Plagiarism Policy

Introduction

The International Journal of Business, Management & Financial Insight (IJBMFI) is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism, in any form, is a serious violation of scholarly ethics and undermines the credibility of academic research. To preserve the authenticity and originality of published work, IJBMFI enforces a strict anti-plagiarism policy.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves using someone else’s work, ideas, or expressions without proper attribution, thereby misrepresenting them as one’s own. It includes, but is not limited to:

  • Verbatim Copying: Reproducing text from any source without quotation marks and appropriate citation

  • Improper Paraphrasing: Rewriting ideas from another work without crediting the original author

  • Data Misuse: Using figures, tables, images, or datasets without permission or proper acknowledgment

  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one's own previously published work without disclosure or citation

Plagiarism Threshold

  • IJBMFI Standard: The similarity index of a manuscript must not exceed 10%. Manuscripts above this limit may be rejected or returned for major revision.

  • Reference Benchmark: While the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan permits up to 19% similarity, IJBMFI adheres to a more rigorous threshold to ensure originality and academic excellence.

Detection and Responsibility

  • Plagiarism Detection: All manuscripts are checked using reliable plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) prior to peer review.

  • Author Responsibility: Authors are solely responsible for ensuring the originality of their submissions and proper citation of all sources. Submissions must not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.

Handling of Plagiarism

  • Initial Assessment: If plagiarism is suspected, the editorial team conducts an initial review to assess its extent.

  • Verification: Suspected content is cross-verified with original sources. Authors may be contacted for clarification or explanation.

Decisions Based on Severity:

Type of Plagiarism Editorial Action
Minor (e.g., improper citation) Manuscript returned for correction and resubmission
Major (e.g., copied content, data misuse) Immediate rejection; if published, article is retracted
Repeated or deliberate acts Permanent ban from future submissions; institution or funding body may be notified

Statement of Originality

All authors are required to submit a Statement of Originality, confirming that:

  • The work is original and free of plagiarism

  • All sources are properly cited

  • The manuscript is not under review elsewhere and has not been previously published

Appeals Process

Authors may appeal plagiarism-related decisions by submitting a formal request to the editorial board. Appeals will be reviewed impartially, and a final decision will be communicated following a detailed assessment.

Transparency and Retractions

In the event of a confirmed plagiarism case, IJBMFI will issue a formal retraction notice, publicly documenting the reason for the retraction to uphold transparency and preserve the academic record.

Use of AI-Generated Content

IJBMFI maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward AI-generated content in academic manuscripts. Submissions generated or significantly written with the aid of artificial intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Bard, etc.) are not acceptable. Authors must ensure that all work reflects original human scholarship and critical thinking. Any violation of this policy will be treated with the same seriousness as traditional forms of plagiarism.