BERKELEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, ARTS & SCIENCES

Publication Ethics

Research integrity and responsible publishing

Ethics framework

The journal will adopt an approved publication ethics policy aligned with recognised Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance and applicable legal requirements. Membership in COPE must not be claimed without confirmation.

Authorship and contributorship

Authorship requires substantive contribution and accountability. All authors must approve the final manuscript. Guest, gift and ghost authorship are prohibited.

Plagiarism and duplicate publication

Editors assess potential plagiarism, text recycling, redundant publication and image manipulation proportionately and investigate concerns before decisions.

Human and animal research

Where applicable, authors must disclose ethics committee approval or exemption, informed consent and compliance with relevant research standards.

Competing interests and funding

Authors, editors and reviewers must disclose financial, professional and personal conflicts. Funding sources and funder roles must be transparent.

Artificial intelligence

Authors must disclose material use of generative AI in research or manuscript preparation. AI tools cannot be listed as authors; human authors remain responsible for accuracy and originality.

Corrections, retractions and expressions of concern

The journal will publish linked, dated notices with clear reasons where the scholarly record requires correction or retraction. Notices must remain accessible.

Allegations and whistleblowing

Allegations of fabrication, falsification, manipulation or unethical conduct will be assessed confidentially and fairly, with institutional consultation where appropriate.

Editorial and publisher details must be verified and policies formally approved before accepting submissions. No indexing claim is made.