5-Author Policy

Business & Economic Review (BER) is committed to publishing high-quality, original research in the fields of Business, Economics, Finance, and Management. To ensure integrity, transparency, and accountability in academic publishing, BER has established Authors’ Policy.

This policy outlines the responsibilities, rights, and expectations of authors at every stage of the publication process—from submission to post-publication.

5.1    Scope and Applicability

This Authors’ Policy applies to all individuals who:

  • Submit manuscripts to Business & Economic Review (bereview.pk)
  • Are listed as co-authors on any submission.
  • Interact with the journal editorial office in the capacity of authors, contributors, or corresponding authors.

All authors must comply with this policy as a condition of manuscript consideration and publication.

5.2    Authorship Criteria

BER follows the authorship standards established Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.

  • Drafting the work or revising it critically for intellectual content.
  • Final approval of the version to be published.
  • Accountability for all aspects of the work, ensuring questions related to accuracy or integrity are appropriately investigated.

5.3    Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors submitting to BER must:

  • Ensure that their work is original and has not been previously published.
  • Accurately represent all data, methodologies, and findings.
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest or funding sources.
  • Follow ethical guidelines for research involving humans or animals.
  • Submit their work using BER’s online submission system and adhere to all formatting and documentation guidelines.
  • Respond promptly and thoroughly to editorial and peer review comments.

5.4    Order of Authorship

Order of authorship should reflect the relative contributions of each author. Corresponding author is responsible for:

  • Communicating with the journal during the submission and review process.
  • Ensuring all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
  • Managing revisions, proofs, and publication agreements.

Any changes to authorship after submission require:

  • Written consent from all listed authors.
  • Justification to the editorial office.

5.5    Plagiarism and Originality

BER has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, including:

  • Direct copying of text or data from other works without attribution.
  • Self-plagiarism (reusing significant portions of one’s own previous work without citation).
  • Inappropriate paraphrasing.

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software (Turnitin®). Submissions found to contain plagiarized material will be rejected, and authors may be banned from future submissions.

5.6    Conflicts of Interest and Funding Disclosure

Authors must disclose:

  • Financial relationships (grants, consulting fees, stock ownership).
  • Non-financial interests (personal or professional relationships).
  • Institutional support or organizational affiliations that could influence the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest statement will be published with the article.

5.7    Manuscript Types Accepted

BER accepts the following categories of submissions:

  • Original Research Articles: Empirical studies with novel findings.
  • Review Articles: Comprehensive evaluations of existing literature.
  • Conceptual Papers: Theoretical frameworks or models.
  • Policy Papers: Research with direct relevance to policy-making.

Each manuscript type has specific formatting and length requirements, detailed in the Author Guidelines on the journal’s website.

5.8    Submission and Review Process

5.8.1 Submission

Authors must:

  • Submit manuscripts through BER’s official submission platform(bereview.pk)
  • Include all required elements (cover letter, title page, abstract, keywords, references).
  • Format the manuscript per BER's submission guidelines.

5.8.2 Peer Review

All manuscripts undergo:

  • Initial editorial screening for scope, quality, and plagiarism.
  • Double-blind peer review by at least two independent reviewers.
  • Editorial decision-making based on reviews and author revisions.

The editorial team reserves the right to reject manuscripts at any stage.

5.9    Revisions and Resubmissions

Authors receiving a “revise and resubmit” decision must:

  • Respond to all reviewer comments point-by-point.
  • Highlight changes made to the manuscript.
  • Submit the revised manuscript within the specified timeframe.

Failure to comply may result in withdrawal of the manuscript.

5.10           Acceptance and Proofing

Upon acceptance:

  • Authors will receive a proof version for review.
  • Minor edits, formatting corrections, and reference checks will be made.
  • Major changes are not permitted at this stage without editorial approval.

The corresponding author must approve proofs within the provided deadline to avoid delays.

5.11           Copyright and Licensing

BER supports Open Access publishing under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0):

  • Authors retain full copyright.
  • Others may reuse content (even commercially) with proper attribution.
  • Authors grant BER a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute the article.

Authors are encouraged to deposit their articles in institutional repositories, following BER’s Open Access Policy.

5.12           Post-Publication Responsibilities

5.12.1 Corrections

If an error is discovered post-publication:

  • Authors should notify BER immediately.
  • A correction or erratum may be issued.

5.12.2 Retractions

Articles may be retracted in cases of:

  • Proven plagiarism
  • Data fabrication
  • Ethical misconduct

A retraction notice will explain the reason and remain linked to the original article.

5.12.3 Post-Publication Engagement

Authors are encouraged to:

  • Promote their research through social media, academic networks, and conferences.
  • Respond to comments, critiques, and post-publication discussions respectfully and professionally.

5.13           Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal:

  • Rejection decisions
  • Alleged editorial or peer review misconduct

Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief with detailed justification. The decision after appeal is final.

5.14           Author Misconduct

Author misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Plagiarism
  • Data manipulation
  • Ghost authorship
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • Misrepresentation of author contributions

Consequences may include:

  • Manuscript rejection or retraction
  • Notification to the author's institution or funder
  • Temporary or permanent ban from future submissions