Conflicts of interest

Journal of Advanced Computing and Digital Information Systems (JACDIS) recognizes that conflicts of interest may arise when personal, professional, financial, institutional, academic, or other relationships or interests could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, the objectivity, integrity, or impartiality of research and publication decisions.

JACDIS's policy on conflicts of interest is developed in accordance with relevant publication ethics principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). JACDIS applies the principles of transparency, disclosure, editorial independence, impartiality, and responsible management of competing interests throughout the research and publication process.

JACDIS is committed to maintaining transparency, fairness, independence, and integrity throughout the research, peer review, editorial, and publication processes. All individuals involved in the publication process are expected to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and to take appropriate measures to manage or mitigate them.

Where a conflict of interest is identified, JACDIS will assess and manage the matter in accordance with this policy and, where applicable, relevant COPE principles and procedures for handling publication ethics concerns.

1. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when an individual's personal, professional, financial, institutional, academic, or other interests may influence, or may reasonably be perceived to influence, their judgment, decisions, conduct, or interpretation in relation to a manuscript or publication.

A conflict of interest does not necessarily imply misconduct or that an individual has acted improperly. However, undisclosed or inadequately managed conflicts may compromise, or appear to compromise, the integrity and credibility of the research and publication process.

Conflicts of interest may be:

Actual, where a competing interest directly affects an individual's judgment or actions;
Potential, where circumstances could reasonably develop into a conflict of interest; or
Perceived, where a reasonable observer may believe that an individual's interests could influence their judgment, even if no actual influence has occurred.

In accordance with the principles promoted by COPE, JACDIS considers transparency and appropriate disclosure to be essential for the responsible identification and management of competing interests.

2. Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all individuals involved in the submission, evaluation, editorial handling, revision, acceptance, production, and publication of manuscripts in JACDIS, including:

authors and co-authors;
corresponding authors;
editors and members of the editorial board;
guest editors and section editors, where applicable;
peer reviewers;
editorial staff and other individuals involved in editorial decision-making; and
other individuals whose personal, professional, financial, institutional, or academic interests may affect the publication process.

All relevant parties are expected to disclose conflicts of interest that may affect, or may reasonably be perceived to affect, their responsibilities in relation to a manuscript.

JACDIS expects all parties to manage competing interests in a manner consistent with the principles of transparency and editorial integrity recommended by COPE.

3. Types of Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest may take various forms and are not limited to financial relationships.

Relevant conflicts may include, but are not limited to:

Financial Interests

Financial conflicts of interest may include:

employment or consultancy relationships;
research grants or other forms of financial support;
ownership of shares, stocks, or other financial interests;
patents, patent applications, licenses, or intellectual property rights;
royalties or other financial benefits;
honoraria, speaking fees, or advisory payments;
commercial relationships with organizations that may benefit from the publication; and
other financial interests that may reasonably be affected by the research or its publication.

Personal or Professional Relationships

Conflicts may arise from personal or professional relationships, including:

close personal relationships with authors, reviewers, or editors;
family relationships;
close academic or professional collaborations;
ongoing disputes or significant disagreements;
relationships involving direct competition for recognition, funding, employment, or academic advancement; and
other relationships that may reasonably affect impartial judgment.

Institutional Conflicts

Institutional conflicts may arise when an individual's institution, department, research group, or affiliated organization has an interest in the outcome of the research or publication.

Examples may include:

institutional financial interests;
institutional ownership of relevant intellectual property;
institutional partnerships with commercial organizations;
institutional interests in research findings or technologies; and
situations in which an individual's professional responsibilities may conflict with their editorial or review responsibilities.

Academic or Intellectual Conflicts

Academic or intellectual conflicts may arise when an individual has a strong personal or professional interest in a particular theory, methodology, technology, dataset, research finding, or competing research outcome.

Such interests may include:

direct competition in the same research area;
disputes regarding priority or originality;
strong advocacy for a particular scientific or technical position;
competing research projects; and
other circumstances that could reasonably affect impartial assessment.

JACDIS recognizes that competing interests may take forms that are not immediately apparent or exclusively financial. Consistent with COPE's publication ethics principles, individuals should therefore consider whether a reasonable reader, author, reviewer, or other participant could perceive that a particular relationship or interest may influence the relevant decision or assessment.

4. Responsibilities of Authors

All authors submitting a manuscript to JACDIS are responsible for identifying and disclosing relevant conflicts of interest.

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, professional, institutional, academic, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, interpretation of findings, manuscript preparation, or publication process.

Authors are expected to:

disclose all relevant conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission;
ensure that the disclosure applies to all authors and accurately reflects their individual circumstances;
provide sufficient information to allow the editorial office to assess the relevance of the disclosed conflict;
update their conflict-of-interest disclosure if circumstances change during peer review or before publication;
disclose relevant sources of financial or material support for the research;
distinguish conflicts of interest from ordinary academic or professional relationships that do not create a meaningful competing interest; and
cooperate with the journal in clarifying or managing any disclosed conflict.

These responsibilities are consistent with the principles of transparency and disclosure promoted by COPE.

Failure to disclose a relevant conflict of interest may constitute a violation of JACDIS publication ethics and may result in appropriate editorial action.

5. Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement

All manuscripts submitted to JACDIS must include a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement.

Authors should provide a clear statement indicating whether any conflicts of interest exist.

Where no relevant conflict exists, authors may use a statement such as:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest that could have influenced the research, analysis, interpretation, or publication of this manuscript.

Where a conflict exists, authors should clearly describe the nature of the conflict. For example:

Conflict of Interest: Author 1 has received research funding from [organization]. Author 2 serves as a consultant for [organization], which may have an interest in the subject matter of this research.

The disclosure should be sufficiently specific to provide transparency while avoiding unnecessary disclosure of confidential personal information.

JACDIS may request additional information or clarification when the disclosure provided is insufficient to assess the potential impact of a competing interest.

6. Financial Support and Funding Disclosure

Funding information must be disclosed separately and accurately.

Authors must identify financial or material support received for:

research activities;
data collection;
software or computing resources;
equipment or infrastructure;
analysis;
manuscript preparation; or
other activities directly related to the research.

Funding disclosure should identify the funding organization and, where applicable, the relevant grant or project identifier.

Authors should also disclose whether the funding organization had any role in:

study design;
data collection;
data analysis;
interpretation of results;
manuscript preparation;
decisions regarding publication; or
any other aspect of the research or publication process.

The existence of funding does not itself constitute a conflict of interest. However, the relationship between the funding source and the research must be transparently disclosed where relevant.

JACDIS follows the principle that readers should be provided with sufficient information to understand the role of financial support in the research and publication process, consistent with relevant COPE publication ethics guidance.

7. Conflicts of Interest Involving Editors

Editors of JACDIS must maintain editorial independence and make decisions based on the scholarly quality, relevance, originality, methodological soundness, and ethical integrity of manuscripts.

An editor should not handle a manuscript when a conflict of interest exists or may reasonably be perceived to exist.

Examples include manuscripts:

authored or co-authored by the editor;
authored by a close collaborator or colleague;
authored by a person with whom the editor has a close personal or professional relationship;
involving research that directly competes with the editor's own research;
involving an institution with which the editor has a significant conflict;
involving a commercial or financial interest of the editor; or
presenting circumstances that could reasonably compromise the editor's impartiality.

When an editor has a relevant conflict of interest, the manuscript should be reassigned to an appropriately independent editor.

Editors must disclose relevant conflicts to the editorial leadership and should recuse themselves from editorial decision-making where their impartiality may reasonably be questioned.

An editor must not use confidential information obtained through the editorial process for personal, professional, financial, or competitive advantage.

These requirements are consistent with COPE principles concerning editorial responsibility, independence, confidentiality, and conflicts of interest.

8. Conflicts of Interest Involving Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers must disclose any circumstances that may affect, or may reasonably be perceived to affect, their impartiality in evaluating a manuscript.

Reviewers should decline an invitation to review when they:

have a close personal or professional relationship with one or more authors;
have recently collaborated with one or more authors;
work in direct competition with the authors on substantially similar research;
have a financial interest related to the manuscript;
have a significant academic dispute with the authors;
have a relationship with the research or institution that may compromise impartiality; or
otherwise believe that they cannot provide an objective and independent assessment.

Reviewers must not use information obtained during peer review for personal, professional, financial, or competitive purposes.

Reviewers must also maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and related information in accordance with JACDIS's peer review and publication ethics policies.

JACDIS applies these requirements consistently with COPE guidance and principles concerning peer reviewer responsibilities, confidentiality, impartiality, and competing interests.

9. Editorial Independence

JACDIS seeks to ensure that editorial decisions are made independently from commercial, financial, institutional, political, personal, or other external interests.

Editorial decisions should be based primarily on:

scholarly quality;
originality;
methodological rigor;
relevance to the scope of the journal;
research integrity;
ethical compliance; and
the quality and validity of the evidence presented.

No author, reviewer, editor, sponsor, institution, or external organization should improperly influence editorial decisions.

Financial support for research or journal activities must not determine whether a manuscript is accepted, rejected, revised, or published.

JACDIS recognizes editorial independence as an essential component of responsible scholarly publishing and applies relevant COPE principles concerning editorial independence and the responsible management of competing interests.

10. Management of Disclosed Conflicts

Disclosure of a conflict of interest does not automatically result in rejection of a manuscript, exclusion of an individual from the publication process, or a finding of misconduct.

JACDIS will assess disclosed conflicts on a case-by-case basis and may implement appropriate measures to manage or mitigate them.

Possible measures may include:

requesting additional disclosure or clarification;
assigning an alternative editor;
appointing an independent reviewer;
requiring additional independent assessment;
requesting revisions to the conflict-of-interest statement;
documenting the conflict in the editorial record;
publishing an appropriate disclosure statement alongside the article; or
taking other measures considered necessary to protect the integrity of the publication process.

The editorial office may consider the nature, relevance, magnitude, timing, and potential impact of the conflict when determining an appropriate response.

Where a conflict raises a substantive publication ethics concern, JACDIS may follow relevant COPE flowcharts, guidance, or other applicable procedures to determine an appropriate course of action.

11. Undisclosed or Inaccurately Disclosed Conflicts

If JACDIS becomes aware of a potentially undisclosed or inaccurately disclosed conflict of interest, the editorial office may request an explanation and supporting information from the relevant individual.

The journal may take appropriate action depending on the circumstances, including:

requesting a correction or clarification;
requiring an updated conflict-of-interest statement;
reassessing the manuscript or editorial decision;
replacing an editor or reviewer;
initiating an investigation where appropriate;
issuing a correction, Expression of Concern, or other editorial notice after publication; or
taking other action consistent with applicable publication ethics principles.

Where there is evidence that a conflict was deliberately concealed or misrepresented, JACDIS may consider the matter a potential publication ethics or research integrity concern.

In handling such concerns, JACDIS may refer to relevant COPE flowcharts and guidance for editors and may seek appropriate information from the authors, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other responsible parties.

Where necessary, the editorial process may be suspended until the matter has been appropriately assessed.

12. Changes in Conflict of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers are responsible for notifying JACDIS if a relevant conflict of interest arises or changes during the publication process.

Authors must update their disclosure when a relevant circumstance changes between submission and publication.

Similarly, editors and reviewers must promptly notify the editorial office if a new conflict becomes apparent after they have accepted responsibility for a manuscript.

The editorial office may reassess the handling of a manuscript when a new or previously undisclosed conflict is identified.

Such reassessment will be conducted in accordance with this policy and, where relevant, applicable COPE principles and guidance.

13. Post-Publication Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest identified after publication will be assessed by JACDIS in accordance with the nature and potential impact of the conflict.

Where a relevant undisclosed conflict is confirmed, the journal may publish an appropriate correction, clarification, editorial notice, or other post-publication action.

The existence of a previously undisclosed conflict does not by itself establish that the research findings are invalid. However, JACDIS may undertake further assessment when the conflict raises substantive concerns regarding the integrity, interpretation, or reliability of the published work.

Where appropriate, JACDIS may seek information from the authors' institutions or other responsible organizations.

In determining an appropriate post-publication response, JACDIS may refer to COPE guidance and flowcharts concerning corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, and other post-publication issues, where applicable.

14. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Information

Information disclosed in relation to conflicts of interest will be handled responsibly and used primarily for the purpose of assessing and managing potential competing interests.

JACDIS will distinguish between information that should be made publicly available for transparency and information that should remain confidential for legitimate privacy, legal, or ethical reasons.

Where appropriate, relevant conflict-of-interest information may be included in the published article to ensure transparency for readers.

The handling of confidential information will be consistent with JACDIS's peer review and editorial confidentiality requirements and relevant COPE principles concerning confidentiality and responsible editorial practice.

15. Relationship Between Conflict of Interest and Research Integrity

JACDIS considers transparent disclosure of conflicts of interest to be an essential component of research and publication integrity.

Authors, editors, reviewers, and other participants in the publication process must not conceal relevant interests that could reasonably affect, or appear to affect, their judgment.

The disclosure of a conflict allows the journal and its readers to evaluate the research and publication process with appropriate context.

Disclosure is therefore regarded as a mechanism for transparency and responsible management rather than as an automatic indication of unethical conduct.

JACDIS applies this principle in accordance with the broader publication ethics framework promoted by COPE, particularly the principles of transparency, accountability, editorial independence, and protection of the integrity of the scholarly record.

16. JACDIS Policy Statement on Conflicts of Interest

JACDIS requires authors, editors, reviewers, and other individuals involved in the publication process to disclose relevant conflicts of interest that may influence, or may reasonably be perceived to influence, their judgment, responsibilities, or decisions.

The journal recognizes that conflicts of interest may be financial, personal, professional, institutional, academic, intellectual, or otherwise relevant to the publication process.

JACDIS does not consider the existence of a conflict of interest, by itself, to constitute misconduct. However, failure to disclose a relevant conflict, intentional concealment of competing interests, or inaccurate disclosure may undermine the integrity and credibility of the scholarly record and may result in appropriate editorial action.

JACDIS will manage conflicts of interest in accordance with this policy and with relevant publication ethics principles and guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Where a conflict of interest develops into a broader publication ethics concern, JACDIS may apply relevant COPE guidance, flowcharts, and procedures, as appropriate to the circumstances.

Through this policy, JACDIS seeks to promote transparency, editorial independence, impartiality, accountability, responsible disclosure, and research integrity across research and publication activities in computing, digital information systems, data science, artificial intelligence, software engineering, information technology, and related disciplines.

JACDIS recognizes COPE as an important reference framework for publication ethics and will consider applicable COPE guidance when addressing complex or unresolved conflicts of interest and related editorial concerns.