Allegation of Research Misconduct

Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen Ubhara (JMU) is committed to upholding research integrity, publication ethics, and responsible scholarly practices. The journal takes allegations of research misconduct seriously and handles all concerns in a fair, confidential, impartial, and timely manner.

1. Types of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct may include, but is not limited to:

  • Fabrication: Making up research data, results, or information and reporting them as genuine.

  • Falsification: Manipulating research materials, processes, data, or results in a way that misrepresents the research findings.

  • Plagiarism: Using another person's ideas, words, data, or work without appropriate acknowledgment.

  • Duplicate or redundant publication: Publishing substantially similar work without appropriate disclosure or justification.

  • Authorship misconduct: Inappropriate attribution of authorship, including the inclusion of individuals who did not make a qualifying contribution or the omission of eligible contributors.

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest: Failure to disclose relationships or interests that could improperly influence the research or its publication.

  • Other ethical violations: Serious breaches of research ethics, publication standards, or applicable regulations.

Honest errors and differences in scholarly interpretation do not necessarily constitute research misconduct. Each allegation will be assessed based on the available evidence and the circumstances of the case.

2. Reporting an Allegation

Authors, reviewers, readers, researchers, and other parties may report suspected research misconduct to the journal's editorial team.

Reports should include, where possible, a clear description of the concern, the title or details of the affected manuscript or article, relevant supporting evidence, and the reporter's contact information. Anonymous reports may also be considered when sufficient information is provided to permit an initial assessment.

Allegations should be submitted in good faith and supported by factual information. The journal does not tolerate knowingly false or malicious allegations.

3. Initial Assessment

Upon receiving an allegation, the editorial team will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal's responsibility and whether sufficient information is available to proceed.

Where necessary, the journal may request additional documentation or clarification from the reporting party. The editorial team will assess the available information objectively and avoid drawing conclusions before the relevant evidence has been examined.

4. Investigation and Author Response

If an allegation warrants further investigation, the journal may contact the corresponding author and other relevant parties to request an explanation or supporting documentation. Authors will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the concerns raised.

When appropriate, the journal may consult independent experts or contact the authors' affiliated institutions, research organizations, or other relevant bodies. The journal recognizes that formal investigations into research misconduct may fall within the responsibilities of the relevant institutions.

All parties are expected to cooperate with the process and provide accurate information.

5. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

Allegations will be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible, subject to the requirements of a fair investigation and any applicable legal or institutional obligations.

The journal will seek to protect the rights and reputations of all parties involved, avoid premature judgments, and manage conflicts of interest during the assessment and investigation process. Information will be shared only with individuals who need it for the proper handling of the case, where practicable.

6. Editorial Actions

Depending on the nature, seriousness, and findings of the case, the journal may take appropriate actions, including:

  • Rejecting a manuscript that does not meet research integrity or publication ethics standards.

  • Requesting corrections or additional clarification when appropriate.

  • Publishing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction for a published article when justified by the evidence.

  • Suspending editorial consideration of a manuscript while a serious concern is being assessed.

  • Referring the matter to the relevant institution or authority when appropriate.

Editorial decisions will be based on the available evidence, the journal's policies, and applicable publication ethics principles. Any action involving a published article will follow the journal's correction and retraction policy.

7. Protection Against Retaliation

The journal does not support retaliation against individuals who raise concerns in good faith or cooperate with an investigation. Reports will be assessed on their merits, regardless of the reporter's identity or relationship with the authors, subject to the journal's ability to evaluate the information provided.

8. Commitment to Research Integrity

JMU aims to maintain trust in scholarly publishing by responding responsibly to allegations of research misconduct, protecting the integrity of the academic record, and promoting ethical research practices.

This policy should be read together with the journal's publication ethics, peer-review, plagiarism, conflict-of-interest, and correction and retraction policies.