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: