Format your manuscript to the Management Science requirements — abstract, a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) references, and required declarations — and submit through the INFORMS submission system without a formatting rejection.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 19 August, 2026
Most manuscripts sent to Management Science don’t stumble on the science — they stumble on formatting caught at the first editorial check. This template is built around MS’s actual requirements — its abstract rules, a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) references, and the required declarations — so your submission clears screening on the first pass. Everything below tracks the MS author guidelines; check it directly if anything looks out of date by the time you submit.
It’s a manuscript shell set up to MS’s specifications for the theory and practice of management across analytics and operations. Management Science is published by INFORMS. The shell covers the title page, the abstract, a body in Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) order, and a reference list in a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) style.
Start with the title page (authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs). The abstract is an abstract of about 200 words. MS also expects reproducible data and code for empirical or computational work. The body follows Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD), and the reference list uses a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines). Close with the declarations block: conflict of interest, funding, and data and code availability.
Beyond that, match your article type’s specific limits rather than assuming the defaults apply, keep a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) formatting consistent from the first draft, and submit only through the INFORMS submission system — email submissions aren’t processed.
The shell mirrors what MS’s editorial staff check first: abstract format and length, a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) reference formatting, and a complete declarations block. For the journal’s full aims and scope, see the MS journal home page. MS offers an open-access option; check the current article-processing charge and any waiver before you commit. Manuscripts go in through the INFORMS submission system, which also tracks your paper through peer review.
| Element | MS requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | an abstract of about 200 words |
| Main text | Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) |
| Declarations | Conflict of interest, funding, and data and code availability |
| Figures / tables | Captioned, cited in order; check format and resolution rules in the guide |
| Supplemental | Large datasets, extra tables, code — uploaded separately and cited in text |
| Submission | the INFORMS submission system |
Read the MS author guidelines once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after your results are stable so it matches the paper. Set a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) as your reference style before adding a single citation — retrofitting it later is where errors creep in. Prepare reproducible data and code for empirical or computational work early rather than leaving it to the end.
Skim two or three recent MS papers to calibrate depth, structure, and figure style. State your contribution in the first two paragraphs, not on page ten. Write a data-availability statement that names a real repository rather than a placeholder, and disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in your cover letter. Confirm current open-access pricing and any institutional agreement before committing to a fee.
Do one focused pass against the MS author guidelines: scope fit, abstract format, length, a numbered style (INFORMS; confirm in the author guidelines) references, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the INFORMS submission system.