Article Processing Charges Policy

Commitment to Ethical and Transparent Publishing

The Journal of Personnel Management (JPM), published by SMARCONS (Society of Management Research and Consultancy), is committed to ethical, transparent, and accessible scholarly publishing.

JPM supports the principles of open access and seeks to minimize financial barriers to the dissemination of scholarly research. The journal follows recognized principles of publication ethics, including relevant guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Current Article Processing Charges Policy

JPM does not currently charge any Article Processing Charges (APCs), submission fees, editorial processing fees, peer review fees, acceptance fees, publication fees, or other mandatory charges to authors.

Authors are not required to make any payment at any stage of the journal’s editorial or publication process, including:

  • Manuscript submission

  • Initial editorial screening

  • Plagiarism or similarity screening

  • Peer review

  • Revision

  • Acceptance

  • Copyediting

  • Typesetting and production

  • DOI registration

  • Online publication

Accordingly, publication in JPM is currently free of charge to authors.

The absence of publication charges is intended to support equitable access to scholarly publishing and reduce financial barriers for researchers.

No Submission Fee

JPM does not charge authors for submitting a manuscript.

Submission of a manuscript does not create any financial obligation for the author.

No Peer Review Fee

Authors are not charged for external peer review or editorial assessment.

Reviewers are selected on the basis of their scholarly expertise and independence, and the peer review process is not influenced by any financial consideration.

No Acceptance or Publication Fee

There is currently no fee payable upon acceptance or publication of an article in JPM.

Acceptance is based solely on the manuscript’s:

  • Scholarly quality

  • Originality

  • Relevance to the journal’s aims and scope

  • Methodological rigor

  • Ethical compliance

  • Response to peer review and editorial requirements

The ability or willingness of an author to make a payment has no role in editorial decision-making.

Editorial Independence

All editorial and peer review decisions are made independently of financial considerations.

Editors and reviewers do not make decisions based on:

  • An author’s ability to pay

  • Institutional financial status

  • Funding availability

  • Commercial considerations

  • Potential revenue associated with a manuscript

No payment can guarantee:

  • Peer review

  • Acceptance

  • Faster editorial processing

  • Preferential treatment

  • Publication

JPM maintains a clear separation between editorial decision-making and any financial or administrative functions.

Open Access and Fees

JPM provides open access to its published scholarly content in accordance with its Open Access Policy.

The absence of an APC does not affect the copyright or licensing status of published articles.

Authors retain copyright in their published work, and articles are made available under the journal’s applicable Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) in accordance with JPM’s Copyright and Licensing Policy.

No Hidden or Additional Charges

JPM does not impose undisclosed or hidden publication-related charges.

Where the journal states that publication is free of charge, authors will not subsequently be required to pay an undisclosed fee as a condition of:

  • Peer review

  • Acceptance

  • Publication

  • DOI assignment

  • Online access to the published article

Any future change to the journal’s fee structure will be publicly disclosed before it becomes applicable.

Future Introduction of APCs

JPM currently has no Article Processing Charges.

If the journal introduces an APC or any other mandatory author fee in the future, the revised fee policy will be made publicly available before implementation.

The journal will not apply a newly introduced fee retrospectively to manuscripts submitted under a published no-fee policy unless the authors were clearly informed of, and agreed to, the applicable terms before proceeding.

Transparency Requirements for Any Future APC

If APCs are introduced in the future, JPM will clearly disclose:

  • The exact amount of the APC

  • The currency in which the fee is charged

  • Whether any taxes or additional mandatory charges apply

  • The stage at which the fee becomes payable

  • What the APC covers

  • Applicable waiver or discount arrangements

  • Eligibility requirements for waivers or discounts

  • The procedure for requesting a waiver or discount

  • Any circumstances in which a refund may apply

Information concerning applicable fees will be made available through appropriate journal pages, such as the:

  • Journal website

  • Author Guidelines

  • Submission information

  • APC or publication-fee policy

Authors will be able to identify applicable charges before committing to publication.

Timing of Fee Disclosure

If fees are introduced in the future, authors will be informed of applicable charges at an appropriate stage before any payment obligation arises.

Fees will not be introduced unexpectedly after publication.

Authors will not be required to pay an amount that was not appropriately disclosed under the applicable journal policy.

Waivers and Discounts

Because JPM currently charges no APC, a waiver or discount system is not currently necessary.

If APCs are introduced in the future, the journal may establish transparent waiver or discount arrangements.

Where such arrangements exist, JPM will publish:

  • Eligibility criteria

  • Applicable waiver or discount categories

  • The procedure for applying

  • The stage at which a request should be made

  • The basis on which requests are considered

A request for a waiver or discount will not influence the editorial or peer review decision.

Independence of Fee Decisions and Editorial Decisions

If JPM introduces APCs in the future, decisions concerning fees, waivers, or discounts will remain separate from decisions concerning manuscript acceptance.

Editors and reviewers responsible for evaluating the scholarly merit of a manuscript should not allow an author’s financial circumstances or fee status to influence their academic judgment.

Manuscripts will continue to be evaluated according to the same scholarly and ethical standards regardless of whether an author qualifies for a waiver, discount, or other fee arrangement.

No Guarantee of Acceptance

Payment of any future APC or publication-related charge would not guarantee acceptance or publication.

All manuscripts must successfully complete the journal’s applicable:

  • Editorial screening

  • Similarity screening

  • Peer review

  • Revision process

  • Ethical assessment

  • Final editorial evaluation

Editorial decisions remain based on scholarly merit and compliance with JPM policies.

Changes to the Fee Policy

Any material change to JPM’s fee structure will be reflected in the publicly available policy.

Where fees are introduced, removed, or modified, the journal will clearly indicate the applicable conditions and implementation arrangements.

The current fee status will remain available to authors through the journal website.

Relationship to Other JPM Policies

This Article Processing Charges Policy should be read together with relevant JPM policies, including:

  • Open Access Policy

  • Copyright and Licensing Policy

  • Peer Review Policy

  • Publication Ethics Policy

  • Author Guidelines

Where necessary, these policies provide additional information concerning publication conditions, author rights, editorial independence, and open access.

Policy Review

JPM will periodically review this policy to ensure that information concerning author charges remains accurate, transparent, and consistent with recognized standards for scholarly publishing and open-access transparency.

Contact

Editorial Office
Journal of Personnel Management (JPM)
Email: jpm@smarcons.cm