Journal Policy on Conflict of Interest

The Editorial Board of the «Reporter of the Priazovskyi State Technical University. Section: Economic  Sciences» adheres to high standards of academic integrity and objectivity. Our policy is developed in accordance with the COPE (Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing) and incorporates the ICMJE approach to the disclosure of financial and non-financial relationships and activities, and conflicts of interest.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when the personal, financial, political, or professional interests of a participant in the publishing process (author, reviewer, or editor) may influence the objectivity of the manuscript evaluation. This applies to both direct relationships and potential obligations to third parties. We distinguish between financial conflicts (grants, honoraria, patents) and non-financial ones, including personal relationships, academic rivalry, or ideological differences. The presence of a conflict of interest is not a ground for manuscript rejection, provided it is fully and honestly disclosed at the submission stage.

Disclosure Procedure for Participants

Authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest in the supporting documentation of the manuscript. The Editorial Board strongly recommends that authors use the EASE Interactive Checklist for Submitting Authors for this purpose. This tool allows for the structuring of information regarding each researcher's individual contribution and unifies the disclosure of financial support and non-material ties.

Reviewers and members of the Editorial Board must declare any circumstances that might prevent an unbiased evaluation before starting work on the text. If a reviewer is in the same department as the authors or has had joint publications within the last three years, they are obliged to recuse themselves from the review process.

Resolution Algorithm and Special Procedures

In the event a conflict of interest is identified, the Editorial Board applies a clear algorithm of actions to minimize the risks of bias. The primary resolution tool is the recusal of the interested party and the appointment of an independent managing editor. This ensures the separation of the decision-making process from any internal or external pressure. Each stage of resolution, including the grounds for recusal and the decision to appoint new experts, is documented in the editorial archive to ensure audit transparency.

A special procedure is established for manuscripts submitted by the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board members, or editorial staff. In accordance with the COPE position regarding Submissions by the editor-in-chief and editorial board members of a journal, such works undergo a "double independence" mechanism. This means that the Editor-in-Chief is completely removed from managing the manuscript, and the process is coordinated by an independent managing editor (Guest Editor or a board member from another institution) who appoints independent external reviewers. In such cases, the article's metadata records information about who specifically performed the editorial oversight.

Documentation and Decision Making

Any statement of conflict of interest or suspicion thereof becomes a subject of review by the journal's ethics committee. The Editorial Board reserves the right to request additional documents from authors confirming funding sources or the nature of cooperation with commercial organizations.

In the event that an undisclosed conflict of interest is identified in a submitted manuscript, the editorial board acts in accordance with the COPE flowchart for undisclosed conflict of interest in a submitted manuscript. This procedure involves suspending the review process, requesting an explanation from the authors, and, if necessary, informing the authors' institutions or sponsors.

If an undisclosed conflict of interest is discovered after publication, the Editorial Board acts according to the COPE Flowcharts, which may lead to the publication of a Correction or, in the case of a serious impact on the reliability of results, a Retraction of the article.