Journal overview
Aims and Scope
The African Journal of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Development Research (AJEIDR) is an international, peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to advancing theoretical, empirical and policy-oriented research on entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable development in Africa and the wider Global South.
The journal aims to provide an inclusive platform for interdisciplinary scholarship that critically examines the opportunities, challenges and emerging dynamics shaping entrepreneurial ecosystems, innovation systems and socioeconomic transformation. AJEIDR particularly welcomes research that advances context-sensitive theories, amplifies underrepresented perspectives and challenges dominant Eurocentric assumptions in entrepreneurship and development scholarship.
Scope of the Journal
AJEIDR welcomes original research articles, conceptual and theoretical papers, systematic literature reviews, methodological contributions and policy-oriented studies addressing, but not limited to, the following areas:
- Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurial ecosystems, informal entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial resilience.
- Innovation and Digital Transformation: Digital entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, sociotechnical transitions, innovation ecosystems and technology-driven enterprise development.
- Gender and Inclusive Entrepreneurship: Women's entrepreneurship, youth entrepreneurship, migrant entrepreneurship, intersectionality and inclusive economic participation.
- Sustainability and Environmental Entrepreneurship: Green entrepreneurship, circular economy, sustainable business models, climate change, energy transitions and environmental justice.
- Entrepreneurship, Institutions and Governance: Institutional environments, entrepreneurship policy, regulatory frameworks, governance and entrepreneurial development.
- Finance and Entrepreneurial Growth: Entrepreneurial finance, financial inclusion, microfinance, venture capital and access to funding.
- Entrepreneurship Education and Capacity Development: Entrepreneurial learning, higher education, skills development, entrepreneurial intentions and university–industry collaboration.
- Development and Socioeconomic Transformation: Poverty reduction, livelihood sustainability, rural entrepreneurship, community development and entrepreneurship-led structural transformation.
- Indigenous Knowledge and Decolonial Perspectives: Indigenous entrepreneurship, Ubuntu-informed approaches, local knowledge systems, decolonial methodologies and alternative development paradigms.
- International Entrepreneurship and Global Value Chains: Cross-border entrepreneurship, diaspora entrepreneurship, internationalisation, regional integration and African participation in global markets.
Editorial Commitment
AJEIDR is committed to scholarly excellence, rigorous peer review, ethical publishing practices and the promotion of diverse methodological and theoretical perspectives. The journal encourages interdisciplinary, comparative and contextually grounded research that generates meaningful contributions to academic knowledge, entrepreneurial practice and public policy.
While maintaining a strong focus on Africa and the Global South, AJEIDR welcomes contributions from all geographical contexts where the findings offer relevant theoretical, practical or policy insights into entrepreneurship, innovation and development.
Editorial Standards & Quality Assurance
The African Journal of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Development Research (AJEIDR) is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, scholarly excellence, transparency and ethical publishing. The journal upholds rigorous editorial and quality assurance processes to ensure the originality, credibility, relevance and scholarly contribution of all published research.
1. Rigorous Peer Review
All research manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment to establish their relevance, originality and alignment with the journal's aims and scope. Manuscripts that meet the initial requirements are subjected to independent double-blind peer review by qualified experts. Editorial decisions are informed by reviewers' recommendations, methodological rigour, theoretical contributions and overall scholarly quality.
2. Research Integrity and Publication Ethics
AJEIDR is guided by internationally recognised publication ethics principles, including those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal maintains a zero-tolerance approach to plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication and other forms of research misconduct. Authors, reviewers and editors are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct.
3. Originality and Scholarly Contribution
Submitted manuscripts must present original scholarship and demonstrate clear theoretical, empirical, methodological or practical contributions. The journal particularly encourages innovative, interdisciplinary and contextually grounded research that advances knowledge on entrepreneurship, innovation and development.
4. Editorial Independence and Transparency
Editorial decisions are based exclusively on academic merit, relevance and research quality, without discrimination or undue influence. All editors and reviewers are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality throughout the editorial process.
5. Methodological Rigour and Research Transparency
AJEIDR welcomes qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods and conceptual research. Authors must provide transparent accounts of their research design, data collection, analytical procedures, ethical considerations and study limitations to support research credibility and reproducibility where applicable.
6. Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence
The journal supports the responsible and transparent use of artificial intelligence in scholarly research and publishing. Authors must disclose the use of generative AI tools where required by journal policy. AI-generated content must be critically verified, and authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy, originality and integrity of their submissions. Artificial intelligence tools cannot be credited as authors.
7. Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonial Scholarship
AJEIDR promotes intellectual diversity, equitable scholarly participation and the inclusion of underrepresented perspectives, particularly from Africa and the Global South. The journal encourages research that recognises indigenous knowledge systems, contextual realities and alternative theoretical and methodological approaches.
8. Corrections, Retractions and Post-Publication Integrity
The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Where necessary, corrections, expressions of concern or retractions will be considered in accordance with established publication ethics principles and the journal's editorial policies.
9. Continuous Quality Improvement
AJEIDR is committed to strengthening its editorial processes through reviewer development, editorial oversight, periodic policy reviews and adherence to evolving international scholarly publishing standards.
Our Commitment
AJEIDR strives to provide a credible, inclusive and internationally respected scholarly platform that advances rigorous research, promotes responsible knowledge production and contributes to entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable development across Africa and beyond.
Peer Review and Publication Timelines
The African Journal of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Development Research (AJEIDR) is committed to ensuring an efficient, transparent and rigorous editorial process while maintaining high standards of scholarly quality.
The journal aims to achieve the following timelines:
Important Information: The timelines represent the journal's intended editorial service standards and are not guaranteed publication deadlines.