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

• Transparent peer review process with allowance for justified appeals

• Optional open peer review transparency

• Authorship must reflect significant contribution; conflict of interest must be disclosed

• Author Guidelines are comprehensive and regularly updated

3. Relationship with Reviewers

• Reviewers selected based on expertise

• Required to provide constructive, unbiased, and timely reviews

• Must disclose conflicts of interest before accepting reviews

• Anonymity and confidentiality are supported unless otherwise agreed

• Reviewer contributions may be publicly acknowledged where appropriate

4. Peer Review Process

• Desk Review followed by Peer Review using:

  • Single-blind

  • Double-blind (default)

  • Open peer review

• Third reviewer assigned in case of disagreement

• Commitment to innovation and training 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 based solely on scholarly merit

• Publisher (Ponteditora) respects editorial autonomy

• Transparent communication with the publisher about journal operations

7. Ethical Research Standards

• Research must follow recognized ethics guidelines

• JER checks for:

  • Ethical approval

  • Informed consent

  • Participant confidentiality (especially for vulnerable groups)

8. Integrity of the Scholarly Record

• Transparent correction of errors

• Retractions issued when required

• Archiving ensured via PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN)

• Open access to all accepted publications

9. Handling Misconduct and Retractions

• Misconduct handled per COPE procedures

• Possible outcomes: retraction, institutional alert, submission bans

• Authors are given an opportunity to respond

10. Open Science and Reproducibility

• Encourages:

  • Data sharing

  • Transparent methodology

  • Content reuse with citation

• Early publication via Ahead of Print with DOI via Crossref

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