Allegations of misconduct

Tijara: Journal of International Trade and Economics in Central Asia is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethics in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the process for handling allegations of misconduct in research or publication. We take all allegations of misconduct seriously, whether pre-publication or post-publication, and follow a fair and impartial investigative procedure. Our approach is based on the Core Practices outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Types of Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Plagiarism: The act of copying or using someone else's work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper attribution.

  2. Fabrication: Creating false or fictitious data or results that misrepresent the research process or findings.

  3. Falsification: Manipulating or altering research data or results to misrepresent the findings.

  4. Authorship Misconduct: Inappropriate authorship attribution, including guest or gift authorship, where authors are included without making substantial contributions to the work.

  5. Conflict of Interest: Failure to disclose relevant financial, personal, or professional relationships that could potentially influence research findings or conclusions.

  6. Research Misconduct: Any violation of ethical standards or integrity in the research process, including the unethical conduct of experiments or studies.

Reporting Allegations

Allegations of misconduct can be reported by anyone, including authors, reviewers, readers, or whistleblowers who believe that research misconduct has occurred or unethical practices are evident. The journal encourages individuals to report concerns related to scholarly misconduct in good faith.

Whistleblower Protection

Tijara recognizes the importance of protecting whistleblowers who report allegations of misconduct in good faith. The identity of whistleblowers will be protected throughout the investigation process. Whistleblowers will be treated with confidentiality and will not face retaliation for raising concerns related to misconduct.

Investigation Process

Upon receiving an allegation of misconduct, Tijara will initiate an unbiased and thorough investigation. The investigation may involve consulting relevant experts, examining original data, and seeking clarification from all parties involved, including the author(s), reviewers, and any other relevant individuals.

  1. Pre-Publication Allegations:

    • If misconduct is alleged before the publication of an article, the editorial board may decide to postpone the publication pending the outcome of the investigation.

  2. Post-Publication Allegations:

    • If misconduct is alleged after the publication of an article, the journal will follow a post-publication investigation process to assess the validity of the allegations. Appropriate actions will be taken if misconduct is confirmed.

Corrective Actions

If misconduct is substantiated, Tijara may take various corrective actions, including but not limited to:

  1. Retraction: Retracting the article in cases of significant misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification.

  2. Correction or Erratum: Issuing a correction or erratum for any minor errors or issues discovered after publication that do not significantly affect the article’s validity.

  3. Sanctions: In serious cases, Tijara may impose sanctions on the responsible authors or contributors, which could include banning them from submitting future articles to the journal.

  4. Notification: Notifying relevant institutions, regulatory bodies, or authorities if necessary, especially in cases where ethical violations affect public trust or involve legal violations.

Communication and Transparency

Tijara is committed to ensuring transparency throughout the investigation process. The outcome of the investigation will be communicated to the complainant, the accused individuals, and any affected parties. Furthermore, the journal will make the investigation process and its outcome publicly available, ensuring accountability and trust in the editorial process.

Review of the Policy

Tijara will periodically review and update this policy to align with evolving best practices in handling allegations of misconduct. Any revisions to this policy will be communicated to stakeholders and published on the journal’s website. This ensures that the journal’s practices remain in line with current standards in scholarly publishing.