Strategic Foresight is a peer-reviewed journal committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and preventing any form of publication malpractice. The journal follows the ethical guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publishing process authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers—must adhere to the following ethical principles:

1. Duties of Editors

• Fair Evaluation: Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts solely based on academic merit (importance, originality, clarity, and relevance) without discrimination based on gender, race, religion, citizenship, or political beliefs.

• Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and the publisher.

• Decision Making: The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which articles are accepted or rejected for publication based on reviewers’ recommendations and editorial policies.

• Conflict of Interest: Editors must not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without the author’s explicit written consent.

2. Duties of Reviewers

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions and may also help authors improve their papers.

• Confidentiality: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.

• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, with clear and constructive feedback. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the author.

• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts if they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors or institutions.

3. Duties of Authors

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and properly cite the work and words of others. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable.

• Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors.

• Multiple or Redundant Publication: Authors should not publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given.

• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors should disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.

• Errors in Published Works: When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor or publisher and cooperate to correct or retract the paper.

4. Duties of the Publisher

• The publisher ensures that good practices are followed throughout the publication process.

• The publisher works closely with editors to maintain the integrity of academic records and assist in communications with other journals or publishers where necessary.

• The publisher will take reasonable steps to identify and prevent publication malpractice, including plagiarism and data fabrication.