Conflict of Interest Policy for IJOER Engineering Journal
ICMJE Conflict of Interest Standards
IJOER follows International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines for conflict of interest disclosure.
Policy Navigation
1. Definition & Scope
ICMJE Definition
A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest may be influenced by a secondary interest.
Primary Interests
- Research integrity and engineering ethics
- Technical validity and reproducibility
- Scientific objectivity in engineering research
- Academic honesty and professional standards
Secondary Interests
- Financial gain and commercial interests
- Professional advancement and academic promotion
- Personal relationships and collaborations
- Academic competition and intellectual rivalry
2. Disclosure Requirements
| Who Must Disclose | What to Disclose | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| All Authors | All financial and non-financial relationships | At submission and upon publication |
| Reviewers | Conflicts with manuscript content or authors | Before accepting review assignment |
| Editors | Conflicts with manuscripts under consideration | Before handling manuscript |
| Editorial Board | Annual disclosure of all relationships | During annual renewal |
Disclosure Principle
When in doubt, disclose. Failure to disclose conflicts may result in manuscript rejection or article retraction.
3. Types of Conflicts
Financial Conflicts
- Employment or consultancy with industry partners
- Stock ownership or options in relevant companies
- Patent applications or grants related to the work
- Research funding from commercial sources
- Travel grants and conference sponsorships
- Honoraria or speaking fees from industry
- Expert testimony related to the subject matter
- Board membership of relevant organizations
Non-Financial Conflicts
- Personal relationships with authors (family, close friends)
- Academic competition or rivalry
- Intellectual passion or strong bias toward certain methodologies
- Professional or political beliefs affecting objectivity
- Institutional affiliations and pressures
- Previous publication history with authors
- Grant review relationships
- Editorial relationships and collaborations
4. Conflict Management
Management Strategies
Disclosure Methods:
- ICMJE Disclosure Form submission
- Declaration in manuscript (Conflict of Interest Statement)
- Separate conflict statement during submission
- Publication of disclosures in the article
Management Approaches:
- Full disclosure to readers for transparency
- Editorial recusal from handling manuscripts
- Independent review by conflict-free editors
- Publication of conflict statements in articles
Transparency Principle: The primary management strategy is full transparency. Disclosed conflicts do not automatically disqualify work but allow readers to assess potential bias.
5. Reviewer & Editor Conflicts
| Role | Conflict Situations | Required Action |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewer | Previous collaboration with authors, direct competition, personal relationships, institutional affiliation | Decline review assignment immediately |
| Associate Editor | Conflict with authors or content, institutional affiliation, recent collaboration | Recuse from handling manuscript; assign to another editor |
| Editor-in-Chief | Any conflict with submitted manuscript | Assign handling to independent associate editor |
| Editorial Board | Annual disclosure of all relationships required | Update disclosure form annually |
6. Consequences of Non-Compliance
For Authors
- Immediate manuscript rejection
- Article retraction if already published
- Publication of correction notice
- Author sanctions (temporary or permanent submission ban)
- Notification to author's institution
- Public notice of violation
For Reviewers/Editors
- Removal from current review assignment
- Suspension from reviewer or editorial role
- Termination of board membership
- Notification to reviewer's/editor's institution
- COPE notification for severe violations
- Publication of notice if public disclosure required
Policy Enforcement
IJOER follows COPE guidelines for conflict of interest violations. All allegations are investigated thoroughly. The presumption is for full disclosure - when uncertain, disclose.
Policy Summary
Key Requirements:
- ✓ Disclose ALL financial & non-financial conflicts
- ✓ Use ICMJE disclosure form
- ✓ Update disclosures annually
- ✓ When in doubt, disclose
- ✓ Recuse when conflicts exist
- ✓ Full transparency to readers