Procedure for Handling Complaints on Ethical Misconduct

The journal Smart Economy, Entrepreneurship and Security adheres to the principles of publication ethics, academic integrity, and responsible editorial practice. All complaints regarding potential ethical misconduct are considered in an impartial, confidential, and transparent manner in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Submission of Complaints

Complaints may be submitted by authors, reviewers, readers, or any other interested parties in cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect violations of publication ethics, including plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, citation manipulation, or breaches of the peer review process. Complaints must be submitted to the Editorial Board via email and should include a clear description of the alleged violation, references to the relevant publication or material, and, where possible, supporting evidence.

Registration and Initial Assessment

Upon receipt, each complaint is registered and assigned a unique identification number. An initial assessment is conducted within five working days to determine whether the complaint falls within the scope of publication ethics and whether sufficient information has been provided. Where necessary, the complainant may be asked to supply additional details or clarification.

Preliminary Evaluation

The Editorial Board conducts a preliminary evaluation of the complaint. If the complaint lacks sufficient grounds or does not relate to ethical issues, it may be rejected with a reasoned explanation. Where indications of potential misconduct are identified, the case proceeds to a detailed investigation.

Investigation

The investigation is carried out by the Editorial Board, and independent experts or members of the editorial advisory body may be involved where appropriate. All parties concerned, including authors, reviewers, or other individuals involved, are given the opportunity to provide written explanations and supporting materials. The process is conducted in accordance with the principles of fairness, objectivity, confidentiality, and equal treatment of all parties.

Decision-Making

Following the investigation, the Editorial Board may conclude that no violation has occurred, request corrections or clarifications from the authors, issue a formal notice such as a correction or expression of concern, initiate a retraction procedure, inform the author’s affiliated institution, or impose restrictions on future submissions in cases of serious or repeated misconduct. Decisions are made based on the available evidence and in accordance with international ethical standards.

Timeframes

The overall consideration of a complaint is typically completed within 30 calendar days from the date of registration. In complex cases requiring additional verification or expert involvement, the review period may be extended, and the complainant will be informed accordingly.

Confidentiality

All information related to the complaint is treated as confidential. The Editorial Board does not disclose personal data of complainants, authors, reviewers, or other participants without consent, except where required by law or necessary for the proper resolution of the case.

Appeals

Individuals affected by a decision have the right to submit an appeal within ten working days of receiving the decision. Appeals are reviewed by the Editorial Board, and independent experts may be involved where appropriate. A final decision is made following reconsideration of all relevant information.

Transparency

The journal ensures transparency in handling complaints and operates in accordance with the principles of academic integrity, editorial independence, and international best practices in publication ethics.