10. Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy

10.1 Introduction

The International Journal of Business and Social Dynamics (IJBSD) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, fairness, and objectivity throughout the editorial, peer review, and publication processes. Conflicts of Interest (COIs), whether financial or non-financial, may compromise or appear to compromise the impartial evaluation and dissemination of scholarly work. This policy defines what constitutes a COI and outlines the responsibilities, disclosure requirements, and management procedures for authors, editors, reviewers, and journal staff to safeguard the credibility of the academic record.

This policy follows the ethical principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

10.2 Objectives of the COI Policy

This policy aims to:

  • Promote full transparency in scholarly publishing
  • Identify and manage financial and non-financial interests that may influence judgment
  • Protect the integrity and independence of editorial and peer-review decisions
  • Ensure fairness and trust in the publication process
  • Guide all stakeholders in declaring, assessing, and mitigating COIs

10.3 Definition of Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest (COI) exists when an individual’s personal, professional, financial, or institutional interests could influence or reasonably be perceived to influence their objectivity in:

  • Conducting research
  • Reviewing or editing manuscripts
  • Making editorial or publication decisions

Even the appearance of bias can damage credibility and must be disclosed.

10.4 Types of Conflicts of Interest

10.4.1 Financial Conflicts

Financial interests include, but are not limited to:

  • Employment or consultancy relationships
  • Stock ownership, shares, or options
  • Honoraria, speaker fees, or travel grants
  • Research funding or grants from commercial, governmental, or political entities
  • Royalties, patents, or other intellectual property interests

10.4.2 Non-Financial Conflicts

Non-financial interests may include:

  • Personal relationships (family, close friendships, romantic relationships)
  • Academic competition or rivalry
  • Supervisory, mentorship, or collaborative relationships
  • Political, ideological, or religious affiliations
  • Institutional affiliations or leadership roles

10.5 Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required to disclose all actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence:

  • Research design or conduct
  • Data interpretation
  • Manuscript preparation
  • Submission or publication decisions
  • Funding or sponsorship arrangements

10.5.1 Conflict of Interest Declaration

All submissions must include a Conflict-of-Interest Statement.

Example (No Conflict):

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

If a conflict exists, authors must disclose:

  • The nature of the relationship or interest
  • The involved individual(s) or organization(s)
  • The relevance of the conflict to the manuscript

Failure to disclose a COI may constitute ethical misconduct.

10.5.2 Funding Disclosure

Authors must clearly identify:

  • All sources of financial or material support
  • The role of funders in:
    • Study design
    • Data collection and analysis
    • Manuscript writing
    • Decision to submit or publish

10.6 Responsibilities of Editors

Editors, including the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors, must avoid handling manuscripts where a COI exists or may reasonably be perceived.

Examples include manuscripts:

  • Authored by colleagues, students, mentors, or recent collaborators
  • Submitted from the editor’s own institution
  • Closely aligned with the editor’s personal research agenda or ideological views

10.6.1 Editorial Recusal

Editors with a COI must:

  • Immediately declare the conflict
  • Recuse themselves from the editorial process
  • Transfer editorial responsibility to an impartial editor

Editorial decisions must be based solely on scholarly merit, without influence from:

  • Author identity
  • Institutional affiliation
  • Political, personal, or commercial interests

10.7 Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose any potential COIs before accepting a review invitation and decline the assignment if a conflict exists, including:

  • Recent or ongoing collaboration with the author(s)
  • Shared institutional affiliation
  • Personal relationships
  • Financial interests related to the manuscript’s outcome

10.7.1 Confidentiality and Integrity

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Conduct reviews objectively and professionally
  • Maintain strict confidentiality
  • Avoid using unpublished manuscript content for personal or professional gain

10.8 Journal Responsibilities

The IJBSD editorial office is responsible for:

  • Ensuring transparent COI disclosure procedures
  • Publishing disclosed COIs alongside articles when relevant
  • Investigating suspected undisclosed COIs
  • Enforcing corrective actions or sanctions when required
  • Maintaining clear and accessible COI policies on the journal website

10.9 Handling Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If an undisclosed COI is identified before or after publication, IJBSD may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Request clarification or correction from the author
  • Publish a correction, editorial note, or expression of concern
  • Retract the article in cases of serious ethical breach
  • Notify the author’s institution or funding body
  • Impose temporary or permanent submission bans

All investigations follow COPE flowcharts and due process principles.

10.10 Conflicts of Interest in Sponsored Content

For sponsored issues, supplements, or special issues:

  • Guest editors must disclose any relationships with authors or sponsors
  • All articles undergo independent peer review
  • Sponsorship details are clearly disclosed
  • Sponsored content is subject to the same editorial standards as regular submissions

10.11 COI and Peer Review Transparency

To preserve impartiality in peer review:

  • IJBSD operates a double-blind peer review system
  • Reviewer identities remain confidential
  • COI declarations are managed internally and securely
  • Editorial COI logs are maintained within the journal management system

10.12 Policy Review and Updates

This Conflict-of-Interest Policy is reviewed every two years or earlier if:

  • COPE guidelines are updated
  • Ethical challenges emerge
  • Editorial or reviewer feedback indicates a need for revision

Updated policies are published on the IJBSD website.