Conflicts of Interest

The Journal of Halal Industry Studies is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, and integrity in scholarly publishing. Authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, journal staff, and the publisher must disclose any interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, their professional judgement. This policy follows COPE's Focus on conflicts of interest.

1. Definition
A conflict of interest may arise from financial or non-financial relationships, including funding, employment, consultancy, personal relationships, academic competition, collaboration, institutional affiliations, or intellectual commitments that could affect research, peer review, or editorial decisions.

2. Authors' Responsibilities
Authors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest, funding sources, and, where applicable, the funder’s role in the research.

3. Reviewers' and Editors' Responsibilities
Reviewers must inform the editor and decline a review assignment if a conflict could compromise their objectivity. They must also maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and must not use unpublished information for personal benefit.

Editors and editorial board members must recuse themselves from handling a manuscript if they have a relevant conflict of interest. Manuscripts submitted by an editor, editorial board member, or close colleague must be handled by an independent editor.

4. Handling Undisclosed Conflicts
If an undisclosed conflict is identified, the editorial office may request clarification, replace the reviewer or editor, reassess the editorial process, or request a correction to the conflict-of-interest statement. If the conflict is identified after publication, the editorial office will consider a correction or other appropriate action to maintain transparency and the reliability of the scholarly record.

5. Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions are based on scholarly quality, relevance, originality, and compliance with journal policies. Financial, commercial, personal, or institutional interests must not improperly influence those decisions. Relevant disclosures may be published alongside the article to inform readers.