Editorial Policy
Editorial Responsibilities
The Editorial Board of the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) is responsible for making decisions regarding the publication of submitted manuscripts. All editorial decisions are guided by the journal's Editorial Policy and relevant legal requirements, including those relating to defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject manuscripts that do not meet the journal's academic, ethical, scientific, or formatting standards. Authors will be informed of the editorial decision regarding their manuscript within approximately sixteen weeks of submission. While this represents the journal's average review and decision period, some manuscripts may require a shorter or longer processing time depending on the nature of the review process.
Members of the Editorial Board must avoid any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest concerning manuscripts under consideration. Editors who identify a conflict of interest in relation to a submission must recuse themselves from the editorial process. In such cases, the selection of reviewers and all editorial decisions concerning the manuscript shall be handled by the remaining members of the Editorial Board.
Manuscripts shall be evaluated solely on the basis of their scholarly merit, originality, scientific rigor, and relevance to the journal's scope. Editorial decisions shall be made without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.
Editors and Editorial Staff must maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and related communications throughout the editorial and review process. Unpublished materials, data, findings, or ideas disclosed in submitted manuscripts shall not be used for personal research, professional advantage, or any other purpose without the authors' explicit written consent.
The Editorial Board and Editorial Staff are committed to preserving the integrity of the peer-review process. All reasonable measures shall be taken to ensure the anonymity of reviewers and authors in accordance with the journal's double-blind peer-review policy. Reviewers' identities shall remain confidential before, during, and after the review process, and authors' identities shall not be disclosed to reviewers until the completion of the review procedure, where applicable.
Through these responsibilities, the Editorial Board seeks to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ethical publishing, transparency, fairness, and scholarly excellence.
Peer Review Process
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) employs a double anonymous peer review process to ensure the integrity, objectivity, fairness, and scholarly quality of all published research. Under this system, the identities of both authors and reviewers remain concealed from one another throughout the review process.
The following categories of submissions are subject to peer review:
- Original empirical research articles
- Theoretical and conceptual papers
- Methodological studies
- Systematic review articles
- Analytical case studies
Other types of submissions, including dissertation and thesis abstracts, research synopses, short communications, book reviews, and commentaries, are not ordinarily subjected to external peer review. However, such submissions are evaluated by the Editorial Board to determine their suitability for publication and to identify any necessary improvements. Where these contributions contain substantial technical or scholarly content, the Editorial Board may, at its discretion, subject them to external peer review.
Initial Editorial Screening
All submitted manuscripts undergo a preliminary assessment by the Editorial Staff and Editorial Board based on the journal’s editorial standards and submission requirements. This screening process evaluates, among other factors, the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s scope, originality, scholarly contribution, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and adherence to submission guidelines.
To ensure the efficient use of reviewers’ time and expedite editorial decisions, only manuscripts that demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of meeting the journal’s publication standards are advanced to external review. Manuscripts deemed unsuitable because of insufficient scholarly merit, limited relevance, lack of originality, methodological weaknesses, or failure to comply with submission requirements may be rejected without external review. Such decisions are based on the recommendations of the preliminary assessors and the approval of the Editorial Board.
External Peer Review
Manuscripts that successfully pass the initial screening are typically sent to two independent expert reviewers for formal evaluation. In certain cases, additional reviewers may be invited when specialized expertise is required, such as for advanced statistical analyses, specific methodologies, or highly specialized subject matter.
Reviewers assess manuscripts according to established scholarly criteria and provide recommendations and constructive feedback to assist both the authors and the Editorial Board in reaching an informed decision.
Editorial Decisions
Following consideration of the reviewers’ reports, the Editorial Board makes one of the following decisions:
- Accept the manuscript, with or without minor editorial revisions.
- Request revisions, requiring the authors to address specific comments and concerns before a final publication decision is made.
- Reject with an invitation to resubmit, indicating that substantial revisions and further development may justify reconsideration as a new submission.
- Reject outright, typically due to limited originality, insufficient contribution to the field, lack of relevance to the journal’s readership, significant methodological deficiencies, inadequate conceptual advancement, or major technical and interpretative concerns.
Editorial decisions are not determined solely by the number of favorable or unfavorable recommendations received. Rather, the Editorial Board carefully evaluates the substance, quality, and persuasiveness of the arguments presented by reviewers and authors. The Board may also consider additional information and editorial judgment that may not be available to reviewers or authors.
Principles Guiding Editorial Decisions
In making publication decisions, the Editorial Board's primary responsibility is to serve the interests of its readers, the scholarly community, and the broader field of leadership and development studies. Each manuscript is assessed on its individual merits and in relation to the journal’s overall mission, standards, and publication priorities.
Where reviewer opinions differ substantially, editors may seek further clarification from reviewers or request additional expert advice. Authors may also be given an opportunity to respond when factual misunderstandings or significant disagreements arise during the review process.
The Editorial Board, therefore, encourages reviewers to remain available for consultation regarding revised versions of manuscripts when necessary. At the same time, the Board recognizes the voluntary nature of peer review and seeks to minimize unnecessary rounds of consultation while ensuring that authors receive a fair and thorough evaluation.
Review of Revised Manuscripts
When reviewers agree to evaluate a manuscript, the Editorial Board generally considers this to include a willingness to review subsequent revised versions. However, revised manuscripts may not be returned to reviewers if the Editorial Board determines that the authors have failed to make a genuine effort to address the concerns and recommendations raised during the review process.
Resolution of Reviewer Disagreements
The Editorial Board gives careful consideration to all reviewer comments and takes technical and methodological concerns particularly seriously. When one reviewer recommends rejection while others support publication, editors may consult the remaining reviewers to determine whether an unusually stringent standard has been applied.
Where substantial disagreement persists, the manuscript may be referred to an additional reviewer for independent assessment. Such referrals are intended to clarify specific issues, resolve conflicting evaluations, or provide specialized expertise. Nevertheless, the Editorial Board seeks to avoid unnecessary additional reviews unless further expert input is essential for reaching a fair and informed decision.
Through this rigorous and transparent peer-review process, AJOLD is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic quality, integrity, fairness, and scholarly excellence.
Open Access Policy
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) is a fully Open Access journal committed to the unrestricted dissemination of scholarly knowledge. All articles published in the journal are made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication, without subscription fees or access barriers.
Readers are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, and link to the full text of published articles, as well as use them for lawful scholarly and educational purposes, without prior permission from the authors or the publisher, provided that appropriate acknowledgment of the original source is maintained.
In support of equitable access to knowledge and the broad dissemination of research findings, the journal does not charge any fees at any stage of the publication process. Authors are not required to pay submission fees, manuscript processing fees, peer-review fees, editorial handling fees, or publication charges.
Through its Open Access policy, AJOLD seeks to maximize the visibility, accessibility, impact, and global exchange of scholarly research in the fields of leadership, governance, development, and related disciplines.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) is committed to promoting the free and equitable dissemination of scholarly knowledge. In line with this commitment, the journal does not charge any fees to authors or readers at any stage of the publication process.
Authors are not required to pay submission fees, manuscript processing fees, peer-review fees, editorial handling fees, publication fees, or any other article processing charges. Likewise, all published content is freely accessible to readers without subscription or access fees.
AJOLD firmly believes that financial constraints should not constitute a barrier to the publication or dissemination of high-quality scholarly research. Editorial and publication decisions are based solely on the academic merit, originality, quality, and relevance of submitted manuscripts, irrespective of the authors’ financial circumstances.
Accordingly, publication in AJOLD is completely free of charge for all authors.
Publication Frequency
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) is published biannually, with two issues released each year. The journal's regular publication schedule consists of:
- June Issue
- December Issue
The journal strives to maintain a consistent publication schedule to ensure the timely dissemination of high-quality scholarly research and academic contributions in the fields of leadership, governance, development, and related disciplines.
In addition to its regular issues, AJOLD may publish special issues or supplementary issues when deemed appropriate by the Editorial Board.
Submission of Manuscripts
Authors wishing to submit manuscripts to the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) must do so electronically through the journal’s online submission system. All submissions should be made via the journal platform, which provides a secure and efficient process for manuscript submission, review, and editorial communication.
Authors are encouraged to carefully review the journal’s submission guidelines and ensure that their manuscripts comply with all formatting, ethical, and documentation requirements prior to submission.
Manuscripts may be submitted through the journal’s online submission portal: https://ejol.aau.edu.et/index.php/ajold/about/submissions
Only manuscripts submitted through the official journal platform will be considered for review and publication. Authors are required to create an account on the journal website before submitting a manuscript and may use the same account to track the progress of their submission throughout the editorial and peer-review process.
Copyright and Licensing
Authors who publish in the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) retain the copyright of their work. By submitting and publishing their manuscript in the journal, authors grant the publisher a non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, distribute, and archive the article in all formats and media, and to be acknowledged as the original publisher whenever the work is reused or cited.
All articles published in AJOLD are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. This license permits unrestricted use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction of the work in any medium or format, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the journal as the source of first publication, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are clearly indicated.
Authors are free to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of their article. For example, authors may deposit the article in institutional or subject repositories, include it in edited books or collections, or distribute it through other academic and professional platforms, provided that proper acknowledgment is given to its original publication in AJOLD.
This policy supports the journal’s commitment to open access, broad dissemination of research, and the promotion of knowledge sharing within the academic community and beyond.
Self-Archiving Policy
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) supports the principles of open access and encourages the broad dissemination of scholarly research through responsible self-archiving practices. Authors are permitted to deposit the final accepted version of their manuscript (i.e., the version that has successfully completed peer review and has been accepted for publication) in institutional repositories, disciplinary repositories, personal websites, and academic networking platforms such as ResearchGate and Academia.edu.
Self-archiving is permitted only after the article has been formally published in AJOLD. Authors making their work publicly available through self-archiving must ensure that the archived version corresponds to the final accepted manuscript and not to an earlier preprint version, unless otherwise authorized by the journal.
When depositing an article, authors are required to provide full bibliographic details of the published work, acknowledge AJOLD as the original source of publication, and include a link to the official journal website or the published version of record whenever possible. This helps ensure proper attribution and directs readers to the authoritative version of the article.
To maximize the visibility, accessibility, and long-term preservation of scholarly work, AJOLD encourages authors to use reputable institutional and disciplinary repositories that support open-access principles and ensure the long-term discoverability of research outputs.
Media and Public Communication
To preserve the integrity of the publication process, material submitted to the journal should not be discussed with the media while it is under editorial consideration. Exceptions may be made only for articles that have been formally accepted for publication.
For accepted manuscripts, authors may engage in media communication no earlier than one week before the scheduled publication date and must comply with any embargo conditions established by the journal. Failure to observe these conditions may result in the suspension of editorial consideration or publication of the manuscript at the discretion of the Editorial Board.
Commitment to Research Dissemination
AJOLD is committed to promoting the widest possible dissemination of scholarly knowledge while maintaining the integrity of the academic publishing process. Through its self-archiving policy, the journal supports authors in making their research accessible to the global academic community and the wider public, thereby enhancing the visibility, impact, and long-term preservation of published scholarship.
Plagiarism
All manuscripts submitted to the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) are subjected to plagiarism screening using recognized similarity detection tools, such as Turnitin or equivalent software, to ensure the originality and academic integrity of submitted work.
Manuscripts found to contain clear evidence of plagiarism will be rejected at any stage of the review process. In cases where plagiarism is identified after publication, the Editorial Board reserves the right to take appropriate corrective action, which may include formal notification to the author’s affiliated institution and relevant funding agencies.
AJOLD maintains a strict commitment to academic integrity and expects all authors to uphold the highest standards of originality and proper scholarly attribution in their submissions.
Research Data Policy
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) encourages authors to share the research data underlying their published findings in order to support transparency, reproducibility, and further scholarly use. This is guided by the principle of “as open as possible, as closed as necessary.” Authors are also encouraged to make available supplementary materials that support the published work, including software applications, high-resolution images, background datasets, audio or video files, large appendices, data tables, and other relevant materials that cannot be fully included within the article.
All submitted manuscripts must include a Data Availability Statement indicating the status of the underlying data. This statement should clearly specify where and how the data can be accessed, and outline any applicable restrictions. Where data cannot be shared, authors must provide a clear justification. In cases where access is restricted for ethical, legal, or confidentiality reasons, the Data Availability Statement must include:
- A description of the nature and extent of the restrictions;
- Any guidance provided by the relevant Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent ethics committee regarding data sharing; and
- Information on how qualified readers or reviewers may request access to the data, including the procedure and conditions under which access may be granted.
AJOLD strongly encourages the use of reliable and recognized data repositories for the storage and sharing of research data. Authors must ensure that data deposited in repositories comply with applicable ethical, legal, and institutional requirements, including appropriate anonymization of sensitive information and adherence to relevant data protection policies. Proper citation of datasets used in the research is also required to ensure transparency and appropriate acknowledgment of data sources.
During the peer-review process, reviewers may request access to the underlying data to verify the validity and reliability of the research findings. Authors are expected to provide secure and appropriate access while ensuring confidentiality and ethical standards are maintained.
Following publication, AJOLD encourages authors to ensure long-term accessibility of their datasets, preferably through open-access repositories, to facilitate continued scholarly engagement, verification, and reuse. Non-compliance with the journal’s data sharing requirements may result in delays in the review and publication process or, in some cases, rejection of the manuscript.
Conflict of Interest
Authors submitting manuscripts to the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) are required to disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that may influence, or be perceived to influence, the conduct, interpretation, or presentation of their research findings.
A conflict of interest may arise when an author’s obligation to research integrity is affected by competing interests. These may include, but are not limited to, financial support, employment, consultancy arrangements, stock ownership, honoraria, institutional affiliations, or personal relationships.
All manuscripts must include a conflict of interest statement. Where no conflicts exist, authors must explicitly state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
In addition, editors, reviewers, and all members of the Editorial Board are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may compromise the fairness, objectivity, or integrity of the peer-review and editorial decision-making processes.
Full disclosure of conflicts of interest is essential to maintaining transparency, strengthening trust in the publication process, and upholding the academic integrity and credibility of AJOLD.
Complaints and Appeals
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) is committed to handling all complaints and appeals in a fair, transparent, timely, and impartial manner, in accordance with good publication practices.
Complaints may relate to editorial processes, publication delays, ethical concerns, or any perceived irregularities in the handling of manuscripts. Appeals are limited to requests for reconsideration of editorial decisions, particularly manuscript rejections.
Submission of Complaints and Appeals
All complaints and appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief via the journal’s official email address. Submissions should include a clear description of the issue, together with any relevant supporting evidence where applicable.
Acknowledgment of Receipt
The journal will acknowledge receipt of all complaints and appeals within five (5) working days. The acknowledgment will also provide an indication of the expected timeframe for resolution.
Initial Assessment
Upon receipt, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated member of the editorial team will conduct an initial assessment to determine the nature, validity, and scope of the complaint or appeal. Where ethical concerns are identified, the matter may be referred to the relevant institutional ethics committee or review board.
Investigation Process
Where necessary, a full investigation will be undertaken. This may involve consultation with relevant parties, including authors, reviewers, and editors. In the case of appeals, an independent review of the manuscript may be conducted by editors or external experts who were not involved in the original decision.
Resolution and Communication
The journal aims to resolve all complaints and appeals within 30 working days. A formal written response will be provided to the complainant, outlining the findings of the investigation and any resulting decisions or corrective actions. Where systemic issues are identified, appropriate measures will be implemented to prevent recurrence.
Escalation Procedure
If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, they may request a further review by an independent advisory body or the publisher. Decisions reached at this stage shall be considered final.
Confidentiality and Impartiality
All complaints and appeals are handled with strict confidentiality and impartiality to ensure fairness and to protect all parties involved from undue disadvantage. The integrity of the editorial and publication process remains the guiding principle in all cases.
Correction and Retraction
Correction
The editors of the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) acknowledge their responsibility to correct errors that appear in published content and to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
The journal considers substantiated refutations of published research articles, particularly where readers raise substantive criticisms. Such refutations will be published in a concise form only when the author of the refutation provides compelling evidence that a major claim or conclusion of the original article is incorrect.
All refutations are subject to peer review. Where appropriate, they may be sent to the same reviewers who evaluated the original manuscript. In addition, a copy of the refutation is normally shared with the corresponding author of the original article, who is invited to provide signed comments or a response.
Refutations are typically published in the journal’s commentary or related sections, and may include a response from the original authors when applicable.
Furthermore, complaints, disagreements over interpretation, and other related concerns should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief of the journal for appropriate consideration and handling.
Through this policy, AJOLD aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and the ongoing reliability of the academic record.
Retraction
The African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) recognizes that retraction of published articles may be necessary in cases of serious ethical, legal, or scholarly concerns. Retraction may be required where there is infringement of legal rights of the publisher, copyright holder, or authors, or where violations of professional ethical standards or research misconduct are identified.
Such misconduct includes, but is not limited to, multiple or redundant submissions, duplicate or overlapping publication, false or inappropriate claims of authorship, plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, fraudulent use of data, undisclosed use of large language models or generative artificial intelligence tools, and other forms of academic or research misconduct. Retraction may also be warranted in cases of honest error reported by authors, such as mistakes arising from incorrect sampling, data handling errors, or the use of faulty equipment discovered after publication. In rare cases, retraction may also be used to correct significant errors arising during submission or publication.
When an article is retracted, the retraction notice will clearly state the reasons for the retraction and identify the party initiating the retraction (e.g., authors, editors, or institution). AJOLD follows established international standards and best practices developed by scholarly and library organizations in handling retractions.
In the electronic version of the retraction notice, a direct link will be provided to the original article. Similarly, the original article will contain a link to the retraction notice, clearly indicating that the article has been retracted. The original article will remain accessible in the journal archive; however, it will not be removed. Instead, each page of the PDF version will be clearly marked with a watermark indicating its retracted status.
Through this approach, AJOLD ensures transparency, preserves the integrity of the scholarly record, and upholds best practices in academic publishing.
Funding Information
Authors are required to disclose all sources of financial support related to their research when the manuscript is derived from a funded project. Funding information should be clearly stated in accordance with the terms and requirements specified in the relevant funding agreement or contract.
This disclosure ensures transparency in research reporting and acknowledges the contribution of funding bodies to the development and completion of the study.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in articles published in the African Journal of Leadership and Development (AJOLD) are solely those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Editors, Editorial Staff, or Publisher.
Authors bear full legal and ethical responsibility for the content of their work, including all ideas, interpretations, findings, and conclusions presented in their articles.
The Publisher assumes no liability for any claims, damages, or consequences arising from the use or interpretation of the published material. Accordingly, the Publisher shall not be held legally responsible for any form of compensation claims related to the content published in the journal.
Ethical Commitment
AJOLD is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, fairness, and ethical publishing. All editorial processes are designed to ensure credibility, accountability, and scholarly excellence.
