ethical publication standards

The Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE is fully committed to ethics in research and academic publishing. We adhere to the Guide to Good Practices for Journal Editors, the ethical provisions of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the provisions of Statutory Law 1266 of 2008 regarding the management of personal information in databases. The journal understands that the publication of peer-reviewed articles is essential for scientific advancement and for building a coherent and respectful knowledge network.

In the Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE, each submitted article is evaluated and published based on its merits and scientific contributions, ensuring the implementation of best practices at every stage of the publication process. Manuscripts undergo an exhaustive plagiarism review using the Turnitin tool. Additionally, every article submitted for review must meet the following requirements:

  • Consent: All authors grant their consent for the submission and publication of the article under evaluation.
  • Originality of the work: The submitted article is original, has not been previously published, and is not under simultaneous consideration by another journal.
  • Previous research: All information derived from prior studies included in the submitted article is properly referenced. If the manuscript analyzes a previously published proposal, it must be appropriately cited.
  • Journal archives: The submitted article will be preserved in the archives of the Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE and will be considered a valid publication provided it meets all the above criteria.
  • Review Committee: Members of the Review Committee have no labor, academic, or personal relationship with the authors.

1. RESEARCH INTEGRITY

Research Misconduct: Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, conducting, reviewing, or reporting research results. If the Editorial Committee detects evidence of such conduct, it will initiate an investigation in collaboration with the supporting institution, employer, sponsor, or relevant national authority.

Reporting Irregularities: Allegations of research irregularities, whether submitted by identified individuals or anonymously, will be investigated only if supported by appropriate evidence.

Fabrication/Falsification and Image Manipulation: While image editing may sometimes be required to highlight specific features, inappropriate manipulation can lead to misleading results. Researchers must disclose any image editing and follow these guidelines: specific features must not be altered; original, unprocessed images must be provided along with any modified versions intended for publication. Adjustments to brightness or contrast are acceptable only if applied uniformly and without distorting meaning. Excessive editing to exaggerate image size is inappropriate. Any removal of image parts or non-linear adjustments must be disclosed in the figure legend. Figures should not be assembled from different components unless clearly indicated with dividing lines and explanations in the legend.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism, defined as copying or misusing another person's intellectual property, is strictly prohibited. The Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE conducts thorough plagiarism checks on all manuscripts.

Duplicate and Redundant Publication of Data: Researchers must avoid publishing previously disclosed data as original. Republishing data is permitted only with proper acknowledgment. Conference abstracts, posters, meeting results, uninterpreted database data, and archived theses and dissertations are not considered duplicate publications.

Text Recycling: The submission of partial results from a previous publication to a different audience is permitted, provided that the discussion and conclusions differ.

Simultaneous Submission: Authors may not submit a manuscript to more than one journal at the same time. If detected, the manuscript will not be considered for publication.

Duplicate publication in other languages: Translations of previously published manuscripts will not be considered for publication.

Sanctions: Sanctions are applied consistently after careful consideration. Initially, a retraction will be issued. In the most serious cases, the author’s institution will be notified, and the journal will refuse to consider future submissions from the involved author(s).

2. EDITORIAL STANDARDS AND PROCESSES

-Authorship:

  • The order of authors must accurately reflect scientific or professional contributions.
  • All authors must sign an authorization indicating their level of participation.
  • Contributions that do not meet authorship criteria must be listed in the acknowledgments with permission.
  • Compliance with administrative requirements and submission of the Institutional Ethics Committee approval certificate.
  • All communications are shared with all authors of the article.

-Authorship Disputes:

  • In cases of suspected authorship issues, the Editorial Committee will contact the corresponding author to obtain further information.
  • Other authors may be contacted if additional information is required.

-Funding:

  • All sources of funding and their specific roles must be detailed in the acknowledgments section.
  • If there are no funding sources, this circumstance must be explicitly stated. Other sources, including editorial assistance, must also be specified.

-Peer Review:

  • The Journal employs a double-blind peer review system for all submitted articles.
  • The editorial section is not subject to peer review.
  • Confidentiality is maintained throughout the entire review process.
  • Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest when responding to a review invitation.
  • In cases of conflict of interest, reviewers may not evaluate manuscripts from authors with whom they have recent relationships within the same institution or direct competition.

-Publication Timelines:

  • The Journal is committed to ensuring timely peer review, avoiding unnecessary delays in the publication process.

-Editors and Journal Staff as Authors:

  • Editors, as well as members of the Editorial Committee and Advisory Committee, do not participate in editorial decisions involving their own articles.
  • A detailed statement will be provided outlining the process to be followed when the editor or members of the Editorial or Advisory Committees are authors of a submission.

-Conflict of Interest:

  • Editors, authors, and reviewers must disclose any conflict of interest that may affect their ability to submit or review a manuscript objectively.
  • Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, financial, personal, political, or religious interests.
  • Authors must describe any relevant funding, including its purpose, as well as any patents, shares, or financial holdings.

-Libel and Defamation:

  • The Advisory Committee oversees manuscripts and peer reviews to identify defamatory statements or negligently inaccurate representations that could lead to legal action.
  • The use of defamatory language is prohibited, and the author of such statements assumes full responsibility.

-Editorial Independence and Commercial Considerations:

  • Although the University of Pamplona funds and publishes the Journal, this does not influence editorial decisions.

-Academic Debate:

  • The Journal encourages correspondence and constructive criticism regarding published works.
  • When correspondence discusses a specific article, the author is invited to respond prior to publication.
  • Whenever possible, the correspondence and the author’s response will be published together. Authors may indicate whether they consider correspondence constructive, but they do not have the authority to veto comments.

-Appeals:

  • Authors who disagree with editorial feedback have the right to appeal the decision made by the Editorial Committee.
  • Appeals will overturn previous decisions only when new information is available, and decisions will not be reversed without new evidence.
  • The Editorial Committee may seek additional reviewer comments to make an informed decision.

-Corrections:

  • Readers and authors are responsible for notifying the Journal of errors in a publication, especially those that could affect data interpretation.
  • Corrections will be published, and if significant errors are identified that could invalidate the work, a retraction will be considered.
  • All authors are required to provide retractions or error corrections when detected.

-Retractions and Expressions of Concern:

  • The Journal adheres to the recommendations issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to address errata and retractions arising from scientific misconduct.
  • Retractions are published when reported errors affect data interpretation, or when the information presented is fraudulent or involves serious ethical breaches.
  • In the case of errata, the original document remains available, and the correction is recorded at the end of the text with reference to the erratum document.
  • In the case of retractions, the original document is replaced by another indicating the reasons for withdrawal and identifying the retracted document.

-Article Withdrawal:

  • The removal, suppression, or concealment of an article is permitted only in cases involving legal infringements, defamation, or other legal limitations, or when false or inaccurate data are identified.
  • In such cases, a withdrawal statement will be published.

-Data Protection Legislation:

  • The Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE complies with data protection legislation.

3. HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS, CLAIMS, AND APPEALS

The Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE is committed to receiving complaints, claims, and appeals via email at comitee.face@unipamplona.edu.co. These will be managed by the Editor-in-Chief and handled with the utmost confidentiality to preserve the complainant’s anonymity.

Reports of potential misconduct by any individual involved in research processes are encouraged, including those in supervisory, administrative, or scientific editorial roles, as well as suspicions of research misconduct, even concerning one’s own articles.

The Journal maintains rigorous editorial ethical oversight and follows the protocol established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to address alleged misconduct, which includes the following general steps:

1. Detection and Communication:

- The ethical violation is identified and the author is informed.

- The Editorial Committee and Scientific Committee are notified through the journal’s regular communication channels (email).

2. Editorial Committee Report:

- The Editorial Committee prepares a detailed report regarding the complaint.

3. Emergency Meeting:

- An urgent meeting is held between members of the Scientific Committee and the Editorial Committee.

- The case is evaluated and potential measures are considered.

4. Final Decision:

- A final decision is made, considering all parties involved.

- If a member of the team or the Editorial Committee is implicated, they will be removed from the process until its conclusion.

In situations directly involving editors and authors, publication rights, or other obligations, the Associate Editor, in collaboration with the legal advisors of the University of Pamplona, will handle the claims. Inquiries should be directed to comitee.face@unipamplona.edu.co.

Editors are responsible for implementing the measures dictated by the Editorial Committee. In cases of confirmed ethical misconduct, the article may receive sanctions such as Erratum, Corrigendum, or Retraction. In the most severe cases, the article will be rejected, and if already published, it will be withdrawn with a retraction. Consequently, the author will be prohibited from publishing again in the Journal, and the misconduct will be reported to their direct supervisor.

4. AUTHORS’ OBLIGATIONS

  • Sources of information: Authors must present detailed procedures and calculations in their articles, ensuring that all data are explicitly stated in the document. Any inaccurate or fraudulent calculation constitutes an ethical violation.

  • Originality and plagiarism: Proper citation of authors, collaborators, and sources is essential. Plagiarism in any form, including copying, unattributed paraphrasing, or presenting others’ results as one’s own, is unacceptable.

  • Redundant or concurrent publication: Authors must avoid publishing essentially identical manuscripts in more than one journal. Simultaneous submission of the same work to multiple journals constitutes an ethical violation.

  • Acknowledgment of sources: Proper recognition of others’ work is required. Authors must cite all influential sources and obtain written permission to use confidential information.

  • Authorship of the document: Authorship must be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All co-authors must approve the final version and ensure inclusion of all substantial contributors.

  • Disclosure and conflicts of interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence manuscript interpretation, including employment, consultancy, share ownership, and other relevant connections.

  • Similarity Analysis: The Journal of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences FACE uses the Turnitin tool to detect plagiarism and thoroughly reviews references to ensure academic integrity.

  • Significant errors in published works: Authors are responsible for promptly notifying the Editor of significant errors in their published work and cooperating in necessary corrections or retractions.

5. EDITOR’S OBLIGATIONS

  • Publication decision: The Editor decides which articles will be published based on reviewers’ reports, considering their importance to the academic community and legal requirements.

  • Fair play: Evaluations are conducted without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic origin, or political views. The double-blind review system prevents bias.

  • Conflict of interest: The Editor will not use unpublished material for personal research without consent and will recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist, ensuring confidentiality throughout the peer review process.

  • Education on editorial ethics: The Editor provides guidance on ethical standards, particularly for early-career researchers.

  • Peer review: Ensures a fair, impartial, and timely peer review process. Independent external reviewers evaluate manuscripts, avoiding bias and selecting experts in the relevant field.

  • Oversight of the published record: The Editor safeguards the integrity of the scholarly record, addressing misconduct and ensuring appropriate corrections are made.

6. REVIEWERS’ OBLIGATIONS

  • Contribution to editorial decisions: Double-blind peer review is essential for editorial decision-making and for providing constructive feedback to authors.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers must notify the Journal if they cannot complete a review within the established timeframe. Manuscripts are treated as confidential, and discussion with unauthorized individuals is prohibited.

  • Standards of objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively, avoiding personal criticism. Reviewers should express their views clearly and support them with arguments.

  • Acknowledgment of sources: Reviewers should identify relevant uncited works and alert the Journal to any substantial similarity with previously published material.

  • Disclosure and conflict of interest: Reviewers must not use unpublished material for personal research without permission and must avoid reviewing manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist, maintaining confidentiality throughout the peer review process.