April saw the curtain come down on one of the most remarkable resources available in business and management research. The Harzing Journal Quality List (https://harzing.com/blog/2026/04/72nd-edition-of-the-journal-quality-list-online) has been meticulously researched and updated an incredible 72 times over the 26 years of its existence, providing a reliable snapshot to academics and publishers alike how ranked journals compared across disciplines from different journal lists published round the world. The brainchild of … Continue reading Wish List
Word up
To state the obvious, words matter – but sometimes the wrong words in the wrong place can matter even more than the right ones. In the recent Cabells white paper on how to use data for choosing the optimal journal for publication, it was clear that both understanding terms used on social media and then using those terms to promote research … Continue reading Word up
Book review – “The Seven Rules of Trust” by Jimmy Wales
Trust is something we all take for granted. From taking an umbrella with you on a day out because the weather forecast said it would rain, to watching a movie following a friend’s recommendation, we commit to dozens of actions each day based on trusting something we have seen, heard, or sensed in some way. … Continue reading Book review – “The Seven Rules of Trust” by Jimmy Wales
Research doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and here’s the proof
Within a couple of weeks of each other, two decisions have been made that will shape business research and education for years to come – but for very different reasons. One decision is a bold, risky decision that is global in reach and open in outlook; the other is small-minded and narrow, which nevertheless sends a strong message to those it will impact. The first decision has been taken by the … Continue reading Research doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and here’s the proof
Study highlights AI-fueled increase in references to fake sources
Recent reporting from the respected Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant highlights a growing problem in scholarly publishing: the rise of AI-generated fake citations appearing in academic papers. According to the article, authored by Stan van Pelt, fabricated references — studies, articles, or journals that do not actually exist — have increased significantly alongside the widespread adoption … Continue reading Study highlights AI-fueled increase in references to fake sources
What’s in a name?
Imagine you wake up one morning with a set of unusual symptoms. Nothing to worry about, you think, but you had better check online just to make sure. Once you scroll through a few plausible-sounding, non-serious possibilities, your eyes alight on an illness you have never heard of before. But it sounds serious – really serious. You click on the link … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
A little-examined consequence of the predatory publishing phenomenon is the damage done to legitimate publishers that got swept up in it – not because they were truly predatory, but because they were listed alongside journals that were. Beall’s List, the well-intentioned and perhaps the most famous predatory publisher and journal list, has long been shuttered. … Continue reading Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
Out of time
This week, hundreds of librarians, publishers, and vendors have congregated in the UK city of Glasgow to attend the annual UK Serials Group (UKSG). A fixture on the scholarly communications events circuit for many years, there was a clear sense this year that things are under strain, and a once vibrant industry is going through … Continue reading Out of time
Cabells launches white paper on optimizing journal decision-making at UKSG
BEAUMONT, TX: Cabells – a US-based information services company – has launched a white paper (available for download below) providing insights to researchers, librarians, and aligned professionals on how its Journalytics platform can optimize crucial decision-making. Working from prior research underlining the importance of decision-making when it comes to choosing the right journal for a … Continue reading Cabells launches white paper on optimizing journal decision-making at UKSG
Finding your compass
When US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld uttered his now-famous speech about what we know and don’t know in the early 2000s, it is fair to say there was a good deal of mockery. Not only did it sound extremely odd, it also didn’t seem to make sense initially. What on earth are ‘known unknowns’ … Continue reading Finding your compass