14-Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy

14.1 Introduction

The Business & Economic Review (BER) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and objectivity in all stages of the publishing process. A key element of this commitment is the proper disclosure and management of Conflicts of Interest (COIs). This policy defines what constitutes a COI and outlines the responsibilities and disclosure requirements for authors, editors, reviewers, and journal staff to ensure impartiality throughout the editorial and peer-review process.

14.2  Policy Objectives

This policy aims to:

  • Promote transparency in the publication process
  • Identify and manage any financial or non-financial interests that may influence scholarly judgment
  • Protect the integrity and credibility of BER’s editorial decisions
  • Ensure compliance with international publishing standards (COPE)
  • Guide all stakeholders in declaring, evaluating, and mitigating potential COIs

14.3  Definition of Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest (COI) exists when a personal, financial, professional, or institutional interest may:

  • Influence or appear to influence a person's objectivity in conducting, reviewing, editing, or publishing research
  • Undermine the credibility of the research or the publication process

COIs can be:

14.3.1 Financial

  • Employment or consultancies
  • Stock ownership or options
  • Honoraria, speaker fees, or travel funding
  • Research funding or grants from commercial or political entities
  • Royalties or intellectual property rights

14.3.2 Non-Financial

  • Personal relationships (family, romantic, mentorship, close colleagues)
  • Academic competition or rivalry
  • Political or religious affiliations
  • Strong intellectual or ideological commitments
  • Institutional affiliations

Even the perception of bias can be damaging and must be disclosed.

14.4  Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest that may influence:

  • The conduct of the research
  • Interpretation of results
  • Manuscript preparation or submission
  • Research funding and sponsorship

14.4.1 Author Declaration

A formal Conflict of Interest Statement must be included:

“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 COI exists, authors must detail:

  • Nature of the relationship (e.g., funding, employment)
  • Involved parties or organizations
  • Relevance to the submitted manuscript

14.4.2 Funding Disclosure

Authors must clearly indicate all sources of funding and the role of funders in:

  • Study design
  • Data collection or interpretation
  • Writing the manuscript
  • Publication decisions

14.5  Responsibilities of Editors

Editors (including the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors) must avoid handling manuscripts where a COI exists or may be perceived. Examples include:

  • Manuscripts submitted by colleagues, students, mentors, or collaborators
  • Submissions from their own institution
  • Articles that align closely with their ongoing research or ideologies

14.5.1 Editorial Recusal

Editors with a COI must:

  • Recuse themselves from editorial responsibility
  • Transfer the manuscript to another editor without COI

All editorial decisions must be based solely on academic merit, without influence from:

  • Author identity
  • Institutional affiliation
  • Political or commercial pressure

14.6 Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose any potential COIs before accepting a review assignment. They should decline if:

  • They have a recent or current collaboration with the authors
  • They share an institutional affiliation with the authors
  • They have a personal relationship with the authors
  • They have a financial interest in the manuscript's acceptance or rejection

13.6.1 Confidentiality and Integrity

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Evaluate the manuscript objectively
  • Maintain confidentiality throughout the review process
  • Avoid using manuscript content for personal gain

14.7 Journal Responsibilities

The journal's editorial team is responsible for:

  • Ensuring full transparency in COI disclosures
  • Publishing all disclosed COIs with the article
  • Investigating potential undisclosed COIs
  • Enforcing COI-related sanctions when necessary
  • Maintaining clear and accessible COI policies on the journal website

14.8  Handling Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If a COI is discovered after publication, BER will take appropriate actions, which may include:

  • Issuing a correction or editorial note
  • Publishing an expression of concern
  • Retraction of the article in severe cases
  • Barring authors from future submissions or notifying affiliated institutions (if warranted)

All investigations follow COPE flowcharts and guidance.

14.9  COI and Sponsored Content

If BER publishes special issues or sponsored supplements, additional safeguards will be in place:

  • Guest editors must declare any COIs with authors or sponsors
  • Articles must undergo independent peer review
  • Sponsorship details must be clearly stated in the publication
  • Sponsored content is subject to the same editorial standards as regular articles

14.10 COI and Peer Review Transparency

To protect the impartiality of peer review:

  • Reviewers’ identities are anonymized under the double-blind process
  • Reviewers and editors do not access any information about COIs until decisions are finalized
  • COI management logs are kept confidential within the editorial system