Ethical Policy
The Journal of HBS M&DC upholds the highest ethical standards in all aspects of the publication process. We are committed to ensuring integrity, transparency, and accountability in research and publishing. The journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and adheres to the ethical principles recommended by the ICMJE.
- Ethical Approval and Informed Consent
- All research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must have received prior approval from an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.
- Studies involving human subjects must include a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained.
- Patient confidentiality must be preserved in accordance with ethical standards and applicable laws (e.g., anonymization of personal data).
- Authorship and Contributorship
- Authorship must be based on substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research.
- All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission.
- Any form of ghostwriting, guest authorship, or gift authorship is considered unethical and will not be tolerated.
- Plagiarism and Misconduct
- The journal strictly prohibits plagiarism in all forms, including self-plagiarism, data fabrication, image manipulation, and falsification.
- All submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening using reliable detection tools.
- Cases of misconduct will be handled according to COPE flowcharts and may result in rejection, retraction, or reporting to relevant authorities.
- Conflict of Interest
- Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence the content or evaluation of the manuscript.
- All disclosures will be published alongside the article if applicable.
- Peer Review Ethics
- The journal follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure impartial and unbiased evaluation.
- Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential documents and must not use or share unpublished information for personal gain.
- Retractions and Corrections
- The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the published record.
- Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern will be issued in accordance with COPE guidelines if errors or ethical breaches are identified post-publication.
- Editorial Independence and Responsibility
- Editorial decisions are made based solely on academic merit and relevance to the journal’s scope.
- Editors are responsible for ensuring fair, timely, and ethical management of all submissions, free from commercial or institutional influence.