Features and Characteristics of Academic Research in Islamic Economics In Research Works Published in King Abdulaziz University Journal Islamic Economics as a Model (1983-2016)

Abstract

Academic research plays an important role in the emergence and development of new fields of knowledge. Specialized peer-reviewed journals are considered one of  the prime channels for the dissemination of scientific findings and contributions. The Islamic Economics Institute (IEI) (formerly the Islamic Economics Research Center) is a pioneering organization, issuing the first scientific journal specialized in Islamic Economics field in 1983 AD.

This research work aims at studying and analyzing the features and characterestics of the trends of research  works published in the journal of King Abdulaziz University (Islamic Economics) over a period of thirty three years (1983-2016 AD). To achieve this objective, 149 peer-reviewed academic research works in Arabic and English published in 57 issues have been scrutinized. Inductive methodology has been used to identify the general features and characteristics of these works based on specific criteria. The study reveals a number of important findings including that the journal has preserved its identity and its main objective of spreading and consolidating Islamic economic thought. This fact  is  clearly reflected in the proportion of research dealing with Islamic economics issues (65%) compared to the issues dealing with Islamic finance (35%). Moreover, research related to Islamic economics theory takes a lead with (66%) of the total number of published studies compared to those that deal with the methodology (13%) and application (21%). This research concludes with a number of findings and recommendations that can contribute to the development of the journal- and perhaps its counterparts in the field- in light of the global trends of academic publication.