Conflict of Interest

1. General Principles

The International Journal Business and Entrepreneurship (IJBAE) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, fairness, and editorial independence. The journal requires all authors, editors, editorial board members, and peer reviewers to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that may influence, or appear to influence, the research, peer-review process, editorial decisions, or publication of a manuscript.

A conflict of interest occurs when personal, financial, professional, institutional, or other competing interests may compromise the independent judgment of an individual involved in scholarly publishing. Such conflicts do not necessarily indicate unethical conduct; however, they must be disclosed and managed appropriately to protect the credibility and impartiality of the publication process.

This policy applies to all submissions and publications in IJBAE, including research articles, review articles, and other scholarly contributions accepted by the journal.

2. Conflicts of Interest for Authors

All authors are required to disclose any financial or non-financial interests that may be relevant to their submitted manuscripts. These interests may include, but are not limited to:

  • Financial relationships, including research funding, grants, employment, consultancy fees, honoraria, and other financial benefits.

  • Personal or professional relationships that could influence the interpretation or presentation of research findings.

  • Institutional affiliations or academic collaborations that may affect the objectivity of the research.

  • Commercial interests, investments, intellectual property rights, or business relationships related to the subject of the manuscript.

  • Membership of organizations, advisory boards, or other professional bodies whose interests may be affected by the publication.

Authors must provide a clear Conflict of Interest Statement during manuscript submission and ensure that the declaration accurately represents the interests of all co-authors. The corresponding author is responsible for coordinating this declaration and confirming that all authors have reviewed and agreed to its contents.

If no competing interests exist, the authors must explicitly state:

“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.”

Authors must promptly inform the editorial office if any relevant conflict of interest arises or becomes apparent during the review or publication process.

3. Conflicts of Interest for Editors and Editorial Board Members

Editors and editorial board members must maintain impartiality when handling manuscripts and making editorial decisions. They must disclose any competing interests that could affect their independent judgment and must not handle manuscripts when such interests create a risk of bias.

Conflicts may arise from close personal relationships, family relationships, current or recent research collaborations, shared institutional affiliations that compromise impartiality, supervisory relationships, financial interests, or direct professional competition with the authors.

An editor who identifies a conflict of interest must withdraw from the editorial handling of the manuscript. The Editor-in-Chief or another independent editor without a relevant conflict of interest will assign an alternative editor and oversee the process.

If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict of interest, the manuscript must be handled by an independent editor or an appropriately designated editorial representative. The conflicted individual must not participate in reviewer selection, the assessment of reviews, or the final publication decision.

Editors and editorial board members who submit manuscripts to IJBAE must undergo the same independent peer-review process as other authors. They must not participate in editorial decisions concerning their own submissions.

4. Conflicts of Interest for Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers are expected to provide fair, objective, confidential, and evidence-based assessments of submitted manuscripts. Reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before accepting a review invitation or immediately after becoming aware of a relevant conflict.

Relevant circumstances include close personal or family relationships with an author, current or recent collaboration, direct financial interests, involvement in the preparation of the manuscript, supervisory relationships, or other professional circumstances that may compromise impartiality.

Reviewers who have a conflict that cannot be adequately managed must decline the review invitation or withdraw from the assignment. The handling editor will appoint an alternative reviewer to maintain the integrity of the double-blind peer-review process.

Reviewers must not use confidential information obtained during peer review for personal, professional, commercial, or financial advantage. They must also refrain from disclosing manuscript content or review materials to unauthorized individuals.

5. Disclosure and Declaration Procedures

IJBAE requires conflicts of interest to be disclosed clearly, accurately, and promptly throughout the publication process.

Authors must submit their declarations with the manuscript. Editors and reviewers must disclose relevant competing interests before undertaking editorial or review responsibilities. All parties must update their disclosures if circumstances change during the evaluation or publication process.

The editorial office may request additional information or clarification when a declaration is incomplete or when a potential conflict requires further assessment. Disclosures will be evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent editorial representative who has no relevant conflict of interest.

Where appropriate, the journal may require additional declarations, supporting information, or revisions to the manuscript before proceeding with the review or publication process.

6. Management and Resolution of Conflicts of Interest

IJBAE will take reasonable and proportionate measures to manage disclosed or identified conflicts of interest. Depending on the nature and severity of the circumstances, these measures may include:

  • Reassigning the manuscript to an independent editor.

  • Appointing an alternative peer reviewer.

  • Requesting additional disclosure or clarification from the relevant party.

  • Requiring an appropriate conflict of interest statement in the manuscript.

  • Documenting the conflict and the actions taken to manage it.

  • Rejecting a manuscript when a conflict cannot be managed adequately or when serious ethical concerns undermine the integrity of the submission.

Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account fairness, confidentiality, academic integrity, and the credibility of the scholarly record. Where necessary, the journal may consult the publisher, relevant institutions, or other appropriate authorities in accordance with applicable publication ethics guidance.

7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If a previously undisclosed conflict of interest is identified during peer review or after publication, IJBAE will assess the circumstances and determine the appropriate course of action.

Depending on the findings and the impact on the integrity of the published work, the journal may request a corrected disclosure, publish a correction or editorial statement, reconsider an editorial decision, or retract an article when justified by the evidence and applicable publication ethics standards.

Authors, reviewers, editors, and readers may report suspected undisclosed conflicts of interest to the editorial office. Reports will be assessed fairly and confidentially, and appropriate action will be taken when warranted.

8. Confidentiality and Editorial Independence

IJBAE will handle conflict of interest disclosures confidentially and share relevant information only with individuals who need it to assess or manage the conflict, subject to applicable legal and ethical obligations.

Editorial decisions are based on the academic quality, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, and scholarly contribution of submitted manuscripts. Financial considerations, commercial interests, personal relationships, institutional affiliations, and other competing interests must not improperly influence editorial decisions.

The publisher, CV. Malik Rizki Amanah, supports the editorial independence of IJBAE and must not interfere with independent peer review or editorial decisions.

9. Compliance with the Policy

By submitting a manuscript to IJBAE, authors agree to comply with this Conflict of Interest Policy and to provide complete and accurate declarations. Editors, editorial board members, and peer reviewers are likewise expected to comply with the policy as part of their responsibilities in the journal's editorial and peer-review processes.

Failure to disclose a relevant conflict of interest or deliberate misrepresentation of a declaration may result in appropriate editorial or publication ethics action.

This policy is informed by the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Policy applies to: Authors, editors, editorial board members, peer reviewers, and other individuals involved in the editorial and publication processes of IJBAE.