Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Malpractice
Creative Business and Sustainability Journal (CBSJ) upholds the highest standards of publication ethics and adheres to the international guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publishing process—editors, reviewers, and authors—must honor and follow these ethical principles.

1. For Editors
CBSJ editors are responsible for maintaining the integrity and quality of the journal and are committed to the following:

Publication Decision

  • Editors make publication decisions based solely on a manuscript’s academic merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to CBSJ’s aims and scope.
  • Submissions under consideration elsewhere or previously published (except as an abstract) will be rejected.
  • Editors may consult other editors or qualified reviewers when making publication decisions.

Confidentiality

  • Editors and editorial staff shall treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
  • They must not disclose manuscript content or author/reviewer identities to anyone except those involved in the publication process.
  • Privileged information acquired during the review process must not be used for personal advantage.

Plagiarism and Misconduct

  • All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism, duplication, and ethical violations using detection software.
  • Any detected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication/falsification) will result in immediate rejection or retraction.

Conflict of Interest and Transparency

  • Editors must not participate in the decision-making process for manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest.
  • Editors may not request authors to cite specific papers to artificially inflate journal citations.

Handling Complaints

  • CBSJ maintains mechanisms to handle complaints, appeals, or requests for corrections and retractions in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Use of Generative AI

  • CBSJ allows the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies for limited purposes under strict ethical guidelines. Authors, editors, and reviewers must comply with the following conditions

 

2. For Reviewers
CBSJ reviewers play a critical role in ensuring academic integrity and are expected to:

Confidentiality

  • Treat all manuscripts as confidential documents.
  • Refrain from discussing or using content from submitted manuscripts prior to publication.

Objectivity

  • Conduct reviews objectively and without personal bias.
  • Provide constructive, evidence-based feedback and avoid unsubstantiated criticism.

Conflict of Interest

  • Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that could affect their review and decline participation where appropriate.
  • They must not exploit information from the review for personal gain.

Plagiarism and Ethical Oversight

  • If reviewers detect plagiarism, data manipulation, or ethical concerns, they must report them promptly to the editorial team.

Use of Generative AI

  • CBSJ allows the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies for limited purposes under strict ethical guidelines. Authors, editors, and reviewers must comply with the following conditions

 

3. For Authors
CBSJ expects all authors to adhere strictly to research and publication ethics. Authors must:

Originality and Plagiarism

  • Submit only original, unpublished work not under review elsewhere.
  • Ensure that no part of the manuscript is plagiarized, including self-plagiarism, and that all sources are properly cited.

Use of Generative AI

  • CBSJ allows the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies for limited purposes under strict ethical guidelines. Authors, editors, and reviewers must comply with the following conditions

Human Subjects and Research Ethics

  • For studies involving human participants, authors must:
    • Comply with all relevant ethical regulations.
    • Obtain ethics committee approval, including approval code, and state it clearly in the manuscript.
    • Ensure participants were not coerced or subjected to harm.

Authorship

  • Authorship must be limited to those who made significant contributions to the research and manuscript preparation.
  • All listed authors must approve the final version and agree to submission.
  • Changes in authorship after submission are not permitted without formal justification and editorial approval.

Conflict of Interest and Funding

  • All sources of financial or institutional support must be disclosed.
  • Any conflicts of interest must be clearly stated in the manuscript.
  • Acknowledgments must list any contributors not meeting authorship criteria.

 

4. Allegations of Misconduct
CBSJ takes all allegations of academic misconduct seriously, whether pre- or post-publication. Allegations should be reported to the editorial team using the Ethical Concern Reporting Form available on the CBSJ website. The editorial team will investigate and take action in accordance with COPE procedures, including issuing retractions or corrections where necessary.