Publication Ethics

Comprehensive Publication Ethics

Journal of Business Integration Competitiveness (JoBIC) recognizes the importance of maintaining the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. The following comprehensive guidelines aim to uphold these principles among all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

For Authors

  1. Responsibility and accountability

    • Authors bear responsibility for the research they present in their manuscript, ensuring its accuracy and adherence to the ethical and methodological standards of their field.
    • Authors must take responsibility for ensuring the manuscript does not contain any false or misleading information.

  2. Ethical Approval and Consent

    • For research involving human subjects or animals, authors must ensure that all experiments comply with relevant ethical guidelines and have received approval from appropriate ethics committees.
    • Experiments involving human participants must obtain informed consent, and the manuscript should include a statement to this effect.

  3. Ethical Use of Data

    • Authors should use data responsibly and transparently, maintaining integrity throughout the research process. We strictly forbid manipulating data to support a hypothesis or conclusion.

  4. Corrections and Retractions

    • If an author finds a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must notify the journal's editor right away and assist in retracting or correcting the paper.
    • We will clearly identify and link corrections or retractions to the original publication to maintain the accuracy and transparency of the research record.

  5. Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

    • Authors must disclose the use of AI tools in their manuscript preparation or data analysis and describe how they were utilized in the research process.
    • Limiting the use of AI-generated content to supportive roles will ensure that human authors maintain full responsibility for the intellectual content.

For Reviewers

  1. Timeliness and Diligence

    • Reviewers should respond to invitations to review promptly and complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe. If a reviewer feels unqualified to review the research or cannot complete the review in time, they should inform the editor immediately.
    • Conduct reviews with diligence, detail, and constructiveness to provide the author with useful feedback.

  2. Avoiding Bias and Conflicts of Interest

    • Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts solely based on academic merit, without regard to the race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs of the authors.
    • You should disclose to the editor any potential conflict of interest—financial, personal, or otherwise—that might compromise the impartiality of the review.

  3. Constructive Criticism

    • Reviewers should provide comments that help authors improve their manuscript, avoiding language that is offensive, derogatory, or unconstructive.
    • Feedback should focus on the manuscript’s content, highlighting strengths and weaknesses and suggesting improvements.

For Editors

  1. Editorial independence and integrity.

    • Editors must maintain editorial independence and make publication decisions based solely on the manuscript’s quality, the journal’s policy, and the validity of the research.
    • Editors must not allow conflicts of interest or outside influences to compromise the integrity of the decision-making process.

  2. Transparency in the Peer Review Process

    • The journal should maintain transparency in its peer review process and clearly communicate the review policy, whether single-blind, double-blind, or open.
    • Editors should ensure that reviews are unbiased and kept confidential, safeguarding reviewers' anonymity when required.

  3. Handling allegations of misconduct

    • If the editor suspects misconduct or raises ethical concerns about a manuscript, they must act promptly and responsibly. This includes investigating and resolving issues such as data fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.
    • The journal will follow the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to handle any cases of ethical violations.

  4. Editorial Amendments and Appeals

    • Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. Editors should discuss the manuscript's review process openly and handle appeals objectively and transparently.
    • Maintaining the integrity of the academic record requires clearly labeling and explaining amendments such as corrections, errata, or retractions.

For the Publisher

  1. Commitment to Ethical Publishing

    • The publisher is dedicated to ensuring that commercial interests do not compromise editorial decisions and that published content is freely accessible to the academic community.
    • The publisher supports editors, authors, and reviewers in adhering to the highest standards of ethical practice.

  2. Archiving and accessibility

    • The journal guarantees the permanent availability and preservation of published content through digital archiving services. This ensures that the academic community has continued access to published research.
    • In the case of the journal ceasing publication, the publisher will ensure that the content remains publicly accessible and archived appropriately.

Ethical Oversight and Education

  1. Training and resources

    • The Journal will provide regular training sessions and resources for editors, reviewers, and authors on best ethical practices and emerging issues in publication ethics.
    • We will conduct workshops or webinars on ethics in publishing to educate and support the community involved in the journal.

  2. Engagement with Ethical Committees

    • Journal of Business Integration Competitiveness will engage with ethical committees and advisory boards to stay updated with the latest ethical guidelines and implement any necessary changes.