Publication Ethics

SMARCON'S Publishing is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. We adhere strictly to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and actively advocate for ethical practices throughout the academic publishing community. For further information on our ethics policies, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Research & Publishing Ethics

You should only submit your research to us if the following conditions apply:

Your research meets the highest standards of integrity and rigor.
The original submission has not been published or submitted elsewhere (exceptions may apply for preprints or conference papers; check our policies).
The content is free from libelous, defamatory, or unlawful statements that could potentially harm individuals, organizations, or communities.
You have obtained permission for any third-party materials included.
Consent has been secured to mention any individuals or organizations.
Authorship has been agreed upon, with proper credit given to all contributors (no "gift" or "ghost" authorship).

If your work is published and these conditions are later found to be violated, we may act according to COPE guidelines. This could include issuing corrections or, in severe cases, Removing or Retracting the publication. Actions may be delayed for legal or independent hearing reasons until all matters are resolved.

Ethics Issues

AI and Peer Review

SMARCONS prioritizes confidentiality throughout the submission and review process. Sharing your submission with others or using AI tools or Large Language Models (LLMs) for evaluation, editing, or decision-making violates the author’s privacy and data rights.
This applies to peer review reports as well, as they may include sensitive or identifiable information about the work or its authors. Additionally, AI tools have limitations, including potential biases, inaccuracies, and unreliable assessments, which can compromise the quality and fairness of the review process.
To safeguard the trust and integrity of scholarly publishing, SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) prohibits using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the review, evaluation, or decision-making process for submissions. Peer reviewers are expected to personally ensure their reviews' accuracy, meticulousness, and validity, as emphasized in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) position statement on AI tools.
Any misuse of AI in the review process will be treated as misconduct and addressed accordingly.

Attribution

Please cite any previous publication or presentation of the ideas in your submission, such as conference papers, workshop talks, or communications on listservs. This helps document the entire history of your work.
For SMARC journals, references should follow the APA 7th style. You can find specific guidelines in your chosen journal's author instructions. Double-check all references to ensure they are complete, accurate, and consistent.

Authorship

When listing authors for your paper, it’s important to get it right. Sometimes, you might want to include everyone who helped or accidentally leave out someone who contributed early on.
Common authorship issues include:

Ghost authorship: Leaving out someone who contributed to the work.
Gift or guest authorship: Adding someone who didn’t contribute or doesn’t want to be associated with the research.
Disputes: Disagreements about the order of authors or how much each person contributed.

These issues can create problems for your paper and even lead to retractions. To avoid this, make sure everyone agrees on authorship before you submit.
At SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), we follow the authorship principles set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). To be credited as an author, a person must:

Significantly contribute to the work's conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
Participate in drafting or critically revising the work for key intellectual content,
Approve the final version to be published, AND
Take responsibility for all aspects of the work, ensuring any questions about its accuracy or integrity are addressed.

Simply securing research funding does not qualify an individual as an author. To be considered an author, one must meet all four authorship criteria.
Additionally, per COPE's position statement on AI tools, Large Language Models (LLMs) cannot be credited as authors since they cannot independently design research or ensure the integrity and originality of the work.
When AI tools are utilized to create or modify content in a SMARCONS publication – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), clear disclosure is mandatory in the Methods or Acknowledgments section. Authors must provide specific details, including what was generated or modified, the name of the AI tool and version, and cite any sources the tool used. Notably, this requirement excludes basic spelling and grammar check tools.
Our Editors and Publishers reserve the right to decide whether an AI tool is acceptable in a submitted article, chapter, or case study.

Generative AI Usage Key Principles

Copywriting Restrictions: Using generative AI tools (e.g., LLMs) to write any part of your article, such as the abstract or literature review, is not allo wed. Authors must take full responsibility for their work’s accuracy, integrity, and validity. However, you can use AI-generated examples for critique or discussion, provided they are correctly cited and do not include AI-created images.
Results and Statistics: Generating or reporting results or statistics using AI tools is prohibited, as authors must create and interpret their work. However, AI tools can assist in analyzing your data.
Language Improvements: You may use AI tools to improve language and readability, similar to standard grammar and spell-check tools. This is acceptable if the content originates from the author, not the AI tool.
AI-Generated Images: Submitting or publishing AI-created images is not permitted.
Accountability: All authors must clearly understand each contributor's role and responsibilities in the paper and have full confidence and trust in their co-authors’ work.

If you’re unsure about meeting these criteria, discuss them with your co-authors and Institution.

Resolving Authorship Disputes

If disputes arise, we will help authors work toward a resolution. However, as the research process occurs before submission, we cannot determine the level of contribution by each author. Please refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) website guidelines for further details.
If disputes remain unresolved, we may escalate the matter to the authors' institutions or issue an expression of concern.

Authorship Roles

While the author’s responsibilities may vary depending on the research project, SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), expects submitting authors and corresponding authors to fulfill certain tasks.
To aid you in your choice about who is best placed to submit as corresponding author, we have created the table below. For any questions, please do contact us or the journal Editorial Office for your submitting journal.

Task	Author Submitting	Corresponding Author
Ensuring the accuracy of all article content, including authors' names, addresses, and affiliations.	X
Taking the lead on open access initiatives, including eligibility for OA vouchers.		X
Serving as the primary point of contact for all inquiries related to the published article.		X
Providing and managing the email address included in the published article		X
Acting as the main communicator with the journal for all matters.	X
Managing the submission process and responding to peer reviews.	X
Receiving notifications and updates through the submission system.	X	X
Handling administrative tasks and ensuring deadlines are promptly met.	X
Ensuring prompt response to deadlines	X
Addressing disclosures related to research ethics and permissions.	X
Responding to any queries throughout the publication process.	X

Citation Manipulation

Citations and referencing are important when writing any research. However, researchers should be mindful of the following behaviors:

Self-citation

Authors should refrain from excessive self-citation of their previous works. Citations should always be relevant and purposeful and contribute meaningfully to the article rather than artificially inflating the author's citation count. When discussing methodologies or literature reviews, self-citations should be kept to a minimum.

Coercive citation

During the peer-review process, reviewers might suggest papers they believe could help strengthen or develop your ideas. While these recommendations can be helpful, it’s important to note that forcing authors to include references without valid academic reasons—known as coercive citation—is unethical.
At SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), we strongly support author freedom and editorial independence. If you ever feel coerced into including a specific reference or suspect an editor of unethical practices, please do not hesitate to contact us at journal@smarcons.com. Your concerns will be addressed promptly and confidentially.

Citation Pushing

Citation pushing occurs when authors intentionally include unnecessary or irrelevant references solely to artificially inflate another researcher's citation count, often as part of a group effort to boost each other’s citation metrics.
At SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), we consider citation pushing a serious offence and actively monitor its occurrence across our publications. If committed, we will follow the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and, if necessary, collaborate with the author's institution to address the matter and prevent future instances.

Conflicts of Interest

All stakeholders in the publishing process – authors, reviewers, and editors – must disclose any conflicts of interest that could potentially influence research, peer review, or publication. It is the author’s responsibility to declare any factors that may have impacted his work. If the author is uncertain about what constitutes a conflict of interest, he must consult with the editor or publisher before submission. Here are some examples of possible conflicts of interest:

A prior relationship with the editor.
Financial or personal stakes in the research outcomes.
Undisclosed funding from a third party with an interest in the research.
Financial or personal interests in suppressing the research.

When submitting research, the author must include details about any financial support from third parties and mention any other potential conflicts.
If you think the editor or reviewer assigned to your work may have a conflict of interest, let the publisher or commissioning editor at SMARCONS know. We follow COPE guidelines and will ensure that anyone with a conflict is removed from handling your manuscript.

Defamation/Libel

Before submitting your work, obtaining written consent for studies involving named organisations or individuals is mandatory.

Submissions containing inaccurate, unsubstantiated, or emotional statements about individuals or organisations may be subject to revision or rejection before publication. While critiques of products and services are acceptable, they must be free from malice and focused on constructive feedback.

If any defamatory statements are found in work published by SMARCONS, a retraction notice will be issued. In certain cases, we may withdraw the paper from online versions of journals or books, as legally required.

We recommend that authors of case studies inform the subject (individual or organization) and seek their consent. If we suspect a case study may contain libellous or sensitive information, we will require written consent from the subject before proceeding with production.

Fabricated Data

Fabricating or manipulating data is fundamentally wrong and a breach of research integrity. We may review data or request the original data files; we reserve the right to request a dataset at any point as part of an investigation. If there is reason to suspect that the data is not plausible, we reserve the right to reject that paper and notify your institution as appropriate.

Figure or image manipulation

Image manipulation can be categorized into two types:

Inappropriate manipulation: This involves adjusting an image or figure that doesn’t follow research guidelines but does not affect how the data is interpreted.
Fraudulent manipulation: This is the intentional alteration of an image or figure to mislead the interpretation of the data.

Manipulation might include adding or removing elements from a figure or altering the image to hide or emphasise specific results.
Images or figures submitted to SMARCONS journals – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) should be minimally processed. We reserve the right to screen these images and request original data if manipulation is suspected. If we find intentional manipulation, we will reject the paper and notify the author's institution, adhering to guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Since research is completed before submission, not all issues can be resolved by our team or editors, especially since research is completed before submission. However, we will help resolve issues where possible and refer matters to the authors’ institutions when necessary. For detailed guidance on our procedures, please refer to the relevant Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) flowcharts.

Grievance Procedure

At SMARCONS Journals – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), We Value Transparency and Accountability
We recognise that errors can occur despite our best efforts. If you've encountered any issues or concerns with your publication experience, we encourage you to contact us. Your feedback is essential in helping us improve our processes and provide better support to our authors.

Complaint about an Editorial Decision

SMARCONS Journals– Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), upholds editorial independence and will not interfere with a journal editor's decision unless there is evidence that the article was not handled according to best practices.
If your article has been rejected and you believe there are valid reasons to appeal—such as new evidence or a misunderstanding by the reviewer—you can appeal the decision.
To appeal, please follow this process:

Submit your appeal: Write to the journal's Editor, stating your grounds for appeal.
Editorial review: The editorial team will assess your complaint.
Acknowledgment: Expect a response within 10 days, with a resolution aimed within 60 days.
Final decision: The outcome will be communicated in writing, with no further appeals on the same article allowed.

Complaint about the editorial management of a journal

If you have concerns about how your article was handled or the editorial management of the journal—such as the time it took to make a decision or ethical issues with the journal—you should first contact the Journal Commissioning Editor listed on the journal homepage or email journal@smarcons.com
When submitting a complaint, SMARCONS Journals – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS), will respond to you professionally and respectfully. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a courteous and respectful dialogue. Any abusive or harassing behaviour toward SMARCONS staff or editorial teams will not be tolerated, and your complaint may no longer be considered.
We take all complaints seriously and aim to provide an initial response within 10 days of receiving your complaint to resolve it within 50 days. If we are unable to resolve your complaint within this timeframe, we will keep you fully informed of our progress (excluding cases requiring correction or retraction notices).

Informed Consent

As a researcher and member of a trusted academic community, you are ethically obligated to follow national and international research ethics guidelines, the ethical principles of your discipline, and any rules set by relevant authorities. It would further be appreciated if you also were transparent about your research methods so that your work can be fairly and accurately evaluated throughout the publication process.
Informed consent requires you to clearly explain to participants (or their legal representatives) the purpose of your research, whether their anonymity will be protected, how their data will be stored and used, and any potential risks of participation. Your submission must confirm that informed consent was obtained and detail how it was addressed. This applies to all research involving human participants, not just medical studies. Additionally, you should comply with any legal or institutional requirements related to data protection

Ethical approval

Ethical approval must be obtained before initiating research, particularly for studies with a medical focus or involving identifiable human participants, including individuals, samples, or data). In such cases, clearance from your institution’s ethics board is mandatory. It is essential to note that many countries require ethical approval for studies involving human participants, regardless of identifiability.
You must also ensure that established ethical standards, such as the World Medical Association’s (Declaration of Helsinki), are followed to protect participants and minimize harm. According to the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the privacy, rights, and well-being of human subjects must always be respected.
Be prepared to provide additional details about your study—such as its design, ethical approval, and informed consent process—if requested, even after publication. This may include anonymized data and answers to follow-up questions. Therefore, it’s essential to retain copies of written consent from participants.

Ethical statement

When submitting your work, you must include a clear ethical statement confirming that your research received approval from an institutional and national (or international) ethics board. The statement should include:

The name and location of the ethics review committee or board.
The approval number and date.
Details of the national or international guidelines followed.
Any other relevant information.

If your study didn’t require approval, explain why it is exempt. Additionally, you should describe how your research complies with consent guidelines and confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants. Ensure these details maintain the anonymity of both authors and participants.
Submissions without a proper ethical statement or proof of informed consent (when required) will be returned to the authors for revision. SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) reserves the right to reject any work that lacks adequate evidence of informed consent from human participants.

Consent to Publish

When submitting work that includes personal information about individual participants—such as case histories, clinical data, X-rays, quotations, images, photographs, recordings, or videos—a completed Consent to Publish form is mandatory. This form must confirm that the participant(s) have reviewed the content of the work, understand how the findings will be used and shared, and consent to its publication.

Third-Party Datasets

If your study uses third-party datasets, you must secure permission from the dataset owner unless the dataset is publicly available and unrestricted. All data used should remain anonymized unless the dataset owner specifies otherwise. Your submission should include a statement confirming that the required permissions to use the dataset have been obtained.

Plagiarism

The work you submit to a publisher should be based on your original research and written in your own words. Failing to do so may be considered plagiarism, a serious academic offence. To maintain the integrity of published works, SMARCONS Journals – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) employs the Turnitin and Crossref Similarity Check, a plagiarism detection tool that compares submissions against a database of 49 million works from over 800 scholarly publishers. Along with our experienced reviewers and editors, this ensures that plagiarized content is increasingly difficult to overlook. Plagiarism can manifest in various forms.

Verbatim Copying

An exact copy of, or a significant passage or section of text taken from another person's work without acknowledgement, references or use of quotation marks.

Paraphrasing

More than one sentence within a paragraph or section of text has been changed or rearranged without appropriate attribution. Significant improper paraphrasing, where the original work is rewritten without proper attribution, is considered a serious offence and is treated similarly to verbatim copying.

Re-using parts of a work without attribution

For example, using a figure, table, or paragraph without acknowledgement, references, or using quotation marks. As an author, you are responsible for securing the necessary permissions from the copyright holder for any copyrighted material used in your work.

Publishing Permissions

As the author, it is your responsibility to obtain written permission from the copyright holder to use any third party-created material, such as images, tables, or excerpts, in your manuscript.

Legal Requirement

Permission clearance is a legal requirement; before SMARCONS Journals– Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) can reproduce any content, you haven't created yourself, you must obtain permission to reuse it. Failure to clear permission puts both you and SMARCONS at risk of copyright infringement. The 1988 UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act clearly states that rights holders have control over how their work appears and is used. We believe in protecting both your work and the works of others.
When submitting your research, you will be required to provide proof of permission to use any third-party material. We recommend clearing all necessary permissions before submission. If permissions are not obtained, you will be asked to remove the third-party material.
When using third-party material, you must ensure that the copyright holder is referenced directly below the material, with a copyright line as requested by them.
Content that may require permissions:
Any material that you have not created, subject to copyright, is covered. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Figures/tables/illustrations
Photos
Artwork
Maps
Extensive quotations/excerpts
Song lyrics and poetry
Screenshots
Computer Programmes/software
Logos/trademarks

If you are unsure whether permission is required, please check with the copyright holder or your publishing contact.

When to start Clearing Permissions

Start thinking about clearing permissions as you write your submission. Frequently reused and popular content can take some time; larger publishing houses have average waiting times of six to eight weeks. You should clear all permissions before you submit your research.

Proof of Permission Clearance

We can accept written proof of permission clearance in two ways.

Our permissions request form, signed by an authorized representative of the company/publisher/estate that holds the copyright.
An email that explicitly states permission is granted for the following rights:
- Non-exclusive rights to reproduce the material
- Print and electronic rights
- Worldwide English language rights
- To use the material for the life of the work.

Self-plagiarism or Text Recycling

SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) publications require original content. Replication of previous research is only acceptable if it yields new conclusions, compares with new data, or provides significant additional insights.

If any element of your latest submission has been previously published, it is essential to fully reference the original work and disclose this information to the editor or publisher at the time of submission.

Handling Allegations of Plagiarism

A plagiarism allegation can severely damage a researcher's career and reputation. Upon receiving a plagiarism complaint from a third party, we will contact the original author(s) or copyright holder(s) to gather their response before determining our next steps.
We maintain impartiality and will not be influenced by other parties. All allegations will be handled under the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
We are not obliged to discuss individual cases of alleged plagiarism with third parties, and we reserve the right not to proceed with a case if the complainant provides false identification or affiliation or exhibits inappropriate or threatening behaviour towards SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) editors and staff.
If you have concerns about plagiarism or would like to learn more about our approach to addressing allegations of misconduct, please don’t hesitate to contact us at journal@smarcons.com

Redundant Publication

Duplicate or simultaneous submission of the same work to multiple journals, also known as dual publication, is unacceptable. All submissions must be original and not previously published. To avoid duplication, please wait for a decision from one journal before submitting your work to another.

Our Promise

Whenever a research or publishing ethics issue arises, we promise to:

Handle issues efficiently and professionally.
Maintain fairness and impartiality throughout the process.
Provide the accused party an opportunity to respond before making decisions.
Allow sufficient time for all parties to respond.
Keep authors, editors, copyright owners, and other stakeholders informed about decisions.
Adhere to the processes outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) flowcharts.
Protect authors' rights, ensuring accurate representation and acknowledgement of their work.

If ethical misconduct is discovered before publication, we reserve the right to withdraw acceptance. After a thorough and fair investigation, the editor and SMARCONS – Journal of Excellence in Management Sciences (JEMS) will make the final decision, which may not satisfy all parties but will prioritize the integrity of the publication process.