Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, the podcast where we explore the highs, lows, and everything in between of academic research. Today, we’re tackling a question every academic dreads: How do you avoid a desk reject? Picture this—you’ve poured months, maybe years, into your research. You’ve polished your manuscript to perfection, double-checked every citation, and submitted it with fingers crossed. But then, within days, the email arrives: desk rejected. No reviewers, no feedback, just a dead-end.
In this episode, we’ll dive into the editorial article 'How to Avoid a Desk Reject: Do’s and Don’ts' by Sjoerd Beugelsdijk and Allan Bird, published in the Journal of International Business Studies (FT50 Journal). With nearly 65% of manuscripts facing the harsh fate of desk rejection, this guide offers invaluable insights into why so many submissions never make it past the first stage. It’s not just about bad research—far from it. Even high-quality papers fall short when they miss critical elements like effective communication or theoretical rigor. Today, we’ll explore the tips, tricks, and red flags from the minds of seasoned reviewing editors who have desk-rejected over 4,000 submissions between 2016 and 2024.
So, what does it take to dodge the desk-reject bullet? Can you craft a manuscript that grabs an editor’s attention right from the first page? Let’s find out.
Reference
Beugelsdijk, S., Bird, A. How to avoid a desk reject: do’s and don’ts. J Int Bus Stud (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-024-00712-8

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