Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

The International Journal of Business and Management (IJBM) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity throughout the editorial and publishing process. All parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, the Editorial Board, and the publisher are expected to adhere to internationally recognised ethical standards.

IJBM promotes transparency, fairness, academic integrity, and responsible research publication.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to IJBM must ensure that:

  • The submitted work is original, authentic, and has not been previously published or simultaneously submitted elsewhere.
  • All sources are appropriately cited and referenced.
  • Research data are accurate, honestly reported, and free from fabrication, falsification, or manipulation.
  • All listed authors have made substantial scholarly contributions and approved the final manuscript.
  • Funding sources and potential conflicts of interest are fully disclosed.
  • Where applicable, research involving human participants or animals has received ethical approval and informed consent has been obtained.
  • Authors cooperate fully throughout the editorial process and promptly notify the journal if significant errors are discovered after publication.

Authors must not engage in plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, image manipulation, citation manipulation, or any other form of publication misconduct.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

The Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Managing Editor, and Editorial Board members are responsible for ensuring a fair, transparent, and unbiased editorial process. Editors shall:

  • Evaluate manuscripts solely on scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, and relevance to the journal.
  • Make editorial decisions without discrimination based on nationality, gender, ethnicity, institutional affiliation, or personal beliefs.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and reviewer identities.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest and recuse themselves where conflicts exist.
  • Take appropriate action when ethical concerns or allegations of misconduct arise.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Peer reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely reviews.
  • Maintain confidentiality throughout the peer-review process.
  • Evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit.
  • Identify relevant published work that has not been cited.
  • Report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, ethical concerns, or substantial similarity with other published works.
  • Decline review invitations where conflicts of interest may compromise impartiality.

Reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained during peer review for personal advantage.

4. Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher of IJBM, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), is committed to supporting editorial independence and maintaining the integrity of scholarly publishing. The publisher shall:

  • Support editors in making independent editorial decisions without commercial or institutional interference.
  • Safeguard the integrity of the editorial and peer-review process.
  • Promote ethical publishing practices consistent with internationally accepted standards.
  • Provide appropriate mechanisms for handling allegations of publication misconduct.
  • Facilitate corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern where required.
  • Preserve the integrity of the scholarly record through reliable digital publishing practices.
  • Ensure that commercial interests do not influence editorial decisions.

5. Publication Malpractice

IJBM has zero tolerance for publication malpractice, including but not limited to:

  • Plagiarism.
  • Self-plagiarism or redundant publication.
  • Data fabrication or falsification.
  • Citation manipulation.
  • Authorship manipulation or ghost authorship.
  • Peer-review manipulation.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
  • Image or figure manipulation that misrepresents research findings.

All allegations of misconduct will be investigated. Depending on the severity of the misconduct, the journal may:

  • Reject the manuscript.
  • Request corrections.
  • Publish corrections or retractions.
  • Notify the relevant institutions or funding agencies.
  • Restrict future submissions to IJBM.

6. Conflict of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that may influence the publication process. Appropriate measures will be taken to ensure impartial editorial decisions.

7. Research Integrity

IJBM supports responsible research conduct and expects all published work to comply with accepted ethical standards.

Where applicable, manuscripts should include statements on:

  • Ethics approval.
  • Informed consent.
  • Data availability.
  • Funding.
  • Author contributions.
  • Conflict of interest.
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.

8. Corrections, Retractions & Expressions of Concern

Where significant errors or ethical concerns are identified after publication, IJBM will take appropriate corrective action. Depending on the circumstances, the journal may publish:

  • Corrections (Errata or Corrigenda);
  • Expressions of Concern; or
  • Retractions.

All notices will remain permanently linked to the original publication to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

9. Complaints & Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a detailed written justification supported by appropriate evidence. Complaints concerning editorial procedures, peer review, or publication ethics will be handled fairly, confidentially, and independently.

10. Ethical Oversight

The Editorial Office reserves the right to request supporting documentation, including ethics approval, informed consent, original research data, or conflict of interest declarations at any stage of the editorial process. Failure to comply with these ethical requirements may result in rejection, withdrawal, correction, or retraction of the manuscript.

Reference Standards

This Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement is developed in accordance with internationally recognised best practices, including:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices.
  • Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.
  • International standards for responsible research publication.