Information for Authors

“Economic Thought and Practice” is a peer-reviewed academic journal for economic theory and practice published by the University of Dubrovnik.

All papers are sent for at least two anonymous reviews, where the reviewers do not know the authors’ identities, nor do the authors know the reviewers’ identities. To ensure this, authors must submit two versions of their manuscripts: a “full” version, seen only by the editor-in-chief, and a “blinded” version without the authors’ names, affiliations, contributions, or any references that might reveal their identities (the version for reviewers).

Each manuscript must include a cover letter as a separate document. The letter should provide a brief explanation of the paper’s scientific contribution, outline the findings in the context of existing work, and explain why the paper fits within the journal’s scope. A signed Statement must also be submitted with the manuscript, confirming the originality of the work, granting consent for the publication of personal data, and, where applicable, describing the responsible use of artificial intelligence tools in accordance with the journal’s ethical and editorial standards.

“Economic Thought and Practice” follows the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which state that the following criteria must be met to qualify for authorship of a manuscript:

• a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work, or to the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work
• drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content
• approval of the version to be published
• accountability for all aspects of the work, ensuring that any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Submitted papers will first be screened by the handling editor. Papers outside the scope of the journal will be rejected without review. Manuscripts on the borderline of the journal’s thematic area may be forwarded to an advisory editor specializing in that topic. Similarly, papers more suitable for a journal in a different field may be rejected without review based on the advisory editor’s recommendation. Manuscripts that do not meet minimum standards of quality and originality, or do not fit the journal’s thematic focus, may also be rejected before review. The final decision on the publication of any manuscript rests with the journal’s editorial board.

After the initial editorial screening, manuscripts are sent for review. If any reviewers decline to review the paper, alternative reviewers are appointed. Reviewers should not be employed at the same institution as the authors and must have demonstrated expertise in the subject area addressed by the manuscript. Typically, two authoritative reviews are required before the editor decides to accept, reject, or request a revised version of the paper.

When resubmitting a manuscript with the accepted suggestions from the reviewers, authors must provide a cover letter describing the revisions made and indicating the pages where those changes were implemented.

The journal is published twice a year, with each issue containing up to 15 papers. Manuscripts may be submitted and published in either Croatian or English. The journal does not charge article processing charges (APCs) or submission fees. Authors who wish to receive a free copy of the issue in which their paper is published should indicate this in the Statement. Manuscripts should be sent to the Editorial Office at ekon.misao@unidu.hr

The Editorial Board accepts manuscripts prepared according to the following guidelines:

The manuscript must be prepared in Word for Windows, with a page size of 16.6 × 24 cm, using Times New Roman font, size 10. The title page must include the author’s academic title, name, workplace, institution, email address, ORCID, and the title of the paper in both Croatian and English.

Each table, chart, figure, and other graphic element must be in black and white, adapted to the journal’s format, with a title above that includes the type and sequential number in 10-point font, and the source indicated below in 9-point font. The article should not exceed 25 pages, including the reference list. For more detailed instructions, refer to the template available on the journal’s website.

Each manuscript must include an abstract and keywords. The abstract, written in the third person in both Croatian and English, should provide a substantive summary of the paper, including the methodology and results. It must not exceed 150 words and should appear immediately after the title.

The reference list at the end of the paper includes all works cited by the author and is arranged alphabetically by the authors’ surnames. In-text citations must follow the APA standard.

Each manuscript must include the following content at the end of the paper, but before the “References” section:

Author Contributions: Each author is expected to have made a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; the development of any new software used in the study; the drafting of the manuscript; or its significant revision; to have approved the submitted version of the manuscript (including the version edited by the journal’s editorial office); and to agree to be personally accountable for the contributions of all authors, ensuring that any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work, even those in which the author was not directly involved, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and documented in the reference list.

For manuscripts with multiple authors, provide a brief paragraph detailing each author’s individual contributions (using initials only), using the following formulations as appropriate: Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; Methodology, X.X.; Software, X.X.; Validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; Formal analysis, X.X.; Investigation, X.X.; Resources, X.X.; Data curation, X.X.; Writing – original draft, X.X.; Writing – review and editing, X.X.; Visualization, X.X.; Supervision, X.X.; Project administration, X.X.; Funding acquisition, Y.Y.

For a single author, use the following wording: “The author confirms sole responsibility for the conception and design of the research, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results, and preparation of the manuscript.”

Funding: The manuscript must clearly state all sources of research funding. If the research did not receive any funding, include the following statement: “The research presented in this manuscript did not receive any funding from external sources.”

Conflict of Interest: Disclose any known financial, professional, or personal relationships that could influence the work. If none exist, state: “None.”

Acknowledgment of the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or AI-Based Tools: “During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] to [REASON]. After using the tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and, if necessary, edited the content and take full responsibility for the content of the published article.”

If no AI or AI-based tools were used, state: “I did not use artificial intelligence or AI-based tools in the preparation of this manuscript.”

Notes: If the manuscript is derived from a doctoral dissertation, project, thesis, or similar work, this should be indicated here. Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section.

GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MANUSCRIPTS AND RESEARCH

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies become more integrated into research and writing processes, it is important to ensure their use aligns with the ethical standards and integrity expected in academic publishing. The following guidelines outline our journal’s position on the use of AI tools in manuscript preparation and research:

1. Transparency and Disclosure:

• Authors must clearly disclose any use of AI tools in preparing their manuscripts. This includes, but is not limited to, AI-generated text, data analysis, image generation, or other AI-assisted methods. The publication should specify the tools used and the extent of their application.
• A statement describing the role of artificial intelligence should be included in the “Methods” or “Acknowledgments” section of the manuscript.

2. Responsibility and Authorship:

• Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscripts, including any sections generated or assisted by AI tools. AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
• It is the authors’ responsibility to ensure that all content, regardless of how it was produced, meets the journal’s standards for quality, accuracy, and originality.

3. Ethical Use and Compliance:

• The use of artificial intelligence must comply with ethical guidelines, including those related to data privacy, consent, and copyright. Authors must ensure that AI use does not violate these ethical standards.
• Plagiarism, whether human or AI-generated, is strictly prohibited. Authors must ensure that AI-generated content is properly verified and cited.

4. Accuracy and Validation:

• Authors must critically assess and verify the validity of results produced using AI tools in research or manuscript preparation. Reliance on AI-generated data or interpretations must be justified, and authors should provide evidence of validation when applicable.
• Any errors or biases identified in AI-generated results must be addressed, and authors must ensure that the final manuscript accurately represents the research findings without undue influence from the limitations of artificial intelligence tools.

5. Research Integrity and Reproducibility:

• When AI is used in the research methodology, authors must provide sufficient detail to allow others to understand, reproduce, and verify the validity of the AI-assisted sections. This includes sharing data, code, and specific parameters used in AI applications, subject to data sharing policies and ethical guidelines.

6. Human Supervision:

• While AI can be a valuable tool in research and writing, human supervision is essential. Authors must supervise AI to ensure compliance with scientific rigor and the journal’s ethical standards.
• Critical thinking and expert judgment should not be replaced by AI-generated results, and authors are expected to make all key decisions in the research and writing process.

IN-TEXT CITATION OF REFERENCES

In-text references must be cited according to APA style (American Psychological Association).

Examples:

Single-author works:

1. a) The author’s surname and publication year are placed in parentheses at the appropriate place in the text, e.g., “…individual and creative (Boym, 2001).”
2. b) If the author’s name appears in the sentence, only the missing information (year and/or page number) is placed in parentheses, e.g., “Kral (2012, p. 115) suggests…”.

For works with two authors, both authors’ names must be cited every time the reference appears in the text:

1. a) In the inserted text, use the ampersand “&” between the surnames along with the publication year, e.g., “…it has been confirmed (Elliott & Percy, 2007)…”.
2. b) When the authors’ names are part of the sentence, use “and” between the surnames, e.g., “Hamilton and Wagner (2014) confirmed…”.

Works with three or more authors:

1. a) List all authors the first time the reference appears, along with the publication year, e.g., “…consumer memories (Kardes, Cronley, & Cline, 2011).”. If the authors’ names are part of the sentence, write: “Kardes, Cronley, and Cline (2011) argued…”.
2. b) In subsequent citations, include only the surname of the first author followed by “et al.” and the year, e.g., “…consumer response (Pascal et al., 2002).”

If the authors’ names are part of the sentence, write: “Pascal et al. (2001) emphasized…”.

Works by associations, corporations, government agencies, etc., are usually cited in full the first time the reference appears, e.g., (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). In subsequent citations, use only the acronym (if the organization has one) and the year, e.g., (WHO, 2015).

Page numbers can be cited in two ways:

1. a) (Levy, Weitz, & Grewal, 2014, p. 435)
2. b) Kral (2012, p. 115) suggests…

REFERENCES

References include only authors and works, websites cited in the manuscript, and sources of figures. Author names are listed alphabetically as follows:

Journal Articles

1. a) Single author:

Muehling, D. D. (2013). The relative influence of advertising-evoked personal and historical nostalgic thoughts on consumers’ brand attitudes. Journal of Marketing Communications, 19(2), 98–113.

1. b) Two authors:

Bierey, M., & Schmidt, M. (2017). Banks’ use of accounting discretion and regulatory intervention: The case of European banks’ impairments on Greek government bonds. The International Journal of Accounting, 52(2), 95–121.

1. c) Three or more authors:

Felix, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., & Hinsch, C. (2017). Elements of strategic social media marketing: A holistic framework. Journal of Business Research, 70(1), 118–126.

Article in an electronic journal:

Grobler, M., & Villiers, C. (2017). Designing a more effective way to surface the information needs of people in developing communities. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 82(3), 1–25. http://www.ejisdc.org

Books

1. a) Single author:

O’Shaughnessy, J. (2015). Competitive Marketing: A Strategic Approach. London: Routledge.

1. b) Two, three, or more authors:

Levy, M., Weitz, B. A., & Grewal, D. (2014). Retailing Management (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

1. c) Edited book:

Solomon, M. R., Bamossy, G., Askegaard, S., & Hogg, M. K. (Eds.). (2006). Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective (6th ed.). Harlow: Prentice Hall.

1. d) Chapter in an edited book:

Babin, B. J., & Borges, A. (2009). Oh yeah, I remember that store! Memory, experience, and value. In A. Lindgreen, J. Vanhamme, & M. B. Beverland (Eds.), Memorable Customer Experiences: A Research Anthology (pp. 161–176). Burlington: Gower Publishing.

Editorial Board