Publication Ethics

Journal of Accounting, Management, and Economic Studies (JAMES) is fully committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures to prevent any form of unethical behavior. The journal adopts the ethical principles and best practices outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects strict compliance from authors, reviewers, editors, and all parties involved in the publication process.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to JAMES are expected to observe the following ethical standards:

Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and properly cited. Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is unacceptable. All submitted manuscripts will be checked using plagiarism detection software.
Multiple Submissions: Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Such unethical behavior will result in immediate rejection and possible sanctions.
Data Integrity and Transparency: Authors must present accurate, reliable, and reproducible data. Fabrication or manipulation of data constitutes unethical behavior and will lead to rejection or retraction.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must be given. All references must be accurately cited.
Authorship and Contributions: All listed authors should have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. Others who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work.
Ethical Clearance (if applicable): For research involving human subjects, authors must confirm that ethical approval was obtained from relevant institutional review boards and that informed consent was secured.

2. Ethical Guidelines for Editors

Editors of JAMES are responsible for ensuring the integrity of the editorial process and must:

Editorial Independence: Make decisions based solely on the academic merit and relevance of manuscripts, free from any commercial or political influence.
Confidentiality: Ensure the confidentiality of manuscripts and the anonymity of both authors and reviewers during the review process.
Impartiality: Handle all manuscripts fairly and without discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
Handling Misconduct: Take reasonable steps when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted or published manuscript. Editors will follow COPE guidelines when investigating such cases.
Corrections and Retractions: Where errors or ethical breaches are identified post-publication, editors must issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate.

3. Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Peer reviewers play a vital role in ensuring the quality and credibility of published research. They are expected to:

Confidentiality: Maintain the confidentiality of the review process and not disclose any information obtained during the review.
Objectivity and Constructiveness: Provide clear, objective, and constructive feedback to improve the manuscript without personal criticism.
Timeliness: Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe and notify the editor if they are unable to do so.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Identify relevant work that has not been cited by the authors.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might bias their review.

4. Addressing Misconduct

In cases where unethical behavior is suspected (e.g., plagiarism, authorship disputes, undisclosed conflicts of interest), JAMES will initiate an investigation based on COPE’s flowcharts. If misconduct is confirmed, the editorial board may take appropriate actions, including:

Rejection or retraction of the manuscript
Notification to the author’s institution or funding agency
Temporary or permanent bans from future submissions