UGBS PhD Programmes Unit Organises Seminar on Publishing Qualitative Research in Top Business Journals
The PhD Programmes Unit of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) organised a seminar titled “From Dissertation to Publication: Strategies and Tools for Publishing Qualitative Research in Top Business Journals” on 31st March 2026 at the UGBS Graduate Building. The session, which targeted PhD candidates and early-career researchers, was facilitated by Prof. Samuelson Appau from Melbourne Business School, Australia. Dr. Baah Aye Kusi welcomed participants and moderated the seminar.
In his presentation, Prof. Appau discussed key themes including why researchers should publish in top business journals, conducting good qualitative research, writing the paper (front end, middle end, and back end), and dealing with journal reviews. He began by outlining strategies and tools for publishing qualitative research in leading journals and shared examples of ideal outlets for scholars. He emphasised that publishing in top business journals serves as a global signal of scholarly quality, creates opportunities for collaboration, enhances global job mobility, and improves prospects for securing research grants. He noted that there is increasing interest in African stories and encouraged participants to start their research with specific journals in mind. According to him, journals often favour interesting theories that challenge prevailing assumptions.
Prof. Samuelson Appau delivering his presentation
Using personal field stories, Prof. Appau explained the importance of collecting rich qualitative data. He noted that in qualitative research, the researcher becomes the primary instrument for data collection, which helps maintain balance and depth. He encouraged participants to include pictures or videos where possible, as visual elements can tell more compelling stories than text alone and are particularly useful in ethnographic research. He explained that the front end should focus on choosing the right conversation and identifying where the researcher can contribute meaningfully. For the middle section, he highlighted the need for a strong literature review, proper scaffolding, a clear research gap, convincing justification, and the use of an enabling theory. Discussing the back end of the paper, he stressed the importance of telling a simple story well, ensuring that data supports arguments, and clearly answering research questions. He also advised researchers to demonstrate theoretical contributions, managerial and policy implications, and opportunities for future research.
Prof. Appau further outlined four possible outcomes when dealing with journal reviews: acceptance, risky revision, revise and resubmit, and rejection. He encouraged participants to view feedback as part of the scholarly development process. During the interactive discussion, Dr. Baah-Kusi advised students to consider engaging external supervisors in addition to those within their institutions to strengthen their research. He also stressed the importance of grounding research in a guiding theory. The seminar concluded with a question-and-answer session, where participants sought clarification on qualitative research methods and publishing strategies.