Journal of Applied Behavioral Science

Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Title	Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Discipline	Organizational studies; Organizational behavior
Abbreviation	J. Appl. Behav. Sci.
Publisher	Sage Publications
Country	United States
History	1965–present
Frequency	Quarterly
Issn	0021-8863

Journal of Applied Behavioral Science is a peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on applied research in organizational change, group dynamics, leadership, and systems interventions. It publishes empirical studies, theoretical analyses, and practice-oriented reports that bridge research and organizational practice. The journal is read by scholars, consultants, and practitioners associated with institutions such as Harvard Business School, Stanford University, London School of Economics, Wharton School, and Kellogg School of Management.

History

The journal was established in 1965 amid growing interest from figures and institutions linked to applied organizational research including Kurt Lewin's legacy, National Training Laboratories practitioners, and scholars at Columbia University, University of Michigan, Yale University, Cornell University, and University of Chicago. Early contributors and influences included members of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, scholars connected to the Tavistock Institute and consultants who worked with General Electric, IBM, Procter & Gamble, and AT&T. Over the decades the journal engaged with debates advanced by researchers at MIT, University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Northwestern University, and University of California, Berkeley and featured work referencing initiatives by World Bank, United Nations, Ford Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation.

Scope and Aims

The journal aims to publish rigorous applied research on interventions in organizations, teams, and communities, drawing on traditions from scholars at Columbia Business School, INSEAD, Rotterdam School of Management, HEC Paris, National University of Singapore, and University of Toronto. Topics commonly addressed include change management practices used by executives at McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, and nonprofit leaders from Amnesty International and Oxfam International. The scope invites submissions that connect theory from thought leaders at University of Oxford, Princeton University, University of Cambridge, and McGill University to practice in settings such as NHS, World Health Organization projects, corporate transformations at Siemens, Toyota, Shell, and community programs funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Editorial Board and Peer Review

The editorial board traditionally has included scholars and practitioners affiliated with Harvard Kennedy School, London Business School, IE Business School, Australian National University, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Utrecht University. Editors coordinate peer review with reviewers from institutions including Yale School of Management, Columbia Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton, Kellogg School of Management, Sloan School of Management, and research centers like the Max Planck Society, Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and Pew Research Center. The journal uses double-blind peer review processes modeled on standards promoted by organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics and editorial practices similar to those at Academy of Management Journal.

Publication Details and Metrics

Published quarterly by Sage Publications, the journal issues include research articles, review essays, and practitioner notes. Metrics commonly referenced for the journal include impact factors and citations tracked alongside titles such as Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Review, Organization Science, Journal of Management Studies, Human Relations, Leadership Quarterly, and Strategic Management Journal. Authors who publish in the journal frequently hold appointments at University of Pennsylvania, London School of Economics and Political Science, Columbia University, Harvard University, and research institutes like National Bureau of Economic Research and Institute for Social Research.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic databases and services alongside publications such as Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, PsycINFO, and library catalogs curated by institutions including Library of Congress and British Library. It is discoverable through platforms used by researchers at Google Scholar, university libraries at University of Oxford, Yale University, University of California, and consortia such as JSTOR and CrossRef.

Notable Articles and Impact

Notable articles in the journal have been cited alongside influential works by scholars connected to Kurt Lewin's students, research programs at MIT Sloan, intervention studies linked to Tavistock Clinic, and comparative analyses drawing on case studies from Siemens, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Shell Oil Company, BP, and Unilever. The journal’s impact is measured by citation networks that include cross-references to articles in Administrative Science Quarterly, Organization Studies, Journal of Applied Psychology, Group & Organization Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource Management Journal.

Access and Subscription Model

Access is provided by Sage Publications via institutional subscriptions held by universities such as Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto, National University of Singapore, and consortia including Jisc and CARL. Individual subscriptions, library licensing, and pay-per-view options are available for practitioners and researchers affiliated with organizations like McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young, and governmental research offices at United Nations Development Programme and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Open access options align with policies endorsed by funders including Wellcome Trust, European Research Council, National Institutes of Health, and UK Research and Innovation.

Category:Academic journals Category:Organizational studies journals