AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS POLICY

Introduction

The Journal of Multidisciplinary Business Research (JMBR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. This Authors and Contributors Policy outlines the criteria for authorship and contributorship, as well as the guidelines to prevent and address unethical author practices.

Criteria for Authors and Contributors

  1. Authorship Criteria: Authors are individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research study. To qualify as an author, individuals must meet all of the following criteria:

    • Contributed significantly to the conception or design of the study, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
    • Drafted the manuscript or revised it critically for important intellectual content.
    • Approved the final version of the manuscript for submission and publication.

  2. Contributorship Criteria: Contributors are individuals who have made significant but non-authorship contributions to the research study or manuscript preparation. This may include individuals who have provided technical, statistical, or administrative support, but do not meet the criteria for authorship. Contributors should be acknowledged in the manuscript for their specific contributions.

Policy Against Unethical Author Practices

JMBR strictly prohibits the following unethical author practices:

  1. Gift Authorship: Gift authorship, wherein individuals are included as authors despite not meeting the authorship criteria, is strictly prohibited. All authors must have made substantial contributions to the research study and manuscript preparation.

  2. Ghost Authorship: Ghost authorship, wherein individuals who have made significant contributions to the research study are not acknowledged as authors, is strictly prohibited. All individuals who have contributed substantially to the study must be listed as authors and acknowledged accordingly.

  3. Duplicate Publication: Duplicate publication, also known as self-plagiarism, wherein authors submit the same research findings to multiple journals without proper attribution, is strictly prohibited. Authors must ensure that their manuscript contains original work and has not been published elsewhere.

  4. Salami Slicing: Salami slicing, wherein a single study is fragmented into multiple smaller publications to artificially increase publication output, is strictly prohibited. Authors should consolidate their findings into a single comprehensive manuscript to ensure the integrity and coherence of the research.

  5. Plagiarism: Plagiarism, wherein authors use the ideas, words, or findings of others without proper attribution, is strictly prohibited. Authors must ensure that all sources are properly cited and referenced in their manuscript.

  6. Fabrication and Falsification: Fabrication and falsification of data or research findings, wherein authors manipulate or invent data to support their conclusions, are strictly prohibited. Authors must ensure the accuracy and integrity of their research and report findings truthfully and transparently.

  7. Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may influence their research or its interpretation. Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may compromise the integrity and objectivity of the research.

Enforcement and Compliance

JMBR is committed to enforcing this Authors and Contributors Policy and will take appropriate action against individuals found to have engaged in unethical author practices. Such actions may include but are not limited to:

  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Retraction of published articles.
  • Notification of the author's institution or funding agency.
  • Prohibition from submitting future manuscripts to JMBR.

Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy and are encouraged to familiarize themselves with its provisions before submitting their manuscripts to JMBR.

By adhering to this policy, JMBR aims to uphold the integrity, transparency, and credibility of its publications and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of multidisciplinary business research.