Editorial Policies

Journal of Finance Integration and Business Independence is dedicated to upholding a fair, transparent, and ethical publication process to ensure academic integrity and high-quality research dissemination. Below are the comprehensive editorial policies governing the journal:

1. Peer Review Policy

JoFIBI follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure impartial evaluation:

  • Double-Blind Review: The identities of authors and reviewers remain anonymous.
  • Review Process: Each manuscript is evaluated for originality, clarity, relevance, methodological rigor, and ethical compliance.
  • Number of Reviewers: Each submission is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers.
  • Timeliness: Reviewers are requested to submit their evaluations within 3-4 weeks. Delays are communicated promptly to the authors.
  • Editorial Decision: The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision based on reviewers’ recommendations. Decisions include: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.
  • Appeals: Authors may appeal a decision by submitting a formal letter with justifications, which will be reviewed by the editorial board.

2. Manuscript Submission and Processing

  • Submissions are made through the online submission system.
  • Manuscripts must adhere to the Author Guidelines, including formatting, references, and ethical standards.
  • Initial Screening: The editorial team screens manuscripts for relevance, originality, formatting, and plagiarism before peer review.
  • Authors must confirm that the work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under review by another journal.

3. Open Access Policy

JoFIBI is an open-access journal, ensuring free and immediate access to all published articles:

  • Authors retain copyright under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).
  • This allows users to share, reuse, and cite articles while crediting the original authors.

4. Editorial Independence

  • Editorial decisions are based solely on the academic merit and relevance of the manuscript.
  • Editors and reviewers must declare conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when appropriate.
  • The Editor-in-Chief has final authority over all editorial content.

5. Ethical Standards

JoFIBI adheres to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All participants must uphold the following:

  • Authorship: All contributors must meet authorship criteria. Those with minor contributions should be acknowledged.
  • Conflict of Interest: Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose financial, professional, or personal conflicts of interest.
  • Research Misconduct: Allegations of plagiarism, data falsification, unethical research, or duplicate submissions will be thoroughly investigated. Proven misconduct will result in retraction, institutional notification, or sanctions.
  • Ethical Approval: Research involving humans or animals must comply with ethical guidelines, and informed consent must be obtained.

6. Plagiarism Policy

  • JoFIBI has zero tolerance for plagiarism.
  • All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software.
  • Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 20% (excluding references and quotations) will be returned for revision or rejected.
  • Severe plagiarism or self-plagiarism will result in manuscript rejection, notification to institutions, and a ban on future submissions.

7. Editorial Workflow

The publication process includes the following stages:

  1. Initial Screening: Assessment of suitability, originality, formatting, and plagiarism.
  2. Peer Review: Manuscripts passing screening undergo double-blind peer review.
  3. Revisions: Authors address reviewers’ comments and submit revised versions.
  4. Final Decision: Editors review revisions and decide on acceptance or further changes.
  5. Production: Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting, typesetting, and proof review before publication.
  6. Publication: Articles are published online with open access.

8. Confidentiality

  • Editors and reviewers must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential.
  • Reviewers’ identities remain anonymous to authors during the double-blind review process.

9. Corrections, Retractions, and Appeals

  • Corrections: Errors that do not affect the study’s findings will be addressed through corrections (errata).
  • Retractions: Articles with ethical violations, severe errors, or misconduct will be retracted following COPE guidelines.
  • Appeals: Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing detailed justifications, which will be reviewed fairly.

10. Data Sharing and Transparency

  • Authors are encouraged to share research data to promote transparency and reproducibility.
  • Data availability statements should indicate if data is publicly available or upon request.

11. Special Issues and Invited Articles

  • JoFIBI may publish special issues on emerging themes in finance and business.
  • Invited articles are subject to the same rigorous peer-review process as regular submissions.

12. Publication Charges

  • Article Processing Charges (APCs): Authors are required to pay APCs upon acceptance to support open-access publishing.
  • Waiver Policy: Authors from low-income countries may request partial or full waivers, which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

13. Advertising and Sponsorship

  • JoFIBI does not permit advertisements that compromise editorial independence.
  • Sponsorships must be transparent and will not influence editorial decisions.

By adhering to these editorial policies, JoFIBI ensures fairness, transparency, and integrity while delivering high-quality, open-access research in finance and business integration.