International Journal of Service Excellence

Peer Review Policy

The International Journal of Service Excellence (IJSE) operates a double-blind peer review system to uphold fairness, impartiality, and academic rigour. Both the authors and the reviewers remain anonymous throughout the process. Every manuscript submitted to IJSE undergoes a structured evaluation designed to ensure originality, relevance, and methodological quality.

Ethics

Reviewers are expected to observe the Ethics Policy of IJSE and are encouraged to read and observe the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.

All reviewers are expected to inform the journal of any conflicts of interest or misconduct present in the paper or process of reviewing.

Manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents. The confidentiality of participants in the review process must be protected.

Reviewers should destroy or return manuscripts after reviewing them and refrain from using any information obtained from the manuscript for personal gain.

Initial Screening

Each submission is first assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned Associate/Section Editor. The purpose of this stage is to verify that the manuscript:

• Falls within the journal’s scope and areas of interest.
• Meets basic scholarly and formatting standards.
• Demonstrates sufficient novelty and potential contribution to the field.

Manuscripts failing to meet these criteria may be rejected without external review. Early decisions at this stage allow authors to redirect their work promptly.

Reviewer Selection

Manuscripts passing the initial screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise relevant to the subject matter. Reviewers are chosen for their scholarly experience, methodological competence, and absence of conflicts of interest. In cases requiring specialised evaluation (e.g., advanced statistical techniques or niche subject areas), an additional reviewer may be invited.

Reviewers are provided with clear guidelines and are expected to assess the manuscript in terms of originality, theoretical contribution, methodological robustness, ethical soundness, clarity of presentation, and practical or policy relevance.

Peer Reviewer Reports

Reviewers should evaluate the manuscript’s significance, originality, methodology, results, and conclusion. Comments should be specific, constructive, and clear. Reviewers should provide feedback that assists authors in improving their work. Reviewers should identify any ethical concerns or potential ethical violations and report them to the editor.

The reviewers will submit their reports on the manuscripts within 2 weeks of accepting to review, along with their recommendation of one of the following actions to the Editor:

• Decline submission: rejection of the manuscript is recommended; the reason(s) for rejection must be stated.
• Accept submission: submission of the manuscript is recommended as it is.
• Minor changes required: the manuscript requires minor revisions.
• Major changes required: the manuscript requires major revisions.

Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions if they believe an error, conflict of interest, or misinterpretation has occurred. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief, including a detailed rationale and any supporting evidence. Appeals will be considered carefully, but the final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

Transparency and Timelines

IJSE aims to provide authors with an initial editorial decision within approximately 20 days of submission. Authors are encouraged to contact the editorial office if no update has been received after this timeframe.

To promote transparency, all published articles will display the dates of submission, acceptance, and online publication. This ensures accountability and allows readers to understand the timeline of the peer review and editorial process.