Conflict of Interest Policy
Transparency in the editorial process is essential for scientific integrity. Authors, reviewers, and editors of the Premium Handbook of Science and Technology must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest when submitting, accepting to review, or making editorial decisions.
What is a conflict of interest?
A conflict of interest is any situation where personal, professional, academic, or financial interests may influence, or appear to influence, judgment and impartiality in the editorial process.
Examples of conflicts of interest
- Financial support or sponsorship from companies with an interest in the research results
- Personal, family, or professional relationships that could affect manuscript evaluation
- Academic competition or professional rivalry with authors or involved institutions
Guidelines for Authors
Authors must report any funding source, sponsorship, institutional affiliation, or relationship that could be interpreted as a conflict of interest in the submission metadata, especially in the Funding Agency field. The absence of conflicts should also be declared.
Guidelines for Reviewers
Peer review is blind, but if authorship is identified or a conflict of interest is perceived, reviewers must immediately inform the editorial team and decline the review.
Guidelines for Editors
The editorial team is responsible for analyzing conflicts at all editorial stages and for safeguarding anonymity during the peer review process.
Consequences and Actions
Omission of conflicts of interest may result in corrections, retractions, or other editorial actions. All cases are assessed individually by the editor-in-chief in accordance with ethical publishing standards.
Keywords: conflict of interest, editorial ethics, transparency, scientific publishing, peer review, editorial policy.
