About the Journal

The Asia-Pacific Journal of Social Innovation (APJSI), formerly The Mindanao Forum, is the peer-reviewed research journal of Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT). APJSI publishes original and interdisciplinary research works that advance understanding of social innovation, inclusive development, and institutional transformation, with particular relevance to the Asia-Pacific region. The journal provides a platform for scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and development stakeholders to engage with research and evidence-based insights that address complex social, economic, environmental, governance, and organizational challenges, especially those that generate social impact, public value, and sustainable transformation.

Building on a publication tradition spanning more than four decades, APJSI continues a longstanding commitment to scholarship that is both analytically rigorous and socially grounded. The journal welcomes contributions that connect theory, policy, and practice, foreground local knowledge and lived realities, and contribute to wider conversations on governance, peacebuilding, education, sustainability, business and management, economics, accountancy, hospitality and tourism, and community-driven development. All submissions undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure scholarly quality, originality, integrity, and relevance.

Aims and Scope

The Asia-Pacific Journal of Social Innovation (APJSI) aims to advance critical, interdisciplinary, and applied scholarship on how innovation, institutions, organizations, and communities respond to complex societal challenges and contribute to inclusive, sustainable, and socially meaningful development. The journal is particularly interested in research that demonstrates how knowledge is translated into policy, practice, organizational change, institutional reform, and community transformation.

APJSI welcomes original contributions that engage with the processes, systems, and practices through which social innovation emerges, is governed, evaluated, and sustained across diverse settings. The journal values work that bridges theory and practice, foregrounds context-sensitive and locally grounded knowledge, and contributes to wider scholarly and policy conversations on equity, resilience, sustainability, and public value.

The journal invites submissions from a broad range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, including but not limited to the following areas:

Social innovation, social entrepreneurship, and community transformation

  • Governance, public policy, and institutional innovation
  • Business, management, and inclusive enterprise
  • Economics, livelihoods, and local or regional development
  • Accountancy, accountability, and sustainability reporting
  • Hospitality, tourism, and place-based development
  • Education, knowledge systems, and capacity building
  • Peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and social resilience
  • Climate adaptation, environmental sustainability, and socioecological innovation
  • Digital transformation, technology adoption, and society

APJSI welcomes qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, comparative, policy-oriented, and field-based research, as well as conceptual and theoretically informed studies that offer clear scholarly contributions and practical relevance. The journal particularly encourages work that is analytically rigorous, socially grounded, and attentive to the lived realities of communities, institutions, and emerging development contexts

Open Access Policy

The journal is a peer-reviewed open access journal committed to disseminating scholarly knowledge freely and widely. This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. All published articles are freely accessible online without subscription or payment barriers. No article processing charges (APCs) are collected from authors.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Asia-Pacific Journal of Social Innovation (APJSI) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal follows internationally recognized principles of ethical scholarly publishing and expects all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher to adhere to these standards.

Duties of Authors

Authors submitting to APJSI must ensure that:

  • The manuscript is original, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration elsewhere.

  • All sources are properly cited and acknowledged.

  • Data presented are accurate, reliable, and not fabricated, falsified, or manipulated.

  • All listed authors have made significant contributions and have approved the final manuscript.

  • Any conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.

Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is unacceptable and will result in rejection or retraction.

Visit the Author Guidelines for the reference on the submission requirements.

Duties of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • Making publication decisions based on the manuscript’s academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

  • Ensuring a fair, unbiased, and confidential review process.

  • Avoiding conflicts of interest in handling submissions.

  • Taking appropriate action in cases of ethical misconduct, including issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations of manuscripts.

  • Maintain strict confidentiality of all submitted materials.

  • Declare any conflicts of interest and decline review if necessary.

  • Identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and alert editors to potential ethical issues such as plagiarism or duplication.

Peer Review Process

APJSI follows a double-blind peer review process, in which both authors and reviewers remain anonymous. Manuscripts are evaluated based on originality, methodological rigor, clarity, and contribution to knowledge and practice.

Ethical Oversight

Research involving human participants must demonstrate adherence to appropriate ethical standards, including informed consent and institutional ethical approval where applicable. Authors may be required to provide documentation supporting ethical clearance.

Data Integrity and Transparency

Authors are expected to retain and, where appropriate, make available the data supporting their findings. Any errors discovered after publication must be promptly reported to the editorial office.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The journal requires transparency in the use of AI tools. AI must not be used to fabricate data, generate misleading content, or replace scholarly accountability. Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content and must disclose any AI assistance. The declaration must be reflected in the supplementary data file to be submitted along with the manuscript.

Allegations of Misconduct

In cases of suspected misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research practices, the journal will follow a structured process of investigation. This may result in rejection, retraction, or notification of relevant institutions.

Corrections and Retractions

Where necessary, the journal will publish corrections, clarifications, or retractions to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Publisher Responsibilities

Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), as publisher, supports editorial independence and is committed to ensuring that ethical standards are upheld throughout the publication process.

Contact

For ethical concerns or inquiries, please contact:
ovcre.ord@g.msuiit.edu.ph