Publication Ethics and Misconduct

1. Publication Ethics Statement

Jurnal Manajemen Retail Indonesia (JMARI) is committed to upholding academic integrity, transparency, objectivity, and ethical standards throughout the scholarly publishing process. This publication ethics policy applies to authors, editors, peer reviewers, and all parties involved in the journal's editorial and publishing activities. JMARI follows internationally recognized principles of publication ethics, including the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), to ensure that all published manuscripts meet appropriate standards of research integrity and academic responsibility.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts submitted to JMARI are original, prepared honestly, and do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others. Authors must comply with the following requirements:

  • Originality and plagiarism. Manuscripts must constitute original scholarly work. Any use of ideas, data, images, tables, or statements from other sources must be appropriately cited and referenced. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
  • Duplicate publication. Submitted manuscripts must not have been previously published or be under consideration for publication by another journal or scholarly publication, unless explicitly permitted under a clearly disclosed and applicable policy.
  • Accuracy of data and research findings. Authors must not fabricate data, falsify data, manipulate results, or present research information in a misleading manner.
  • Individuals listed as authors must have made substantial scholarly contributions to the research or manuscript. Authors must agree on the order of authorship and approve the final version before publication.
  • Disclosure of conflicts of interest. Authors must disclose financial and non-financial conflicts of interest that could potentially influence the research, interpretation of findings, or reporting of results.
  • Research ethics. Research involving human participants, animals, personal data, or vulnerable populations must comply with applicable ethical requirements and regulations. Ethical approval and informed consent must be obtained whenever required.
  • Sources and references. All sources must be accurately cited and verifiable. Irrelevant references, sources that were not actually consulted, and citations included solely to inappropriately influence citation metrics must be avoided.
  • Use of artificial intelligence. The use of generative artificial intelligence tools in manuscript preparation, analysis, or the creation of research materials must be disclosed whenever required by the journal's policy. AI tools cannot be listed as authors and do not replace the authors' responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the entire manuscript.
  • Correction and withdrawal. Authors must promptly notify the editor if they discover a substantial error in a submitted or published manuscript and cooperate with any necessary correction or retraction process.

3. Responsibilities of Editors

JMARI editors are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the editorial process and ensuring that manuscripts are evaluated according to their scholarly quality, relevance, originality, and alignment with the journal's aims and scope.

Editors must:

  • Treat all manuscripts fairly and objectively, without discrimination based on an author's identity, affiliation, gender, religion, nationality, or personal views.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and information obtained during the editorial process.
  • Ensure that editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit and peer-review assessments rather than commercial interests or personal relationships.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest and delegate manuscript handling when a conflict could compromise objectivity.
  • Address allegations of plagiarism, data manipulation, duplicate publication, and other ethical violations professionally and proportionately.
  • Make acceptance, revision, or rejection decisions based on scholarly evaluation and the journal's policies.
  • Issue corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions when serious errors or ethical violations warrant such action.

4. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers contribute to the quality and credibility of JMARI publications by providing objective and constructive assessments.

Peer reviewers must:

  • Evaluate manuscripts objectively, professionally, and on the basis of scholarly merit.
  • Maintain manuscript confidentiality and refrain from using unpublished information for personal or third-party benefit.
  • Disclose potential conflicts of interest and decline review assignments when their independence cannot be ensured.
  • Provide clear, reasoned assessments and constructive recommendations to help authors improve their manuscripts.
  • Inform the editor of suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, or other ethical concerns.
  • Avoid requesting irrelevant citations or citations intended solely to increase their own citation counts or those of particular individuals or publications.

5. Types of Publication Misconduct

JMARI recognizes the following as forms of publication misconduct:

  • Plagiarism: Using another party's work, ideas, data, or statements without adequate attribution.
  • Redundant or duplicate publication: Publishing or submitting substantially the same work to multiple publication outlets without appropriate disclosure and authorization.
  • Data fabrication: Inventing data, results, or research findings that were never obtained.
  • Data falsification: Altering, omitting, or manipulating data or research procedures so that the research no longer accurately represents the underlying evidence.
  • Authorship manipulation: Listing individuals who do not qualify for authorship, omitting eligible contributors, or changing the author order without the agreement of the relevant parties.
  • Citation manipulation: Adding irrelevant references or engaging in inappropriate citation practices to artificially increase citation counts.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest: Concealing relationships or interests that could influence the research, peer review, or editorial decision-making.
  • Research ethics violations: Failing to obtain required ethical approval or informed consent, protect personal data, or comply with relevant legal requirements.
  • Peer-review manipulation: Falsifying reviewer identities, providing misleading reviewer information, or improperly attempting to influence the peer-review process.
  • Misuse of confidential materials: Using or disclosing manuscripts, data, or confidential information obtained through the editorial process without authorization.

6. Prevention and Detection of Misconduct

JMARI may conduct preliminary manuscript screening using similarity-detection software, reference verification, scholarly content assessment, and other relevant verification methods. Similarity-check results do not automatically establish plagiarism. Editors must assess the context of the overlap, the sources identified, the adequacy of attribution, and the characteristics of the manuscript as a whole. Screening and investigation may take place before publication or after publication when credible information or allegations of ethical misconduct are received.

7. Handling Allegations of Publication Misconduct

All allegations of publication misconduct will be handled confidentially, fairly, objectively, and proportionately. JMARI follows these procedures:

  • Receipt of allegations. The editor receives a complaint or identifies potential misconduct based on relevant evidence.
  • Preliminary assessment. The editor evaluates the credibility of the allegation, its seriousness, and the sufficiency of the available initial evidence.
  • Request for clarification. The author or relevant party is given a reasonable opportunity to respond and provide supporting evidence.
  • Where necessary, the editor conducts further inquiries and may seek advice from independent experts or the relevant institution.
  • Decision-making. Decisions are based on the available evidence, the severity of the alleged misconduct, and applicable ethical guidelines.
  • Corrective action. Depending on the circumstances, JMARI may reject the manuscript, request revisions, issue a correction, publish an expression of concern, retract an article, or restrict future submissions in accordance with the journal's policies.
  • The investigation process and decisions are documented to support accountability and consistency.

In serious cases, including suspected data fabrication or falsification, JMARI may contact the author's affiliated institution or another relevant authority, while observing applicable confidentiality requirements and regulations.

8. Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

JMARI is committed to maintaining the accuracy of the scholarly record. If errors or misconduct are identified after publication, the journal may take the following actions:

  • Correction: Issued to amend errors that can be corrected without undermining the overall reliability of the article.
  • Expression of Concern: Issued when a serious concern has arisen, an investigation is ongoing, and readers need to be informed.
  • Retraction: Implemented when sufficient evidence indicates serious misconduct or errors that render the article's main findings unreliable.

Each action will be accompanied by an adequate explanation and linked to the relevant article to maintain transparency in the scholarly record.

9. Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other parties with relevant evidence may submit complaints concerning alleged ethical misconduct or editorial procedures through the official communication channels listed on the JMARI website. Complaints must be submitted in good faith and, where possible, supported by relevant information and evidence. Complainants will be treated professionally, and confidential information will be protected in accordance with applicable requirements. Parties affected by editorial decisions or investigation outcomes may submit an appeal by providing clear reasons and supporting evidence. Appeals will be reviewed objectively by the editor or, where appropriate, an independent party.

10. Commitment to Publication Integrity

All parties involved in publishing the Jurnal Manajemen Retail Indonesia are expected to uphold honesty, transparency, independence, accountability, and academic responsibility. JMARI reserves the right to take appropriate action in response to publication ethics violations to protect authors, readers, the academic community, and the credibility of scholarly knowledge. By submitting a manuscript to JMARI, authors are deemed to have read, understood, and agreed to comply with the journal's publication ethics and misconduct policies.