Conflict of Interest Policy
Transparency is a fundamental principle in scholarly publishing. ERMIS Journals adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines on the disclosure and management of conflicts of interest. For more guidance, refer to: COPE Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest
What Is a Conflict of Interest?
A conflict of interest (COI) arises when an individual’s personal, financial, professional, or ideological interests could unduly influence—or appear to influence—their objectivity, integrity, or judgment in conducting, reviewing, or publishing research.
Both actual and perceived conflicts are important and must be disclosed.
Common types of conflicts include, but are not limited to:
-
Financial: Grants, funding, stock ownership, paid consultancy, honoraria, intellectual property rights, or paid expert testimony from an entity with an interest in the research.
-
Affiliations: Employment, membership, or advisory roles with institutions or organizations that may benefit from the findings.
-
Intellectual Property: Ownership of patents, copyrights, or trademarks related to the subject matter.
-
Personal Relationships: Close relationships (e.g., family, friends, partners) that may affect impartiality.
-
Ideological Beliefs: Strong religious, political, or activist positions that may impact neutrality.
-
Academic Competitiveness: Rivalries or collaborations that may bias the evaluation of a peer’s work.
Declaration of Competing Interests
All individuals involved in the publishing process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff—are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest prior to and during their participation.
1. Authors
-
Must disclose all financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the manuscript.
-
Should also declare any funding sources and their role in the research (study design, data analysis, interpretation, etc.).
-
Must clarify whether they had full access to all data and whether the sponsor had any role in the manuscript's preparation or approval.
2. Peer Reviewers
-
Must disclose any potential conflicts of interest prior to accepting a review assignment.
-
Should decline to review any manuscript if they believe they cannot provide an objective evaluation due to personal or professional interests.
-
Must not use any unpublished information obtained during the review process for personal advantage.
3. Editors and Editorial Staff
-
Editors involved in decision-making must recuse themselves from handling any manuscript where they have a conflict of interest.
-
All editorial staff must disclose relevant financial or personal relationships and avoid using unpublished material for personal gain.
-
Guest Editors are also subject to the same conflict of interest disclosure requirements.
Reporting and Publication of Conflict of Interest Statements
Every published article must include the following disclosures, as applicable:
-
Conflict of Interest Statement: A clear declaration by the authors indicating any competing interests or a statement declaring "The authors declare no conflict of interest."
-
Funding Statement: Identification of funding sources and a description of the sponsor’s role (if any) in the research process.
-
Data Access Statement: A description of the authors’ access to the data, including whether the access was full, limited, or ongoing.
These declarations will be published alongside the article to ensure transparency for readers and stakeholders.
Copyright Terms
By submitting a manuscript to ERMIS Journals, authors agree to transfer exclusive copyright to ERMIS Journals upon acceptance. Authors will be required to sign a copyright agreement and consent form, confirming that:
-
The work is original and not under review elsewhere.
-
They hold the rights to all content submitted.
-
Any third-party content has been appropriately licensed or cited.