Conflicts of Interest

1. Introduction

BETA-BAREKENG : Journal of Mathematics and Computer Science requires all participants in the publication process to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence, or appear to influence, their professional judgment.

This policy applies to authors, peer reviewers, editors, editorial board members, guest editors, and journal staff.

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2. Definition of Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest, also known as a competing interest, exists when a person’s primary responsibility—such as the integrity of research, the fairness of peer review, or the objectivity of editorial decision-making—may be influenced by a secondary interest.

These interests may include, but are not limited to:

• Financial interests: employment, consultancies, grants, honoraria, stock ownership, patents, royalties, paid expert testimony, travel support, or funding relationships related to the work;
• Non-financial interests: personal relationships, academic rivalry, recent or current collaboration, mentor–mentee relationships, institutional affiliation, intellectual competition, personal beliefs, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as affecting objectivity.

The existence of a conflict of interest is not inherently unethical. However, failure to disclose it may undermine confidence in the integrity of the publication process.

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3. General Policy

All individuals involved in the journal’s publication process must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest relevant to their roles. If no conflicts of interest exist, this should also be stated explicitly where required.

Disclosures should be made as early as possible and updated if circumstances change during submission, review, revision, or publication.

The journal will evaluate disclosed conflicts of interest and take appropriate action to protect fairness, transparency, and the integrity of editorial decisions.

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4. Conflicts of Interest for Authors

Authors must disclose all financial and non-financial relationships or activities that could potentially influence, or be perceived to influence, their manuscript.

Authors should disclose:

• all sources of funding for the research;
• the role of the funder, if any, in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or the decision to submit;
• employment, consultancy, stock ownership, patents, grants, honoraria, or other financial interests related to the work;
• personal, institutional, or academic relationships that may affect the work or its interpretation.

A conflict of interest statement, or a declaration that no conflicts exist, should be included in the manuscript and submitted with the article metadata or disclosure form.

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5. Conflicts of Interest for Reviewers

Reviewers must declare any conflict of interest that could affect their ability to provide an objective, fair, and independent evaluation of a manuscript.

Such conflicts may include:

• recent or current collaboration with the author(s);
• close personal or professional relationships with the author(s);
• academic rivalry or strong intellectual opposition;
• financial interest in the outcome of the research;
• prior involvement in the manuscript or a competing manuscript.

Reviewers must inform the editor of any relevant conflict before accepting the review invitation. If a conflict becomes apparent after the review has begun, the reviewer must notify the editor immediately.

Where a significant conflict exists, the reviewer will normally be asked to decline or withdraw from the review process.

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6. Conflicts of Interest for Editors and Journal Staff

Editors, editorial board members, guest editors, and journal staff must disclose any interests that could influence, or appear to influence, their editorial judgment.

These may include:

• personal or close professional relationships with authors or reviewers;
• institutional or financial connections relevant to the manuscript;
• their own scholarly competition or overlapping research interests;
• involvement in a manuscript submitted by themselves or close associates.

Editors and staff with a significant conflict of interest must recuse themselves from handling the manuscript. In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to another editor without a relevant conflict.

Manuscripts submitted by editors, editorial board members, or journal staff must be handled through an independent and transparent editorial process.

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7. Journal-Level Conflicts of Interest

The journal is committed to editorial independence. Commercial, institutional, personal, or other non-scholarly interests must not compromise editorial decisions, peer review, or publication standards.

The journal and its publisher will manage journal-level interests transparently to avoid real or perceived interference with editorial integrity.

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8. Undisclosed Conflicts Identified After Publication

If a significant undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, the journal will investigate the matter carefully.

Depending on the seriousness of the case and its impact on the reliability or integrity of the publication, the journal may take appropriate action, including publication of a correction, an expression of concern, or retraction.

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