PUBLICATION ETHICS
IMDR’s Journal of Management Development and Research adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics, aligned with the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) Code of Conduct. All parties involved—editors, authors, reviewers, and publishers—are expected to act with integrity and transparency.
Key ethical principles include:
- Editorial independence and fair peer review process.
- Accurate and original research reporting by authors.
- Clear identification and resolution of conflicts of interest.
- Confidentiality and respect throughout the peer review process.
- Timely publication, corrections, or retractions if required.
Any instance of research misconduct including plagiarism, fabrication, or unethical experimentation will result in immediate action, including potential retraction of the article.
Editor Responsibilities
- Publication Decisions & Accountability: Editors make final decisions on manuscripts based on academic merit, without bias. They must uphold ethical standards, ensure transparency, and correct or retract articles when necessary.
- Fair Play: Manuscripts must be evaluated solely on scholarly content, regardless of authors’ identity, background, or views.
- Confidentiality: Manuscript details must remain confidential among editors, reviewers, and editorial staff.
- Conflicts of Interest & Integrity: Editors must avoid handling papers where they have conflicts of interest and ensure a transparent peer review. Commercial interests must not influence editorial judgment.
Reviewer Responsibilities
- Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers support the editorial process by offering objective, constructive feedback.
- Timeliness: Reviewers should respond promptly or inform the editor if a delay is expected.
- Confidentiality: Manuscripts must be treated as confidential and not shared or discussed without permission.
- Objectivity:Reviews must focus on scholarly merit, not personal opinions. Unacknowledged references should be identified.
- Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must recuse themselves from evaluations where any conflict exists.
Author Responsibilities
- Originality & Integrity: Authors must submit original work with accurate data, proper citation, and acknowledgment of all contributors.
- Authorship & Consent: Only those who contributed substantially should be listed as co-authors. All authors must approve the final submission.
- Publication Ethics: Simultaneous submissions, plagiarism, and redundant publication are prohibited. All financial support and conflicts must be disclosed.
- Ethical Compliance: Studies involving humans or animals must meet ethical guidelines and declare any associated risks.
- Error Correction: Authors must notify the editor if significant errors are found post-publication and work toward correction or retraction.
Publisher Responsibilities
- Editorial Independence: The publisher ensures editorial decisions are free from external influence and supports transparent peer review.
- Copyright & Integrity: Publisher safeguards intellectual property and ensures accurate, ethical publication records.
- Misconduct Handling: Cases of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, fabrication) are addressed swiftly, including issuing corrections or retractions when necessary.