Journal of Communication Management: Scopus, Scope, Metrics and Submission Guide

Key takeaways for prospective authors

• Emerald Publishing publishes JCOM, and the journal explicitly connects research with communication-management practice.
• The supplied source record identifies Scopus Source ID 21100201769; Emerald lists Scopus among the journal’s ranking services.
• Emerald displays a 2025 CiteScore of 5.0, a 2025 Impact Factor of 2.1, and a 2025 five-year Impact Factor of 3.3.
• Articles are normally 6,000–8,000 words and require a structured abstract of up to 250 words plus up to 12 keywords.
• JCOM uses double-anonymous peer review and sends suitable manuscripts to at least two independent referees.
• Emerald reports a 19% acceptance rate and 53 days to first decision for submissions measured from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025; these are historical averages, not promises.
• JCOM is hybrid: normal publication does not require a submission/publication fee, while optional gold OA is charged after acceptance; green self-archiving is also available.

Journal information at a glance

Journal of Communication Management aims and scope

The journal’s official scope is built around the exchange of knowledge between communication-management researchers and practitioners. Emerald states that JCOM publishes theoretical and empirical research and links its content closely to strategic communication, public relations, organizational communication, corporate communication and related fields. JCOM is also described as a formal partner of the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA) and the preferred publishing partner of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

In practical terms, a manuscript is more likely to feel native to JCOM when communication is not merely a setting or background variable. The study should illuminate a communication-management issue: how organizations communicate strategically; how internal, public or corporate communication shapes relationships and outcomes; how practitioners make communication decisions; or how communication structures, technologies and stakeholder contexts change practice.

Recent items highlighted by Emerald include work on influencers as strategic communication sources, strategic communicative action around vaccine hesitancy, lobbying and public affairs, teleworker internal communication, virtual influencers, and digitalization challenges in strategic communication. These examples suggest a journal interested in contemporary communication problems when they are tied to strategy, organizations, relationships or professional practice.

Understanding its Scopus coverage and current journal metrics

For visibility and institutional evaluation, JCOM has several verifiable indicators. The supplied source record gives Scopus Source ID 21100201769, and Emerald lists Scopus among the journal’s ranking services. Emerald’s journal page displays the most recent citation figures shown below.

Emerald also lists ABI Inform, Communication Abstracts, Emerging Sources Citation Index, PsycINFO, Electronic Collections Online, ReadCube Discover and Zetoc among abstracting/indexing services, and names rankings including ABDC, CABS and Scopus. If your doctoral programme or employer has a precise requirement—such as “Scopus Q1/Q2” or a particular JCR category—confirm that requirement directly against the latest database rather than relying on a static article.

What does the Journal of Communication Management publish?

The submission system uses “Original Article” as the article type, while Emerald’s classification guidance lets authors identify the manuscript as a research paper, viewpoint, technical paper, conceptual paper, case study, literature review or general review. This gives researchers several ways to position a contribution, but the paper must still satisfy JCOM’s scope.

• Research papers
• Conceptual papers
• Literature reviews
• Case studies
• Viewpoints
• General or technical reviews

A systematic or critical review, for example, should do more than summarize communication literature; it should clarify a problem or debate that matters to communication management. A case study should offer transferable insight rather than only describe one organization. A conceptual paper should develop a defensible argument or framework connected to the journal’s theoretical and practice-facing community.

Is this journal a good match for your research?

A useful fit test is to evaluate the paper on four dimensions: problem, conversation, contribution and audience. A manuscript may mention public relations or strategic communication repeatedly yet still be unsuitable if its central research question belongs elsewhere.

As a publication-readiness step, read several recent papers that are close to your topic and method. Look at how they frame the research gap, which theories recur, how practice implications are handled, and how much space is devoted to the communication-management contribution. This is editorial interpretation and good scholarly practice, not an official acceptance rule.

Preparing a manuscript for JCOM

Emerald’s current author guidelines are detailed and should be followed before submission. Articles should be 6,000–8,000 words, with the count including the structured abstract, references, all text in tables and figures, and appendices; the guidelines ask authors to allow 250 words per figure or table.

Structured abstract and keywords

The abstract must use the headings Purpose, Design/methodology/approach, Findings and Originality. Optional headings are Research limitations/implications, Practical implications and Social implications. The total abstract should not exceed 250 words, including keywords and article classification. Authors may provide up to 12 concise keywords.

Files, anonymization and author information

Article files should be supplied in Microsoft Word. A PDF can accompany the Word file but cannot be the only submission; LaTeX is acceptable when an accompanying PDF is provided. Author names and affiliations belong in ScholarOne, while biographies and acknowledgements should be uploaded separately. Because review is double-anonymous, the manuscript should not reveal author identity through names, captions, acknowledgements or avoidable self-references.

References, tables and figures

References must use a recognized Harvard style. Emerald says authors can use its Harvard variant or another recognized Harvard style, provided citations are complete, accurate and consistent. Tables are submitted separately and numbered with Roman numerals; figures are supplied electronically with clear numbering, captions and appropriate permissions or credit lines.

What happens after you submit a manuscript?

The corresponding author submits through the journal’s ScholarOne system linked from Emerald. Emerald explicitly states that submission should be made directly by the author, not by email and not through a third-party agent, company or proxy. Authors receive an automated confirmation and manuscript number after successful submission.

1. Editorial screening. The journal office checks fit with aims and scope, submission policies and basic manuscript quality.
2. External review. Suitable papers are sent to at least two independent referees under double-anonymous review.
3. Editorial decision. The editor may accept, request minor or major revision, or decline the paper.
4. Revision, if invited. Authors address reviewer comments and revise the manuscript with a clear evidence-based response.
5. Production after acceptance. Licence, editorial checks, copyediting, typesetting and author proofs lead to online EarlyCite publication before issue assignment.

Emerald reports 53 days to first decision for submissions received between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, and 42 days from acceptance to publication based on the previous 12 months, last updated April 2025. Emerald also reports a 19% acceptance rate for that submission period. These are retrospective journal-level figures; no individual author should treat them as a promised timeline or probability.

Open access, publication fees and author choices

JCOM is a hybrid journal. Authors can publish through the normal subscription model without a submission or publication fee, or elect gold open access once the paper is accepted. Emerald’s 2026 standard APC for hybrid journals is £3,222 / $4,351 / €3,710, plus VAT where applicable. Institutional agreements, prepaid publishing arrangements or policy changes may affect the amount payable, so the current Emerald OA page should be checked before making funding decisions.

Gold OA articles use a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licence. Emerald also offers green open access: the author accepted manuscript can be made openly available without an embargo after the final version of record has been officially published. The publisher says it does not charge for submission, processing or review outside the optional gold-OA route.

Research ethics, originality and responsible use of AI

Emerald says its editors follow COPE guidance and its own research and publishing ethics policies. Submissions must be original, not simultaneously under consideration elsewhere, and transparent about conflicts of interest, funding and permissions. Where research involves human participants, authors may need ethics approval and informed consent statements with sufficient institutional detail.

The publisher also states that generative AI cannot be credited as an author. Its current policy permits responsible use of AI to copy-edit an author’s own existing text for language and structure, subject to transparency and accountability, but says generative AI must not be used to copywrite new submission content. Because AI policies evolve quickly, authors should read Emerald’s current publishing-ethics guidance immediately before submission.

For communication research involving organizations, employees or non-public information, permissions and consent deserve particular attention. If a study names organizations or individuals, uses confidential organizational material, or includes interview participants, the manuscript should document the relevant consent and ethics position without compromising double-anonymous review.

A publication-readiness checklist before you submit

How Contentxprtz can support ethical manuscript preparation

Contentxprtz can help authors prepare a clearer and more journal-aligned manuscript through academic editing, proofreading, language polishing, reference and citation checks, formatting, manuscript assessment, cover-letter editing and reviewer-response editing. For JCOM, useful support may include checking whether the abstract expresses purpose, method, findings and originality clearly; whether the manuscript foregrounds its communication-management contribution; and whether presentation follows Emerald’s author instructions.

No editing, formatting or publication-assistance service can guarantee acceptance. Editorial screening, peer review and final publication decisions remain with the journal and publisher.

About the author

Dr. Laura Stein

Researcher & Editorial Content Professional

Dr. Laura Stein is a researcher, writer, and editorial professional who develops trustworthy content with depth, clarity, and readability. Her writing reflects careful research, strong editorial standards, and a commitment to presenting information in a polished and authoritative manner.