Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies

Sustainable Trends and Business Research (STBR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical responsibility in scholarly publishing. The journal recognizes that ethical practices are fundamental to the credibility of scientific communication and to the trust placed in academic research by the scholarly community and society at large.

STBR aligns its editorial and publication practices with internationally recognized principles of research integrity and follows the best practice guidelines developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). While STBR is not currently a member of COPE, the journal adheres to its core principles in handling editorial decisions, ethical investigations, and post-publication issues. All stakeholders in the publication process — including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher — share responsibility for upholding these ethical standards.

Editorial independence is central to the integrity of STBR. All editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of the scholarly merit of the submission. Manuscripts are evaluated according to their originality, methodological rigor, theoretical contribution, clarity of presentation, and relevance to the aims and scope of STBR.

The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board exercise full autonomy in the editorial decision-making process. Decisions are not influenced by commercial considerations, advertising interests, sponsorship arrangements, or personal relationships. ResearchApt, as the publisher of STBR, does not interfere with editorial judgments.

STBR ensures non-discriminatory editorial practices. Submissions are assessed without regard to the authors’ nationality, ethnicity, institutional affiliation, gender, political beliefs, or religious background. The journal is committed to fairness, impartiality, and academic objectivity at all stages of review and publication.

STBR operates a rigorous double-anonymized peer review system designed to ensure independent and unbiased evaluation of scholarly work. Upon submission, manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment to determine whether they meet the journal’s scope, quality expectations, and basic formatting requirements. Manuscripts deemed suitable are then assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers with relevant subject expertise.

Reviewers are expected to:

      • Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based feedback.
      • Evaluate the manuscript solely on scholarly merit.
      • Maintain strict confidentiality regarding the manuscript and review process.
      • Refrain from using unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.
      • Declare any potential conflicts of interest prior to accepting a review assignment.

Editors are likewise required to recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which conflicts of interest exist. Final decisions — acceptance, revision, or rejection — are made by the Editor-in-Chief based on reviewer reports and independent editorial judgment.

STBR maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward research misconduct. Academic integrity is considered essential to the reliability and advancement of scientific knowledge.

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

      • Plagiarism or substantial unattributed textual overlap
      • Data fabrication or falsification
      • Manipulation of research results or images
      • Redundant or duplicate publication
      • Citation manipulation
      • Unethical research practices

All submitted manuscripts are screened using similarity detection software. Similarity reports are assessed contextually and carefully. While minor overlap may occur in certain sections (e.g., methodology descriptions), substantial unattributed similarity or deliberate misappropriation of intellectual work may result in immediate rejection or further investigation.

If credible evidence of misconduct is identified either during peer review or after publication, STBR will conduct a structured and confidential investigation. Where necessary, the journal may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions in order to safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record.

Transparency in disclosing potential conflicts of interest is essential to maintaining the credibility of published research. Authors are required to disclose any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived to influence the research design, analysis, interpretation, or reporting of results. This includes funding sources, consulting arrangements, advisory roles, equity interests, or other competing interests. Moreover, a conflict of interest statement must be included within each submitted manuscript.

Editors and reviewers must also disclose any conflicts of interest that could compromise their impartiality. Where such conflicts exist, they are expected to withdraw from participation in the review or editorial process. If undisclosed conflicts of interest are discovered after publication, STBR may issue a correction or take other appropriate remedial action.

STBR acknowledges the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in academic research and manuscript preparation. The journal permits the limited use of AI tools for technical and linguistic support; however, strict conditions apply.

AI tools may be used for:

     • Language editing and grammar refinement
     • Formatting assistance
     • Reference organization
     • Technical improvement of clarity

However, AI tools:

     • Cannot be listed as authors.
     • Cannot assume responsibility for the intellectual content of the manuscript.
     • Must not replace human intellectual contribution.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, validity, and integrity of all content submitted to STBR. Any use of generative AI tools in drafting, analysis, or data interpretation must be transparently disclosed within the manuscript. The editorial office reserves the right to request clarification regarding AI usage and to evaluate whether its application complies with accepted standards of scholarly integrity.

STBR encourages transparency in research methodology, data reporting, and analytical procedures. The credibility of scholarly research depends on the ability of other researchers to understand, evaluate, and, where appropriate, reproduce reported findings.

Authors are expected to maintain accurate records of data, procedures, and analyses supporting their research conclusions. Where feasible and ethically permissible, authors are encouraged to make underlying research data accessible through recognized data repositories or institutional archives. Each manuscript should include a Data Availability Statement specifying one of the following:

     • Data are publicly available in a recognized repository.
     • Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
     • Data are subject to ethical, legal, or confidentiality restrictions.

Where restrictions apply (e.g., confidentiality agreements, sensitive human subject data), authors must clearly explain the limitations. Failure to provide access to data when reasonably requested may result in editorial investigation. STBR supports research transparency while respecting legitimate ethical and legal constraints.

Research involving human participants must adhere to recognized ethical standards and applicable institutional, national, or international guidelines.

Authors must confirm within their manuscript that:

     • Ethical approval was obtained from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB), Ethics Committee, or equivalent authority, where required.
     • Participants provided informed consent.
     • Confidentiality and privacy were adequately protected.

The manuscript should include the name of the approving ethics body and, where applicable, the approval reference number. For studies involving surveys, interviews, experiments, or access to non-public organizational data, authors must ensure that participation was voluntary and that no undue harm resulted from participation. The editorial office reserves the right to request supporting documentation of ethical approval during the review process.

STBR is committed to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the scholarly record. When errors or ethical concerns arise, the journal will take appropriate and transparent corrective action.

Corrections (Erratum or Corrigendum)

Minor errors that do not materially affect the validity of the findings — such as typographical mistakes, author affiliation corrections, or minor factual inaccuracies — may be corrected through a formal published correction notice.

Retractions

An article may be retracted in cases involving:

     • Proven research misconduct
     • Fabrication or falsification of data
     • Plagiarism
     • Major methodological errors rendering findings unreliable
     • Unethical research practices

Retraction notices will clearly state the reason for retraction and will remain permanently linked to the original article. The original article will not be removed but will be clearly marked as retracted to preserve the transparency of the scholarly record.

Expressions of Concern

Where an investigation is ongoing but concerns are significant, STBR may issue an Expression of Concern to inform readers pending the outcome of the investigation.

Article Withdrawal (Pre-Publication)

In exceptional circumstances, articles may be withdrawn prior to publication if serious issues are identified during production or final review.

All corrective actions are undertaken in accordance with internationally recognized best practices in publication ethics.

STBR recognizes the importance of providing authors and reviewers with a fair and transparent mechanism for addressing concerns.

Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision by submitting a detailed written explanation outlining the grounds for reconsideration. Appeals must present substantive evidence or clarification rather than a disagreement with reviewer opinions alone. Appeals are reviewed independently by the Editor-in-Chief and, where appropriate, additional editorial board members not involved in the original decision. The decision reached following appeal review is final.

Complaints

Complaints regarding editorial conduct, reviewer behavior, publication delays, or ethical concerns may be submitted to the editorial office. All complaints are handled confidentially and investigated thoroughly. STBR is committed to resolving disputes impartially and in accordance with established ethical standards.

STBR is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in scholarly publishing. The journal welcomes submissions from researchers worldwide and does not discriminate based on nationality, gender, ethnicity, institutional affiliation, or geographic location.

ResearchApt, as the publisher of STBR, supports the journal’s commitment to editorial independence, transparency, and ethical publishing practices.

The publisher:

    • Respects the autonomy of the editorial team.
    • Does not interfere in editorial decisions.
    • Ensures that published corrections, retractions, and updates are implemented transparently.
    • Supports adherence to recognized publication ethics standards.

Commercial or financial considerations do not influence editorial outcomes.

This Publication Ethics & Editorial Policies statement is periodically reviewed and updated to ensure continued alignment with evolving international standards in scholarly publishing and research integrity.