Celebrating the 41st anniversary of APJM: reflection of our editorial journey

The Asia-Pacific region is the most vibrant in the world, owing to its significant economic, demographic, and geopolitical influence. It continues to be a major driver of global economic growth, contributing nearly 40% of the world’s GDPFootnote 1. Home to approximately 60% of the global population, it represents a vital market for businesses and plays a key role in shaping global consumer trends. The region’s strategic location and diverse political landscape make it central to international trade and global security dynamics. Additionally, it has emerged as a leader in innovation and technology, addressing the global challenges identified by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

TheAsia Pacific Journal of Management (APJM) has been at the forefront of management research for the last four decades, disseminating knowledge based on practices adopted by companies to revolutionize the region. As the official journal of the Asia Academy of Management (AAoM), the emergence and growth of APJM have paralleled the region’s development, celebrating its 41st anniversary this year. Over the past four decades, APJM has served as the leading voice for management research in the Asia-Pacific region. As a region-focused journal, it has published context-specific theories and concepts in areas such as strategic management, international business, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior, human resource management, and other management topics.

We have had the privilege and honor of serving as co-editors-in-chief of APJM from 2022 to 2024, publishing management research in the region. During our tenure, we had the opportunity to collaborate with an exceptional team of senior editors and reviewers to publish articles that are both theoretically rigorous and conceptually relevant for businesses. We introduced several initiatives aimed at establishing APJM as a leading management journal globally. Our efforts included expanding the editorial board to enhance diversity, hosting special issues to publish critical research on new and emerging management topics, and conducting paper development workshops (PDWs) to build research capacity in the region. We are pleased to report that submissions to APJM have doubled, and the journal now ranks as a Q1 journal in management and international business. Additionally, the impact factor of the journal has shown consistent growth. We acknowledge the substantial efforts of our editorial board, the support of our publisher, and, most importantly, the authors who have placed their trust in the quality of APJM by submitting their work. Below, we outline some of the key achievements of the APJM during our tenure.