BALANCE: Economic, Business, Management and Accounting Journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly publication record. This policy on article corrections and retractions is established based on the principles of scholarly publishing ethics and the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Every published article is considered part of the scientific record, the accuracy and reliability of which must be upheld.

Should errors or issues be identified in a published article, the journal will conduct an objective evaluation and take action commensurate with the nature of the error, its impact on the reliability of the research findings, and the available evidence.

1. Article Correction

A correction is issued when errors are discovered in a published article, provided that these errors do not fundamentally compromise the reliability of the research findings and conclusions.

Corrections may be issued for issues such as:

a. Typographical errors, grammatical mistakes, or bibliographic information that affect the reader's understanding.

b. Errors in tables, figures, equations, or data presentation that can be rectified without altering the core validity of the research results.

c. Errors regarding author names, institutional affiliations, or authorship information.

d. Errors in citations or the reference list that require rectification.

e. Other errors that may mislead readers but do not necessitate the full retraction of the article.

Requests for corrections may be submitted by authors, editors, or readers, provided that clear information regarding the article and the specific section requiring correction is supplied. The editors will assess such requests based on supporting evidence and the potential impact on the integrity of the article.

If a correction is approved, the journal will publish a correction notice detailing the amendments made and linking it to the original article. Any changes to a previously published article will be documented transparently, ensuring that readers are made aware of the correction.

2. Retraction

A retraction is issued when there is sufficient evidence that a published article contains serious issues, rendering its findings or conclusions unreliable, or when there has been a breach of publication ethics that materially compromises the integrity of the publication.

Retraction may be considered in the following circumstances:

a. Fundamental errors in the research—such as mistakes in data, calculations, methodology, or analysis—that render the primary findings and conclusions untrustworthy.

b. Fabrication or falsification of data, including the creation of fictitious data or the manipulation of research data and results.

c. Plagiarism, including the use of another party’s work, ideas, or scholarly material without proper attribution.

d. Duplicate or redundant publication, involving the publication of substantially the same findings without adequate disclosure, attribution, or justification.

e. Breaches of research ethics, such as the use of research data or materials without necessary authorization, or violations of relevant ethical approvals.

f. Manipulation of the publication process, including interference with the peer-review process or the inclusion of fictitious authorship, which severely undermines the integrity of the publication.

g. Undisclosed conflicts of interest, where an investigation reveals that such conflicts materially affect or compromise the reliability of the research interpretation.

h. Other serious violations that, based on the findings of an investigation, render the article unsuitable for inclusion in the reliable scientific record.

A retraction is not intended as a form of punishment for the authors; rather, it serves as a mechanism to maintain the integrity of the scientific literature and to provide clear information to readers.

3. Procedures for Handling Corrections and Retractions

BALANCE: Economic, Business, Management and Accounting Journal employs the following procedures for addressing suspected errors or misconduct in published articles:

a. Receipt of a report. The journal accepts reports from authors, readers, editors, reviewers, institutions, or other parties possessing relevant information. Such reports must include the identification of the article, a description of the issue, and supporting evidence, if available.

b. Initial evaluation. The editor assesses the relevance of the report, the severity of the issue, the preliminary evidence, and the potential impact on the reliability of the article.

c. Request for clarification. When necessary, the editor contacts the relevant author(s) and provides a reasonable opportunity for them to offer an explanation and supporting evidence. The editor may consult with independent reviewers, subject-matter experts, the author’s institution, or other relevant parties.

d. Review and decision-making. Based on the available evidence, the editor determines the appropriate course of action—which may include taking no further action, publishing a correction, issuing an expression of concern, or retracting the article.

e. Issuance of a notice. If a correction or retraction is approved, the journal publishes an official notice explaining the reason for and scope of the action, and links it to the original article.

f. Documentation and updating of the publication record. The journal ensures that the status of the article and any related notices are recorded transparently on the journal’s website and, where possible, communicated to relevant indexing services or metadata providers.

The review process is conducted in a fair, independent, and proportionate manner. Editors need not wait for an admission of error from the authors if the available evidence is sufficient to warrant editorial action.

4. Expression of Concern

If there are allegations of serious issues regarding the integrity or reliability of an article, but the available evidence is insufficient to reach a final decision, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern.

This statement may be issued while an investigation is ongoing, when evidence remains inconclusive, or when an investigation by the relevant institution faces significant delays.

An Expression of Concern must objectively explain the reasons for its issuance and be linked to the article in question. Once the investigation is concluded, the journal may either retain the statement or take further action such as issuing a correction or retracting the article based on the evaluation results.

5. Retraction Notice and Article Status

Every retraction notice must include the following information:

a. Title of the retracted article.

b. Names of the authors.

c. Publication details, including volume, issue, year, page numbers or article number, and the DOI (if available).

d. A clear reason for the retraction, supported by the findings of the review process.

e. The party responsible for the decision or the issuance of the retraction notice.

f. Date of the notice’s publication.

g. A link to the original article and other relevant information, if available. Retracted articles are, in principle, retained in the publication archive to maintain the transparency and traceability of the scholarly record. The retraction status must be clearly indicated on the article page and, whenever possible, within the PDF document, without removing the bibliographic information necessary for identifying the article.

A retraction notice shall be made easily accessible to readers and linked to the original article. The journal will also endeavor to update metadata and notify relevant indexing services.

The complete removal of an article will only be considered under exceptional circumstances—for instance, due to legal obligations or serious risks to privacy and safety. If removal is necessary, the journal will still strive to provide an appropriate bibliographic notice, to the extent permitted.

6. Responsibilities of Authors and Editors

Authors are responsible for promptly notifying the editor upon discovering significant errors in a published article and for cooperating throughout the investigation process.

Editors are responsible for evaluating evidence objectively, maintaining the confidentiality of the investigation process as required, providing relevant parties a fair opportunity to offer clarifications, and making decisions based on scientific integrity and the interests of the readers.

Decisions regarding corrections or retractions are not based solely on the author’s consent or objection, but rather on the outcome of the editorial evaluation and the available evidence. Should an editor have a conflict of interest or be involved in the matter under investigation, the handling of the case will be transferred to an independent editor with no such conflict.

7. Principles of Transparency and Publication Ethics

All actions concerning corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are guided by the principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, and proportionality. The journal strives to ensure that editorial actions are based on sufficient evidence, rather than on personal, institutional, commercial, or other external pressures or interests. Through this policy, *BALANCE: Economic, Business, Management and Accounting Journal* is committed to maintaining the quality of its scholarly publications, safeguarding the trust of its readers, and ensuring that the body of published work in the fields of economics, business, management, and accounting remains accurate, traceable, and accountable.

References

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). (2025). COPE Guidelines: Retraction Guidelines (Version 3, August 2025). https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.4