Allied Sciences and Engineering Journal (ASEJ) is committed to transparency and the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. We require all authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the integrity and objectivity of their work.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when an individual’s personal, financial, or professional relationships could influence, or appear to influence, their objectivity in the publication process. Conflicts of interest can be personal, financial, intellectual, professional, political, or religious in nature.

Author Responsibilities

Disclosure Requirements:

• Financial Interests: Authors must disclose any financial interests, funding sources, or other financial relationships that could be perceived as influencing the results or interpretation of their manuscript.
• Personal Relationships: Authors should disclose any personal relationships that could be viewed as having potential to affect their objectivity.
• Professional Affiliations: Authors must disclose any professional affiliations or relationships that might be construed as having a potential influence on the work submitted for consideration.

How to Disclose:

• Conflict of Interest Statement: A conflict of interest statement must be included in the manuscript. This statement should list all potential conflicts and describe how these have been managed or mitigated.
• Submission System: Conflicts of interest must also be disclosed during the submission process through the journal’s online submission system.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Disclosure Requirements:

• Objectivity in Review: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could bias their evaluation of the manuscript. If a potential conflict exists, reviewers should recuse themselves from the review process.
• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscript and related information as confidential and must not use this information for personal gain.

Editor Responsibilities

Disclosure Requirements:

• Editorial Decisions: Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect their decisions regarding the manuscript. If a conflict exists, editors should delegate the decision-making process to another qualified editor without conflicts.
• Transparency: Editors should avoid situations in which they have financial, personal, or professional interests that could affect their editorial decisions.

Managing Conflicts of Interest

Editorial Procedures:

• Evaluation of Disclosures: The editorial team will evaluate disclosed conflicts of interest and determine the appropriate course of action. This may include seeking additional disclosures or recusing individuals from the review or editorial process.
• Transparency in Publication: If a manuscript is accepted for publication, any disclosed conflicts of interest will be published alongside the manuscript to ensure transparency.

Examples of Conflicts of Interest

• Financial: Receiving funding, grants, or other payments from a company whose product or service could be affected by the research.
• Personal: Having a personal relationship with someone who might be affected by the research or the publication outcome.
• Professional: Being employed by or having a significant stake in an organization that might be positively or negatively impacted by the research findings.
• Intellectual: Holding strong personal beliefs or advocacy positions that could be viewed as affecting the objectivity of the research.

By adhering to this Conflict of Interest Policy, ASEJ maintains the integrity and trustworthiness of the publication process, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability within the scholarly community.