Public Management and Operations Review (PMOR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical integrity in all aspects of its editorial and publishing processes. The journal adheres to the principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness, in accordance with guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and best practices in scholarly publishing. These ethical guidelines apply to authors, editors, reviewers, and the editorial team.

• Authors

Following are the ethical guidelines for authors while submitting their contribution to PMOR:

• • Originality and Plagiarism:

Authors must ensure that their submitted work is original and has not been previously published in any form. Proper citation and referencing of all sources must be provided. Plagiarism in any form—including text, ideas, data, or methods—will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript.

• • Duplicate and Concurrent Submission:

Manuscripts submitted to PMOR must not be under consideration by any other journal. Duplicate submission or republication without proper disclosure is considered unethical and will lead to rejection or retraction.

• • Data Integrity and Falsification:

Authors are required to present accurate, honest, and reliable data. Fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or selective omission of data to support conclusions is strictly prohibited.

• • Authorship and Contribution:

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant intellectual contribution to the research. All co-authors must have approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to its submission. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors are properly listed and have consented to publication.

• • Acknowledgements and Conflicts of Interest:

All sources of funding, institutional support, and assistance (e.g., technical help, editorial support) must be disclosed. Authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest (financial, personal, or professional) that could influence the interpretation of their work.

• • Use of Previously Published Material:

If figures, tables, or substantial text excerpts from previously published or copyrighted material are used, authors must obtain written permission from the copyright holder and clearly acknowledge the source.

• Editors

Following ethical guidelines should be followed by the editors while editing submissions:

• • Confidentiality:

Editors must maintain strict confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts. Information about a manuscript is shared only with the corresponding author, reviewers, and editorial board members, as necessary.

• • Impartiality and Fairness:

Editorial decisions must be based solely on the manuscript’s academic merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope—without bias based on the author’s nationality, institution, gender, or political views.

• • Publication Decisions:

The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team have full authority to accept, reject, or request revisions to manuscripts. These decisions are guided by peer review outcomes and editorial policies.

• • Handling Misconduct:

Editors are responsible for investigating any allegations of ethical misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical authorship. If misconduct is confirmed, appropriate actions—such as rejection, retraction, or notification of the author’s institution—will be taken.

• Reviewers

Reviewers should follow the below mentioned ethical guidelines while reviewing a submission to PMOR:

• • Confidentiality:

Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. They must not discuss the manuscript with others or use the content for personal advantage.

• • Objectivity and Constructiveness:

Reviews should be conducted objectively, based on academic rigor and relevance. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable. Reviewers should provide clear, constructive, and evidence-based feedback to help improve the manuscript.

• • Conflict of Interest:

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

• • Timeliness:

Reviewers are expected to complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe. If unable to meet the deadline, they should inform the editorial office promptly.