Peer Review Policy

Economic Trends and Business Review (ETBR) adheres to a rigorous and transparent peer review process to ensure the quality, integrity, and academic value of the research it publishes. The journal follows best practices for peer review as outlined by international standards and is committed to fostering a fair and unbiased review process.

1. Review Process:

  • Double-Blind Review: ETBR employs a double-blind peer review process. This means that both the identities of the authors and reviewers are concealed from each other to ensure impartiality and to prevent bias in the review process.

  • Initial Editorial Assessment: Upon submission, the manuscript undergoes an initial assessment by the editorial team to evaluate its alignment with the journal’s scope, quality, and relevance. If the manuscript meets the journal's standards, it is sent to peer reviewers for detailed evaluation.

  • Peer Reviewers Selection: The editorial board selects reviewers based on their expertise in the subject matter of the manuscript. Reviewers are chosen from a pool of qualified professionals who possess relevant academic and/or industry experience.

2. Review Criteria:

  • Originality and Contribution to the Field: Reviewers assess whether the manuscript presents novel and original research that contributes meaningfully to the field of economics, business, or finance. They evaluate whether the research addresses a gap in the existing literature.

  • Methodological Rigor: Reviewers evaluate the soundness of the research methodology, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The methods should be appropriate for the research questions posed and follow standard academic practices.

  • Clarity and Structure: Manuscripts must be clearly written and logically structured. Reviewers assess whether the manuscript is well-organized, the arguments are coherent, and the writing style is clear and accessible to the journal’s readership.

  • Relevance and Impact: Reviewers examine whether the manuscript’s findings are relevant to the journal’s audience and whether the research has the potential for real-world impact in the field of economics, business, or finance.

  • Citations and References: The adequacy of citations and the appropriateness of the literature review are also scrutinized. Reviewers ensure that all significant prior work in the area is appropriately referenced and cited.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities:

  • Impartiality: Reviewers are expected to provide an unbiased, objective evaluation of the manuscript, basing their judgment solely on the quality and merit of the work.

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers are required to keep all information about the manuscript confidential and not disclose or discuss it with others. They must not use the knowledge gained from the review process for personal advantage.

  • Constructive Feedback: Reviewers are expected to provide constructive and detailed feedback to the authors. Feedback should help improve the manuscript and highlight areas of weakness, suggesting improvements where necessary.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers are expected to provide their evaluations within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 2–4 weeks of receiving the manuscript. If they are unable to meet this deadline, they should inform the editorial team as soon as possible.

4. Editor’s Role:

  • Final Decision: The editor-in-chief or managing editor makes the final decision regarding manuscript acceptance, based on the feedback provided by the reviewers. The decision can be one of the following:

    • Accepted: The manuscript is accepted without changes.

    • Minor Revisions: The manuscript is accepted contingent upon minor revisions suggested by the reviewers.

    • Major Revisions: The manuscript is sent back to the authors for substantial revisions, after which it will be reassessed.

    • Rejected: If the manuscript does not meet the required standards or does not provide significant contribution, it may be rejected.

  • Communication with Authors: The editorial team communicates the review decisions and feedback to authors in a clear, constructive, and professional manner. If revisions are required, authors are given detailed guidance on how to improve their manuscript.

5. Ethical Considerations:

  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that might bias their judgment of the manuscript. If a conflict of interest is identified, they should recuse themselves from the review process, and the manuscript will be reassigned to another reviewer.

  • Plagiarism Detection: To maintain the integrity of the peer review process, all manuscripts are checked for plagiarism using industry-standard plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts found to have significant issues with plagiarism may be rejected or require major revisions.

  • Transparency: ETBR is committed to a transparent peer review process. Manuscripts that undergo peer review are handled in accordance with best practices for academic publishing, ensuring that authors, reviewers, and editors adhere to ethical standards.

6. Open Peer Review (Optional):

  • Optional Open Review: ETBR may offer an open peer review process, in which reviewers' names and their comments are made publicly available alongside the published article. This is an optional feature and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

  • Benefits of Open Review: Open peer review promotes transparency in the review process and can enhance the credibility of the journal by making the review process more accountable.

7. Post-Publication Peer Review:

  • Continuous Review: ETBR encourages post-publication peer review through its open-access platform. Readers and scholars may provide additional comments and feedback on the published articles, which may be considered for future revisions or updates.

  • Errata and Corrections: If errors or inaccuracies are identified in published articles, the journal has a process for publishing corrections or errata. These will be clearly marked and linked to the original article.

Economic Trends and Business Review (ETBR) aims to maintain the highest standards of academic publishing through its peer review process. By ensuring fairness, transparency, and quality, the journal strives to advance knowledge in the fields of economics, business, and finance.