IIMB hosts pre-conference as part of 6th Human Resources International Conference (HRIC) on 08 April 2026
Editors from leading global journals share advice on submissions, AI, and reviewer culture, to build an editorial career
8 April, 2026, Bengaluru: IIMB hosted a pre-conference programme as part of the 6th edition of the Human Resources International Conference (HRIC) on April 8, 2026. The day-long agenda brought together doctoral scholars, early-career researchers, and leading international academics through a mix of wellness, research development sessions, and editorial engagement.
The conference chairs for HRIC 2026 are Prof. Sushanta Kumar Mishra, Chairperson, Research & Publications and Centre for Teaching and Learning, and faculty in the OB&HRM area at IIMB; Prof. Pawan Budhwar, Aston University, Birmingham, UK; and Prof. Arup Varma, Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago.
The Doctoral Colloquium featured sessions on ‘Crafting your career’ covering teaching, job talks, and long-term research trajectories. The session featured Prof. Mukta Kulkarni, Dean, Programmes; Prof. Marion Festing, ESCP Business School; Prof. Bex Hewett, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University; Prof. Kate Hutchings, Griffith University; and Helen de Cieri, Associate Editor, Human Resource Management Review.
The panel discussion revolved around academic career, teaching, and job talks in academia. It highlighted the importance of connecting with the research community beyond just research outcomes. Quality over quantity in publications, working on what matters, and pursuing your passion can make all the difference. Plus, learn how to tackle challenges like AI and foster critical thinking in students.
Participants engaged in roundtable discussions, receiving detailed feedback on their research from an international panel of scholars.
A session on ‘Meet the Editors’, chaired by Prof. Pawan Budhwar, Aston Business School, which brought together editors including Ashish Malik, Co-Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Management Reviews; Alfred Presbitero, Associate Editor, Personnel Review; Pavithra Kailasapathy, University of Colombo; Alex Newman, Melbourne Business School; Marion Festing, ESCP Business School; Helen De Cieri, Associate Editor, Human Resource Management Review; Maral Muratbekova, Editor-in-Chief, European Management Journal; and Roberta Fida, Aston Business School.
The discussion offered candid insights into academic publishing, with Prof. Maral Muratbekova highlighting the sharp rise in submissions and the need for clarity in the abstract and introduction to ensure a paper is considered further. Prof. Marion Festing emphasized that editors must quickly identify what makes a paper distinctive, noting, “Be very clear in the abstract, in your paper, in the introduction, in the contributions”.
On building an editorial career, Prof. Helen De Cieri advised scholars to start by reviewing within their area of expertise and build credibility through high-quality contributions, stating, “Return your review on time. Be thorough in your review. Never use AI when you are reviewing”. Prof. Roberta Fida noted that consistent engagement with journals through publishing and reviewing is key, while Prof. Alex Newman encouraged early-career researchers to proactively seek opportunities as editorial pathways expand. Prof. Maral Muratbekova added that strong reviewing performance enhances visibility.
Editors also reflected on key challenges, including the rise of AI-generated submissions, highlighted by Prof. Alex Newman, methodological mismatches leading to desk rejections, noted by Prof. Roberta Fida, and the ongoing difficulty of securing reliable reviewers, emphasized by Prof. Helen De Cieri.
In their advice to scholars, Prof. Helen De Cieri urged a focus on high-quality journals and reviewing within one’s expertise, while Prof. Roberta Fida emphasized rigor and transparency in research. Prof. Marion Festing reiterated the importance of clearly articulating a paper’s contribution, and Prof. Maral Muratbekova concluded by encouraging scholars to pursue meaningful and impactful research.
The pre-conference concluded with closing and farewell sessions, marking the end of a day that combined skill-building, mentorship, and global academic exchange, and setting the stage for HRIC 2026.