ESPAS - Journal of Economics and Banking is a peer-reviewed international journal committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical behavior from all parties involved in the publishing process. This includes authors, the Chief Editor, the Editorial Board, peer reviewers, and the publisher, Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Blitar. Our ethics policy is rooted in the COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of articles in ESPAS - Journal of Economics and Banking represents a crucial element in the formation of a credible and respected knowledge network. The quality of the published work reflects both the authors' expertise and the institutions that support their research. Peer-reviewed articles play a vital role in upholding the scientific method, and it is imperative that all parties involved adhere to established ethical standards to maintain the integrity of the publication process.

As the publisher, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Blitar takes its responsibility seriously at every stage of publication. We are dedicated to ensuring that commercial interests, such as advertising or reprints, do not influence editorial decisions. Additionally, we support transparent communication between journals and publishers to foster a collaborative publishing environment.

Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct encompasses fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, and plagiarism in the execution, writing, or review of research. Should any allegations of misconduct arise, the Editors of ESPAS are committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record.

In the event of suspected misconduct, the Editors and Editorial Board will follow COPE’s best practices to investigate and address the issue fairly. If a manuscript is found to contain unethical practices, it will be rejected. For published papers with identified misconduct, a retraction will be issued and linked to the original article.

The initial step in addressing allegations involves verifying the validity of the claim and assessing any potential conflicts of interest. If necessary, the matter will be shared with the corresponding author, who must respond on behalf of all co-authors. Based on the evaluation, further expert review may be sought. In cases where misconduct is not evident, clarifications or corrections published as letters to the editor may suffice.

Institutions are expected to conduct thorough investigations of alleged scientific misconduct. Authors, journals, and institutions alike have a shared responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the scientific record. By addressing concerns about misconduct appropriately and taking necessary corrective actions, ESPAS upholds its commitment to the integrity of academic publishing.

Publication Decisions

The responsibility for deciding which articles to publish lies with the editors of ESPAS - Journal of Economics and Banking. These decisions are guided by the significance of the work to researchers and readers, as well as by the validation of the research findings. The editors operate within the framework of the journal’s policies and adhere to legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

Complaints and Appeals

ESPAS - Journal of Economics and Banking has a clear procedure for handling complaints related to the journal’s editorial process, including concerns about citation manipulation, unfair peer review, or editorial decisions. Complaints should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief and will be processed according to COPE guidelines. Complaints can be submitted via email to the journal's official contact.

Fair Play

Manuscripts submitted to ESPAS are evaluated solely on their intellectual merit, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality

Editors and any associated editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Information regarding a manuscript will only be shared with the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, and other editorial advisors as necessary.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished materials disclosed in a manuscript must not be used in an editor's own research without the explicit written consent of the author.

Duties of Reviewers

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer reviews assist editors in making publication decisions and can also help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

• Promptness: Reviewers who feel unqualified to assess a manuscript or who cannot provide a timely review should notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.

• Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and should not be shared with others without the editor’s permission.

• Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be objective and avoid personal criticism of the authors. Reviewers should provide clear, reasoned feedback supported by evidence.

• Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors and notify the editor of any significant similarities between the manuscript and other published works.

• Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must remain confidential and not be used for personal gain. Reviewers should not review manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest with any of the authors or affiliated institutions.

Duties of Authors

• Reporting Standards: Authors must provide an accurate account of their research and an objective discussion of its significance. Sufficient detail should be provided to enable others to replicate the work.

• Data Access, Retention, and Reproducibility: Authors should be prepared to provide raw data for editorial review and ensure the reproducibility of their findings.

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure their work is original and properly cite or quote the work and ideas of others.

• Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors should not publish the same research in more than one journal or submit the same manuscript to multiple journals concurrently.

• Acknowledgement of Sources: Proper credit must be given to the work of others, and all sources that influenced the research should be cited.

• Authorship and Contributorship: Authorship should be limited to individuals who made significant contributions to the research. All contributors should be listed as co-authors, and all co-authors should approve the final manuscript.

• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their work.

• Fundamental Errors in Published Work: If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor or publisher to correct or retract the article.

• Ethical Oversight: If research involves hazardous materials, human or animal subjects, or confidential data, authors must clearly state this in the manuscript and ensure compliance with ethical standards.

Intellectual Property and Copyright Policy

For details on our intellectual property and copyright policies, please visit the dedicated page on our website, here : https://ojs.unublitar.ac.id/index.php/espas/copyright-notice

Peer-Review Process Policy

For information on our peer-review process, please refer to the Peer Review Process page on our website here : https://ojs.unublitar.ac.id/index.php/espas/peer-review-process

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

ESPAS - Journal of Economics and Banking welcomes post-publication discussions and corrections. Readers can contact the Editor-in-Chief via email with any concerns or corrections regarding published articles. Accepted discussions or corrections will be published in the next issue as a "Letter to the Editor," and authors may respond with a "Reply to Letter to the Editor."