Ethical Principles | Journal of Balkan Economies and Management

Publication Ethics Principles

The realm of publication ethics represents a foundational self-regulatory mechanism, emphasizing integrity among authors, reviewers, and publishers to elevate the standard of editorial processing. Ethical standards in publication serve to assure the quality of scientific publications, bolster public trust in scientific findings, and respect the integrity of scholarly discourse.

It is incumbent upon honest researchers to abstain from plagiarism.
Proper attribution of sources is fundamental.
Concealing or failing to address irrefutable objections undermines the scientific discourse.
Distorting opposing viewpoints or destroying or concealing data is antithetical to ethical conduct.

Peer-reviewed Studies as Scientific Foundation

JBEM acknowledges the indispensable role of peer review in upholding the scientific method, advocating for a collaborative environment wherein all parties engaged in the publication process adhere to the highest ethical standards. This collaborative ethos extends to authors, readers, researchers, the publisher, referees, and editors, each bearing a crucial responsibility towards ethical compliance. The "Journal of Balkan Economies and Management" aligns with both national and international benchmarks of research and publication ethics, adopting the International Ethical Publishing Principles published by Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Legal and Ethical Framework

In its pursuit of ethical excellence, JBEM adheres to a comprehensive framework that encompasses both national legislation and international ethical standards. JBEM is committed to the principles of transparency and best practice in academic publishing, guided by international criteria that define our operational ethos.

Republishing

Republishing is the publication of the same article or substantially similar articles in more than one journal. The editor sends back such an article without reviewing it. Thereafter, the editor may impose an embargo for a certain period of time on the author who has attempted to republish, publicize this situation in the journal in which the author has previously published (perhaps by simultaneous announcement with the editor of the journal that published the previous article), or apply all of these measures together.

Simultaneous submission of the same work to more than one journal

Authors may not submit the same article to more than one journal at the same time. If the editor learns of possible simultaneous submission, he/she reserves the right to consult with the other editor(s) receiving the manuscript. In addition, the editor may return the manuscript without review or reject the manuscript without considering the reviews, or take this decision in discussion with the other editor(s) involved, and may decide not to accept submissions from authors for a certain period of time. It may also write to the authors' employers or take all of these measures together.

Measure for the Prevention of Plagiarism

Plagiarism poses a significant threat to the integrity of scholarly work, and JBEM employs rigorous measures to detect and prevent the appropriation of intellectual property. Manuscripts submitted to JBEM undergo thorough screening using advanced detection software, with an expectation of a similarity index below 20%. Nevertheless, adherence to rigorous citation and quotation standards remains paramount, underscoring the necessity for authors to engage with source material ethically and transparently.

Addressing Research Misconduct

JBEM is unequivocally committed to the identification and correction of unethical behaviors within scholarly publication. Our policies extend to a wide array of misconduct, including plagiarism, article duplication, false authorship, data fabrication, and undisclosed conflicts of interest. Manuscripts failing to meet accepted ethical standards are subject to removal from publication, and this stringent approach applies equally to irregularities identified post-publication.

Protection of Participants' Personal Data

In line with our ethical obligations, JBEM mandates that research involving human subjects or sensitive data undergo rigorous ethical review. This commitment ensures the protection of participant confidentiality and the maintenance of their dignity, requiring informed consent and adherence to ethical guidelines throughout the research process.

Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct

Journal of Balkan Economies and Management adheres to COPE's Ethical Toolkit for a Successful Editorial. Journal of Balkan Economies and Management editors will take measures to prevent the publication of manuscripts in which plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct has occurred. In no case will the editors of the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management knowingly allow such misconduct to occur. In the event that the editors of the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management become aware of any allegations of research misconduct related to an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE's guidelines regarding allegations.

Notifications for Ethical Violation

We encourage our readership to report any observed ethical violations or concerns directly to JBEM. Such notifications are invaluable for fostering continuous improvement and maintaining the journal's integrity. Reports can be submitted via email to info@balkaneconomiesjournal.com, and we are committed to addressing these concerns promptly and constructively.

Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern

Editors may consider publishing a correction if minor errors are identified in the published article that do not affect the findings, interpretations and conclusions. Editors should consider retracting the manuscript if there are major errors/violations that invalidate the findings and conclusions. Editors should consider issuing a statement of concern if there is a possibility of research or publication misconduct by the authors; there is evidence that the findings are unreliable and that the authors' institutions have not investigated the incident; or the potential investigation appears unfair or inconclusive. COPE and ICJME guidelines regarding correction, retraction or expression of concern are taken into account.

Publication of Studies Based on Surveys and Interviews

Journal of Balkan Economies and Management adopts the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) "Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers" in order to provide ethical assurance in scientific periodical publishing. In this context, the following points should be complied with in the studies submitted to the journal:

1) For research in all disciplines that require ethics committee approval (ethics committee approval must be obtained, this approval must be stated and documented in the article.

2) In studies requiring ethics committee authorization, information about the authorization (name of the committee, date and number) should be included in the method section and on one of the first/last pages of the article; in case reports, information on the signature of the informed consent/assent form should be included in the article.

Special Issue Publication Policy

A special issue can be published once a year upon the request of the Editorial Board. Articles submitted for inclusion in the special issue are first subjected to a preliminary editorial review. Then, they are examined for compliance with the journal's spelling rules and similarity screening is performed to prevent plagiarism. After these stages, they are taken into the peer review process in which the double blinded model is used.

Editorial Confidentiality Obligation

The editors of the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents, which means that they will not disclose information about a manuscript to anyone without the authors' permission. During the manuscript review process, the following people have access to the manuscripts: Editors, Reviewers, Editorial Board Members. The only situation in which details about a manuscript may be passed to a third party without the authors' permission is if the editor suspects serious research misconduct.

Allegations-Suspicions of Scientific Misconduct

There are different definitions of scientific misconduct. We address these issues on a case-by-case basis as the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management follows the guidance established by the major publication ethics bodies. If the editor suspects or alleges an ethical violation, they are obliged to take action. This duty extends to both published and unpublished articles. The editor should not simply reject articles raising concerns about possible misconduct. He/she is ethically obliged to follow up on alleged cases. The editor should follow COPE flowcharts when appropriate. Editors should first seek a response from those suspected of misconduct. If they are not satisfied with the response, they should ask the relevant employer or organization to investigate. The editor should make all reasonable endeavors to ensure that an appropriate investigation into the alleged misconduct is conducted; if this fails, the editor should make all reasonable attempts to insist on a resolution to the problem. This is an onerous but important task.

Journal of Balkan Economies and Management adheres to COPE's Ethical Toolkit for a Successful Editorial Office. Journal of Balkan Economies and Management editors will take measures to prevent the publication of manuscripts in which plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct have occurred. In no case will the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management or its editors knowingly allow such misconduct to occur. In the event that the editors of the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management become aware of any allegations of research misconduct in relation to an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE's guidelines regarding allegations.

Reviewers should inform the Editor if they suspect research or publication misconduct. The Editor is responsible for taking appropriate action in accordance with COPE recommendations.

Journal of Balkan Economies and Management is committed to following the COPE flowcharts when faced with allegations of misconduct in the following or similar matters.

What to do when republication is suspected
What to do when plagiarism is suspected
What to do if fabricated data is suspected
Requests for change of authorship
What to do if an undisclosed conflict of interest is suspected
What to do if unfair or gift authorship is suspected
What to do when an ethical problem is suspected in an article
What to do when the suspicion of ethical violation is directly notified by e-mail, etc.
What to do when a suspected ethical violation is announced via social media

Complaint Procedure

This procedure applies to complaints about content, procedures or policies that are the responsibility of the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management or our editorial staff. Complaints can provide an opportunity and incentive for improvement, and we aim to respond promptly, courteously and constructively. The complaint should relate to content, procedures or policies that are the responsibility of the Journal of Balkan Economies and Management or our editorial team. Complaints should be sent directly by e-mail to info@balkanjournal.org and will be treated confidentially. The editor responds to complaints immediately. The editor follows the procedure set out in the COPE flowchart regarding complaints. Complaints are reviewed by the relevant member of the editorial team and, if not resolved, the following processes are followed: - If this initial response is considered inadequate, the complainant may request that the complaint be referred to a more senior member of the journal. - If the complainant is not satisfied, complaints can be forwarded to the editor-in-chief. - If possible, a full response will be provided within two weeks. COPE publishes a code of practice for editors of scientific journals. This will facilitate the resolution of disputes with editors, journals and publishers, but only after the journal's own complaints procedures have been exhausted.

Appeal Process

We welcome serious objections to the judgements made by the editors and referees. If you believe that we have rejected your manuscript because we misunderstood its scientific content, please send an appeal message to our editorial team at info@balkanjournal.org. Do not attempt to send a revised version of your article at this stage. If, after reading your letter of objection, we realize that your objection is justified, we may invite you to submit a revised version of your manuscript. Your work will then be resubmitted to the external referee process. Please include as much detail as possible in the appeal letter. Finally, we can only consider one objection per paper, so please take the time and effort to write a detailed letter to make your objection clear - you have one chance, so use it well. We have found that prolonged deliberation over rejected manuscripts is often unsatisfactory for both authors and editors, so we do not process multiple appeals for the same paper.

Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when professional judgement about a primary interest may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal competition). We believe that we need to know the competing interests of the authors in order to make the best judgement about how best to handle an article, and that readers need to know them if we publish the article.

Any financial or other interest that may cause the person to be conflicted in his/her work, significantly impair his/her objectivity, or provide an unfair advantage in favor of any person or organization. All sources of financial support received during the conduct of the research and preparation of the manuscript and the role of sponsors in the study should be explained. If there is no source of funding, this should also be indicated. Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include consultancies, salaries, grants. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed at the earliest possible stage.

Journal of Balkan Economies and Management has a set process for handling submissions from editors, staff or editorial board members to ensure unbiased review. Such submissions will first be forwarded to other journals. If this is not possible, the owner of the submission will be suspended from the journal. These submissions are reviewed in a double blind process.

The editor should not be involved in decisions about manuscripts written by him/herself or by family members. Furthermore, such a paper should be subject to all usual procedures of the journal. The editor should follow ICMJE guidelines on disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by authors and reviewers.

Principles of Research Ethics

Journal of Balkan Economies and Management observes the highest standards of research ethics and adopts the international principles of research ethics defined below. It is the responsibility of the authors to ensure that manuscripts comply with ethical guidelines.

The principles of integrity, quality and transparency should be ensured in the design, review of the design and conduct of the research.
The research team and participants should be fully informed about the purpose of the research, its methods and possible uses; the requirements and risks, if any, of participation in the research.
Confidentiality of information provided by research participants and confidentiality of respondents must be ensured. The research should be designed to protect the autonomy and dignity of the participants.
Research participants should take part in the research voluntarily and should not be under any coercion.
Harm to the participants should be avoided. The research should be planned in a way that does not put the participants at risk.
Research independence must be clear and explicit; if there is a conflict of interest, it must be stated.
In experimental studies with human subjects, the written informed consent of the participants who decide to participate in the research must be obtained. The consent of the legal guardian of children and those under guardianship or those with a recognized mental illness must be obtained.
If the study will be carried out in any institution or organization, approval must be obtained from this institution or organization that the study will be conducted.
In studies with a human element, it should be stated in the "method" section that "informed consent" has been obtained from the participants and ethics committee approval has been obtained from the institution where the study is conducted.