Editorial and publishing policies

Editorial policies

Responsibilities

Ethical publishing

Restrictions

Data, images, code, and software policies

Language policies

Open access

Copyright and licensing

 

EDITORIAL POLICIES

Transfers

If your manuscript has previously been submitted to another Science Insight Portfolio journal, you have the option to transfer it to Management Science and Business Decisions (Hereinafter referred to as ‘the journal’) by writing to the Journal Manager. Alternatively, you may submit the paper as a new manuscript to the journal. In this case, your submission will be assessed without consideration of the prior decision process.

The journal operates independently, and decisions by Editorial Board Members are made without influence from other Science Insight Portfolio journals. Authors have complete freedom to decide where to submit their manuscripts. If a manuscript aligns with the scope of more than one Science Insight Portfolio journal, it is solely the authors’ choice where to submit it first. Currently, Science Insight Portfolio includes only two journals.

Guest Edited Collections

Management Science and Business Decisions publishes Guest Edited Collections that consist of original primary research articles.

Manuscripts submitted to Collections are evaluated against the standard editorial criteria of the journal and are subject to the journal's usual editorial policies. If accepted, the article processing charge applies, with the standard waiver policy in place.

Submissions to Guest Edited Collections are open to all authors, not limited to invitations, provided that the manuscripts meet both the specific scope of the Collection and the broader scope of Scientific Reports. If a manuscript does not align with the Collection’s focus, the editorial office will notify the authors, and the manuscript may then be considered as a standard submission to the journal.

Guest Edited Collections are overseen by members of the journal’s Editorial Board. Guest Editors are actively involved in the journal’s growth by soliciting submissions, writing introductory editorials, and potentially managing some or all submissions through the peer review process, as long as they comply with Scientific Reports’ conflict-of-interest policies.

At any point, the journal’s in-house editors may take over the management of a Collection if necessary.

Editorial Independence

The journal maintains complete editorial independence from its publisher, Science Insight.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Editors’ responsibilities

The Editor-in-Chief holds the primary responsibility for determining which submitted articles will be published. These decisions are based solely on the quality and merit of the manuscript, without any bias related to race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation. Decisions are made in accordance with the journal’s editorial guidelines and relevant legal considerations, such as those addressing defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

Editorial Board members, including the Editor-in-Chief, must avoid any conflicts of interest when evaluating manuscripts. If a potential conflict arises, the editor involved must recuse themselves from the decision-making process for the specific manuscript.

All information and ideas shared in submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential. Unpublished material from these manuscripts must not be used for personal benefit without the authors' explicit written consent.

Editors and editorial staff are committed to maintaining author and reviewer anonymity throughout and after the review process, following the specific review model employed by the journal.

Authors’ responsibilities

Authors must confirm that their manuscripts are original works, have not been previously published, and are not being considered for publication elsewhere. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is considered unethical and will result in immediate rejection. Manuscripts that have already been published in any other venue cannot be republished in this journal.

Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their submissions, ensuring that the work contains no false or illegal statements and does not infringe upon the rights of third parties.

The authorship of the manuscript must be accurately reflected. Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research and writing process should be listed as authors. Contributions from others who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in a footnote or in the Acknowledgments section.

Authors are required to disclose the title and identification code of the research project under which the work was conducted, as well as the full name of the funding organization. If the manuscript has been previously presented at a conference, details of the conference (such as name, date, and title of the presentation) must be provided.

Proper citation practices must be followed. Any text, equations, images, or tables taken directly from other sources should be clearly identified (e.g., with quotation marks and page numbers). Substantial excerpts may require their own dedicated paragraphs.

All references cited in the text must appear in a separate References or Literature section, formatted consistently according to the journal’s citation style. Only works cited in the manuscript should be included in this section.

Should an author discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their responsibility to promptly inform the Editor-in-Chief or publisher and collaborate to correct or retract the paper.

Authors must also disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could have influenced the research or its interpretation.

By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to comply with the journal’s editorial policies.

Reviewers’ responsibilities

Reviewers are responsible for providing an objective and timely evaluation of a manuscript’s scholarly quality. Their assessments should focus on the originality, significance, and contribution of the manuscript to its field. All feedback must be clear, constructive, and supported by evidence.

Reviewers are expected to assess the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s scope, the appropriateness of the methods employed, the scientific validity of the findings, and the overall presentation and structure of the work. Reviews follow a standard format.

Reviewers must avoid conflicts of interest with the authors or the funding bodies associated with the research. If such a conflict arises, reviewers must promptly notify the Editor-in-Chief and withdraw from the review process. Additionally, reviewers should only accept manuscripts for review that fall within their area of expertise.

Reviewers are responsible for alerting the Editor-in-Chief to any ethical concerns, such as potential plagiarism or other violations of publication standards.

If a manuscript overlooks relevant published work, reviewers may suggest appropriate references. However, they should not insist that authors cite their own work or articles from the journal unless there is a valid reason. Reviewers should avoid suggesting their own works to the authors unless there is a valid reason.

The role of reviewers is to help improve the quality of the manuscript through constructive suggestions. When revisions are recommended, reviewers must provide clear instructions on how the authors can address the identified issues.

Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential. Unpublished information disclosed in the review process must not be used for personal benefit without the explicit permission of the authors.

 

ETHICAL PUBLISHING

Publication ethics and malpractice statement

Management Science and Business Decisions adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics and malpractice prevention. This statement aligns with the general principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) http://publicationethics.org/.

The journal is committed to ethical publishing practices, addressing errors, and managing retractions appropriately. The prevention of unethical practices, including publication malpractice, is a core responsibility of the editorial board. Any form of unethical behavior, such as plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. Authors submitting manuscripts to IJCRSEE must confirm that their work is entirely original and has not been previously published, either in part or in whole, in any language. Additionally, authors guarantee that their manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Post-publication discussions, corrections and retractions

The journal follows a defined process for handling post-publication updates to ensure the integrity of the publication record. Any necessary amendments to published content are formally documented through official notices, as they may impact the accuracy or reliability of the scientific record. Corrections and updates related to peer-reviewed materials fall into the following categories: Publisher Corrections, Author Corrections, Retractions, or Addenda.

Publisher Correction

A Publisher Correction is issued to address significant errors made by the journal during the publication process. These errors may affect the accuracy of the published record, the scientific validity of the article, or the reputation of the authors or the journal.

Author Correction

An Author Correction is published when the authors identify a critical error in their work that impacts the scientific accuracy of the article, the publication record, or the reputation of the authors or journal.

For authors seeking to update their name on previously published articles, the journal has a dedicated Author Name Change Policy to facilitate such requests.

Retraction

A Retraction is issued when results published in a study are deemed invalid due to significant errors in the research process, analysis, or reporting. Violations of publication ethics, such as data fabrication or plagiarism, may also result in retraction. All co-authors must agree to and sign the retraction notice, which must outline the error and its effect on the study's conclusions. In cases where co-authors do not unanimously agree, the editorial team may seek advice from independent reviewers to determine the appropriate action. Any dissenting authors will be noted in the retraction notice.

Addendum

An Addendum is published when additional information becomes available that is deemed essential for the reader’s understanding of a specific aspect of the published work. Addenda are issued based on the discretion of the editorial team to enhance the clarity and comprehensiveness of the original article.

Addressing unethical behavior

Any individual with evidence or credible information regarding suspected unethical behavior or misconduct is encouraged to report it to the Editor-in-Chief or the Editorial Board at any time. Such reports should include sufficient detail to initiate an investigation.

Investigation Process

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding whether an investigation will be initiated.

All evidence related to the investigation will be handled with confidentiality and shared only with those directly involved in the process.

The individual(s) accused of misconduct will always have the opportunity to respond to any allegations made against them.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the misconduct will be categorized as either minor or major, and appropriate actions will be taken based on the severity.

Actions for Minor Misconduct

Minor misconduct refers to issues that do not compromise the integrity of the publication or the journal. These cases, often stemming from misunderstandings or incorrect application of publication standards, are resolved directly with the authors or reviewers without involving external parties. Possible outcomes include:

Issuing a warning to the authors or reviewers.

Publishing a correction to the paper, such as adding sources omitted from the reference list but properly cited in the text.

Publishing an erratum if the error originated from the editorial process.

Actions for Major Misconduct

Major misconduct involves serious ethical violations that may impact the integrity of the journal or its published work. In such cases, the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Publishing a formal announcement or editorial to disclose the misconduct.
  • Officially notifying the affiliated institution of the author(s) or reviewer(s).
  • Retracting the affected publication in line with the journal’s Retraction Policy.
  • Imposing a temporary or permanent ban on submissions from the individual(s) involved.
  • Referring the case to a professional organization or legal authority for further investigation or action.

Additional Measures

These actions may be applied individually or in combination, depending on the severity of the case. If necessary, the Editorial Board may seek advice or assistance from relevant experts, organizations, or governing bodies to resolve the matter.

The Editorial Board adheres to the principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency in dealing with unethical behavior.

Citations

Authors must ensure that citations in their research articles appropriately and accurately reference relevant literature to support the claims made. The journal follows APA Format for citations. Any form of citation manipulation, including but not limited to excessive self-citation, coordinated citation practices among multiple authors, unnecessary citations to articles within the same journal, or any similar misconduct, is strictly prohibited.

Citation manipulation may lead to rejection of the manuscript and, in severe cases, reporting to the authors’ affiliated institutions. Instances of such practices by editors or reviewers should be reported to the publisher.

Authors should adhere to the following best practices when including citations in their manuscripts:

  • Cite Reliably: Any statement in the manuscript relying on external information (other than the authors’ new ideas, findings, or general knowledge) must include an appropriate citation.
  • Reference Original Sources: Authors should prioritize citing original works rather than derivative or review articles that summarize or reference the original work.
  • Ensure Citation Accuracy: All citations must accurately reflect the content of the referenced work and must not misrepresent or misuse the information to support the authors’ claims.
  • Read Before Citing: Authors should only cite works they have thoroughly reviewed and understood.
  • Avoid Self-Preferencing: Authors should refrain from favoring their own publications or those of friends, collaborators, or institutions without valid justification.
  • Diversify Sources: Authors should avoid restricting citations to work from a single country or region to ensure a broader representation of relevant literature.
  • Use Peer-Reviewed Sources: Whenever possible, authors should prioritize citing literature that has undergone a peer-review process to maintain the credibility of their work.
  • Exclude Promotional Content: Advertisements or advertorial materials should not be cited as references.
  • Limit Overcitation: Authors should not use an excessive number of citations to support a single point.
  • Limit self-citations: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Limit citations to retracted and predatory literature: vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
  • Limit citations to the literature recommended by the reviewers or editors: bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
  • Limit citations to research papers that lack DOI number.
  • Limit citations to books or other material that lacks ISBN number.

Competing Interests Policy

Transparency and Declaration

To maintain transparency and minimize bias, authors, editors, reviewers, and editorial board members must disclose any financial or non-financial competing interests related to the work.

Definition of Competing Interests

Competing interests are factors that could influence or appear to influence the objectivity or credibility of the publication.

  1. Financial Interests:
    • Funding: Support from organizations with potential stakes in the publication.
    • Employment: Current, recent, or future employment linked to the research.
    • Personal Financial Interests: Stocks, patents, or consultation fees related to the study.
    • Exceptions: Diversified mutual funds and investment trusts are exempt.
  2. Non-Financial Interests:
    • Unpaid memberships in organizations (governmental, advocacy, lobbying).
    • Advisory or consulting roles.
    • Relationships or collaborations with individuals or organizations tied to the research.

Responsibilities

Authors

  • Include a clear competing interests statement for all authors, specifying any conflicts or the absence thereof.
  • Ensure the statement follows the manuscript’s “Competing Interests” section.
  • In cases of confidentiality agreements, authors may state: "The authors are bound by confidentiality agreements and cannot disclose financial interests."

Reviewers

  • Reviewers must recuse themselves if a significant conflict exists.
  • Inform editors of any potential bias, including financial or non-financial factors.
  • Conflicts do not automatically disqualify reviewers but must be considered in the editorial process.

Editorial Board Members

  • Declare any conflicts of interest.
  • Avoid handling manuscripts where conflicts exist, such as prior collaboration with authors or shared institutional affiliations.
  • If listed as an author on a submission, ensure another editor oversees the review process.

Editors

  • Declare any interests to their employer that could influence editorial decisions.
  • Springer Nature enforces strict editorial independence to ensure decisions are based solely on quality and significance.

Examples of Competing Interests Statements

  1. “The authors declare no competing interests.”
  2. “Dr. A received funding from Organization X, serves on the advisory board of Company Y, and owns stock in Company Z.”

Funding Statement

Authors submitting to the International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE) must disclose all funding sources, including institutional, private, or corporate financial support, for their research. This information, specifying the funding organization and grant number (if applicable), should appear at the end of the article under the heading "Funding" and must be included during submission.

If no funding was provided, we encourage authors to state: “This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.” Any suppliers of materials should also be named, including their location (city, state, country), where appropriate. This funding information will be published with the article. In case, no statement is submitted by the authors, it would imply the absence of grant.

Confidentiality, pre-publicity and press releases

Confidentiality

All details of submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential. The journal does not share information about submissions with external parties, regardless of acceptance or rejection. Authors, referees, and editorial board members are prohibited from disclosing manuscript details, referee reports, or correspondence without prior permission. Referees must maintain strict confidentiality for all manuscript content and supplementary data.

Pre-Publicity

Authors may share pre-submission versions of manuscripts on personal blogs, preprint servers, or academic wikis, provided the site and URL are disclosed in the cover letter during submission. Papers published as part of academic theses are also acceptable.

Once published, authors may replace preprints with the final open-access version, including the DOI and link to the article on the journal's website. Discussions of preprints at conferences or among researchers, whether online or in person, do not count as prior publication.

Authors may respond to media inquiries regarding preprints or conference presentations but should clarify that the work has not undergone peer review and remains provisional. While media discussions are allowed, direct solicitation of media coverage before formal publication is discouraged. Authors of taxonomy papers should note that public preprints may allow others to assert nomenclature priority. The journal is not responsible for such claims.

Press releases

Once an embargo date is set, authors of accepted papers may discuss their work with the media. High-profile papers may be promoted by the journal's press office, which will provide journalists access to the full paper and authors' contact details. Authors should collaborate with journalists to ensure accurate reporting and may arrange publicity through institutional press offices, adhering to the media embargo.

The embargo ensures fair access to the media, allowing accurate and balanced coverage based on the final version of the published paper. Authors and press offices should coordinate all publicity efforts with the journal to maintain compliance with the embargo policy.

Authorship change policy

One in rare cases, the journal allows authors to request changes to the authorship of a submitted manuscript, including modifications to the order of authors, or the addition or removal of authors. To initiate such a request, all affected authors must provide a signed statement, accompanied by an official document verifying the authenticity of their signatures.

The final decision to approve or deny the request lies solely with the Editor-in-Chief. In certain cases, the Editor-in-Chief reserves the right to reject the manuscript if deemed necessary.

Policy on manuscripts from authors of retracted research

At Management Science and Business Decisions, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency in the publication process. We understand that ethical conduct in research is crucial to maintaining the credibility of scientific literature. As such, we have developed this policy to handle manuscripts submitted by authors with a history of retracted papers—whether published in our journal or other journals.

While we aim to assess all submissions fairly, we also prioritize protecting the integrity of our journal and the broader scientific community. We have adopted a case-by-case approach for manuscripts from authors with prior retracted research, with the following guidelines:

  • Disclosure of Prior Retractions: The corresponding author is required to disclose in the cover letter if any of the manuscript's authors were previously involved in retracted research, whether within IJPS or other journals. This disclosure must be explicit, providing details of the retraction(s) and the reasons behind them.
  • Consequences for Non-Disclosure: If the corresponding author fails to disclose such information, both the corresponding author and the concerned author(s) will be permanently banned from submitting to IJPS. This ban will apply for life, in accordance with our commitment to transparency and accountability.
  • Assessment on a Case-by-Case Basis: Submissions from authors with a history of retracted papers will be assessed individually. The decision will take into account the nature of the retraction, the author's involvement in the retracted work, any corrective actions taken, and the overall integrity demonstrated by the authors involved.
  • Editor-in-Chief Review: The Editor-in-Chief will have the final authority to approve or reject manuscripts from authors with a history of retracted papers. This process ensures a thoughtful and fair evaluation of each submission.
  • Transparency and Fairness: We are dedicated to ensuring that all decisions regarding submissions are made transparently and based on objective criteria. Authors will be informed of the reasoning behind any decisions made in cases of rejection due to previous retractions.
  • Promoting Ethical Research: While we do not impose a blanket ban on submissions from authors with retracted papers, we prioritize publishing research that meets ethical standards. Authors who demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices and have taken responsibility for past errors will be given fair consideration for publication.

This policy aims to balance fairness with the need to protect the integrity of the journal and the scientific community at large. By requiring full disclosure of retracted research and evaluating each case individually, we uphold our commitment to ethical publishing practices while providing authors an opportunity to demonstrate accountability and continue contributing to the field.

Plagiarism

Policy on Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the unauthorized use or misrepresentation of someone else’s intellectual property, ideas, or text. According to the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), plagiarism includes the "misappropriation of intellectual property" and the "unattributed, substantial copying of another’s work." It is considered plagiarism when significant portions of text are copied and pasted without proper acknowledgment. Manuscripts that exhibit this behavior will not be considered for publication.

In addition to direct copying, authors must take care to provide correct attribution when paraphrasing or summarizing the work of others. "Text recycling," which involves reusing sections of text from an author’s previous work without proper citation, is regarded as self-plagiarism. Authors should exercise caution when reusing their own text, ensuring appropriate citations to avoid giving the misleading impression that the material is newly created.

Duplicate publication refers to the reuse of significant parts of previously published work without the proper references. This can include submitting the same paper to multiple journals or presenting minor new data (known as "salami-slicing") to an earlier publication without proper citation.

Editors and members of the Editorial Board at Scientific Reports carefully review such cases on an individual basis. If plagiarism is detected after publication, we will assess the situation and may correct or retract the article depending on the extent of the issue, its impact on the integrity of the research, and the context within the article.

Management Science and Business Decisions uses a powerful plagiarism checking software that screens submitted manuscripts for text overlap, to help identify potential issues of plagiarism and AI-generated content.  

Duplicate publication

Policy on Duplicate and Fragmented Publication

Authors must avoid both duplicate and fragmented publication, as both practices can undermine the integrity of the scientific record. Duplicate publication occurs when the same data is published more than once, whereas fragmented (or piecemeal) publication involves breaking up a single research study into multiple articles. Both types of publication can mislead readers if they are presented as separate studies and may distort the scientific literature, particularly in contexts like systematic reviews or meta-analyses.

In certain cases, authors may wish to publish similar content across different journals to reach diverse audiences. If authors believe that such duplicate publication is warranted, they must explicitly reference the original work within the new manuscript. This ensures transparency with editors, reviewers, and readers, and fulfills the author's responsibilities to the original copyright holder.

As a general rule, authors should disclose the existence of any related reports from the same research project at the time of manuscript submission to avoid any potential overlap or confusion.

 

RESTRICTIONS

Policy on Manuscripts with Too Many Authors

At Management Science and Business Decisions, we aim to ensure that each manuscript is evaluated fairly and that the roles and contributions of each author are clear and appropriately acknowledged. In line with our commitment to maintaining high standards of research integrity and publication quality, we have established the following guidelines regarding the number of authors on submitted manuscripts:

Limit on the Number of Authors: For any manuscript submission with more than four authors, a formal request must be submitted by the corresponding author in the cover letter, which is part of the manuscript submission process through our online system. The request should include a brief justification for the inclusion of additional authors and their solid contributions.

Approval Process: The decision to approve or reject the inclusion of more than four authors will be made by the Editor-in-Chief. The request will be assessed based on the rationale provided, the contribution of each author to the research, and the overall alignment with the journal’s standards.

Transparency and Accountability: The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all authors listed on the manuscript have made significant contributions to the work and that their inclusion is justified according to the guidelines outlined above. This will be reviewed in the submission process.

This policy is designed to maintain the integrity of the authorship process by ensuring that all listed authors have made meaningful contributions to the research. The Editor-in-Chief will have the final authority in approving submissions with a higher number of authors, ensuring that all authorship claims are well-supported and transparent.

Policy on Self-Citations

As part of our commitment to upholding the highest standards of scholarly integrity and ensuring the publication of impactful research, Management Science and Business Decisions has established the following policy on self-citations:

Definition: Self-citations refer to instances where authors cite their own previously published works. While self-citations can be appropriate and necessary when building upon prior research, they should be used judiciously and only when relevant and justified.

Encouragement of Responsible Citation Practices: Authors are encouraged to ensure that all citations, including self-citations, are relevant, add value to the manuscript, and are directly related to the subject matter being discussed. Citations included solely to increase an author’s citation count are considered unethical and are strongly discouraged.

Monitoring of Excessive Self-Citation: Manuscripts will be reviewed for citation practices during the editorial and peer review process. Excessive and unwarranted self-citations may result in queries to the authors for clarification or, in some cases, recommendations for revision.

Repeated Offenses: Authors found to engage in repeated excessive or inappropriate self-citation practices, despite prior warnings, may be subject to the following actions:

  • Issuance of a formal warning detailing the violation and expected corrective measures.
  • Rejection of the manuscript under review.
  • Temporary or permanent prohibition from submitting future manuscripts to [Journal Name].
  • Halt or delays in publication of an accepted manuscript.

Reporting and Resolution: Authors may appeal decisions related to self-citation violations by submitting a detailed explanation to the editorial office. Appeals will be reviewed by the editorial board, whose decision will be final.

Transparency: Authors are required to disclose and justify significant self-citations during the manuscript submission process. Failure to do so may result in rejection of the submission.

This policy is in place to foster a culture of academic integrity and ensure that the journal continues to publish high-quality and unbiased research. We appreciate authors’ cooperation in adhering to these standards.

Policy on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

For the purposes of this policy, "generative artificial intelligence (AI)" refers specifically to large language model (LLM) tools used to generate text and does not include software used for grammar checks, citation management, or plagiarism detection.

Disclosure of AI Usage: If generative AI tools are employed in drafting or revising a manuscript for an APA publication, authors must clearly disclose the use of AI in the Methods section of the manuscript. The disclosure should include a citation for the specific AI tool used.

AI as an Author: AI tools cannot be listed as authors in any APA scholarly publication. Authorship is reserved for individuals who have made significant intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript.

Citation of AI: When AI tools are used in the creation of a manuscript, authors must cite the AI tool following the appropriate citation format. This includes detailing in the Methods section how, when, and to what extent AI was utilized in the manuscript. Additionally, authors are required to upload the complete output from the AI tool as supplemental material with their submission.

Verification of Information: Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and veracity of all information and citations included in their manuscript, including those provided by AI tools. It is essential that authors independently verify any data, references, or claims suggested by AI before inclusion in the manuscript.

Use of AI for Editing: AI tools may be used for tasks such as editing, provided their use is disclosed in the manuscript. This includes indicating the extent of their involvement in the editing process and noting the specific AI tool used.

Confidentiality and AI Tools: Submitting content to generative AI tools during the manuscript submission process is prohibited, as it violates the confidentiality of the submission and review process.

Policy on the use of human subjects and plants

At Management Science and Business Decisions, we are committed to maintaining a clear scope of research that aligns with our journal’s focus. As such, we do not accept manuscripts that involve research with human subjects or plants. Studies that fall within these areas are considered outside the scope of the journal and will not be considered for publication. We encourage authors to carefully review the scope of the journal before submission to ensure their work aligns with our areas of focus.

Policy on pre-publication release of preprints

At Management Science and Business Decisions, we prioritize maintaining the integrity and originality of the research we publish. As part of our commitment to upholding high standards, we conduct plagiarism checks on every manuscript submitted. Manuscripts found to contain significant instances of plagiarism are unlikely to be accepted for publication.

We recognize that the release of preprints can sometimes influence the plagiarism detection process. In light of this, we strongly discourage the submission of preprints before a manuscript is officially published in the journal. By minimizing the circulation of content prior to formal peer review, we aim to ensure the originality and integrity of the research we publish.

We encourage authors to carefully consider this policy when preparing their submissions to the journal.

Policy on manuscripts derived from prior research

At Management Science and Business Decisions, we are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of originality and ethical publishing. All submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening to ensure the integrity of the research we publish.

Manuscripts that exhibit significant textual overlap with prior work, including conference proceedings, students’ theses or dissertations, or other previously published material, are unlikely to be accepted for publication. This applies regardless of whether the manuscript is presented as a standalone work or as an extension of prior research.

Authors are strongly advised to ensure that their manuscripts are original, appropriately cite prior work, and include proper acknowledgment of all sources. By doing so, they can help uphold the quality and credibility of academic publishing.

 

DATA, IMAGES, CODE, AND SOFTWARE POLICIES

Code Availability

For studies using custom code or algorithms essential to the conclusions, authors must provide any unpublished code upon request by editors or reviewers. If the code is unavailable, the manuscript may be rejected. A 'Code availability' statement in the Methods section should describe how to access the code, including any access restrictions. To preserve the integrity of the code version used in the publication, it may be published as supplementary material or stored in a version control repository.

Data Availability

Supporting data must be available to the editorial team and reviewers upon submission to evaluate the manuscript. Authors are expected to make the data used to support the conclusions available to other researchers for non-commercial use, ensuring participant confidentiality is upheld. Datasets should be deposited in publicly accessible repositories or included in supplementary materials. If public sharing is not possible due to privacy concerns, access conditions must be stated.

All original articles must include a Data availability statement, indicating where the underlying data can be found, including hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets. We understand that data sharing may not always be feasible, and in such cases, the manuscript must clearly explain access conditions.

If a reader is unable to obtain data following publication, they should contact the journal. If the issue cannot be resolved, the matter may be escalated to the author's funding body or a correction may be issued.

Digital Image Integrity

High-resolution images (300 DPI) are required upon acceptance. While some image processing is acceptable, it must not distort the data or mislead readers. Image acquisition tools and settings, along with processing details, should be documented in the Methods section.

Authors should list all image acquisition and processing tools used, including settings and manipulations.

Images from different sources or times must be clearly labeled, and borders should be marked in the figure if combined.

Touch-up tools (e.g., cloning, healing) that alter or obscure data are prohibited.

Image adjustments (brightness/contrast) must be uniform across the entire image and applied equally to controls. Excessive or biased manipulation is unacceptable.

Authors may be required to submit unprocessed images with revised figures.

Software and System Requirements

Authors should clearly identify the instruments and software used for data collection and analysis, along with any additional system requirements needed to ensure reproducibility.

 

LANGUAGE POLICIES

Language Requirements for Manuscripts
Our journal accepts manuscripts exclusively in English. Authors submitting to the journal must ensure that their manuscripts are written in clear, grammatically correct English. While the publisher offers language editing services, the use of these services—whether provided by the publisher or a third party—does not guarantee acceptance of the manuscript for publication.

Non-English Literature Citation
For manuscripts that reference non-English literature, proper citation and referencing must follow the APA format. Authors are responsible for ensuring that citations of non-English sources adhere to APA guidelines, including accurate translation when applicable.
Example:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the work in original language [Translated title]. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range.

Language Editing Services
Although our publisher offers language editing services, authors should note that utilizing these services does not guarantee manuscript acceptance. Acceptance of a manuscript is determined by the quality of the research, its alignment with the journal’s scope, and the peer review process, regardless of any language editing assistance received.

 

OPEN ACCESS

Open Access Policy
Management Science and Business Decisions is published under an Open Access license, allowing all content to be freely available to readers. Users are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, and search the full text of articles, as well as create HTML links to the content, without requiring prior consent from the authors or the publisher.

However, this unrestricted access does not waive the obligation for users to properly credit the journal and its content as outlined on the ‘Licensing’ page.

Archiving of Digital Versions
IJCRSEE is committed to ensuring the long-term availability and online accessibility of its published articles. In compliance with legal requirements, digital copies of all published volumes are archived with the National Library of Serbia’s legal deposit library, the Keepers Registry through the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) platform, and the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library offering free access to millions of books, articles, and other resources.

Article Processing Charge (APC)
Authors are required to pay a publication fee of 50 USD, which covers the costs associated with processing and publishing the article. This fee is payable after the paper is accepted and before it is published in the journal. The journal does not charge for language editing services, nor does it impose any fees for color images, as our print version does not include color illustrations. There are no charges for extra pages.

Article Processing Charge (APC) Waiver Policy

At the journal, we are committed to supporting the academic growth of students. As part of this commitment, we offer a full waiver of the Article Processing Charge (APC) for manuscripts where both the first author and the corresponding author are currently enrolled as students in higher education institutions or degree-awarding institutions.

Eligibility and Documentation Requirements:

  1. Both the first author and the corresponding author must be enrolled in a higher education or degree-awarding institution and provide proof of their active student status.
  2. Manuscripts with more than THREE authors are not eligible for this waiver policy.
  3. Applicants must upload the following documents:
    • Front and back sides of their valid student ID cards.
    • An official letter from their higher education institution (degree-awarding institution) certifying their current enrollment status as students.

Submission Guidelines:

  • All required documents should be combined into a single PDF file and must be submitted along with the Cover Letter and manuscript file at the time of submission.

We encourage eligible students to make use of this waiver policy and contribute to advancing knowledge in their respective fields.