The journal is committed to ensuring transparency, objectivity, and ethical integrity in all stages of the publication process. A conflict of interest arises when any personal, financial, institutional, or academic relationship may influence - or appear to influence - the impartiality of a manuscript’s evaluation or publication.

All participants in the editorial process, including authors, reviewers, and editors, are required to fully disclose any potential conflicts of interest prior to involvement in the review or decision-making process.

 

Conflicts of Interest: Authors

Authors must disclose any relationships or circumstances that could affect the objectivity of their research. These may include financial support, consultancy roles, employment, institutional affiliations, personal relationships, or competing academic interests. Undisclosed conflicts may result in rejection, correction, or retraction of the published work.

 

Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers

Reviewers must decline to evaluate a manuscript if any conflict exists, including:

• Recent collaboration or co-authorship with the author(s)
• Shared institutional affiliation
• Personal relationships (positive or negative)
• Competitive academic or research interests
• Financial or professional interest in the manuscript outcomes

If a conflict is identified after assignment, the reviewer must immediately inform the editorial office so that an alternative independent reviewer can be appointed.

 

Conflicts of Interest: Editors

Editors must not participate in the handling or decision-making process of manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists. This includes:

• Manuscripts authored or co-authored by the editor
• Submissions from the same institution or research group
• Personal, financial, or professional relationships with the authors
• Competitive academic interests that may influence editorial judgement

In such cases, the manuscript is reassigned to another editor or an independent member of the Editorial Board. If necessary, an external guest editor is appointed to ensure full impartiality and compliance with COPE ethical standards.

 

Conflict Resolution Procedures

The journal applies COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to manage all conflicts of interest. When a conflict is identified, appropriate actions include reassignment of reviewers or editors, disclosure in the published article, or in severe cases, rejection or retraction of the manuscript.

All editorial decisions are made strictly on the basis of academic merit, originality, and scientific contribution, ensuring fairness and integrity throughout the publication process.