Conflict of Interest

Conflict of Interest Policy

1. Policy Statement

Borneo Humaniora is committed to ensuring that all editorial and publication decisions are made fairly, objectively, and independently. The journal recognizes that financial, personal, professional, institutional, intellectual, or other relationships may create actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence the research, peer review, or publication process.

All authors, editors, peer reviewers, and journal personnel are required to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and cooperate in taking appropriate measures to manage them. The existence of a conflict of interest does not automatically mean that a manuscript cannot be published. However, undisclosed or improperly managed conflicts may compromise the credibility and integrity of the scholarly record.

2. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest occurs when an individual's personal, financial, professional, institutional, or other interests could improperly influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, their judgment or responsibilities in the research and publication process.

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

• Financial interests: Research funding, employment, consultancy fees, honoraria, grants, stock ownership, patents, royalties, or other financial benefits related to the research.

• Personal relationships: Family relationships, close friendships, personal disputes, or other relationships that could affect impartial judgment.

• Professional or institutional relationships: Current or recent employment, shared institutional affiliations, supervisory relationships, collaborations, or professional competition.

• Academic or intellectual interests: Strong academic positions, competing research interests, or intellectual commitments that could influence an assessment.

• Political, religious, or ideological interests: Beliefs or affiliations that could reasonably be perceived as affecting impartiality in evaluating a manuscript.

• Other competing interests: Any circumstances that could reasonably raise concerns about the independence, fairness, or credibility of the research or editorial decision.

These examples are not exhaustive. Individuals should disclose any relevant interest when they are uncertain whether it constitutes a conflict.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must disclose all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest relevant to their submitted manuscripts.

Authors should:

1. Declare relevant financial and non-financial interests that may have influenced the research, analysis, interpretation, or reporting of findings.

2. Disclose funding sources and, where relevant, describe the funder's role in research design, data collection, analysis, manuscript preparation, and the decision to submit or publish the article.

3. Identify relevant professional, personal, or institutional relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the work.

4. Include a Conflict of Interest Statement in the manuscript, even when no conflicts exist.

5. Inform the editor promptly if a relevant conflict becomes apparent after submission or publication.

If no competing interests exist, authors should include the following statement:

“The authors declare that they have no competing interests that could have influenced the work reported in this article.”

If a conflict exists, authors must describe it clearly and accurately. The editor will assess whether further disclosure, clarification, or other measures are required.

4. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must maintain editorial independence and avoid handling manuscripts in circumstances where their impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

Editors are required to:

1. Disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest involving a manuscript under their responsibility.

2. Refrain from making editorial decisions on manuscripts in which they have a relevant conflict of interest.

3. Delegate the manuscript to an independent editor when necessary.

4. Ensure that manuscripts submitted by editors or editorial board members are handled independently, without preferential treatment.

5. Maintain the confidentiality of conflict-of-interest disclosures and use them only for legitimate editorial purposes.

6. Ensure that relevant conflicts are appropriately considered before a manuscript is accepted for publication.

Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly merit, relevance to the journal's scope, the quality of the manuscript, and the results of the peer review process, rather than personal or financial interests.

5. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and disclose any circumstances that could affect, or appear to affect, their impartiality.

Reviewers must:

1. Declare relevant financial, personal, professional, institutional, or academic conflicts before accepting a review assignment.

2. Decline the invitation when a conflict cannot be appropriately managed.

3. Inform the editor if a conflict becomes apparent during the review process.

4. Avoid reviewing manuscripts involving close collaborators, current or recent supervisory relationships, direct competitors, or other relationships that could compromise impartiality.

5. Maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and avoid using unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.

The editor will determine whether a reviewer may proceed with the assignment or whether another reviewer should be appointed.

6. Responsibilities of the Publisher and Journal Management

The publisher and journal management are responsible for maintaining procedures that support the disclosure and appropriate management of conflicts of interest.

They shall:

1. Provide clear conflict-of-interest requirements for authors, editors, and reviewers.

2. Support editorial independence and prevent inappropriate influence from financial, institutional, or personal interests.

3. Maintain appropriate confidentiality when handling disclosures.

4. Support independent handling of manuscripts when conflicts involving editors or journal personnel arise.

5. Cooperate with the editorial team in addressing concerns about undisclosed or improperly managed conflicts.

7. Disclosure and Management Procedures

Conflict-of-interest disclosures should be submitted during manuscript submission or as soon as the relevant interest becomes known.

When a potential conflict is identified, the editor or an appropriately designated independent person will assess its nature, relevance, and possible influence on the manuscript or editorial process.

Depending on the circumstances, appropriate measures may include:

• Requesting additional information or clarification from the relevant individual.

• Requiring a more complete disclosure statement.

• Assigning an independent editor or alternative reviewer.

• Requiring appropriate disclosure in the published article.

• Suspending the editorial process while a concern is assessed.

• Referring serious or unresolved concerns to the publisher or an appropriate institution.

The measures taken will be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the conflict. The journal will seek to ensure that conflicts are managed transparently and do not compromise editorial fairness.

8. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If a relevant conflict of interest is discovered after submission, acceptance, or publication, Borneo Humaniora will assess the circumstances and determine appropriate action.

Depending on the evidence and potential impact, the journal may request a disclosure or correction, conduct further assessment, reassign editorial responsibility, publish a correction or other editorial notice, or take additional action consistent with its publication ethics policies.

Where an undisclosed conflict raises serious concerns about the reliability or integrity of a published article, the journal may consider an expression of concern or retraction in accordance with its relevant policies and recognized publication ethics guidance.

All cases will be assessed fairly and on the basis of available evidence.

9. Publication of Conflict-of-Interest Statements

Borneo Humaniora requires a Conflict of Interest Statement to be included in each published research article, where applicable. The statement should identify relevant competing interests or explicitly state that no competing interests have been declared.

Funding information should also be reported separately or within the relevant disclosure section, as appropriate to the manuscript and journal template.

The journal will publish disclosures in a manner that supports transparency while respecting applicable privacy, confidentiality, and legal requirements.

10. Commitment to Editorial Integrity

Borneo Humaniora is committed to maintaining trust in scholarly publishing through transparent disclosure, impartial peer review, responsible editorial management, and appropriate handling of competing interests.

All parties involved in the publication process share responsibility for identifying and disclosing relevant conflicts. The journal will take reasonable steps to ensure that such conflicts are managed consistently with its publication ethics policies and recognized standards of scholarly publishing.