Publication Ethics
The Nigeria Journal of Business Administration (NJBA) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The guidelines provided on this page serves as a framework for editors, authors, reviewers, and publishers to ensure ethical conduct in all aspects of manuscript submission, review, and publication.
Responsibilities of Authors
Originality and Accuracy
Authors must ensure that their work is original, clearly acknowledging the contributions of others. Data should be reported accurately, without any form of fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation.Any use of previously published material must be clearly cited.
Authorship and Acknowledgment
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. Inididuals who do not meet the criteria for authorship but are involved in the research process should be acknowledged appropriately.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
Any potential conflicts of interest—financial, personal, or professional—must be disclosed. This includes funding sources, affiliations, or any relationships that might influence the research findings. Transparency in funding sources and potential conflicts is mandatory.
Data Availability and Integrity
Authors should be prepared to provide raw data, methodologies, and any relevant materials upon request to ensure reproducibility and integrity. Data manipulation or fabrication is strictly prohibited.
Duplicate Submission and Prior Publication
Manuscripts submitted to the journal should not be under consideration elsewhere. If a portion of the work has been previously published, this must be fully disclosed with proper citations.
Responsibilities of Reviewers
Confidentiality
Reviewers must maintain confidentiality regarding the manuscripts they review. They should provide objective, constructive feedback while avoiding personal criticism. Reviewers should disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from the review process if necessary.
Objective and Fair Assessment
Reviewers should disclose any conflicts of interest and refrain from using information gained during the review process for personal advantage.
Conflict of Interest
Reviewers should be vigilant for plagiarism and misrepresentation in the manuscripts they review. They should also ensure that all references are properly cited.
Timeliness
Reviewers are expected to complete their assessments promptly to facilitate a smooth publication process.
Alertness to ethical issues
Reviewers should be vigilant for potential ethical concerns in the manuscript and inform the editor of any issues, including significant similarities with other published works that they are aware of.
Responsibilities of Editors
Fair and Unbiased Decision-Making
Editors should ensure that the editorial decision is based solely on the quality, relevance, and scientific integrity of the manuscript. Editors should guard against any bias or influence stemming from personal, institutional, or commercial interests.
Confidentiality
Editors are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the peer-review process. Any information concerning a manuscript must be protected unless explicit permission is given for disclosure.
Managing Misconduct
Editors must address allegations of research misconduct, such as plagiarism or data manipulation, with prompt and thorough investigations. Appropriate corrective actions—ranging from manuscript rejection to retraction—should be taken in accordance with established protocols.
Transparency in Corrections
If errors or ethical issues are identified post-publication, the journal will ensure that corrections, clarifications, or retractions are issued in a clear and timely manner to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
Conflict of Interest
Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and manage them appropriately, including recusing themselves from decisions where a conflict exists.
Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication
Detection and Prevention
NJBA uses available tools and procedures to detect plagiarism and duplicate submissions. Authors are expected to ensure that their work is original and that any reuse of previous material is fully disclosed and properly referenced.
Consequences
Instances of plagiarism or duplicate publication will be taken seriously and may result in rejection of the manuscript, retraction of the published paper, and notification to the author’s institution.
Handling Misconduct and Ethical Breaches
Investigation Process
NJBA will promptly investigate any allegations of ethical misconduct following COPE’s guidelines. This includes suspected cases of data fabrication, falsification, or other forms of research misconduct. The journal commits to a fair and confidential process for investigating any allegations of misconduct. All parties involved will have the opportunity to provide their account before any final decision is made.
Corrective Measures
If errors are discovered post-publication or ethical breaches confirmed, , actions may include retraction of published articles, issuance of corrections, or bans on future submissions. The journal will notify relevant institutions or funding bodies if necessary.
Appeals and Complaints
Author and Reviewer Appeals
Authors or reviewers who feel that a decision was made in error or unfairly are encouraged to submit a formal appeal. Appeals will be reviewed impartially by an independent committee where appropriate.
External Complaints
NJBA welcomes external feedback on ethical issues. All complaints will be taken seriously and addressed in line with COPE recommendations.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
Manuscript Confidentiality
All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential. Editorial decisions, reviewer reports, and related communications are kept secure and used solely for the purpose of editorial evaluation.
Compliance with Data Protection Laws
The journal ensures that all personal data provided during the submission and review process is handled in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.