The International Journal of Behavioral Social and Movement Sciences (IJOBSMS) is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, independence, accountability, and integrity throughout the scholarly publishing process.
A conflict of interest does not necessarily imply misconduct. However, financial, personal, professional, academic, institutional, or other relationships may influence, or may reasonably be perceived to influence, research conduct, interpretation, peer review, editorial judgment, or publication decisions. Appropriate disclosure and management of such interests are therefore essential to maintaining confidence in the scholarly record.
This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, guest editors, journal staff, publisher representatives involved in editorial activities, and other individuals who participate directly in manuscript evaluation or publication decisions. All relevant conflicts must be disclosed promptly so that they can be assessed and managed appropriately.
A conflict of interest exists when an individual's personal, financial, professional, academic, institutional, intellectual, or other interests could reasonably influence, or create the perception of influencing, the impartiality of research, peer review, editorial evaluation, or publication-related decision-making.
Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived. The existence of a conflict does not automatically disqualify an individual from participation in the publication process. The significance of the conflict will be evaluated according to its nature, proximity, relevance, and potential effect on independent judgment.
Includes research grants, financial support, employment, paid appointments, consultancies, advisory roles, honoraria, stock ownership, paid expert testimony, patents, royalties, intellectual property rights, commercial partnerships, or direct/indirect financial interests.
Personal relationships may create a conflict where they could reasonably affect impartial judgment. These include close personal relationships, family relationships, significant disputes, or circumstances involving any person directly connected with the manuscript.
Arises from research collaboration, direct supervision, mentor–student ties, close partnerships, academic competition, professional disputes, joint projects, or employment relationships compromising evaluation.
Includes significant relationships with the same institution/department/sponsor, or strong intellectual commitments, publicly expressed positions, academic disputes, and direct competition.
Must disclose all financial/non-financial interests at submission, update information if circumstances change, and provide explicit funding and conflict statements within the manuscript. Disclosure does not automatically prevent publication.
Must evaluate impartiality before accepting reviews. Must decline or inform the Editorial Office promptly if conflicts exist (collaboration, rivalry, financial ties). Strictly forbidden from using confidential manuscript data for personal advantage.
Must manage manuscripts objectively. Editors must recuse themselves and reassign manuscripts to independent editors if significant conflicts exist (recent collaboration, personal ties, financial/institutional connections).
Standard Disclosure Wording:
“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this work.”
“The author has received research support from [Organization Name]. The funder had no role in the editorial decision concerning this manuscript.”
Authors must describe the specific role of the funder across study design, data collection, analysis, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions. The existence of funding does not automatically constitute an inappropriate conflict.
Editors, Editorial Board members, staff, owners, or publishers are not prohibited from submitting scholarly work to IJOBSMS, but submissions receive no preferential treatment.
This Conflict of Interest Policy should be read together with IJOBSMS related policies: