Blogs

In case no one’s told you yet, the hallmarks of a largely AI-generated research article are obvious, and they’re quickly becoming clear signals to desk-reject a paper. So say my clients and other contacts at business schools, the vast majority of whom are either reviewers or editors at top journals. The bad news for everyone submitting to these journals is that AI has led to a vast increase in submissions. This means already swamped managing editors and reviewers are turning

Academic writing can feel like an endless cycle of hope, anxiety, and (if we’re lucky) occasional relief. You do the work, send it off, and then wait for a verdict from an opaque process you can’t control. No wonder it’s hard to maintain momentum. But here’s the quiet truth that most productive scholars eventually figure out: The only part of this entire ecosystem you truly control is your process.

I’ve put together a resource for everyone currently on the brink of a new academic year. It’s a list of publication-related tasks, designed to move your most important output forward (even slightly) even in the midst of new classes, new responsibilities, new admin, and any other challenges life may throw your way.

In this post, I’m going to break down why “Who cares?” doesn’t work—and the crucial question that business academics should be answering instead. It’s one that’s dramatically shifted the process (and results!) of writing for almost every editing client I’ve ever worked with, and I hope it can transform your writing too.