Editorial Ethics and Best Practices Code

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Researchers (JER) adheres to the highest standards of ethical publishing, guided by internationally recognized frameworks including:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

• World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki (WMA).

• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

• Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE).

The following code outlines the responsibilities and best practices expected from all stakeholders involved in the publishing process.

1. General Principles

JER is committed to:

• Editorial independence.
• Academic integrity.
• Advancement of knowledge free from political, ideological, or economic influence.

The Scientific Council and Editorial Team ensure:

• Freedom of expression.
• Transparent and rigorous editorial procedures.
• High-quality ethical publishing standards.
• Prompt correction of errors and clarifications when needed.

2. Relationship with Authors

• Manuscript acceptance is based on originality, relevance, clarity, and merit.
• Authorship must accurately reflect significant intellectual or practical contributions to the research. Guest, honorary, or ghost authorship is strictly prohibited.
• All authors are required to disclose conflicts of interest and funding sources.
• Authors must follow internationally recognized ethical research standards, including obtaining approval from relevant ethics committees and informed consent where applicable.
• Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism and duplicate submissions, is not tolerated. All submissions are screened with Plagiarism Checker X. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized material will be rejected or retracted.
• Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their submissions and must promptly notify the journal if errors are discovered post-publication.
• Author Guidelines are comprehensive and regularly updated to reflect evolving standards.

3. Relationship with Reviewers

• Reviewers are selected based on relevant expertise.
• Required to provide constructive, unbiased, and timely reviews.
• Must disclose conflicts of interest before accepting reviews.
• Confidentiality of manuscripts is strictly maintained unless otherwise agreed.
• Reviewer contributions may be acknowledged publicly where appropriate.

4. Peer Review Process

JER is committed to a rigorous, fair, and transparent peer review system, ensuring that all published content undergoes editorial oversight.

• Manuscripts first undergo a desk review by the editorial team for scope, format, and ethical compliance.
• Submissions that pass desk review are assigned to qualified peer reviewers.
• The default system is double-blind peer review (anonymous reviewer/anonymous author), but JER also supports:
• Single-blind peer review (anonymous reviewer/disclosed author).
• Open peer review (disclosed reviewer/disclosed author).
• In the case of conflicting reviews, a third reviewer may be assigned.
• JER actively supports training and innovation in peer review practices.

5. Scientific Council Responsibilities

• Guarantees editorial independence.
• Contributes to strategic development and journal promotion.
• Provides mentorship and feedback to contributors.

6. Editorial and Ownership Independence

• Manuscript decisions are based solely on scholarly merit.
• The publisher (Ponteditora) respects editorial autonomy.
• Transparent communication is maintained between the editorial team and publisher regarding journal operations.

7. Ethical Research Standards

• Research must follow internationally recognized ethics guidelines.
• JER checks for:
• Ethical approval.
• Informed consent.
• Protection of participant confidentiality, especially for vulnerable groups.

8. Integrity of the Scholarly Record

• Errors will be corrected transparently and without delay.
• Retractions are issued when required, following COPE guidelines.
• Archiving is ensured via the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN).
• All accepted publications are made openly accessible.

9. Handling Misconduct, Retractions, and Corrections

• Allegations of misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication, unethical research, duplicate publication) are investigated in accordance with COPE procedures.
• Where misconduct is confirmed, outcomes may include:
• Retraction of the article.
• Issuing of corrections or expressions of concern.
• Notification of authors’ institutions.
• Temporary or permanent submission bans.
• Authors are always given an opportunity to respond before final decisions are made.
• Retractions, corrections, or updates are clearly labeled and remain permanently accessible.

10. Publishing Malpractice Policy

JER considers publishing malpractice to include:

• Plagiarism and redundant publication.
• Manipulation of peer review.
• Falsification or fabrication of data.
• Misrepresentation of authorship or contributions.
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest.

The journal takes all such cases seriously and applies corrective measures consistent with international best practices.

11. Open Science and Reproducibility

JER strongly encourages:

• Data sharing where legally and ethically possible.
• Transparent and replicable research methodologies.
• Responsible reuse of published content with proper citation.
• Early dissemination via Ahead of Print with DOI registration through Crossref.

This Code of Ethics ensures that JER operates with integrity, promotes high-quality research, and remains accountable to its international academic community.