Publication Ethics

The Editorial Board follows publication ethics and policies based on international standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These standards apply to editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher at every stage, from submission to publication.

The journal is guided by the principles of integrity, independence, objectivity, fairness, transparency, tolerance, and professional competence.

Key Ethical Standards

Originality and Plagiarism

  • Authors must ensure that their submission constitutes original work.
  • All manuscripts are screened using specialised plagiarism detection software. A similarity score above 20% (excluding standard references) is treated as an indicator requiring closer editorial review, rather than automatic grounds for rejection. Proven plagiarism or data fabrication will result in rejection and a prohibition on future submissions.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the content.
  • Authors must clearly disclose any use of AI tools in the manuscript and specify their role in the Methodology or Acknowledgements section.

Double-Blind Peer Review and Confidentiality

  • The journal uses a double-blind review process to ensure fairness. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. Reviewer and author identities remain concealed throughout the process.
  • Manuscripts and peer reviews are managed with strict confidentiality.

Conflict of Interest

  • All participants, including authors, reviewers, and editors, must disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the objectivity of the research or review process.

Ethical Requirements for Empirical Research

  • For research involving surveys, interviews, experiments, or the collection and use of personal or other sensitive information, authors are responsible for complying with applicable requirements for the protection of research participants, confidentiality, and personal data.
  • Where prior ethical approval is required because of the nature of the research, the authors' institution, the funding body, or applicable regulations, authors should obtain it before conducting the research and provide the relevant information in the manuscript.
  • Where applicable, authors should obtain informed consent from research participants for their participation and for the use of the information they provide for research purposes.
  • Information that may identify research participants should not be published without their explicit consent unless such disclosure is permitted under applicable requirements.

Corrections and Retractions

The Editorial Board reserves the right to correct the record if errors are discovered after publication:

  • Corrigendum: Issued for errors that do not affect the validity of the findings.
  • Retraction: Issued for severe cases of misconduct, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, or for major errors that invalidate the results.

Ethics and Responsibilities:

  • Authors are responsible for ensuring their work is original, free from conflicts of interest, and properly cited.
  • Reviewers are expected to maintain objectivity and fairness.
  • The editorial team may reject or retract works if misconduct is found.