Advances in Applied Business Strategy: Scopus, Scope, Submission Guide

Quick Answer: What Is Advances in Applied Business Strategy?

Advances in Applied Business Strategy is a scholarly book series/serial published by Emerald Publishing. Emerald positions it around the “middle ground” between strategy theory and managerial practice: work should be theoretically grounded while making the implications of strategy concepts clear for real-world strategic management.

The official series page highlights competence-based management, inter-firm interactions, internationalisation, organisational learning, stakeholder development, organisational renewal, organisational competences, and competence-based strategies. It says the series publishes both conceptual and empirical papers for an international audience of strategic-management researchers and practitioners.

The supplied source data identifies a Scopus Source ID of 8600153121. Publicly reproduced historical Scopus title lists describe the source as inactive with coverage in 2004, 2008, and 2010, while Emerald’s own records confirm volumes in those years and show Volume 12 in 2010. Because a current official Scopus metrics page was not publicly accessible during this review, authors should verify the latest Scopus status directly in Scopus rather than relying on an old quartile or metric.

Key Takeaways

• Source type: Emerald book series/serial in strategy and management, not a standard current-issue journal.
• Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited; earlier volumes on Emerald also carry Emerald Group Publishing Limited branding.
• Identifiers: print ISSN 0749-6826; online ISSN 2977-2478; supplied Scopus Source ID 8600153121.
• Core scope: applying strategic-management theory in practice, especially competence-based management and related organisational capabilities.
• Published contribution types: Emerald describes both conceptual and empirical papers; the content is published as chapters within edited volumes.
• Latest verifiable volume: Volume 12, Enhancing Competences for Competitive Advantage, published in 2010.
• Current submission caution: no current public submission portal, APC, acceptance rate, or official review timeline was found for this series.
• Best next step: verify an active call, commissioned volume, or editor contact before formatting a paper for AABS.

Journal Information at a Glance

What This Page Covers

• the series identity, publisher, ISSNs, and verified publication history
• its aims, scope, and representative strategy topics
• what the supplied Scopus Source ID means and why current status must be rechecked
• the kinds of conceptual and empirical work represented in its volumes
• how to evaluate manuscript fit
• what is—and is not—currently verifiable about submission, peer review, fees, and timelines
• publication-readiness steps for strategy manuscripts
• how Contentxprtz can ethically support editing, formatting, and submission readiness without promising acceptance

Methodology and Sources

This profile was prepared by cross-checking the supplied journal record against authoritative sources, especially Emerald Publishing’s official series and volume pages and the ISSN Portal. Historical publication examples were checked on Emerald’s Books Gateway. The Scopus Source ID comes from the supplied record; because the live Scopus profile did not provide publicly accessible current metric data during this review, current CiteScore, SJR, SNIP, quartile, and active status are not presented as verified current facts.

Journal and series records can change. Before a thesis, promotion, funding, or university requirement depends on indexing status, researchers should open the current Scopus source profile and confirm the status and coverage date shown there.

Aims and Scope of Advances in Applied Business Strategy

Emerald describes AABS as a forum for research dealing with the difficult connection between strategy theory and practical strategic management. Its purpose is not merely to present abstract theory or stand-alone managerial advice. The official wording emphasises three linked expectations: articulate theory that matters for strategic management, translate new theory into useful applications, and propose approaches that managers can use when implementing strategic practices.

A distinctive theme is competence-based management. Emerald says the series has maintained a strong, though not exclusive, interest in applying contemporary competence-based management theory to strategic management and other management processes. This theme is visible in volume titles on competence-based strategies, inter-firm interactions, internal processes, resources and stakeholders, learning and dynamic capabilities, interorganisational relations, and competitive advantage.

Officially supported subject themes

• strategic management theory and its practical application
• competence-based management
• organisational competences and capability development
• competitive and cooperative inter-firm relationships
• internationalisation processes
• organisational learning
• stakeholder development
• organisational renewal
• resource-based and competence-based strategy
• strategy implementation and managerial practice

For manuscript-fit purposes, the strongest candidate paper would usually do more than describe a business phenomenon. It should make a recognisable strategic-management contribution and explain how its theoretical logic can inform practice, implementation, or managerial decision-making.

Representative Research Topics That May Fit

The topics below are practical interpretations of the verified scope, not an official exhaustive list of current calls.

• dynamic capabilities and competitive advantage
• resource orchestration and competence development
• strategic alliances and interorganisational capability building
• organisational learning as a strategic capability
• stakeholder relationships and strategic renewal
• strategy implementation under uncertainty
• real-options logic in strategic decision-making
• internationalisation and capability development
• absorptive capacity in collaborative networks
• leadership and the development of organisational capabilities
• path dependence and inimitability of competitive advantage
• strategic group formation and competence-based competition
• firm resources, resource markets, and capability accumulation
• competence-based perspectives on internal processes
• managerial translation of strategy theory into implementable practice

Examples from Published Volumes

Emerald’s archive shows that the series has accommodated varied theoretical and empirical approaches. Published chapters include work on real options in strategy implementation, strategic alliances, dynamic factor markets, leadership and organisational learning capability, entrepreneurial action, Toyota’s competitive advantage, and the resource systemics of firm survival. These examples reinforce the series’ preference for strategy research that connects theory with implications for managerial action.

For researchers evaluating fit, this historical pattern is more useful than simply matching keywords. A manuscript about leadership, entrepreneurship, networks, or resources would still need a clear strategic-management argument and a meaningful connection to capabilities, implementation, competitive advantage, or related strategy processes.

Is Advances in Applied Business Strategy Indexed in Scopus?

The supplied journal record identifies Scopus Source ID 8600153121. Publicly reproduced Scopus title lists show Advances in Applied Business Strategy as an inactive source with coverage entries for 2004, 2008, and 2010. Emerald’s own records independently confirm published volumes in those years, including Volume 12 in 2010.

Because the accessible evidence is historical and the live Scopus source page did not expose a current public metrics panel during this review, the safest interpretation is: AABS has historical Scopus coverage, but researchers should verify the current source status and exact coverage directly in Scopus before relying on it for institutional eligibility. “Indexed at some point” and “currently active in Scopus” are not the same claim.

What this means for PhD and university requirements

If a university requires publication in a currently active Scopus-indexed journal, a historical/inactive source may not satisfy that rule. Institutions also differ in whether book chapters, edited-series contributions, discontinued sources, or historical coverage count toward degree and promotion requirements. Ask the graduate school, research office, or supervisor for the exact rule and retain a dated screenshot or export from the official Scopus source page when evidence is required.

Current Metrics, Quartile, and Impact Factor

No current official CiteScore, SJR, SNIP, Scopus quartile, or Journal Citation Reports Impact Factor was verified for this series. It would therefore be misleading to label AABS “Q1,” “Q2,” “Q3,” or “Q4” without a current source, year, and subject category.

Older metric aggregators or copied journal lists can remain online long after coverage changes. For a defensible check, use the current Scopus profile for CiteScore-related information and Clarivate’s official Master Journal List or Journal Citation Reports for Impact Factor status. If neither provides a current metric, report the metric as unavailable rather than estimating it.

Publisher and Publication History

Emerald Publishing currently hosts the AABS series page and sells multiple volumes. ISSN records identify the serial as beginning in 1984, with the print record described as annual. Earlier publication history includes JAI Press, while later volumes are available under Emerald branding. The official Emerald series page currently lists eight volumes/products, including Implementing Competence-Based Strategies, Research in Competence-based Management, and later competence-focused volumes through Enhancing Competences for Competitive Advantage.

The most recent volume verified in Emerald’s current catalogue is Volume 12 (2010). That long gap is a practical warning against assuming there is a live recurring submission cycle simply because a series page remains online.

What Types of Articles Does the Series Publish?

Emerald explicitly states that AABS invites and publishes both conceptual and empirical papers that are theoretically grounded, provide practical suggestions for implementation, and are relevant to an international audience of strategic-management researchers and practitioners. In the published format, these contributions appear as book chapters within edited volumes rather than ordinary issue-based journal articles.

No current official list of article types such as systematic review, short communication, commentary, or letter was found. Researchers should not assume those categories are accepted unless an active volume’s call for chapters says so.

Who Should Consider Publishing in AABS?

Historically, the series is most relevant to researchers and practitioners working at the theory–practice boundary of strategic management. Potentially suitable contributors include doctoral researchers with mature strategy studies, faculty working on capability-based or resource-based strategy, scholars studying interorganisational relationships, and practitioner-researchers who can connect empirical evidence to strategic-management theory.

Academic seniority is less important than fit. A technically sound paper can still be unsuitable if it is mainly operational, marketing, accounting, HR, or entrepreneurship research without a clear strategic-management contribution. Conversely, interdisciplinary work can fit when the strategic mechanism and practical application are explicit.

How to Decide Whether Your Manuscript Fits

1. Define the strategic problem. Can you state the strategic-management question in one or two sentences?
2. Show theoretical grounding. Does the paper build, test, refine, or apply a recognisable strategy framework?
3. Connect theory to practice. Can a strategic manager understand what the findings imply for action or implementation?
4. Check historical topic fit. Compare the paper with AABS volumes on competences, resources, learning, networks, renewal, and competitive advantage.
5. Confirm publication route. Before reformatting anything, establish that Emerald or a volume editor is actually accepting chapters.
6. Confirm institutional eligibility. If you need a Scopus-indexed publication for a degree or promotion, check whether a contribution to an inactive/historical book series would count.

Journal-Fit Checklist

• ☐ My paper makes a clear strategic-management contribution.
• ☐ Theory and practical application are both visible in the manuscript.
• ☐ The topic connects plausibly to competences, resources, capabilities, learning, networks, renewal, implementation, or competitive advantage.
• ☐ My conceptual or empirical method is rigorous enough for scholarly review.
• ☐ I have examined relevant AABS volumes rather than relying only on the title.
• ☐ I have confirmed that a current volume or editor is accepting submissions.
• ☐ I have verified the live Scopus status if my institution requires current indexing.
• ☐ I understand whether a book-series chapter satisfies my university’s publication rules.
• ☐ I have checked any current formatting, copyright, and fee terms from the actual call or contract.

Submission Guidelines: What Is Currently Verifiable?

No current public AABS manuscript-submission portal or current author-guideline page was identified in Emerald’s series listing. The page functions primarily as a catalogue of edited volumes. This means a researcher should not assume that the normal workflow is “create an account and submit a journal manuscript.”

For a series with edited volumes, the practical publication route may depend on a specific call for chapters, editor invitation, proposal, or commissioned volume. Unless a current call is available, details such as manuscript length, abstract length, reference style, anonymisation, figure format, required declarations, and submission system cannot responsibly be stated as series-wide requirements.

Before preparing a submission

• Locate a current Emerald call, volume announcement, or editor invitation.
• Confirm the volume title, editors, deadline, and scope.
• Use the instructions attached to that specific volume rather than old chapter formatting.
• Ask whether the contribution will be peer reviewed and what review model applies.
• Confirm copyright/licensing terms and any charges in writing.
• Check whether the planned contribution will be indexed under the source record relevant to your institutional requirement.

Manuscript Preparation for a Strategy-Series Contribution

The following is general publication-readiness guidance, not a claim about current AABS formatting rules. A strong strategy manuscript usually needs a focused problem statement, explicit theoretical positioning, a transparent method or conceptual-development process, evidence that supports the claims, and a discussion that returns to both theory and managerial implications.

Peer Review and Editorial Process

Emerald’s public AABS series page does not state a current peer-review model such as single-anonymous or double-anonymous review, nor does it publish an average decision time. Some university research records classify contributions from later AABS volumes as peer-reviewed, but that is not enough to infer the exact process for any future volume.

If a new AABS volume is announced, authors should ask the editor or publisher how submissions are screened, how many external reviews are normally obtained, whether author/reviewer identities are concealed, and how revisions are handled. An official average peer-review duration was not found, so no timeline should be assumed.

Open Access, Publication Fees, and Copyright

No current series-wide article processing charge (APC) or open-access submission fee was found for AABS. Emerald’s current catalogue sells many volumes and chapters, while individual chapter access can vary. That does not establish a current author-facing fee policy for a future contribution.

Authors should confirm the specific volume’s publishing agreement, copyright or licence, open-access option, and any charge directly with Emerald before committing. Never rely on a third-party website quoting an old fee. Where an institution or funder requires open access, ask whether the planned volume supports the required licence and repository route.

Publication Ethics

No AABS-specific ethics page was located, so authors should follow the current Emerald publishing-ethics and research-integrity requirements attached to the relevant book or volume. As a practical scholarly standard, manuscripts should avoid plagiarism, fabricated or manipulated data, undisclosed duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, and invented citations. Human-participant research should include the approvals, consent statements, and reporting expected by the study design and applicable institution.

Use of language editing, statistical advice, or manuscript preparation support should preserve author accountability. Professional editing can improve clarity and compliance; it cannot ethically create results, fabricate references, conceal conflicts, or guarantee publication.

Typical Workflow If a New Edited Volume Is Open

1. Identify the official call, editor invitation, or volume announcement.
2. Check the volume scope against the manuscript’s strategy contribution.
3. Confirm eligibility, deadlines, chapter type, and author instructions.
4. Prepare the manuscript and required declarations.
5. Submit through the method specified by the editor or Emerald.
6. Complete editorial screening and any peer-review stage stated for the volume.
7. Revise point by point and preserve a response record.
8. Receive the final editorial decision.
9. Review the publishing agreement, proofs, metadata, and references.
10. Confirm publication and indexing only after the final record appears in the relevant database.

This sequence is illustrative. A future AABS volume may use a different process, so the live call always takes precedence.

Common Reasons a Manuscript Could Be Unsuitable

• The paper is about business practice but lacks a strategic-management research contribution.
• Theoretical framing is superficial or disconnected from the evidence.
• The manuscript describes capabilities or resources without explaining strategic consequences.
• Managerial implications are generic and do not follow from the analysis.
• The work fits another discipline better and only uses “strategy” as a broad label.
• The research design cannot support the causal or general claims being made.
• The manuscript does not fit the specific theme of an edited volume.
• The author assumes an open submission route when no current call exists.

How to Make a Strategy Manuscript More Publication-Ready

As a practical publication-readiness step, compare the manuscript with several relevant AABS chapters and with recent strategy scholarship outside the series. Historical fit alone is not enough: a paper prepared today should engage current literature and explain why its contribution matters now.

• Make the theoretical contribution visible in the abstract and introduction.
• Define key constructs consistently, especially competence, capability, resource, learning, and competitive advantage.
• Separate evidence from interpretation.
• Avoid causal language when the design is only descriptive or correlational.
• Use tables or models only when they clarify the strategic mechanism.
• Link managerial implications directly to findings or propositions.
• Check every reference and DOI against the original source.
• Remove unsupported claims about novelty, generalisability, or practical impact.
• Have the paper read for language, structure, and consistency before editorial review.

How Contentxprtz Can Support Publication Readiness

Contentxprtz can ethically support authors who are evaluating a strategy manuscript for an edited series or another target journal. Relevant support may include manuscript assessment, academic editing, proofreading, journal or venue selection guidance, formatting, reference consistency checks, cover-letter editing, and reviewer-response editing.

The purpose of such support is to improve clarity, alignment, and submission readiness while preserving the researcher’s original ideas, evidence, analysis, and responsibility. Contentxprtz cannot guarantee acceptance, publication, peer-review outcomes, indexing, or citation performance.

Final Researcher Checklist Before Relying on This Series

• Verify Scopus Source ID 8600153121 in the current Scopus interface.
• Check whether the source is active or inactive on the date your institution evaluates it.
• Confirm whether your institution accepts book-series chapters for the relevant requirement.
• Find an official current call or editor invitation before writing to a volume specification.
• Request current peer-review, fee, copyright, and open-access terms.
• Make sure the strategic-management contribution is explicit and theory-informed.
• Retain copies of the official call, author instructions, acceptance correspondence, and indexing evidence.

Authoritative Sources and Verification Links

• Emerald Publishing — Advances in Applied Business Strategy series page
• Emerald Books Gateway — Volume 12, Enhancing Competences for Competitive Advantage
• ISSN Portal — ISSN-L 0749-6826
• ISSN Portal — online ISSN 2977-2478
• Scopus — Source ID 8600153121

Conclusion

Advances in Applied Business Strategy is a historically important strategy series built around a clear editorial idea: rigorous strategy theory should be translated into useful managerial application. Its Emerald archive provides a coherent body of work on competences, resources, capabilities, learning, inter-firm relations, renewal, and competitive advantage.

For a researcher considering publication today, however, the decisive issue is not historical fit alone. Confirm that a new volume is actually accepting contributions, verify the current Scopus source status and your institution’s rules, and use the specific call for chapters for all formatting and submission requirements. If the route is active and appropriate, careful theory–practice alignment and disciplined manuscript preparation will matter far more than trying to optimise for a metric label.