Conflict of Interest Policy

Policy Statement

The International Journal of Engineering Concepts and Management is committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and impartiality throughout the publication process. The journal recognizes that conflicts of interest, whether financial, professional, institutional, or personal, may influence or appear to influence the objectivity of research, editorial decisions, or peer review. To preserve the credibility of the scholarly record, all participants in the publication process are expected to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

A conflict of interest does not necessarily constitute research misconduct. However, failure to disclose relevant interests may compromise the integrity of the publication process and may result in appropriate editorial action.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are required to disclose any relationships or circumstances that could reasonably be perceived to influence the design, conduct, interpretation, or reporting of their research. Such disclosures enable readers and editors to evaluate the research with complete transparency.

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

• Financial support, grants, or sponsorships.
• Employment or consultancy with organizations related to the research.
• Stock ownership or other financial investments.
• Patent applications or intellectual property interests.
• Paid expert testimony or advisory roles.
• Personal, professional, or institutional relationships that could influence the research.

If no conflicts of interest exist, authors should include the following statement in their manuscript:

"The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this manuscript."

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to conduct reviews objectively and impartially. Before accepting a review assignment, reviewers should disclose any circumstances that may affect their ability to provide an unbiased evaluation.

Reviewers should decline to review a manuscript if they have:

• A personal or professional relationship with any of the authors.
• A financial interest related to the research.
• A competitive or collaborative relationship that could influence their judgment.
• Any other circumstance that may compromise the confidentiality or impartiality of the review.

Reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained during the peer-review process for personal, academic, or commercial advantage.

Editor Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for ensuring that editorial decisions are made fairly and independently. Editors who have any actual or potential conflict of interest with a submitted manuscript must withdraw from the editorial handling of that manuscript and delegate responsibility to another qualified editor.

Editorial decisions are based solely on the scientific quality, originality, ethical standards, and relevance of the manuscript and shall not be influenced by commercial interests, institutional affiliations, personal relationships, or financial considerations.

Disclosure of Funding

Authors should clearly identify all sources of financial support received for the research, including grants, institutional funding, sponsorships, or other forms of assistance. The role of the funding organization in the design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or publication of the research should also be disclosed where applicable.

Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If a conflict of interest is identified before publication, the Editorial Office may request additional clarification or disclosure from the authors before proceeding with editorial evaluation.

If an undisclosed conflict of interest is discovered after publication, the journal will investigate the matter carefully. Depending on the nature and significance of the omission, appropriate editorial action may include the publication of a correction, an expression of concern, or, in serious cases, the retraction of the article.

Editorial Independence

The International Journal of Engineering Concepts and Management maintains complete editorial independence. Editorial decisions are made exclusively on academic merit and are not influenced by financial contributions, advertising, sponsorship, institutional relationships, or commercial interests.

Policy Review

The journal periodically reviews this Conflict of Interest Policy to ensure continued alignment with internationally recognized publication ethics and best practices in scholarly publishing. Authors, reviewers, editors, and members of the Editorial Board are expected to comply with the most recent version of this policy published on the journal's website.