Research Misconduct

Allegations of Research Misconduct

The Journal of Business Management and Islamic Banking (JBMIB) takes allegations of research misconduct and publication malpractice seriously. These may include data fabrication or falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, image or citation manipulation, authorship disputes, peer-review manipulation, undisclosed competing interests, and other potential violations of research and publication ethics. Allegations may be raised before or after publication through the JBMIB editorial office.

Preliminary Assessment

Upon receiving a complaint or allegation of possible research misconduct, an ethical breach, or publication malpractice, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether the allegation is credible and supported by sufficient information. This assessment may involve reviewing similarity reports, editorial correspondence, peer-review records, metadata, research data, and other relevant supporting documents.

If the allegation appears credible, the corresponding author will be contacted and invited to provide a written explanation on behalf of the author team, where appropriate. The journal may request additional information or refer the matter to the authors' institution, research funder, or another competent authority for formal investigation. While the matter is being assessed, JBMIB may suspend editorial processing, delay publication, reject the submission, or issue an expression of concern if a published article may be unreliable and the matter cannot be resolved promptly.

Author Response and Further Investigation

All allegations of misconduct or publication malpractice will be handled seriously, confidentially, fairly, and in a timely manner. JBMIB may request explanations, raw data, research ethics approval documents, authorship clarifications, funding disclosures, or institutional confirmation from the authors. Where necessary, the journal may consult editorial board members, independent experts, research funders, or relevant institutions to support a fair and evidence-based assessment.

Editorial Actions and Outcomes

If misconduct is confirmed before publication, the manuscript may be rejected. If misconduct is confirmed after publication, JBMIB may issue a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction, depending on the nature and severity of the case and its impact on the reliability of the published record.

Other appropriate measures may include suspending editorial processing, requesting additional documentation, notifying relevant institutions or funders, and taking proportionate actions necessary to clarify the circumstances and protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

JBMIB will assess the available evidence, consider responses from the relevant parties, and, where warranted, consult independent experts or the authors' institutions. The assessment and outcome will be documented appropriately. An allegation alone does not establish misconduct; conclusions will be based on a fair assessment of the available evidence.

If the published record requires amendment, the journal will follow its Corrections and Retractions Policy.