Publication Ethics and Malpractice Policy

The IIP International Journal of Commerce & Business Management Studies is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, integrity, and professional responsibility in all aspects of the publication process. Our policies align with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other internationally recognized best practices.
These principles ensure transparency, credibility, and the long-term quality of the research we publish.

Ethical Guidelines

1. Authorship and Contributions

  • All authors listed on a manuscript must have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the research.

  • Authors must ensure that all contributors are appropriately acknowledged and that no individual is falsely included or excluded from authorship.

  • The corresponding author is responsible for confirming the accuracy of authorship details.

2. Conflict of Interest

  • Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may influence the research, evaluation, or publication process.

  • Conflicts should be declared at the time of submission, review, or editorial decision-making to maintain full transparency.

3. Plagiarism and Originality

  • The journal follows a zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism.

  • Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by any other journal.

  • Authors must properly cite all sources and avoid any form of:

    • Data fabrication

    • Data falsification

    • Image manipulation

    • Unethical replication of previously published work (self-plagiarism)

  • All manuscripts may be subject to plagiarism screening before peer review.

4. Research Ethics

  • Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must follow internationally accepted ethical standards.

  • Authors must obtain approvals from institutional or national ethical review boards where applicable.

  • Ethical compliance statements should be clearly included within the manuscript.

5. Peer Review Process

  • The journal follows a double-blind peer-review process, ensuring impartiality and confidentiality.

  • Reviewers must:

    • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback

    • Evaluate manuscripts solely on scholarly merit

    • Decline reviews when conflicts of interest exist

    • Maintain confidentiality and avoid using unpublished material for personal advantage

  • Editors ensure fair and unbiased manuscript handling, based solely on academic quality.

Malpractice Policies

1. Investigating Research Misconduct

  • Allegations of research misconduct—including plagiarism, data manipulation, unethical practices, or authorship violations—will be thoroughly investigated.

  • The journal reserves the right to:

    • Contact the author’s institution

    • Request further clarification or documentation

    • Suspend or reject submissions during investigation

2. Retractions, Corrections, and Withdrawals

  • Retractions will be issued for confirmed cases of serious misconduct, data falsification, plagiarism, or unethical research practices.

  • Corrections will be issued for minor errors that do not compromise the overall findings or conclusions of the study.

  • Article withdrawals may be permitted under justified circumstances before publication.

3. Editorial Integrity

  • Editors must maintain the highest standards of professional integrity.

  • Editors will recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.

  • Decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection are based solely on:

    • Research originality

    • Scientific rigor

    • Relevance to the journal’s scope

    • Ethical compliance

By upholding these ethical principles and malpractice guidelines, the IIP International Journal of Commerce & Business Management Studies ensures the credibility, transparency, and trustworthiness of all research it publishes, fostering a responsible and respected academic environment.