About the Journal

Research Papers in Economics and Finance (REF) is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Poznań University of Economics and Business Press. Its primary aim is to foster the development and dissemination of high-quality research that advances knowledge in the fields of economics and finance. The journal promotes rigorous theoretical and empirical research, with particular interest in studies applying mathematical, statistical and econometric methods to address issues of practical and policy relevance in contemporary economies.

In the area of economics, REF publishes contributions on micro- and macroeconomic policy, contemporary economic theory, processes of development and economic growth, business cycles, sectoral dynamics, market functioning and the spatial and regional dimensions of economic systems. In the area of finance, the journal focuses on the macroeconomic implications of capital flows, the determinants of financial and investment decision-making and the structure, performance and regulation of financial institutions and markets, including corporate finance, public finance, and international financial systems - relevant to both advanced and emerging economies.

The journal is published twice a year and operates under an Open Access Model - there are no fees for authors at any stage, whether submission, review, or publication. All articles are immediately and permanently free to read, download, copy and distribute. Since Vol. 4, No. 2 (2020), articles have been published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0); earlier issues (up to and including Vol. 4, No. 1, 2020) are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. Copyright to published articles is retained by the authors.

REF ensures long-term preservation and accessibility of its content through the National Library Digital Repository in Poland and the PKP Preservation Network, which provides decentralized preservation via the LOCKSS Program. Every article is assigned a DOI.

The journal follows the ethical guidelines and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), complies with the Polish Copyright Act and applies a double-anonymized (double-blind) peer review process.

ISSN: 2543-6430. REF is included in the Polish Ministerial List of Journals with a score of 40 points (MNiSW). The journal is indexed and abstracted in: Arianta, BazEkon Citations, CEJSH, Crossref, DOAJ, EconPapers, EBSCO Discovery Service (EBSCO Essentials), ERIH PLUS, Google Scholar, SSN International Centre, Library of Science (ICM UW), National Library Digital Repository in Poland, Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers, PKP Preservation Network (LOCKSS Program) and ResearchGate.

Publication statistics (2025): the average time to first editorial decision is 58 days, the average duration of the peer review process is 114 days, and the average time from submission to publication is approximately 170 days. The acceptance rate is 37% (rejection rate 63%, including a 16% desk rejection rate and a 47% rejection rate after peer review). 74% of authors have an external affiliation, 51% of authors are international, 10% of reviewers are international and 65% of the Scientific Board's members are international.