Submissions

Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

File Format

Manuscripts should be submitted as an editable file in Microsoft Word (.docx) or LaTeX (.tex, with accompanying .pdf). PDF-only submissions are not accepted for the main manuscript, as editable files are required for the review and production process. Use a standard, legible font (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point), double-spaced text, with continuous line numbering and page numbers to facilitate reviewer comments.

Title Page

The title page must be submitted as a separate file from the main manuscript, to preserve double-anonymized review. It should include:

• Full article title
• Full names, affiliations, and ORCID iDs (if available) of all authors
• Corresponding author's name, email address, and postal address
• Any acknowledgments
• Funding source(s)
• Word count of the main text

Double Anonymized Review

The journal follows a double-anonymized peer-review process. To support this:

• The main manuscript file must not contain any author names, affiliations, or identifying acknowledgments.
• Authors should avoid excessive self-citation phrased in a way that reveals identity (e.g., "as we previously showed in [X]"); cite such work in the third person instead.
• File properties (document metadata) should be checked and cleared of identifying author information before upload.
• Funding and acknowledgment information should appear only on the separate title page, not within the anonymized manuscript.

Abstract

A structured abstract of 200–300 words is required, summarizing the objective, methodology, key findings, and — where applicable — the real-world implementation context and outcomes. The abstract should be self-contained, free of undefined abbreviations, and should not cite references.

Keywords

Provide 4–6 keywords immediately following the abstract, chosen to reflect the core subject matter and to aid discoverability and indexing. Avoid overly broad terms (e.g., "technology") in favor of specific, searchable terms (e.g., "machine learning," "circular economy," "supply chain optimization").

Highlights

Authors are encouraged (required for Original Research and Applied Research/Case Study submissions) to provide 3–5 highlights, each a single concise sentence (maximum 85 characters including spaces), summarizing the core findings or contributions of the article. Highlights are displayed alongside the abstract to aid readers in quickly assessing the article's relevance.

Mathematical Formulas

Equations should be created using a standard equation editor (e.g., MathType or the native Word/LaTeX equation editor) and numbered sequentially in parentheses, right-aligned, for reference in the text. Variables should be defined at first use. Where feasible, present simple formulas inline within the text rather than as a displayed equation.

Tables

Tables should be numbered sequentially (Table 1, Table 2, etc.) in the order they are cited in the text, with a concise, descriptive caption placed above the table. Each table should be cited at least once in the main text. Avoid vertical rules; use horizontal rules sparingly. Tables should be editable (not embedded as images) and submitted within the manuscript file or as a separate file if large.

Figures

Figures should be numbered sequentially (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) with a descriptive caption placed below the figure. Figures should be submitted as separate, high-resolution files (minimum 300 dpi for raster images; vector formats such as .eps or .svg are preferred for diagrams and charts) at the time of submission. Ensure all text within figures is legible when reduced to single-column width. Color figures are published free of charge in the online edition.

Supplementary Material

Supplementary material (e.g., extended datasets, additional analyses, code, or extended methodology) that supports but is not essential to the main narrative may be submitted as separate supplementary files. Each supplementary file should be clearly labeled (e.g., "Supplementary Table S1") and referenced at the appropriate point in the main text. Supplementary material is peer-reviewed alongside the main manuscript but is not copyedited or typeset in the same way as the main article.

Video

Authors may submit video content (e.g., demonstrations of a deployed system, process walkthroughs) as supplementary material. Video files should be in a widely supported format (e.g., .mp4), kept to a reasonable file size, and accompanied by a brief caption describing the content. Videos should not be the sole source of essential data required to understand the article's conclusions.

Research Data

In accordance with the journal's Research Data Policy, authors are encouraged to deposit underlying datasets in a recognized public repository (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, OSF) and to reference the dataset within the manuscript. Where data cannot be shared, a clear justification must be provided.

Data Statement

A Data Availability Statement is required for all submissions, placed after the Conclusion and before the References. This statement should indicate where the data supporting the findings can be found, or explain any restrictions on access. Example: "The data that support the findings of this study are available in [repository name] at [DOI/URL]." or "The data are not publicly available due to [reason] but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request."

Data Linking

Where datasets are deposited in an external repository, authors should include a persistent link (and DOI, where available) both in the Data Availability Statement and, where relevant, alongside the specific figure, table, or result the data supports. This allows readers to move directly between the article and the underlying data supporting each finding.

Article Structure

Manuscripts should generally follow this structure: Title Page (separate file) · Abstract · Keywords · Highlights · Introduction · Literature Review/Background · Methodology · Results · Discussion · Implementation and Outcomes (required for applied/case-study submissions) · Limitations · Conclusion · Declarations (funding, conflicts of interest, ethical approval, data availability, generative AI use) · References · Supplementary Material (if any). Section headings should be numbered and formatted consistently throughout.

References

References should follow APA 7th edition style throughout, both in-text and in the reference list. In-text citations should use the author-date format (e.g., Smith & Lee, 2025). The reference list should be arranged alphabetically by first author's surname and include DOIs where available. Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references; reference lists generated or checked with AI assistance must be independently verified by the author(s), in line with the Generative AI Policy.

Submit Online

Manuscripts must be submitted through the journal's online submission system. Authors will need to register for an account (if not already registered), then follow the step-by-step submission process, uploading the anonymized manuscript, the separate title page, figures, supplementary files, and completing all required declarations (conflicts of interest, funding, ethical approval, generative AI use, data availability). See the Submit Manuscript page for full step-by-step instructions.

Publishing Agreement

Upon acceptance, the corresponding author will be asked to confirm agreement to the journal's publishing terms on behalf of all co-authors. This includes confirming that: the work is original and has not been published elsewhere; all listed authors have approved the final version; appropriate ethical approvals were obtained where applicable; and the authors agree to the license terms described below. Authors retain copyright of their work — see the Copyright & Licensing policy for full detail.

License Options

All articles published in the journal are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and source. The journal currently offers this single license option for all published articles, ensuring consistency and maximum reuse potential across all content. Full license terms are available on the Copyright & Licensing page.

Open Access

The journal is a fully open access publication. All articles are freely available to readers worldwide immediately upon publication, with no subscription, paywall, or embargo period. Open access publication is supported by the journal's Article Processing Charge (APC), described on the Article Processing Charges page, with fee waivers and discounts of up to 90% available to eligible authors, particularly those from low- and middle-income countries.