About IJAOR

The International Journal of Applied Operational Research (IJAOR) is an open-access, double-blind peer-reviewed journal established by the Publication Office at the Islamic Azad University of Lahijan. The journal is dedicated to publishing high-quality, original research papers that apply advanced operational research methodologies to real-world problems in engineering, economics, management, and the public sector.

Publishing with this journal is completely free of any charge for authors.

IJAOR serves as a platform for researchers, academics, and practitioners to share state-of-the-art developments in operational research, optimization, decision-making, and related quantitative sciences. For a detailed list of topics and our scope boundaries, please refer to the [Aims and Scope] page.

Peer Review Process

The International Journal of Applied Operational Research is committed to maintaining the highest standards of peer review while ensuring an efficient and transparent publication process. All submissions undergo the following multi-stage evaluation process:

1. Initial Editorial Screening (Desk Evaluation):

   Upon submission, the Editor-in-Chief (or an assigned Handling Editor) screens the manuscript for scope alignment, originality, methodological rigor, and English proficiency. Manuscripts that fail to meet basic journal standards or fall outside the aims and scope are desk-rejected within 1 to 2 weeks to save authors’ time.

2. Double-Blind Peer Review:

   Manuscripts passing the initial screening are sent to a minimum of three independent, anonymous expert reviewers. The journal strictly follows a double-blind peer review policy—the reviewers do not know the identity of the authors, and the authors do not know the identity of the reviewers.

3. Selection of Reviewers & Conflict of Interest Management:

   Reviewers are selected based on their publication record, expertise, and active research profile in the specific subject area. Reviewers are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest and decline assignments if an objective review cannot be guaranteed.

4. Handling Editor Decision & Dispute Resolution:

   Based on the reviewers’ reports, the Handling Editor makes one of the following decisions: Reject, Major Revision, Minor Revision, or Accept. In cases of conflicting recommendations between reviewers (e.g., one accept and one reject), the Handling Editor (or an Associate Editor) acts as an independent arbiter, requests an additional third reviewer’s opinion if necessary, and makes the final balanced decision.

5. Review Timeline:

   The journal strives to provide the first editorial decision within an average of 6 to 8 weeks from the date of submission.

6. Submissions by Editors or Editorial Board Members:

   To ensure complete independence and prevent bias, any manuscript authored by the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, or Editorial Board members is handled entirely by an independent Guest Editor or a designated senior board member. The submitting editor is strictly excluded from the review process, decision-making, and all communication regarding the manuscript.