Conflict of Interest Policy

E-Jurnal Manajemen TSM

1. Policy Statement

E-Jurnal Manajemen TSM is committed to protecting the integrity, objectivity, independence, and transparency of its scholarly publishing process.

A conflict of interest arises when a financial, professional, personal, institutional, or other relationship could influence, or could reasonably appear to influence, a person's judgment, decisions, or actions in the research, peer-review, editorial, or publication process.

Having a conflict of interest does not in itself indicate misconduct. However, conflicts that are not disclosed or not properly managed can undermine the credibility of research findings and the fairness of editorial decisions. For this reason, the journal expects authors, editors, reviewers, and other relevant parties to disclose potential conflicts and to cooperate in managing them appropriately.

This policy draws on the principles of responsible scholarly publishing and the relevant recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Types of Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest can take many forms. The categories below are examples and are not exhaustive.

2.1 Financial Conflicts of Interest

Employment, consultancy, or other paid relationships with an organization that could benefit from the research.
Research funding, grants, honoraria, or financial support from interested parties.
Ownership of shares, equity, or other financial interests in relevant organizations.
Patents, royalties, licensing arrangements, or other financial benefits connected to the research.
Any other financial relationship that could influence how research findings are interpreted, reported, or published.

2.2 Personal and Professional Conflicts of Interest

Family ties, close personal relationships, or personal disputes.
Current or recent supervisory, mentoring, or collaborative relationships.
Professional competition, rivalry, or disagreements that could affect impartial judgment.
Any other personal or professional relationship that could reasonably be seen as influencing a person's decisions.

2.3 Institutional and Academic Conflicts of Interest

These arise when a person's affiliation, responsibility, or interest could affect their impartiality. Examples include:

an institution having a stake in the outcome or publication of a study;
relationships between authors and the institutions that fund, supervise, or evaluate the research;
editorial or review duties involving colleagues from the same institution, where impartiality could reasonably be questioned;
academic or professional interests that could shape the assessment of competing research or scholarly claims.

2.4 Other Relevant Interests

Non-financial interests, such as personal beliefs, professional commitments, advocacy activities, and other affiliations, can also create conflicts in some circumstances. Any interest that could reasonably be seen as affecting the objectivity or credibility of the research or publication process should be disclosed.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to E-Jurnal Manajemen TSM must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest relevant to their research. A conflict of interest declaration is required at submission, and the manuscript itself must contain a corresponding statement, including when there is nothing to declare. Authors must make sure their disclosures are accurate and complete, and update them when circumstances change.

A declaration may cover:

financial support or funding relevant to the research;
employment, consultancy, or other professional ties with interested organizations;
financial interests, ownership, patents, or commercial relationships related to the subject of the manuscript;
personal, academic, or institutional relationships that could reasonably influence the research or its interpretation;
any other interest that readers might reasonably consider relevant when judging the findings.

Where no conflict exists, authors should state: "The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article."

Where a conflict does exist, authors must describe what the interest is and how it relates to the research. Funding information must also be given in the appropriate funding statement or acknowledgments section.

Failing to disclose a relevant conflict may lead to editorial action under the journal's publication ethics policies.

4. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must base their decisions on the scholarly quality, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, and contribution of the manuscripts they handle. They must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict that could compromise their impartiality.

An editor must not handle a manuscript when a conflict could reasonably affect the fairness or independence of the process, for example when the manuscript is written by the editor, a close collaborator, or a family member, or by someone whose relationship with the editor could compromise impartiality. In such cases, the manuscript is passed to another qualified editor who can evaluate it independently.

Editors must not use unpublished information gained through their editorial duties for personal, professional, or financial advantage. All editorial decisions must be made fairly and confidentially, free from improper pressure from authors, institutions, sponsors, or other interested parties.

5. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must assess manuscripts objectively, independently, and confidentially. Before accepting an assignment, a reviewer should consider whether any financial, personal, professional, institutional, or academic relationship could compromise, or appear to compromise, their impartiality. If a relevant conflict exists, the reviewer must tell the editorial team and decline the assignment when an impartial evaluation cannot reasonably be assured.

Situations that may call for disclosure or withdrawal include:

a recent or ongoing research collaboration with one or more authors;
a direct supervisory, mentoring, or employment relationship with an author;
a financial or commercial interest connected to the research;
a close personal relationship, or a serious professional dispute, with an author;
a competing research interest that could materially affect the reviewer's judgment.

Reviewers must not use information from unpublished manuscripts for personal gain, to develop their own research, for commercial benefit, or for any purpose unrelated to the review. The Editor-in-Chief or handling editor decides whether the reviewer may proceed or another reviewer should be appointed.

6. Disclosure and Management Procedures

Relevant conflicts must be disclosed as early as practicable during submission, peer review, and publication. The journal may ask for more information or clarification when a disclosed interest needs further assessment.

When a conflict is identified, the journal may take measures such as:

requesting a fuller disclosure statement;
reassigning the manuscript to an independent editor;
appointing a different reviewer;
recording the conflict and the steps taken to manage it;
including a disclosure statement in the published article where appropriate;
taking further editorial action when an undisclosed conflict materially affects the integrity of the publication.

The response depends on the nature, seriousness, and potential impact of the conflict. Disclosure does not automatically lead to rejection; the journal will consider whether the conflict can be managed in a way that protects the integrity and fairness of the process.

7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If the journal learns of a possible undisclosed conflict after submission, during peer review, or after publication, the editorial team will review the available information and may ask the people concerned for an explanation. Where appropriate, it may request further documentation or seek independent advice to determine whether the conflict affected the research, the peer review, or the editorial decision.

Depending on the circumstances, possible actions include:

updating the conflict of interest declaration;
publishing a correction to the article;
carrying out a further editorial or ethical assessment;
issuing an Expression of Concern when serious concerns remain unresolved;
retracting the article when the evidence and circumstances justify it under the journal's Correction and Retraction Policy.

Every case is assessed individually, fairly, and proportionately, based on the available evidence and relevant publication ethics guidance.

8. Transparency in Published Articles

The journal aims to make relevant conflicts of interest visible in its published articles, so that readers understand which relationships or interests may matter when interpreting the research. Where applicable, a published article should include:

a conflict of interest declaration;
a funding statement;
relevant acknowledgments of financial or institutional support;
any other disclosures required by the journal or by applicable research standards.

The absence of a disclosed conflict does not prove that none exists, and the journal may ask for more information if credible concerns arise.

9. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

The journal handles disclosures and conflict-related allegations responsibly and confidentially, within the limits of a fair editorial process and other applicable obligations. People who disclose a conflict in good faith will not be penalized simply for having a relevant interest, and the journal will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who raises a legitimate concern.

At the same time, allegations must be assessed objectively, and editorial actions must rest on relevant information and evidence rather than unsupported assumptions.

10. Compliance and Policy Review

By submitting a manuscript to E-Jurnal Manajemen TSM, authors agree to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and to provide accurate information when the editorial team asks for it. Editors and reviewers are likewise expected to follow this policy and to report promptly any circumstance that may affect their independence or impartiality.

The journal may update this policy as needed to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, research ethics, and recognized publication ethics standards. It should be read together with the journal's Publication Ethics Policy, Authorship Policy, Peer Review Policy, and Correction and Retraction Policy.