Conflict of Interest Disclosure

At the International Journal of Management and Development Studies (IJMDS), transparency, integrity, and objectivity are fundamental to the scholarly publishing process.

All participants involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence, or be perceived to influence, their work or decisions.

For Authors

Disclosure Requirement

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, academic, or professional relationships that may affect the research or its interpretation. Such disclosures include, but are not limited to:

  • Sources of funding or sponsorship
  • Employment, consultancies, or advisory roles
  • Stock ownership, equity interests, or financial investments
  • Paid expert testimony
  • Patent applications, registrations, or intellectual property rights
  • Personal or professional relationships with other researchers, institutions, or organizations related to the study

How to Disclose

All disclosures must be clearly stated in a separate section titled "Conflict of Interest" within the manuscript at the time of submission.

If no conflicts exist, authors must include the following statement:
"The authors declare no conflicts of interest."

For Reviewers

Impartiality and Disclosure

Reviewers must decline or withdraw from reviewing a manuscript if any conflict of interest exists, including:

  • Personal, professional, or academic relationships with the author(s)
  • Competitive or collaborative associations
  • Financial, institutional, or intellectual interests that could bias the review

Reviewers must promptly notify the editorial office of any real or perceived conflict before accepting a review assignment.

For Editors

Fair and Unbiased Editorial Decisions

  • Avoid processing manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest
  • Disclose any relevant financial, professional, or personal interests
  • Delegate editorial responsibility to another qualified editorial board member when a conflict arises

Editorial Transparency

Editors are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards and ensure an impartial, confidential, and fair peer-review and publication process.

Management of Disclosed Conflicts

All conflict of interest disclosures are carefully evaluated by the editorial team. Where necessary, appropriate actions may be taken, including:

  • Publishing the disclosure statement alongside the article
  • Reassigning reviewers or editors
  • Rejecting or withdrawing a manuscript if ethical integrity is compromised

Responsibility and Enforcement

  • Rejection of the manuscript
  • Retraction of a published article
  • Notification to the author's affiliated institution or funding body

IJMDS follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines in addressing and resolving conflict of interest cases.