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  Cluster 7: Finance, Accounting & Economics

Journals for Developing Country Economic Research (2026)

Economic research from and about developing countries addresses some of the most pressing policy challenges of our time: reducing poverty, expanding financial access, improving agricultural productivity, and achieving sustainable economic growth in lower-income contexts. Keith Publications economics and finance journals actively support developing country economic research with competitive APCs, waiver programmes, and genuine editorial commitment to publishing this critical scholarship.

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What to Look for When Choosing a Journal

Before submitting your research, evaluate journals on these key criteria:

  • Welcoming of finance and economics research from all countries and academic contexts globally
  • Open access for global readership without subscription barriers
  • Editorial board with international representation across regions
  • CrossRef DOI and Google Scholar indexing for global discoverability
  • English-language publication with clear guidance on language support
  • APC waivers for eligible finance researchers from lower-income economies

Recommended Journals — Cluster 7: Finance, Accounting & Economics

All journals below are published by Keith Publications — open access, peer-reviewed, and indexed for global discoverability.

  • Journal of Financial Economics and Management (JFEM)

    Financial economics, corporate finance, investment management, financial markets, monetary policy, and the economics of financial systems and institutions.

    Review: 2–3 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar
    Financial Economics Corporate Finance Investment Management Financial Markets
  • Journal of Accounting and Financial Reporting (JAFR)

    Financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, corporate governance, financial reporting standards, and the intersection of accounting with regulation and public policy.

    Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar
    Financial Accounting Auditing Corporate Governance Financial Reporting
  • International Journal of Banking and Financial Services (IJBFS)

    Banking systems, financial services regulation, fintech, digital banking, risk management, financial inclusion, and the stability of global financial institutions.

    Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar
    Banking Systems Financial Services Fintech Risk Management
  • Economics and Social Policy Research Journal (ESPRJ)

    Applied economics, development economics, fiscal and monetary policy, social policy evaluation, labour economics, and the economics of welfare, health, and education.

    Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar
    Applied Economics Development Economics Fiscal Policy Social Policy

Fast Publication: All Keith Publications journals complete initial review within 2–5 business days and full peer review within 2–4 weeks. Articles are published online within 5–10 days of acceptance — making us one of the fastest open access publishers in finance, accounting, and economics.

Why Global Perspectives Matter in Finance and Economics Research

Finance and economics research has historically been dominated by perspectives from North America, Western Europe, and East Asia — creating significant imbalance in whose financial realities are studied and published. Financial markets, banking systems, fiscal policies, and economic development trajectories vary profoundly across regions, and findings from advanced economies are not always applicable to developing financial systems. Keith Publications actively encourages finance and economics research from Africa, Latin America, South Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania — providing a global publication platform where research from every economic context can be peer-reviewed, published, and cited alongside globally leading finance scholarship.

Supporting Finance Research from Developing Countries

Finance and economics researchers from lower-income countries face structural barriers to publishing in major journals: expensive APCs, limited access to premium data sources, English language disadvantage, and editorial boards that may be unfamiliar with non-Western financial systems and economic realities. Keith Publications addresses these barriers directly: APC waivers and discounts are available for eligible researchers from lower-income economies, editorial support is responsive and constructive, and the journals welcome finance and economics research from every national and economic context — including studies of informal financial systems, microfinance programmes, agricultural credit markets, and fiscal policy in resource-dependent economies.

Tips to Maximise Your Acceptance Chances

  1. Align your topic with the journal's scope — confirm your research fits the journal's finance, accounting, or economics focus area.
  2. Establish clear research questions — finance and economics editors expect precise, testable hypotheses or well-defined research questions.
  3. Address endogeneity and identification — be explicit about your causal identification strategy and its limitations.
  4. Use appropriate data and methodology — match your econometric or quantitative methods to your research question and data structure.
  5. Follow formatting guidelines exactly — non-compliant manuscripts are often desk-rejected without review.
  6. State practical and policy implications — explain how your findings inform investors, regulators, policymakers, or practitioners.
  7. Ensure robust robustness checks — include alternative specifications, subsample analyses, and placebo tests to strengthen your empirical claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which journals are best for developing country economic research?
The Economics and Social Policy Research Journal (ESPRJ) is the primary Keith Publications journal for developing country economic research — covering development economics, poverty, financial inclusion, agricultural economics, and economic growth in lower-income country contexts.
Are APC waivers available for developing country researchers?
Yes. Keith Publications APC waiver and discount programmes are specifically designed to support researchers from lower-income economies. Researchers from World Bank-classified lower-income and lower-middle-income countries are given priority consideration for waivers.
Is research using World Bank and IMF data for developing countries published?
Yes. Economic research using World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank, and other international organisation data for developing country analyses is regularly published in Keith Publications economics journals.
Can researchers from developing country universities compete internationally?
Yes. Quality research from developing country universities is competitive in international peer review when conducted rigorously. Keith Publications evaluates research on scholarly merit — not on institutional prestige or geography of the author.

Ready to Publish Your Research?

Submit your finance, accounting, or economics manuscript to Keith Publications today. Fast peer review, open access, and global indexing — get your work published within weeks.

Submit Your Manuscript Now Contact the Editorial Team