Forces: Analyzing industry competition and market attractiveness.

  • Business Ownership Structures:

    • Sole Traders, Partnerships, and Private vs. Public Limited Companies.

    • Franchising, Cooperatives, and Social Enterprises.

  • Strategic Planning:

    • Setting Mission, Vision, and Corporate Objectives.

    • SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

    • Ansoff’s Matrix: Market penetration, product development, and diversification.

2. Marketing Management

Marketing is about identifying and satisfying customer needs profitably.

  • Market Research:

    • Primary vs. Secondary research methods.

    • Qualitative vs. Quantitative data analysis.

  • The Marketing Mix (4Ps & 7Ps):

    • Product: Life cycle (PLC), branding, and packaging.

    • Price: Skimming, penetration, and psychological pricing.

    • Place: Distribution channels and e-commerce logistics.

    • Promotion: Advertising, PR, and digital marketing strategies.

  • Consumer Behavior:

    • Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (STP).

    • The buyer decision-making process.

3. Human Resource Management (HRM)

This focuses on the most valuable asset of any business: its people.

  • Workforce Planning:

    • Recruitment, selection, and induction processes.

    • Training and development (On-the-job vs. Off-the-job).

  • Motivation Theories:

    • Taylor’s Scientific Management.

    • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory.

  • Organizational Structure:

    • Span of control, chain of command, and delegation.

    • Centralization vs. Decentralization.

  • Employment Relations:

    • Trade unions, collective bargaining, and redundancy.

4. Operations Management

Operations involves the production of goods and services efficiently.

  • Production Methods:

    • Job, Batch, Flow, and Cell production.

    • Lean Production: Just-in-Time (JIT) and Kaizen (continuous improvement).

  • Quality Management:

    • Quality Control vs. Quality Assurance.

    • Total Quality Management (TQM).

  • Supply Chain & Logistics:

    • Managing suppliers, stock control (EOQ), and lead times.

5. Finance and Accounting

The "language of business" used to measure performance and manage resources.

  • Sources of Finance:

    • Internal (retained profit) vs. External (loans, venture capital, share capital).

  • Financial Statements:

    • Income Statement: Calculating gross and operating profit.

    • Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet): Assets, liabilities, and equity.

    • Cash Flow Forecasts: Managing liquidity and working capital.

  • Investment Appraisal:

    • Payback Period and Net Present Value (NPV).

  • Ratio Analysis:

    • Profitability ratios (ROCE, GPM) and Liquidity ratios (Current ratio).

6. Business Ethics & Globalisation

Modern business studies must account for global impact and morality.

  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

    • The "Triple Bottom Line": People, Planet, Profit.

  • International Business:

    • Multinational Corporations (MNCs) and Offshoring.

    • The impact of exchange rates and trade barriers (Tariffs/Quotas).