Conflict of Interest Policy

The Journal of Islamic Economics and Business (JIEB) is committed to ensuring that editorial decisions and the publication process are fair, transparent, independent, and based on scholarly merit. Conflicts of interest must be disclosed and appropriately managed to protect the integrity and credibility of the research published in the journal.

A conflict of interest may arise when personal, professional, financial, institutional, or other relationships could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, the judgment or actions of an author, reviewer, editor, or other participant in the publication process. Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived. Their existence does not automatically indicate misconduct, but relevant interests must be disclosed and managed appropriately.

1. Authors' Responsibilities

All authors are responsible for disclosing relationships or interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing their research, interpretation of findings, or presentation of results. Disclosure should be made during submission and included in the manuscript or accompanying declarations as required by the journal.

Potential conflicts may include, but are not limited to:

• Employment, consultancy, or other professional relationships.
• Research funding, grants, sponsorships, or other financial support.
• Ownership of shares, patents, or other financial interests.
• Paid advisory roles, honoraria, or expert testimony.
• Personal, family, or close professional relationships.
• Institutional affiliations or competing academic interests.
• Relationships with organizations or entities that may benefit from the research findings.

Authors should provide a clear conflict-of-interest statement. If no relevant conflict exists, they should state that they have no conflicts of interest to declare, using the journal's required wording or submission format where applicable.

Funding information should also identify the role of funders, where applicable, in the research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and decision to submit or publish the work. Funding disclosure and conflict-of-interest disclosure are related but are not necessarily interchangeable.

2. Reviewers' Responsibilities

Reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could affect their ability to evaluate a manuscript fairly and independently. If a conflict cannot reasonably be managed, the reviewer should decline the invitation or inform the handling editor promptly.

Reviewers should notify the editor if they:

• Have a close personal, family, or professional relationship with one or more authors.
• Have recently collaborated with an author or have another relationship that could compromise impartiality.
• Have a financial, institutional, or other interest in the research outcomes.
• Are involved in competing research that could be materially affected by the manuscript.
• Believe they cannot provide an independent and fair assessment.

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and peer-review communications. They must not use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal, professional, or financial advantage, nor involve others in the review without the editor's authorization.

3. Editors' Responsibilities

Editors must make decisions based on a manuscript's scholarly quality, originality, relevance, ethical integrity, and compliance with the journal's requirements. Editorial decisions must not be improperly influenced by personal relationships, institutional affiliations, commercial interests, or external pressure.

Editors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and must not handle or decide on a manuscript when their impartiality could reasonably be compromised. Where a conflict exists, the manuscript should be assigned to another qualified editor who can oversee the process independently.

Editors must also protect confidential information, manage competing interests appropriately, and ensure that editorial recommendations and final decisions are made independently of any individual who has a conflict in the matter.

4. Editorial and Institutional Conflicts

When a manuscript is submitted by an editor, an editorial board member, a reviewer, or a person closely associated with the journal or publisher, appropriate arrangements must be made to ensure independent editorial handling and peer review.

A person with a conflict must not control the peer-review process, select reviewers in a manner that compromises independence, or make the final editorial decision on the affected submission. The journal should assign the manuscript to an appropriately independent editor and ensure that the conflicted individual does not improperly influence the process.

Institutional affiliation alone does not necessarily constitute a conflict of interest. However, a relationship involving direct supervision, close collaboration, personal dependence, financial benefit, or another competing interest should be assessed according to the circumstances and managed where it could compromise independent judgment.

5. Assessment and Management of Disclosures

The editorial team will assess disclosed conflicts and determine whether additional measures are necessary to protect the independence and integrity of the publication process. The appropriate response will depend on the nature of the interest, its relationship to the manuscript, and the possibility of managing it effectively.

Depending on the circumstances, measures may include:

• Reassigning a manuscript to another editor.
• Selecting independent reviewers or replacing a conflicted reviewer.
• Requesting additional disclosure or clarification from the authors.
• Including an appropriate disclosure statement in the published article.
• Documenting the management of a conflict for editorial records.
• Declining or discontinuing an editorial or review assignment when impartiality cannot reasonably be ensured.

Disclosure of a conflict does not automatically mean that a manuscript will be rejected. The primary concern is whether the conflict can be managed transparently and without compromising the integrity of the editorial process or the published research.

6. Undisclosed or Newly Identified Conflicts of Interest

If a relevant conflict of interest is identified after submission, during peer review, or after publication, the journal may request an explanation from the person concerned and assess whether the omission affected the fairness of the editorial process, the interpretation of the research, or the reliability of the published record.

Depending on the findings, JIEB may request a disclosure statement or correction, reassign editorial responsibilities, reconsider an editorial matter where appropriate, or take other proportionate action under its publication ethics policies.

If a conflict raises concerns about research integrity or the reliability of a published article, the journal may consider further action in accordance with its Research Misconduct Policy and Retraction and Corrections Policy.

7. Reporting Concerns

Authors, reviewers, editors, and other parties may report concerns about a potential or undisclosed conflict of interest to the editorial office. Reports should provide a clear explanation and, where possible, relevant supporting information.

JIEB will assess such concerns fairly and confidentially, as appropriate to the circumstances. An allegation will not be treated as established solely because it has been reported; relevant information and responses should be considered before an editorial action is taken.

8. Relationship to Other JIEB Policies

This policy should be read together with the following related policies and guidance:

• Publication Ethics — ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.
• Peer Review Process — independent manuscript evaluation and editorial decision-making.
• Authorship and Contributorship — authorship criteria, contributions, and accountability.
• Declaration Form — author declarations concerning conflicts of interest and other publication requirements.
• Research Misconduct — handling allegations that may affect research or publication integrity.
• Retraction and Corrections — addressing issues that affect the published scholarly record.

Commitment to Editorial Independence

JIEB expects all participants in the publication process to disclose relevant competing interests and cooperate in managing them appropriately. Transparent disclosure and independent editorial judgment help protect the credibility, fairness, and scholarly value of the journal's publications.

Contact Information

Questions or concerns regarding this policy may be directed to:

Editorial Office — Journal of Islamic Economics and Business (JIEB)
Email: jieb@uinsgd.ac.id
Publisher: Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia