Ethical Guidelines

Ethical Guidelines

Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Journal of Contemporary Economics and Management (JCEM) adheres to the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct throughout all stages of the publication process. Upholding these ethical principles is a shared responsibility of all parties involved—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

JCEM is dedicated to rigorous peer review and professional editorial judgment. Through the combination of critical scholarly assessment and careful editorial oversight, the journal ensures that only high-quality, original, and ethically conducted research is accepted for publication.

The following ethical and malpractice policies outline the specific responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors to guarantee that JCEM complies with internationally recognized standards of academic publishing. Special attention is given to ensuring cultural sensitivity, social responsibility, and adherence to ethical principles in sustainability-related research.

Responsibilities of the Editors

Editors of Journal of Contemporary Economics and Management (JCEM) are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in the editorial process. Their core responsibilities include:

Editorial Independence and Fairness

Evaluate all submissions solely on academic merit, including significance, originality, rigor, and clarity.

Make decisions without regard to authors’ race, gender, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, institutional affiliation, or personal characteristics.

Confidentiality

Maintain strict confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and related communications.

Share information only with the corresponding author, editorial staff, reviewers, and publisher as necessary.

Peer Review Integrity

Ensure a fair and rigorous double-blind peer review process.

Select qualified reviewers based on expertise and relevance, with a preference for international and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Require at least two independent expert reviews for each manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

Reassign submissions where conflicts of interest exist between authors and editors.

Ensure that manuscripts authored by editors are handled independently by other members of the editorial board.

Require all contributors to disclose competing interests.

Academic and Ethical Standards

Safeguard the integrity of the published record by addressing allegations of misconduct, issuing corrections, and retracting publications when necessary.

Ensure that research involving human subjects, communities, or sensitive data has obtained appropriate ethical approvals.

Prevent the misuse of unpublished material from submitted manuscripts.

Transparency and Accountability

Communicate editorial decisions promptly and provide constructive feedback to authors.

Collaborate with reviewers, advisors, and the editorial board when making final publication decisions.

Uphold legal requirements relating to libel, copyright, and plagiarism.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers

Any referee who feels unqualified to evaluate the research presented in a manuscript, or who cannot provide a timely review, should promptly notify the editor and withdraw from the review process. All manuscripts received for review must be treated as strictly confidential documents.

The double-blind peer review should be conducted objectively, and reviewers are expected to provide clear, constructive feedback supported by well-reasoned arguments addressing both the technical soundness and the ethical implications of the work. Reviewers should also identify relevant published studies that have not been cited by the authors, particularly those that strengthen the interdisciplinary context of the research.

Unpublished materials, data, or insights disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in a reviewer’s own work without the explicit written consent of the author(s). Reviewers are further expected to remain vigilant regarding potential ethical concerns, including issues related to privacy, the possibility of harm or discrimination, and the adequacy of consent procedures for research involving human participants.

Responsibilities of the Authors

It is the responsibility of the authors to ensure that manuscripts submitted to the  Journal of Contemporary Economics and Management (JCEM) are carefully reviewed and, if necessary, edited by a language expert prior to submission.

Authors shall ensure that referencing and citation follow the APA guidelines (latest edition), including consistent in-text citations and a complete list of references at the end of the manuscript.

The corresponding author must confirm that the manuscript is not under review or submitted elsewhere and that there is no conflict of interest among the authors. Any potential conflicts, including funding sources or commercial interests, must be fully disclosed.

Authors shall ensure the originality of the manuscript. Any data, ideas, or text taken from other sources must be properly cited according to international standards. Plagiarism or duplicate publication is strictly prohibited.

All research conducted must adhere to international standards of research ethics, with particular attention to sustainability, human subjects, and ethical considerations relevant to the study. For research involving human participants or data, appropriate informed consent and ethical approvals must be obtained.

Authors must provide complete affiliation details for all contributing authors and ensure that the manuscript, once accepted for review, is not submitted or published elsewhere unless formally rejected by JCEM.

By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to allow JCEM to reserve the right to circulate the article and any derivative works, including translations, for academic purposes.

Authors should explicitly address the ethical implications and limitations of their research, including environmental sustainability, social impact, human or community considerations, and any potential biases or generalizability limitations.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

In cases of alleged or confirmed misconduct, fraudulent publication, or plagiarism, the publisher, in close collaboration with the editors, will take all appropriate measures to investigate and resolve the issue. This may include the prompt publication of an erratum, clarification, or retraction of the affected manuscript in the most severe cases.

The publisher is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of scholarly research and ensures this by maintaining a reliable digital archive and collaborating with relevant organizations.

If an inaccurate, misleading, or erroneous statement is identified in a published article, the publisher will ensure it is corrected promptly.

All complaints received by the publisher will be forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, who is responsible for thoroughly investigating the issue, regardless of the source of the complaint.