Correction and Retraction

The Social and Management Research Journal (SMRJ) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and transparency of the scholarly record. When errors or ethical issues are identified in published articles, the journal follows a structured process for issuing corrections, retractions, or withdrawals in line with international best practices, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

Corrections

Corrections are issued when minor errors are identified that do not affect the overall findings or conclusions of the article. These may include typographical errors, author details, data inaccuracies or other minor issues. Corrected articles are updated transparently, with a formal correction notice linked to the original publication. The scholarly record remains intact and all changes are clearly documented.

Retractions

Retractions are issued when serious ethical issues or fundamental errors invalidate the findings of a published article. This includes research misconduct such as data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or major violations of ethical standards.

Retracted articles remain publicly accessible but are clearly marked as retracted in both the article and its metadata. A formal retraction notice explaining the reason is published and permanently linked to the original article to ensure transparency.

The final decision on retraction is made by the Editor-in-Chief following editorial investigation and, where appropriate, consultation with authors.

Withdrawals

Articles may be withdrawn prior to formal publication in cases of early identification of significant errors or ethical concerns or upon justified author request. Withdrawn manuscripts are clearly indicated as withdrawn to maintain transparency.

Process

Concerns regarding published content may be raised by authors, readers or reviewers and should be directed to the editorial office. All cases are reviewed by the editorial team and appropriate action is taken without undue delay.

Ethical Standards

SMRJ adheres to COPE guidelines and international best practices in publication ethics. The journal is committed to correcting the scholarly record whenever necessary to ensure research integrity and transparency.