Ethical Guidelines Policy

The Singaporean Journal of Business Economics and Management (SJBEM) adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. These principles apply to all parties involved in the publication process — editors, authors, reviewers, and the publisher.

Editorial Responsibilities

  1. Editorial Independence and Accountability
    The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the Associate Editors, is responsible for maintaining the academic quality, integrity, and overall direction of the journal. Editorial decisions are made independently, based solely on the scholarly merit and relevance of submitted manuscripts. Institutional, political, or financial influence does not affect editorial decisions.
  2. Manuscript Evaluation
    The Editor has full authority to accept or reject submissions at any stage based on the journal’s scope, ethical policy, and quality standards. Rejection may occur during desk review if the manuscript falls outside the journal’s scope, fails to meet academic standards, or violates ethical norms (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication, or poor scholarship).
  3. Peer Review Process
    The Editor ensures that every manuscript undergoes a rigorous double-blind peer review process, managed impartially and confidentially. Reviewers are selected based on their subject expertise and must disclose any potential conflict of interest before accepting a review assignment.
  4. Plagiarism and Research Integrity
    Every submission is screened for plagiarism using Turnitin or iThenticate before it enters peer review. The journal strictly enforces its Plagiarism Policy and follows COPE’s flowcharts for handling ethical breaches.
  5. Corrections and Retractions
    The Editor will issue corrections, clarifications, or retractions when significant errors or ethical issues are identified in published work. A formal corrigendum will be published if necessary to maintain the integrity of the academic record.
  6. Non-Discrimination
    Editorial decisions are made without regard to an author’s gender, race, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, institutional affiliation, or nationality.
  7. Conflict of Interest
    Editors and reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist. Similarly, authors must disclose any potential conflicts related to their research funding, employment, or affiliations.
  8. Confidentiality
    Editors, reviewers, and editorial staff must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. No information from a submission should be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or editorial advisors.
  9. Editorial Board and Governance
    Members of the Editorial and Advisory Boards are appointed by the Publisher or Managing Editor based on academic expertise and editorial contribution. Board members serve on an honorary basis and are expected to support the journal’s development, uphold ethical standards, and participate in editorial meetings regularly.

 

Author Responsibilities

  • Authors must ensure that their work is original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism or data manipulation.
  • All authors listed on a manuscript must meet the authorship criteria outlined in the journal’s Authorship Policy.
  • Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest or financial support that may influence their research.
  • Authors are responsible for promptly notifying the editor if they discover a significant error in their published work, so that corrections or retractions can be made.

 

Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively, providing constructive and unbiased feedback within the agreed timeframe.
  • They must maintain confidentiality and avoid using any information obtained through the review process for personal or professional advantage.
  • Reviewers must declare any conflict of interest that could affect their impartiality.
  • Reviews should be conducted based on the scientific quality and contribution of the manuscript, not personal or institutional bias.

 

Handling Ethical Misconduct and Complaints

SJBEM takes ethical concerns seriously and handles all allegations according to COPE’s guidelines and flowcharts.
Complaints and disputes related to authorship, plagiarism, conflicts of interest, or publication ethics are investigated by the Ethics Committee appointed from the Advisory Board.

Possible outcomes may include:

  • Request for correction or clarification,
  • Rejection or withdrawal of the manuscript,
  • Retraction of a published article, and/or
  • Notification to the author’s institution or funding body.

The complainant will be informed of the decision and resolution process once the matter is concluded.

 

Compliance with COPE Guidelines

The Singaporean Journal of Business Economics and Management (SJBEM) strictly follows COPE’s international standards and encourages all contributors to familiarize themselves with the following documents: