Policy Document

International Review of FinTech Business and Management

Publisher: Academy of Decision and Data Sciences
Journal abbreviation: IRFBM
Editorial contact: editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

1. Author Credit and Contribution Policy

1.1 Purpose

The International Review of FinTech Business and Management, published by the Academy of Decision and Data Sciences, is committed to ensuring that every individual who contributes to a manuscript receives appropriate and transparent recognition.

Authorship and contributorship must accurately reflect the intellectual, practical, and scholarly contributions made to the research and publication process. All authors are expected to provide a clear statement describing their respective roles.

1.2 Author Contribution Statement

All submitted manuscripts must include an author contribution statement based on the Contributor Roles Taxonomy, commonly known as CRediT.

The contribution statement may include the following roles:

Conceptualization
Methodology
Software
Validation
Formal analysis
Investigation
Resources
Data curation
Writing—original draft
Writing—review and editing
Visualization
Supervision
Project administration
Funding acquisition

Authors should identify the role or roles performed by each contributor. More than one author may be credited for the same role where appropriate.

1.3 Authorship Criteria

Authorship is restricted to individuals who have made a substantial scholarly contribution to the work.

To qualify as an author, an individual should normally:

Make a substantial contribution to the conception, design, methodology, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the research.
Participate in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
Review and approve the final version submitted for publication.
Agree to be accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and ethical conduct of the work.

Individuals who do not meet these criteria should not be listed as authors. Their contributions may instead be recognised in the acknowledgements section.

1.4 Order of Authors

The order of authors should be agreed upon by all authors before submission.

The journal does not determine the order of authors. The sequence should reflect the conventions of the discipline and the relative contributions of the authors.

The first author is normally the individual who made the most substantial contribution to the research and preparation of the manuscript, although other arrangements may be used where all authors agree.

1.5 Corresponding Author

The corresponding author serves as the principal contact between the journal and the author group.

The corresponding author is responsible for:

Submitting the manuscript and supporting documents.
Managing communication with the editorial office.
Confirming that all authors have reviewed and approved the submission.
Coordinating responses to editors and reviewers.
Ensuring that the names, affiliations, email addresses, funding statements, and ethical declarations are accurate.
Informing all co-authors of editorial decisions.
Reviewing and approving proofs.
Responding to post-publication questions where necessary.

The corresponding author does not automatically receive greater academic credit than the other authors.

1.6 Submitting Author

The submitting author may be the corresponding author or another designated author.

The submitting author is responsible for:

Completing the online submission.
Uploading the correct manuscript files.
Entering accurate metadata.
Responding to administrative requests.
Ensuring that required declarations and supporting documents are provided.

1.7 Acknowledgement of Non-Author Contributions

Individuals who contributed to the study but do not meet the authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

Examples include individuals who provided:

Technical assistance
Administrative support
Language editing
Data entry
General supervision
Access to facilities
Financial or logistical assistance

Permission should be obtained before naming an individual in the acknowledgements.

1.8 Ghost, Guest, Gift, and Honorary Authorship

IRFBM prohibits unethical authorship practices, including:

Ghost authorship: excluding an individual who made a substantial contribution.
Guest authorship: including an individual to improve the apparent credibility or prestige of the manuscript.
Gift authorship: offering authorship as a favour.
Honorary authorship: listing an individual because of seniority, position, or authority despite insufficient contribution.

Artificial intelligence systems, language models, software tools, and other non-human entities cannot be named as authors because they cannot accept responsibility for the work.

1.9 Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or rearrange authors must be submitted in writing.

The request must include:

A clear explanation of the proposed change.
Written agreement from all listed authors.
Written agreement from any author being added or removed.
An updated author contribution statement.

After acceptance, authorship changes will be permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

1.10 Authorship Disputes

Authors are expected to resolve questions concerning inclusion, exclusion, and author order before submission.

Where a dispute is reported:

The journal will acknowledge the complaint.
Editorial processing may be suspended.
Written statements may be requested from all relevant parties.
The matter may be referred to the authors’ institution where agreement cannot be reached.
The manuscript may remain on hold until the institution provides an outcome.
The journal may reject, withdraw, correct, or retract the manuscript or article where misconduct is confirmed.

The journal cannot independently determine individual contributions in a contested case and may rely on the relevant institution to investigate.

1.11 Documentation

The journal may require an author contribution form signed or approved by all authors.

All correspondence concerning authorship will be handled confidentially and retained for editorial and ethical recordkeeping.

1.12 Contact

Questions regarding authorship, contribution statements, or authorship disputes may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

2. Author Affiliation Policy

2.1 Purpose

Accurate affiliations support transparency, institutional accountability, attribution, discoverability, and the identification of potential conflicts of interest.

All authors must provide complete and verifiable affiliation information during submission.

2.2 Required Affiliation Information

Each affiliation should include:

Department, school, faculty, centre, or unit, where applicable
Full institutional or organisational name
City
Country

Postal codes and street addresses may be included where required by the journal’s submission system.

2.3 Affiliation at the Time of Research

The primary affiliation should normally represent the institution at which the research was conducted.

Where an author has moved to another institution, the current address may be stated separately as a present affiliation.

2.4 Multiple Affiliations

Authors holding legitimate appointments at more than one institution may list multiple affiliations.

Each affiliation should reflect a genuine institutional relationship relevant to the research or the author’s professional appointment.

Affiliations must not be added solely to increase institutional visibility or misrepresent participation.

2.5 Corresponding Author Information

The corresponding author must provide:

A valid institutional or professional email address
A complete primary affiliation
Accurate contact information
Any present address, where relevant

2.6 Independent Researchers

Authors without a formal institutional affiliation may identify themselves as:

Independent researcher
Independent scholar
Consultant
Practitioner

They should provide their city and country and, where relevant, their professional organisation.

2.7 Verification

The journal may verify affiliations through:

Institutional webpages
Official email addresses
Researcher identifiers
Institutional directories
Direct institutional confirmation

A manuscript may be delayed or rejected where an affiliation appears false, misleading, or unverifiable.

2.8 Institutional Support

Financial, administrative, technical, or institutional support should be acknowledged separately from the author affiliation.

Funding information should be reported in the funding statement.

2.9 Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose relationships with affiliated institutions, sponsors, employers, or commercial organisations that could influence the research.

2.10 Changes After Publication

Requests to correct an affiliation after publication will be considered where the published information is inaccurate.

A formal correction may be issued if the error affects attribution, indexing, or interpretation of the author’s institutional relationship.

2.11 Contact

Questions concerning author affiliations may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

3. Accessibility Policy

3.1 Commitment

IRFBM is committed to improving access to scholarly content for researchers, educators, students, practitioners, policymakers, and members of the public, including persons with disabilities.

The journal seeks to make its website, articles, and supporting materials accessible across commonly used devices and assistive technologies.

3.2 Website Accessibility

The journal aims to maintain an online platform that supports:

Keyboard navigation
Clear heading structures
Readable typography
Consistent page layouts
Meaningful link descriptions
Appropriate contrast
Responsive display on different screen sizes
Compatibility with commonly used browsers and assistive tools

3.3 Accessible Article Files

Published articles are normally provided in PDF and may also be available in HTML or other formats where supported.

The journal encourages the use of:

Clearly structured headings
Selectable and searchable text
Legible tables
Descriptive captions
Logical reading order
Accessible figures and supplementary files

3.4 Figures, Tables, and Images

Authors should provide clear titles, labels, legends, and captions for all visual material.

Where possible, figures should remain understandable when printed or viewed without reliance on colour alone.

Authors may be asked to provide alternative descriptions for images where required.

3.5 Alternative Formats

Readers who experience difficulty accessing an article may contact the editorial office to request assistance or an alternative format, subject to technical availability and copyright conditions.

3.6 Open Access

All published articles are made freely available without subscription or paywall restrictions.

Open access supports wider participation in research and reduces barriers faced by readers who lack access to subscription databases.

3.7 Assistive Technologies

The journal seeks compatibility with commonly used screen readers, browser magnification tools, keyboard navigation systems, and text-to-speech technologies.

3.8 Continuous Improvement

Accessibility is an ongoing process. The journal will review accessibility concerns and make reasonable improvements within its technical and operational capacity.

3.9 Reporting an Accessibility Problem

Readers should provide:

The page or article concerned
A description of the difficulty
The device, browser, or assistive technology used
The preferred format or solution, where applicable

3.10 Contact

Accessibility concerns may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

4. Open Access Policy

4.1 Open Access Statement

IRFBM is a fully open-access journal.

All articles are available online immediately after publication without subscription charges, registration requirements, or access barriers.

4.2 Purpose

The journal’s open-access model is intended to:

Increase the visibility of research.
Support global scholarly communication.
Facilitate use by researchers and practitioners.
Reduce barriers to knowledge.
Support institutional and funder open-access requirements.
Encourage interdisciplinary exchange.

4.3 User Rights

Readers may access, read, download, copy, share, and use published articles in accordance with the applicable Creative Commons licence.

Proper attribution to the authors and source is required.

4.4 Author Rights

Authors retain copyright in their work and grant the journal a non-exclusive right of first publication.

Authors may distribute and archive their articles in accordance with the journal’s copyright, licensing, and self-archiving policies.

4.5 No Embargo

Published articles may be accessed and shared immediately after publication. The journal does not impose an embargo on the final published version.

4.6 Permanent Access

The journal seeks to preserve published content through digital archiving, repository participation, backups, and persistent identifiers.

4.7 Contact

Questions concerning open access may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

5. Copyright and Licensing Policy

5.1 Copyright Ownership

Authors retain copyright in articles published by IRFBM.

The journal does not require the transfer of copyright ownership from the author to the publisher.

Each article should include an appropriate copyright statement, such as:

© [Year] The Author(s).

5.2 Licence to Publish

By submitting and publishing an article, authors grant IRFBM and ADDS a non-exclusive licence to:

Publish the article.
Reproduce it in print and electronic formats.
Distribute and archive it.
Register and maintain publication metadata.
Deposit it in indexing, abstracting, discovery, and preservation services.
Promote and communicate the article through academic channels.

5.3 Creative Commons Licence

Unless otherwise stated, articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence, CC BY 4.0.

This licence permits others to:

Copy and redistribute the material.
Adapt, transform, and build upon the material.
Use the material for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Users must:

Give appropriate credit.
Provide a reference to the licence.
Indicate whether changes were made.
Avoid implying endorsement by the authors or journal.

5.4 Author Reuse Rights

Authors may:

Deposit the published article in an institutional repository.
Share it on a personal or institutional webpage.
Use it in teaching and presentations.
Reuse it in a thesis, book, or later work with appropriate citation.
Distribute copies to colleagues and students.
Share it through academic networking platforms.

5.5 Moral Rights

Authors retain their moral rights, including the right to be properly identified as the creators of the work and to object to misleading or prejudicial use.

5.6 Third-Party Material

Authors are responsible for securing permission to reproduce third-party material not covered by the article’s open licence.

Such material may include:

Figures
Tables
Photographs
Scales
Questionnaires
Maps
Datasets
Extended quotations
Copyrighted illustrations

The source and licensing conditions must be stated clearly.

5.7 Permissions

Authors must provide written evidence of permission when requested.

The journal may remove or refuse material for which appropriate rights have not been secured.

5.8 Copyright Infringement

Claims of copyright infringement will be investigated.

Where infringement is confirmed, the journal may:

Remove the affected material.
Publish a correction.
Retract the article.
Notify relevant institutions.
Take any action required by law.

5.9 Policy Changes

The journal may revise this policy to reflect developments in copyright law, open-access practices, or publication standards.

5.10 Contact

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

6. Digital Archiving and Preservation Policy

6.1 Commitment

IRFBM is committed to preserving its scholarly content and maintaining long-term access to published articles and metadata.

6.2 Preservation Objectives

The journal’s preservation activities aim to:

Protect content against technical failure.
Maintain access if the journal website becomes unavailable.
Preserve the integrity of article files.
Retain accurate bibliographic metadata.
Support permanent scholarly citation.
Facilitate migration to new formats and systems where required.

6.3 Preservation Systems

The journal may preserve content through one or more of the following:

PKP Preservation Network
LOCKSS-compatible preservation services
CLOCKSS-compatible preservation services
Internet Archive
Institutional repositories
Publisher-controlled backups
Third-party digital preservation services

Participation depends on technical eligibility and service availability.

6.4 PKP Preservation Network

Where activated and eligible, the journal may use the PKP Preservation Network to preserve content published through Open Journal Systems.

The network uses distributed preservation principles so that multiple copies of published content remain available.

6.5 Internet Archive

The journal may deposit website content, article files, or metadata in the Internet Archive or similar preservation systems.

6.6 File Formats

Published content is maintained in widely supported formats, such as PDF.

Metadata may be stored in structured formats compatible with repositories, indexing systems, and library services.

6.7 Backups

The journal or its hosting provider maintains periodic backups of:

Article files
Submission records
Metadata
Website content
Database information
Editorial records

Backups may be stored separately from the primary server.

6.8 Metadata Preservation

Metadata may include:

Article title
Author names
Affiliations
Abstract
Keywords
Publication date
Volume and issue
Pagination or article number
DOI
References
Licence information

6.9 Integrity Checks

The journal may conduct periodic checks to confirm that article files remain complete, accessible, and correctly associated with their metadata.

6.10 Journal Discontinuation

If IRFBM ceases publication, reasonable efforts will be made to preserve previously published content and maintain access through archives, repositories, or successor platforms.

6.11 Contact

Digital preservation questions may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

7. Digital Object Identifier Policy

7.1 Purpose

IRFBM uses Digital Object Identifiers to support persistent identification, accurate citation, linking, discoverability, and long-term access to published articles.

7.2 DOI Assignment

A unique DOI may be assigned to each published article through the journal’s DOI registration arrangement.

The DOI will normally appear:

On the article webpage
In the article PDF
In the article metadata
In recommended citations

7.3 DOI Registration

DOI registration and metadata management may be conducted through Crossref or another recognised DOI registration agency.

7.4 DOI Permanence

Once assigned, a DOI will not normally be changed or reassigned to a different work.

The DOI should continue to resolve to the article or its current location even if the journal website or hosting structure changes.

7.5 Metadata Maintenance

The journal will seek to maintain accurate DOI metadata, including:

Title
Authors
Publication date
Journal title
Volume and issue
Article URL
Licence information
Correction or retraction status

7.6 Corrections and Retractions

A correction, retraction, or expression of concern may receive its own DOI where appropriate.

The metadata of the original article may also be updated to indicate its current status.

7.7 Author Responsibilities

Authors should use the DOI when citing their published article and verify DOI details during proof review.

7.8 Contact

DOI-related questions may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

8. Author Self-Archiving Policy

8.1 Purpose

IRFBM supports author self-archiving to increase research visibility, facilitate preservation, and help authors comply with institutional or funding requirements.

8.2 Submitted Manuscript

Authors may archive the original version submitted before peer review, subject to any applicable institutional or funder conditions.

The archived version should be identified as a submitted manuscript and should not be presented as the final journal publication.

8.3 Accepted Manuscript

Authors may archive the peer-reviewed manuscript accepted for publication.

The record should include a statement indicating that the manuscript has been accepted by IRFBM.

8.4 Published Version

Authors may immediately archive and share the final published version.

The published version should include:

Full citation
DOI
Journal title
Copyright statement
Applicable Creative Commons licence

8.5 Permitted Locations

Authors may deposit permitted versions in:

Institutional repositories
Subject repositories
Personal websites
Departmental webpages
Funder repositories
Academic networking platforms
Non-commercial scholarly archives

8.6 Embargo

The journal does not impose an embargo on the final published version unless a specific legal, contractual, or third-party restriction applies.

8.7 Conditions

Authors should:

Preserve the integrity of the published work.
Provide accurate citation information.
Include the DOI where available.
Identify the version being shared.
Retain the copyright and licensing statement.
Avoid presenting an earlier manuscript as the final published version.

8.8 Third-Party Material

Third-party content may not always be covered by the article’s open licence. Authors should confirm that archived copies comply with applicable permissions.

8.9 Contact

Self-archiving questions may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

9. Peer Review Policy

9.1 Purpose

IRFBM uses peer review to evaluate the originality, relevance, methodological quality, ethical compliance, clarity, and scholarly contribution of submitted manuscripts.

9.2 Review Model

The journal normally applies a double-anonymous peer review process.

Under this model:

Reviewers are not informed of the authors’ identities.
Authors are not informed of the reviewers’ identities.

Authors must remove identifying information from the blinded manuscript.

9.3 Editorial Screening

Every submission undergoes an initial assessment by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor.

The screening considers:

Fit with the journal’s aims and scope
Originality
Academic quality
Methodological suitability
Ethical compliance
Completeness
Language and presentation
Similarity concerns
Adherence to author guidelines

A manuscript may be rejected without external review if it is unsuitable or fails to meet minimum standards.

9.4 Reviewer Selection

Manuscripts that pass screening are normally sent to at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.

Reviewers are selected based on:

Subject knowledge
Methodological competence
Publication or research experience
Independence
Availability
Absence of conflicts of interest

9.5 Reviewer Suggestions

Authors may suggest potential reviewers, but the journal is not obliged to invite them.

Authors must not suggest:

Close collaborators
Current colleagues
Recent co-authors
Family members
Individuals with financial or personal relationships
False identities
Email addresses controlled by the authors

9.6 Reviewer Evaluation

Reviewers may assess:

Importance of the research question
Theoretical foundation
Originality
Literature coverage
Research design
Data quality
Statistical or analytical methods
Interpretation
Conclusions
Limitations
Ethical compliance
Clarity and organisation
Relevance to the journal

9.7 Editorial Decisions

Editorial decisions may include:

Accept
Minor revision
Major revision
Reject and resubmit
Reject

Reviewer recommendations are advisory. The editor makes the final decision.

9.8 Revisions

Authors asked to revise must provide:

A revised manuscript
A point-by-point response
Clear identification of changes
A reasoned explanation where a recommendation is not followed

A revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed by the editor.

9.9 Review Time

The journal seeks to complete peer review within a reasonable period. Review times may vary according to reviewer availability, manuscript complexity, and revision requirements.

No fixed decision date is guaranteed.

9.10 Confidentiality

Manuscripts and associated files are confidential.

Reviewers and editors must not:

Share them with others without permission.
Use unpublished information for personal benefit.
Discuss the manuscript publicly.
Reveal reviewer identities.
Retain files unnecessarily after completing the review.

9.11 Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers and editors must disclose any conflict that could affect impartiality.

A conflicted reviewer or editor should decline or withdraw from handling the manuscript.

9.12 Reviewer Conduct

Reviewers must:

Provide objective and constructive comments.
Avoid personal or insulting language.
Support criticism with reasons.
Review only within their competence.
Report suspected misconduct confidentially.
Avoid citation coercion.
Meet agreed deadlines or request an extension.
Protect confidential information.

9.13 Author Conduct

Authors must:

Submit original work.
Respond professionally.
Avoid attempts to identify or contact reviewers.
Disclose related manuscripts.
Provide requested data or documents.
Correct material errors.
Avoid manipulating the review process.

9.14 Editorial Responsibilities

Editors must:

Apply consistent standards.
Select suitable reviewers.
Protect confidentiality.
Manage conflicts.
Base decisions on scholarly merit.
Investigate credible concerns.
Avoid discriminatory treatment.
Recuse themselves where necessary.

9.15 Editorial Submissions

A manuscript submitted by an editor, board member, or regular reviewer will be handled by an independent editor.

The author-editor will have no access to reviewer identities or decision-making.

9.16 Peer Review Manipulation

IRFBM prohibits:

False reviewer identities
Fabricated reviewer accounts
Fraudulent email addresses
Coordinated favourable reviews
Undisclosed relationships
Interference with editorial systems
Attempts to influence reviewers improperly

Confirmed manipulation may result in rejection, retraction, suspension, or institutional notification.

9.17 Artificial Intelligence and Review

Reviewers and editors must not upload confidential manuscripts or unpublished data into public generative artificial intelligence systems.

Peer review must reflect independent human judgement.

Artificial intelligence must not replace critical scholarly evaluation.

9.18 Appeals

Authors may appeal where they believe that:

A material factual error affected the decision.
The review process was procedurally unfair.
A conflict of interest was overlooked.
Reviewer comments were seriously misinterpreted.

An appeal must provide specific evidence and does not guarantee reconsideration or acceptance.

9.19 Post-Publication Review

Readers may report substantive concerns after publication.

The journal may investigate and issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction where appropriate.

9.20 Contact

Peer-review questions may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

10. Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

10.1 Commitment

IRFBM maintains a strict policy against plagiarism and other forms of unattributed copying.

All manuscripts must represent original work and acknowledge the ideas, words, data, images, and findings of others.

10.2 Definition

Plagiarism includes:

Verbatim copying without quotation and citation
Close paraphrasing without attribution
Presenting another person’s ideas as original
Reusing figures or tables without permission
Translating content without citation
Using unpublished work without authorisation
Copying data, code, or results
Inadequate attribution of third-party material

10.3 Similarity Screening

Manuscripts may be screened using recognised similarity detection software, including Turnitin, iThenticate, or Crossref Similarity Check, depending on availability.

Similarity reports are interpreted by editors and are not treated as automatic evidence of misconduct.

10.4 Similarity Thresholds

As a general editorial standard:

Overall similarity should normally remain below 15%.
Similarity from a single source should normally remain below 5%.

These thresholds are indicative rather than mechanical.

Editors will consider:

Properly quoted material
References
Standard terminology
Methodological language
Author names and affiliations
Publicly available instruments
Legitimate overlap with theses or preprints
The location and nature of the matching text

A manuscript may still be rejected where a small percentage contains serious unattributed copying.

10.5 Self-Plagiarism

Authors must not recycle substantial portions of their previous publications without citation and disclosure.

Limited reuse may be acceptable where:

It is properly cited.
The earlier work is disclosed.
The new manuscript provides a substantial original contribution.
The reuse is methodologically necessary.

10.6 Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Authors must not:

Submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.
Publish substantially identical findings more than once without disclosure.
Divide one study into several minimally distinct papers.
Conceal related publications.

10.7 Preprints and Theses

A manuscript based on a thesis, dissertation, working paper, or preprint may be considered where:

The earlier version is disclosed.
It is appropriately cited.
Journal publication is permitted.
The manuscript meets originality requirements.

10.8 Editorial Action Before Publication

Where problematic overlap is identified, the journal may:

Request correction.
Return the manuscript before review.
Require a detailed explanation.
Reject the manuscript.
Contact the relevant institution in serious cases.

10.9 Post-Publication Plagiarism

Where plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal may:

Investigate the allegation.
Request explanations and evidence.
Publish a correction.
Issue an expression of concern.
Retract the article.
Notify institutions, funders, or indexing services.

10.10 Allegations

Allegations will be handled confidentially and fairly.

The accused party will normally be given an opportunity to respond.

Knowingly false or malicious allegations may be dismissed.

10.11 Author Responsibility

By submitting, authors confirm that:

The work is original.
All sources are acknowledged.
Required permissions have been obtained.
The manuscript is not under review elsewhere.
Related publications have been disclosed.

10.12 Contact

Plagiarism-related questions or concerns may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

11. Research Misconduct and Whistleblower Policy

11.1 Commitment

IRFBM is committed to investigating credible allegations of research and publication misconduct fairly, confidentially, and without bias.

11.2 Forms of Misconduct

Research and publication misconduct may include:

Data fabrication
Data falsification
Manipulation of results
Plagiarism
Self-plagiarism
Duplicate publication
Peer review manipulation
Citation manipulation
Undisclosed conflicts of interest
Unethical authorship
False affiliations
Improper use of confidential information
Failure to obtain required ethical approval
Misrepresentation of funding or permissions
Deliberate destruction or concealment of research records

11.3 Reporting Concerns

Concerns may be reported by:

Authors
Reviewers
Editors
Readers
Institutions
Funders
Research participants
Members of the public

Reports should contain sufficient information and supporting evidence.

Anonymous reports may be considered where the information is credible and verifiable.

11.4 Preliminary Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will determine:

Whether the concern falls within the journal’s responsibility.
Whether supporting evidence is sufficient.
Whether publication or review should be suspended.
Whether an institution or external expert should be contacted.

11.5 Investigation

The journal may:

Request explanations from authors.
Request raw data or documentation.
Consult independent experts.
Contact ethics committees.
Contact institutions or funders.
Examine submission and peer review records.
Review correspondence and contribution statements.

11.6 Fairness

All parties will be treated fairly.

Individuals accused of misconduct will normally be given a reasonable opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.

11.7 Outcomes

Where misconduct is confirmed, the journal may:

Issue a warning.
Reject the manuscript.
Withdraw acceptance.
Publish a correction.
Issue an expression of concern.
Retract the article.
Restrict future submissions.
Remove an individual from an editorial or reviewer role.
Notify institutions or funding bodies.
Notify indexing and abstracting services.

11.8 Whistleblower Protection

Good-faith reports will be treated confidentially.

The identity of a whistleblower will be protected to the fullest extent reasonably possible and disclosed only where necessary for an investigation or required by law.

Retaliation against a whistleblower is prohibited.

11.9 Malicious Allegations

A report made honestly will not be treated as misconduct merely because it is not substantiated.

Knowingly false, fraudulent, or malicious allegations may themselves be considered unethical conduct.

11.10 Recordkeeping

The journal will retain appropriate confidential records of allegations, investigations, correspondence, and decisions.

11.11 Contact

Misconduct or whistleblower reports may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

12. Article Processing Charges Policy

12.1 Current Fee Status

IRFBM currently does not charge authors any fees for submission, peer review, acceptance, or publication.

There are no:

Submission fees
Initial screening fees
Peer review fees
Revision fees
Acceptance fees
Article processing charges
Page charges
Colour figure charges
Publication fees

12.2 Open Access Without Author Charges

The current absence of fees supports the journal’s commitment to open access and reduces financial barriers to scholarly publication.

12.3 Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are based exclusively on:

Scholarly quality
Originality
Relevance
Methodological strength
Ethical compliance

An author’s financial circumstances do not influence editorial decisions.

12.4 Future Introduction of Charges

The publisher may introduce article processing charges in the future to support:

Editorial administration
Digital infrastructure
Production
Preservation
DOI registration
Website maintenance
Publication services

No fee will be introduced without clear advance notice.

12.5 Transparency Requirements

Before any APC is implemented, the journal will publish:

The exact amount
The currency
The services covered
The effective date
The payment stage
Waiver or discount arrangements
Refund conditions
Applicable taxes or transaction charges

12.6 Author Notification

Authors will be informed of applicable charges before or at submission.

No hidden or unexpected fee will be imposed after publication.

A fee will never guarantee acceptance, favourable review, accelerated publication, or preferential treatment.

12.7 Waivers and Discounts

If APCs are introduced, the journal may provide waivers or discounts for:

Authors from low-income countries
Authors from lower-middle-income countries
Students
Early-career researchers
Unfunded researchers
Authors experiencing financial hardship
Invited contributions

Eligibility and procedures will be published clearly.

12.8 Confidentiality of Waiver Requests

Waiver and discount requests will be handled separately from peer review and editorial decision-making.

Reviewers will not be informed of an author’s payment or waiver status.

12.9 Refund Policy

If fees are introduced, a refund policy will specify:

Eligible circumstances
Non-refundable services
Request procedures
Decision responsibilities
Processing conditions

12.10 Fraudulent Payment Requests

Authors should make payments only through official channels announced by ADDS or IRFBM.

The journal is not responsible for payments made to unauthorised agents, personal accounts, or unofficial email addresses.

12.11 Contact

Questions concerning fees may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

13. Post-Publication Correction and Retraction Policy

13.1 Commitment

IRFBM is committed to maintaining an accurate, reliable, transparent, and permanent scholarly record.

Errors and ethical concerns identified after publication will be addressed through appropriate notices and editorial action.

13.2 Corrections

A correction may be issued where an error affects the accuracy, clarity, attribution, or interpretation of an article but does not invalidate its central findings.

Examples include:

Incorrect author details
Affiliation errors
Numerical errors
Incorrect labels
Missing funding information
Reference errors
Production mistakes
Minor methodological inaccuracies

13.3 Erratum

An erratum is normally issued for an error introduced by the journal during editing, production, formatting, or typesetting.

13.4 Corrigendum

A corrigendum is normally issued for an error introduced by the authors.

13.5 Correction Notices

A correction notice will normally:

Identify the original article.
Explain the error.
State the corrected information.
Link to the original article.
Remain permanently available.

The original article may also be updated with a note where technically appropriate.

13.6 Retraction

An article may be retracted where its findings or ethical basis are fundamentally unreliable.

Grounds may include:

Fabricated or falsified data
Serious plagiarism
Duplicate publication
Major analytical or methodological error
Unethical research
Peer review manipulation
Unauthorised use of material
Serious authorship misconduct
Unreliable conclusions resulting from honest error
Undisclosed conflicts that materially affected the work

13.7 Retraction Notice

A retraction notice will:

Clearly identify the article.
Explain the reason.
Identify who initiated the retraction where appropriate.
Distinguish honest error from misconduct where possible.
Link to the original article.
Remain openly accessible.

13.8 Availability of Retracted Articles

A retracted article will normally remain available to preserve the scholarly record but will be clearly labelled as retracted.

13.9 Partial Retraction

A partial retraction may be considered only where a clearly separable part of the article is unreliable and the remainder remains valid.

Where the central conclusions are affected, a full retraction will normally be issued.

13.10 Expression of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued where:

Serious concerns exist.
Evidence is incomplete.
An institutional inquiry is ongoing.
The journal cannot reach a final conclusion.
An investigation is unreasonably delayed.

The notice may later be replaced or supplemented by a correction, retraction, or statement that no further action is required.

13.11 Article Removal

Published content will be removed only in exceptional circumstances, such as:

A binding legal requirement
Serious privacy violation
Defamatory or unlawful content
Immediate public safety risk
Court order
Major infringement of legal rights

A bibliographic notice will normally remain where legally possible.

13.12 Withdrawal Before Publication

Authors may request withdrawal before publication.

The request should:

Identify the manuscript.
Explain the reason.
Confirm that all authors agree.

The journal may retain an internal record of the withdrawn submission.

13.13 Withdrawal After Acceptance

An accepted but unpublished manuscript may be withdrawn in exceptional circumstances, subject to editorial approval.

13.14 Published Articles

A published article cannot normally be withdrawn as though it had never been published.

Corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, or removal notices will be used instead.

13.15 Decision-Making

The Editor-in-Chief will assess post-publication concerns and may consult:

Associate editors
Editorial board members
Independent experts
Institutions
Funders
Ethics committees
Legal advisers

13.16 Author Notification

Authors will normally be informed and invited to respond.

Author agreement is not required where evidence clearly supports editorial action.

13.17 Reader Notification

All formal notices will be made visible and linked to the affected article.

Metadata and indexing records may be updated.

13.18 Appeals

Authors may appeal by providing:

Specific grounds
Relevant evidence
An explanation of any material error
The requested outcome

13.19 Contact

Post-publication concerns may be sent to:

editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

14. Publication Ethics Policy

14.1 Commitment to Ethical Publishing

IRFBM and ADDS are committed to integrity, fairness, transparency, accountability, editorial independence, and responsible scholarly communication.

The journal follows internationally recognised publication ethics principles, including the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics.

14.2 Scope

This policy applies to:

Authors
Reviewers
Editors
Editorial board members
Publisher representatives
Readers
Research participants
Institutions and funders

14.3 Research Integrity

Submitted manuscripts must represent honest, original, and reliable scholarship.

Authors must not engage in:

Fabrication
Falsification
Plagiarism
Duplicate publication
Manipulation of peer review
Manipulation of citations
Misrepresentation of ethical approval
False authorship
Undisclosed conflicts
Misrepresentation of data, funding, or affiliations

14.4 Originality

A manuscript must not be published previously in substantially the same form or be under consideration by another journal.

Related publications, preprints, theses, conference papers, and working papers must be disclosed and cited.

14.5 Authorship

All authors must:

Make a substantial contribution.
Participate in drafting or critical revision.
Approve the final manuscript.
Accept accountability for the work.

Ghost, guest, gift, and honorary authorship are prohibited.

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors.

14.6 Attribution

Authors must cite all sources accurately and appropriately.

This includes:

Previously published studies
Preprints
Conference papers
Presentations
Theses
Reports
Datasets
Software
Scales and instruments

References should follow the citation style stated in the author guidelines.

14.7 Citation Manipulation

The journal prohibits:

Excessive irrelevant self-citation
Coercive citation requests
Citation exchanges
Reviewer citation pressure
Editor citation pressure
References added solely to inflate metrics

Suggested references must be academically relevant.

14.8 Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any relationship that could influence or appear to influence their judgement.

Conflicts may include:

Financial interests
Employment
Consultancy
Sponsorship
Grants
Patents
Institutional relationships
Personal relationships
Academic competition
Recent collaboration
Editorial roles

14.9 Funding

Authors must identify all funding sources and explain the funder’s role in:

Study design
Data collection
Analysis
Interpretation
Manuscript preparation
Publication decisions

Where no external funding was received, authors should state this.

14.10 Fabrication and Falsification

Authors must not:

Invent participants or observations.
Fabricate survey responses.
Alter data to obtain preferred outcomes.
Misreport analyses.
Hide material results.
Present simulated data as genuine.
Misrepresent research procedures.

The journal may request raw data, code, questionnaires, transcripts, approvals, or supporting records.

14.11 Image and Figure Integrity

Images and figures must not be altered in a way that misrepresents the evidence.

Permissible adjustments should:

Apply consistently.
Improve clarity.
Preserve meaning.
Be disclosed where material.

14.12 Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical requirements.

The manuscript should state:

Name of the ethics committee
Approval number, where available
Consent procedure
Confidentiality safeguards
Reason for any exemption

14.13 Research Involving Animals

Animal research must include:

Ethics approval
Approval reference, where applicable
Welfare compliance
Justification of procedures

14.14 Informed Consent

Authors must obtain informed consent where required.

Participants should understand:

The purpose of the study
The voluntary nature of participation
Their right to withdraw
How data will be used
Confidentiality arrangements
Foreseeable risks

14.15 Consent for Publication

Separate permission is required where identifiable personal information is published.

This may include:

Photographs
Case histories
Direct quotations
Medical information
Audio or video
Identifiable institutional information

14.16 Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors must protect personal, sensitive, confidential, and restricted data.

Editors and reviewers must protect confidential manuscript information.

14.17 Third-Party Data

Authors using external datasets must confirm:

Lawful access
Permission where required
Compliance with licence conditions
Appropriate attribution
Anonymisation where required

14.18 Publishing Permissions

Authors must obtain permission for copyrighted content not covered by statutory exceptions or an open licence.

Evidence of permission may be requested.

14.19 Defamation and Libel

Manuscripts must not contain unsupported, defamatory, unlawful, or unjustifiably damaging claims.

Authors must verify statements concerning identifiable individuals, institutions, businesses, or organisations.

14.20 Artificial Intelligence Use by Authors

Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content.

Artificial intelligence may not be used to:

Fabricate data
Invent references
Create false evidence
Produce unsupported conclusions
Misrepresent research
Conceal plagiarism
Replace scholarly accountability

Limited use for grammar, language improvement, translation, coding assistance, or data analysis may be permitted where appropriate.

Material use should be disclosed, including:

Tool name
Purpose
Section affected
Verification process

14.21 Artificial Intelligence in Peer Review

Manuscripts and review materials are confidential.

Reviewers and editors must not upload them into public artificial intelligence systems.

Artificial intelligence must not replace independent expert judgement.

14.22 Reviewer Ethics

Reviewers must:

Remain objective.
Protect confidentiality.
Declare conflicts.
Avoid personal criticism.
Avoid citation coercion.
Report ethical concerns.
Refrain from using unpublished information.
Provide timely and constructive reviews.

14.23 Editor Ethics

Editors must:

Protect confidentiality.
Maintain independence.
Avoid discrimination.
Manage conflicts.
Select qualified reviewers.
Base decisions on merit.
Investigate credible concerns.
Correct the record where required.
Recuse themselves when conflicted.

14.24 Editorial Endogeny

Articles authored or co-authored by editors, editorial board members, or listed reviewers should not exceed 25% of the research content published across the two most recent issues.

Such articles must undergo independent editorial handling and peer review.

14.25 Peer Review Integrity

The journal prohibits:

False reviewer identities
Reviewer impersonation
Fabricated email addresses
Undisclosed author-reviewer relationships
Coordinated fraudulent review
Improper influence
Manipulation of editorial systems

14.26 Complaints

Complaints may relate to:

Editorial conduct
Review quality
Conflicts of interest
Ethical violations
Publication decisions
Delays
Post-publication action

Complaints should be submitted in writing with relevant details.

14.27 Appeals

An appeal should identify:

The manuscript
The decision being challenged
The alleged factual or procedural error
Supporting evidence

Disagreement with reviewer judgement alone is not normally sufficient.

14.28 Ethics Oversight

Serious ethical concerns may be reviewed by:

The Editor-in-Chief
An independent editor
The Editorial Board
External experts
The authors’ institutions
Ethics committees
Funding organisations

14.29 Handling Allegations

The journal will:

Conduct an initial assessment.
Protect confidentiality.
Request evidence.
Invite a response.
Consult appropriate experts.
Take proportionate action.
Maintain records.
Correct the scholarly record where necessary.

14.30 Sanctions

Possible actions include:

Warning
Rejection
Withdrawal of acceptance
Correction
Expression of concern
Retraction
Submission restriction
Reviewer suspension
Removal from editorial roles
Institutional notification
Funder notification
Notification of indexing services

14.31 Post-Publication Responsibilities

Authors must notify the journal of significant errors discovered after publication.

Readers, reviewers, and institutions are encouraged to report credible concerns.

14.32 Confidentiality

All ethical inquiries will be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible.

Information will be disclosed only to those involved in the investigation or where required by law.

14.33 Fairness

The journal will not presume misconduct without evidence.

All parties will normally be given an opportunity to respond.

Actions will be based on the seriousness of the issue and the strength of the evidence.

14.34 Our Commitment

IRFBM is committed to addressing ethical concerns professionally, consistently, fairly, and transparently.

The integrity of the scholarly record takes priority over commercial, institutional, personal, or reputational interests.

14.35 Contact

Questions, complaints, appeals, ethical concerns, and misconduct reports may be sent to:

International Review of FinTech Business and Management
Academy of Decision and Data Sciences
Email: editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com

15. Policy Review and Updates

These policies will be reviewed periodically to reflect developments in:

Publication ethics
Open-access standards
Copyright law
Artificial intelligence
Peer review practices
Digital preservation
Research integrity
Data protection
Scholarly communication

Material revisions will be published on the journal website.

Unless otherwise stated, the policy in effect at the time of submission will apply to the manuscript.

16. General Contact Information

For questions concerning any editorial or publication policy, contact:

International Review of FinTech Business and Management
Academy of Decision and Data Sciences
Email: editor.irfbm@addsacademy.com