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  Cluster 7: Finance, Accounting & Economics

Open Access Journals for Applied Economics Research (2026)

Applied economics research — using economic theory and quantitative methods to analyse real-world economic problems — has the highest direct policy relevance of all economics research. Publishing applied economics research open access ensures that the government economists, development practitioners, central bank analysts, and policy advisors who most need your findings can access them immediately, without subscription barriers.

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What to Look for When Choosing a Journal

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

  • Fully open access — no reader subscription, paywall, or institutional barrier
  • Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licence allowing broad sharing and reuse
  • Indexed in Google Scholar, CrossRef, and open access finance directories
  • Wide dissemination to academic, policy, and practitioner finance audiences
  • DOI (CrossRef) assignment for permanent, citable article identification
  • Affordable APC with waiver options for eligible researchers

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 Open Access Publishing Benefits Finance and Economics Researchers

Open access finance and economics research is increasingly demanded by funding bodies, central banks, government treasury departments, and international development organisations. When your research on financial reporting standards, banking regulation, monetary policy, or economic development is published open access, it becomes immediately available to the policymakers, regulators, and practitioners who can translate your findings into real-world change. Studies consistently show that open access finance articles receive significantly more downloads, citations, and policy uptake than subscription-based equivalents. Keith Publications finance journals publish all research fully open access under CC BY 4.0 for maximum global reach.

Understanding the CC BY 4.0 Licence for Finance Research

All Keith Publications journals publish under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. This means anyone — policymakers, regulators, bank officials, finance practitioners, journalists, or educators — can freely read, share, download, adapt, and build upon your research for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as they credit the original authors. This licence is endorsed by major research funders globally and fully complies with open access mandates from economics and finance funding bodies. It maximises the societal impact of your finance research and ensures your findings can directly inform financial policy and practice worldwide.

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 open access journals publish applied economics research?
The Economics and Social Policy Research Journal (ESPRJ) and the Journal of Financial Economics and Management (JFEM) from Keith Publications both publish applied economics research fully open access.
What methods are used in applied economics research published open access?
Applied economics papers in Keith Publications journals use a range of methods including econometrics, panel data analysis, regression discontinuity designs, instrumental variable estimation, simulation modelling, input-output analysis, and mixed methods approaches.
Is sector-specific applied economics research accepted?
Yes. Applied economics research in specific sectors — healthcare economics, agricultural economics, labour economics, energy economics, urban economics, and transport economics — is welcome in Keith Publications open access journals.
Are open access applied economics papers cited in policy evaluations?
Yes. Open access applied economics papers with rigorous methodology and clear policy implications are frequently cited in government policy evaluations, international organisation assessments, and development programme reviews.

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.

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