AIB Insights Special Issue on International Business in the South Asian Context

AIB Insights is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes Actionable International Business Insights. Short (~2500 words), topical, thought-provoking articles should be akin to written “TED Talks”, with an applied/actionable focus that is heavy on insights, but light on references, jargon, and methods. These insights must be relevant to the international business community of researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and educators. With this call, we invite submissions that offer novel and applied insights pertaining to international business in the context of South Asia.

The influence of the South Asia region is growing quickly in the international business community. The region includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with Afghanistan also included in some definitions, and includes almost 2 billion people (around 25% of the global population). The region is characterized by extensive diversity, pertaining to culture, language, and political perspectives.

Economically, South Asia has been described as the world’s most rapidly-growing subregion (Song, 2019), with projected growth rates of about 6% for the current year. The mean GDP (PPP) per capita is around US $8,000 ranging from $2,456 (Afghanistan) to $30,888 (Maldives). While India is the region’s economic leader, other countries, including Bangladesh and Pakistan (both listed as part of the Next Eleven countries by Goldman Sachs in 2005), are making substantial advances. The economic strengths for the countries in the region vary widely, and include agriculture (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan), electronics (Bangladesh), fishing (Maldives, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka), forestry (Afghanistan, Bhutan), pharmaceuticals (India), shipping and aviation (Sri Lanka), software (India), textiles and apparel (Bangladesh, Pakistan), and tourism (Maldives, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka).

South Asia offers a fascinating context in which to consider cross-border business. Substantial emigration from the region, along with the recent trend of members of the diaspora returning home to take part in growing economies and other opportunities, create interesting dynamics. Remittances from migrant workers also form a major component of several South Asian economies. Many of the region’s nations experience uneven wealth distribution, female participation in the labor force, and access to education – along with a prevalent informal sector.

Overall, South Asia provides a wide range of opportunities for examining international business issues in a dynamic context. We welcome papers that offer insights into a broad range of topics pertaining to undertaking international business in the region.

Submission Process
Colleagues interested in submitting to this Special Issue should consult the AIB Insights Editorial Policy and use the Online Manuscript Submission System. Please mention “Special Issue: South Asia” in your cover letter when submitting your manuscript.

Timeline
The deadline for submission of a full manuscript is 15th April 2025. We anticipate that the Special Issue will be published in the first half of 2026. Note that, to accelerate the process, manuscripts submitted prior to the submission deadline will be reviewed upon receipt.