Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure Policy

Asian Journal of Qualitative Research (AJQR) is committed to transparency in the disclosure and management of conflicts of interest and research funding.

A conflict of interest does not necessarily mean that a manuscript is unsuitable for publication. However, relevant interests must be disclosed so that they can be appropriately assessed and managed.

1. What Constitutes a Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest may arise when personal, financial, professional, institutional, academic, or other interests could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, its interpretation, the peer-review process, or an editorial decision.

Potential conflicts may include:

  • Financial interests or relationships

  • Employment or consultancy

  • Research funding

  • Institutional relationships

  • Personal or professional relationships

  • Close collaboration with an author

  • Academic competition

  • Intellectual or ideological interests directly relevant to the research

  • Other circumstances that could reasonably affect impartiality

2. Authors' Disclosure Responsibilities

Authors must disclose any relevant actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest related to their manuscript.

Authors should make the disclosure during submission and provide any additional information requested by the journal.

Where no relevant conflict exists, authors should provide an appropriate statement such as:

“The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.”

3. Funding Disclosure

Authors should disclose all significant sources of financial or institutional support related to the research.

Funding information should identify, where applicable:

  • Name of the funding organization

  • Grant or project number, where applicable

  • Nature of the financial support

  • Role of the funder in the research, if any

Where the research received no specific funding, authors should state this clearly.

For example:

“This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”

4. Role of Funders

Where research has received external funding, authors should disclose whether the funder had any role in:

  • Study design

  • Data collection

  • Data analysis

  • Interpretation of findings

  • Manuscript preparation

  • Decision to submit the manuscript for publication

If the funder had no such role, this should be stated where appropriate.

5. Editorial Conflicts of Interest

Editors must disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest that could affect their editorial judgment.

An editor should not normally handle a manuscript where the editor:

  • Has a significant personal or professional relationship with an author

  • Has a direct conflict with the research

  • Has a financial interest in the outcome

  • Has recently collaborated closely with an author

  • Is otherwise unable to provide an impartial editorial assessment

Where appropriate, the manuscript should be assigned to another qualified editor.

6. Reviewer Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest before accepting or completing a review.

A reviewer should decline an assignment where a conflict could reasonably compromise the independence or objectivity of the review.

Examples include close collaboration with an author, direct competition involving unpublished research, personal relationships, institutional conflicts, or significant financial interests.

7. Disclosure Does Not Automatically Prevent Publication

The existence of a disclosed conflict does not automatically lead to rejection of a manuscript.

The journal will assess the nature and significance of the disclosed interest and determine appropriate measures to protect the integrity and transparency of the editorial process.

8. Management of Conflicts

Where a conflict is identified, AJQR may take appropriate measures, including:

  • Reassigning an editor

  • Selecting an alternative reviewer

  • Requesting additional disclosure

  • Adding a transparency statement to the published article

  • Requesting clarification from authors or reviewers

  • Taking other reasonable steps to protect editorial independence

9. Undisclosed Conflicts

If a significant undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, the journal may investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include publication of a correction, clarification, expression of concern, or other editorial action.

10. Transparency in the Published Record

Relevant conflict-of-interest and funding declarations may be published with the article to ensure transparency for readers.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their declarations are complete and accurate.

11. Responsibility for Disclosure

Responsibility for accurate disclosure rests with the individual concerned.

Authors are responsible for their own disclosures and those relating to the manuscript. Editors and reviewers are responsible for disclosing conflicts relevant to their editorial or review roles.

12. Relationship with Editorial Decisions

Conflicts of interest and funding arrangements must not compromise the independence of editorial or peer-review decisions.

Payment of an Article Processing Charge does not influence peer review, editorial decisions, or acceptance of a manuscript.

Journal: Asian Journal of Qualitative Research (AJQR)
Email: editor@ajqr.ibexinstitute.org