Journal profile · Multiple
Journal of the International Council for Small Business
ISSN 2643-7015 · eISSN 2643-7023 · Taylor & Francis
Journal of the International Council for Small Business: CAS Zone 4 · Management (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.1 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; review about 45 days (first decision after review, publisher); acceptance rate 20% (journal website); 108 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of the International Council for Small Business is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 4 of Management in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences, Innovation and Socioeconomic Development and Family Business Performance and Succession, together about 50.1% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of the International Council for Small Business ( JICSB) is the official publication of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB). JICSB is dedicated to advancing research, policy, and practice that support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—the foundational drivers of local economies and global development. JICSB seeks to promote knowledge that enhances the sustainability, performance, and positive societal impact of MSMEs. It serves as a platform for scholars, educators, policy-makers, and practitioners to share research-based insights that bridge theory and application. The journal is especially open to work that explores the role of MSMEs in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in fostering the betterment of humanity through humane and inclusive entrepreneurship. The journal welcomes rigorous empirical and conceptual contributions that: Develop or refine theories related to MSMEs and entrepreneurship; Advance novel frameworks for policy or practice; Synthesize recent developments into new or integrative perspectives; Demonstrate practical implications for MSME growth, resilience, and impact. JICSB encourages submissions that answer: So why? – What are the positive, real-world implications for MSMEs? So what? – How does this work influence policy, strategy, or performance? So how? – In what ways can the insights be applied or scaled across contexts? The journal accepts qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): MSME ecosystems, finance, innovation, and technology Government policy and economic development Entrepreneurship education and training Social, humane, and sustainable entrepreneurship MSMEs owned by women, minorities, and families Country-specific MSME insights and global comparisons Peer review statement The Journal of the International Council for Small Business is an international, peer-reviewed journal which publishes high quality, original research contributions to scientific knowledge. Research article submissions are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is double anonymized and submission is online via the ScholarOne submission site.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief Jeffrey AlvesPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 4, Italy 2, United Kingdom 1, South Korea 1, Australia 1 (10 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Entrepreneurship Studies and InfluencesBusiness, Management and Accounting27%
- Innovation and Socioeconomic DevelopmentBusiness, Management and Accounting13.8%
- Family Business Performance and SuccessionBusiness, Management and Accounting9.4%
- Private Equity and Venture CapitalBusiness, Management and Accounting4.6%
- Innovation and Knowledge ManagementBusiness, Management and Accounting4.4%
- International Business and FDIBusiness, Management and Accounting3.8%
- Environmental Sustainability in BusinessBusiness, Management and Accounting3.8%
- Microfinance and Financial InclusionEconomics, Econometrics and Finance3.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Management Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Management | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Business | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Management | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Management Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Management | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Business | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Management | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- CiteScore Q2 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.29LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.29Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.96LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 0.96Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 19OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 59OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.27OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 42.9%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 9.26%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 103LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 77,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 448 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 135 | 30 | 60 |
| 2025 | 108 | 17 | 285 |
| 2024 | 65 | 22 | 354 |
| 2023 | 26 | 8 | 199 |
| 2022 | 49 | 14 | 305 |
| 2021 | 43 | 9 | 389 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
45 daysfirst decision after review
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 20%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 45 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 19 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Article types accepted2
- research articleResearch Article | Published online: 16 Sep 2026Length not stated
- video abstractVideo Abstract SME credit risk assessment in fintech lending: The role of paid-up capitalLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAuthorship, Open access, Peer review
- Authorship SME credit risk assessment in fintech lending: The role of paid-up capital
Joshua Abraham Kizige et al. Research Article | Published online: 13 Aug 2026 Read the related article >
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Hybrid open access journal (Taylor & Francis Open Select). Model summary
Journal of the International Council for Small Business is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review statement
Double anonymized peer review; online submission via ScholarOne. Model summary
The Journal of the International Council for Small Business is an international, peer-reviewed journal which publishes high quality, original research contributions to scientific knowledge. Research article submissions are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is double…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 2643-7015
- Electronic ISSN
- 2643-7023
- Society / sponsor
- International Council for Small Business
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 7, Issue 4 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of the International Council for Small Business
What CAS zone is Journal of the International Council for Small Business in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of the International Council for Small Business is in Zone 4 of Management, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Business / Management. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Management. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of the International Council for Small Business?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 2.1 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 2.8, h-index 19.
How long does peer review take at Journal of the International Council for Small Business?
The publisher reports about 45 days (first decision after review); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 20%. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of the International Council for Small Business based?
Of the 10 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (4), Italy (2) and United Kingdom (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of the International Council for Small Business?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of the International Council for Small Business is indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Is Journal of the International Council for Small Business open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of the International Council for Small Business is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .