smj-topic-selection
Use when scoping or pressure-testing whether a research question is a genuine *strategy* question fit for the Strategic Management Journal (SMJ). Decides fit and sharpens the question; it does not build the theory or run analysis.
Profile →npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill smj-topic-selection --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Topic Selection & Scope Fit (smj-topic-selection) ## When to trigger - You have data or a hunch but are unsure SMJ is the right outlet - A reviewer or colleague said "this feels like a management paper, not a strategy paper" - The question is interesting but the dependent construct is not clearly about performance or advantage - You are choosing between SMJ and an OB/HRM/general-management outlet ## The SMJ fit test SMJ asks fundamentally one family of question: **why do firms differ, and why do some sustain superior performance or competitive advantage?** This is the journal's stated scope — research whose questions, evidence, and conclusions are relevant to strategic management and engaging to strategy scholars. A fitting paper connects its core construct to that question. Run the four-part test: 1. **Strategy DNA.** Does the dependent (or focal) construct concern firm performance, competitive advantage, value creation/capture, or a strategic outcome (entry, scope, alliance, M&A, governance, innovation, nonmarket position)? If the DV is purely individual attitudes or generic org behavior, fit is weak. 2. **Firm-level (or higher) lens.** SMJ's natural unit is the firm, business
- When to trigger
- The SMJ fit test
- Pick the right SMS journal
- Domain map (where SMJ papers live)
- Sharpening the question
- Checklist
- Anti-patterns
- Output format
- Templates & resources
What does the smj-topic-selection skill do?
Use when scoping or pressure-testing whether a research question is a genuine *strategy* question fit for the Strategic Management Journal (SMJ). Decides fit and sharpens the question; it does not build the theory or run analysis.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill smj-topic-selection --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills, a repository with 984 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.