POLICIES

International Review of Management and Development Studies (IRMDS)

1. Archiving Policy

International Review of Management and Development Studies (IRMDS) ensures the long-term preservation of published articles through secure digital archiving. We collaborate with reputable institutional repositories and regularly back up content to prevent data loss. Authors are encouraged to archive their published works in trusted repositories and cite the journal accordingly.

Digital Preservation Services:
RIHRM ensures long-term preservation of published content through digital archiving services including PKP Preservation Network (PN), LOCKSS, and CLOCKSS.

LOCKSS: https://crcltd.org/index.php/IRMDS/gateway/lockss

CLOCKSS: https://crcltd.org/index.php/IRMDS/gateway/clockss

2. Peer Review Process

IRMDS follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure academic quality and integrity. Manuscripts are screened by the editorial team and reviewed by at least two independent experts for originality, methodology, significance, and ethical compliance. Final decisions are based on reviewers’ recommendations and academic merit.

The average peer review and publication process takes approximately 8 weeks from submission to publication, depending on reviewer availability and manuscript complexity. The journal ensures a fair, transparent, and unbiased review process for all submitted manuscripts.

3. Printed Copy Policy

IRMDS is an online-only journal to enhance accessibility and reduce environmental impact. Printed copies of articles can be requested, but these are subject to availability and approval by the editorial team. Authors or institutions requesting printed copies are responsible for printing and shipping costs.

4. Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

Manuscripts can be withdrawn without penalty before the peer review process begins. Once the review process starts, withdrawal requests must be substantiated with valid reasons. Post-acceptance withdrawal is only allowed in exceptional cases. Authors engaging in unethical withdrawal practices may face restrictions on future submissions.

5. Refund Guidelines

Publication fees are non-refundable once editorial processing has commenced. However, refunds may be considered in the event of duplicate payments, technical errors, or administrative mistakes. Any refund request must be formally submitted to the editorial office within the stipulated time frame.

6. Ethical Standards

IRMDS follows COPE ethical guidelines to ensure transparency, integrity, and responsible publishing. Plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, and other forms of research misconduct are strictly prohibited. Authors, reviewers, and editors must follow ethical standards, disclose conflicts of interest, and support proper handling of corrections and retractions when required.

7. Anti-Plagiarism Policy

IRMDS maintains a strict anti-plagiarism policy. All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening using advanced software. Authors are required to ensure the originality of their work and proper citation of all sources. Submissions found to have significant similarity to other works may be rejected.

IRMDS screens all submitted manuscripts using plagiarism detection software (iThenticate/Turnitin) to ensure originality and academic integrity. Manuscripts showing significant similarity with existing works may be returned to authors for revision or rejected after editorial evaluation.

10% similarity: Acceptable
11% – 20% similarity: Minor revisions required
21% – 30% similarity: Major revisions required
Above 30% similarity: Rejected

8. Copyright and Rights

Authors retain full copyright ownership of their published work. Articles published by IRMDS are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Authors grant the journal a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, and archive their articles while retaining the right to reuse and share their work with proper acknowledgment of the original publication.

9. License Policy

All articles published by IRMDS are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows users to read, share, distribute, and adapt the published work provided that appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the journal.

License details: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

10. APC &Waivers policy

IRMDS applies an Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 100 for manuscripts accepted for publication. The APC supports editorial management, peer review administration, online publication, DOI services, and long-term preservation of published articles.

The APC is charged only after acceptance of the manuscript. The journal does not charge any submission or review fees. Authors who face financial difficulties may request a partial or full waiver, which will be considered by the editorial office on a case-by-case basis.

11. Repository Policy

IRMDS allows authors to deposit and share their published articles in institutional repositories, subject-based repositories, and personal academic websites after publication. Authors may archive the final published version of their articles with proper acknowledgment of the journal and citation details.

All deposited versions must maintain the original publication information, including the article title, authorship, journal name, DOI, and licensing information under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

12. Open Access Policy

IRMDS is an open-access journal that provides free and immediate access to all published articles worldwide. Readers can access, download, share, and use published content without subscription fees under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), with proper credit given to the original authors and the journal.

13. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may influence the research, review process, or editorial decisions. Authors are required to declare potential conflicts during submission, while reviewers and editors must avoid handling manuscripts where conflicts exist. IRMDS ensures that conflicts of interest are managed transparently to maintain the fairness, integrity, and objectivity of the publication process.

14. Data Sharing Policy

IRMDS encourages authors to share research data supporting their findings through suitable repositories. Authors should provide a data availability statement and ensure that shared data follows ethical, legal, and privacy requirements. If data cannot be shared, authors should provide the reason for non-availability.

15. AI Use Policy

IRMDS allows the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for language improvement, formatting, and research assistance. Authors must disclose any significant use of AI tools during manuscript preparation. AI tools cannot be listed as authors, and authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and ethical integrity of their work.

16. Corrections and Retraction Policy

IRMDS follows ethical procedures for correcting or retracting published articles when necessary. Corrections are issued to address errors that affect the accuracy of published content, while retractions are applied in cases of serious issues such as research misconduct, plagiarism, or unreliable findings. All corrections and retractions are handled transparently in accordance with publication ethics standards.