Guide for Editors

Editors of Stardom Scientific Journal of Economy and Management Studies are responsible for the scientific quality, fairness, and ethical conduct of the review process. This guide summarises core responsibilities and best practices, aligned with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

1. Initial Assessment

For each new submission:

1. Verify the manuscript fits the journal's scope.
2. Confirm it follows the formatting and submission checklist.
3. Run a similarity check (Turnitin). Threshold: ≤20% similarity, ≤5% AI-assisted text.
4. Make an initial decision: send for review, request revisions, or desk reject.

Desk rejection grounds include: out of scope, severe language issues, methodological flaws beyond repair, evidence of misconduct, or excessive overlap with prior work.

2. Selecting Reviewers

• Identify at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.
• Avoid reviewers who share an institution with any author or who have recent collaborations.
• Consider geographic and gender diversity.
• Use both author-suggested and independently sourced reviewers.

3. Managing the Review

• Set a clear deadline (3 weeks default).
• Send reminders at 1 week before and on the deadline.
• If a reviewer declines or fails to respond, source a replacement promptly.
• Read each review for usefulness, fairness, and any signs of bias.

4. Decisions

After two acceptable reviews:

• Accept — rarely on first round.
• Minor revisions — small clarifications, no new analyses.
• Major revisions — additional experiments, restructuring.
• Reject — fundamental problems or out of scope.

Reviews should be combined into a single, coherent decision letter. Disagreements are resolved by requesting a third review or by editorial judgement.

5. Revised Submissions

• Check the authors' point-by-point response.
• Re-review only if substantive changes were required.
• Confirm any ethical concerns have been addressed.

6. Publication Ethics

Editors must:

• Investigate allegations of misconduct following COPE flowcharts.
• Issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.
• Maintain strict confidentiality throughout.
• Declare and recuse themselves on any manuscript with a conflict of interest.

7. Diversity & Inclusion

Editors strive to build a board and reviewer pool that reflects the international scientific community across regions, career stages, and demographics.

8. Reporting

Each editor submits an annual report covering: number of manuscripts handled, average time to first decision, acceptance rate, and any actions related to publication ethics.