⦁ Editor in Chief:

⦁ Associate Editor:

⦁ International Advisory Board:

  Governance Policy for the Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance (AJELG)

1. Introduction
This Governance Policy outlines the roles, responsibilities, and procedures for key positions within the journal, ensuring effective management, quality control, and adherence to ethical standards.

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance (AJELG) is owned and published by SCIRES WEB SRL, a Romanian limited liability company operating through its publishing division, RITHA Publishing House. The Publisher provides administrative, financial, and technical support. Scholarly assessment and publication decisions remain the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief or a designated, non-conflicted Associate Editor.
 
 2. Governance Structure (Roles and Responsibilities/Duties)
 
 

2.1. Founding Editor

§ Role: The Founding Editor (FE) is responsible for establishing and developing the journal, securing financial resources needed to support its operations, growth, and strategic initiatives. The FE’s leadership is important in maintaining the journal’s credibility, ensuring its long-term success within academic communities.

§ Responsibilities:

- Identify and pursue funding opportunities from institutions, government bodies, foundations, and private sector sponsors.
 - Prepare grant applications and proposals to secure financial support for the journal’s projects.
 - Collaborate with the editorial board and publisher to align publication efforts with the journal’s aims and scope.
 - Implement strategies for diversifying publication sources, including partnerships.
 - Allocate funds for various aspects of journal operations, including editorial activities and technological improvements.
 - Establish partnerships with academic institutions, research organisations, and industries for collaborative publications.
 - Represent the journal at conferences, symposia, and networking events to raise awareness and engage with potential collaborators.
 - Engage with social media and digital platforms to increase the journal’s impact and attract further collaborations.
 - Contribute to strategic discussions regarding the journal's expansion, including special issues and research initiatives.

§ Limitations of Authority:

The Founding Editor shall not:

- participate in manuscript acceptance or rejection decisions;

- interfere with the peer review process or reviewer selection;

- influence editorial evaluations or editorial independence;

- access confidential peer review materials unless explicitly authorised under exceptional ethical or legal circumstances.

All editorial decisions remain under the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief or a designated, non-conflicted Associate Editor.

2.2. Editor-in-Chief
§ Role: The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) oversees the journal's editorial direction, strategic development, and policy implementation.
 
 

§ Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership and vision for the journal fostering editorial excellence and staying informed about innovations in research, innovation, and technology and also their theories and practices. In this regard, upon their appointment, the Editor-in-Chief must present a long-term strategy (5-year period) for the journal.
- Ensure the quality and integrity of the published content, addressing cases where withdrawing a paper is necessary due to unreliable results, data fabrication, or unethical conduct. EiC is ethically and morally obligated to investigate alleged cases of misconduct thoroughly, potentially resulting in the rejection of articles.
- Make final decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection. Ensuring assessments are fair, impartial, and timely. If manuscripts do not comply with the journal’s guidelines or scope, the EiC may reject them without peer review.
- Oversee the integrity of the editorial and peer review process, including the investigation of research and publication misconduct, and approve corrective actions such as corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, and notifications to relevant institutions, in accordance with COPE principles and the journal’s publication ethics policies.

- Maintain and enhance the journal’s scholarly quality, reputation, and visibility through rigorous editorial standards and responsible dissemination.

- Cooperate with the Publisher to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of published content and metadata to the services covering the journal.

- Ensure adherence to ethical publishing standards, regularly updating editorial policies to reflect best practices.

- Liaise with the Publishing House and represent the Journal at academic and professional events.

- Act promptly if improper conduct is suspected or if accused of improper conduct.

- Protect the confidentiality of manuscripts, review reports, and editorial correspondence, and retain editorial records securely in accordance with the journal’s record-retention and data protection arrangements.

- Familiarise themselves with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the Publication Ethics Resource Kit (PERK), which offers online support for managing publishing ethics issues.

§ Appointment and Term: The EiC is appointed by the Managing Board of the Publisher for a five-year term, renewable following a review of editorial performance, ethical conduct, and contribution to the journal’s development. The terms of appointment and editorial independence shall be documented in writing. The Publisher shall not interfere with decisions on individual manuscripts or use appointment, renewal, or termination to exert editorial pressure. Any proposed termination shall follow a fair, documented procedure, with an opportunity for the EiC to respond.

 2.3. Associate Editor(s)
§ Role:  Associate Editor(s) (AE) assist the EiC in managing the editorial workflow and upholding the journal's standards.

§ Responsibilities:
- Collaborate closely with the Editor in Chief (EiC) to make informed editorial decisions and uphold the journal's standards.

- Manage submissions within specific areas of expertise, ensuring they align with the journal's scope and quality criteria.

- Oversee the coordination and execution of special issues and thematic collections, from soliciting contributions to final publication.

- Facilitate and support the peer review process, ensuring rigorous evaluation and timely feedback to authors.

- Assume specified editorial responsibilities during the EiC’s absence when formally designated and free from relevant conflicts of interest.

 § Appointment and Term: AEs are appointed by the EiC in consultation with the editorial board. AEs serve five-year terms, renewable by mutual agreement following a review of their editorial contribution, engagement, ethical conduct, and relevant expertise. Citation indicators shall not be used as the sole basis for evaluation.

 
 2.4. International Advisory Board
§ Role: The International Advisory Board (IAB) provides strategic advice on the journal’s direction, policies, and development.

§ Responsibilities:
- Advise the EiC and editorial team on editorial policies, long-term planning, and high standards of academic integrity.

- Recommend and critically review potential topics for special issues, that align with the journal’s scope advancing knowledge in the field.

- Act as ambassadors for the journal within the international academic community, fostering collaborations and enhancing its global visibility.

- Assist in identifying and attracting high-quality manuscripts and competent reviewers, contributing to the journal's growth and impact.

- Provide valuable feedback on the journal's performance and areas for improvement, based on their expertise and understanding of the field.

 § Composition and Appointment: Comprised of distinguished scholars and professionals from diverse geographical and disciplinary backgrounds. Members are appointed by the Founding Editor and EiC in consultation with current IAB members, by invitation. Members serve five-year terms, renewable by mutual agreement. Renewal is based on relevant expertise, active engagement, ethical conduct, and contribution to the journal’s development, rather than solely on citation indicators. 

3. Editorial Process

- Manuscripts are submitted through the journal’s online submission system, which ensures efficiency and transparency. Manuscripts are anonymised for double-anonymous peer review. This system helps in maintaining impartiality and fairness in the review process.

- Upon submission, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated Associate Editor oversees reviewer selection and assignment, subject to conflict-of-interest checks. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise and familiarity with the subject matter, drawn from a registered pool within the RITHA Editorial & Publishing System. The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) and Associate Editor play key roles in identifying suitable reviewers who can provide insightful evaluations of the manuscript's quality, originality, methodology, and relevance to the journal's scope.
 - Following the peer review process, the EiC consolidates feedback from reviewers and the Associate Editor (where applicable) to make a final decision on the manuscript. This decision may include acceptance, revision with major or minor changes, or rejection. The aim is to ensure that decisions are made promptly and fairly, considering the scholarly merit and potential impact of the submission.
 - Once accepted, manuscripts are prepared for publication by an Associate Editor (where applicable) under the oversight of the EiC. This involves typesetting, formatting, and ensuring adherence to the journal's style guidelines. The editorial team works diligently to maintain the quality and integrity of the published content while aiming for timely release of journal issues. The EiC oversees the final approval process before publication to guarantee accuracy and consistency across all published articles.

Duties of Authors:

§ Submitted manuscripts must be the original work of the author(s). Any use of the work, words, ideas, or data of others must be appropriately cited or quoted. Authors must acknowledge publications that have influenced their research.

§ Manuscripts must not be under consideration by another journal or publication venue. Authors must disclose any related publications or prior dissemination, including preprints and conference papers, in accordance with the journal’s Preprints and Conference Papers Policy. Duplicate or redundant publication without appropriate disclosure and justification is unacceptable.

§ Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional interests that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, the research or its interpretation. All sources of financial support must be declared. The AJELG_Disclosure Interest form must be completed and signed upon submission. Where no competing interests exist, authors must explicitly state this.

§ Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the study, or to the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript; approved the final version; and agreed to be accountable for their contributions. The corresponding author must ensure that all eligible contributors are included as co-authors, that no inappropriate authors are listed, and that all co-authors have approved the manuscript and agreed to its submission. Guest authorship and the omission of individuals who qualify for authorship are unacceptable.

§ Individuals or organisations that supported the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be recognised in the Acknowledgements section. Authors must obtain permission from individuals named in this section.

§ Authors must describe their individual contributions in the CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement, using the Contributor Roles Taxonomy available at https://credit.niso.org/. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that these descriptions are accurate and agreed upon by all authors.

§ Authors must promptly notify the editorial office of any significant errors or inaccuracies discovered after submission or publication. They must cooperate with the editors and Publisher in investigating the matter and, where necessary, correcting or retracting the article.

§ Authors must respond professionally to editorial and reviewer comments and submit revisions within the agreed deadline. If they decide to withdraw their manuscript or discontinue the revision process, they must notify the editorial office promptly.

§ If a revision is not received within six weeks and no extension has been agreed, the manuscript may be deferred to a later issue. Longer delays may require an updated literature review, data, or analysis, as appropriate. If no revision or response is received within one year, the editorial office may close the submission after notifying the corresponding author.

Duties of Reviewers:

§ Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and through the editorial communications with the author who may also assist the author in improving the paper.

§ Reviewers are expected to respond promptly to requests to review and to submit reviews within the time agreed.

§ Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research report in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.

§ Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorised by the editor.

§ Reviewers must comply with the RITHA Publishing House’s policy on the use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies and confirm their compliance through the AI Use and Confidentiality Statement included in the AJELG Review Form.

§ Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

§ Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement or an observation, derivation, or argument that had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call the editor's attention to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

§ Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers. A Non-Conflict of Interest Statement is included in the AJELG_Reviewer Form in which reviewers confirm that they have no financial, professional, or personal affiliations or relationships with any individual, organisation, or entity that could potentially influence or bias their judgment or review of the manuscript.

§ Commitment to providing an unbiased and objective evaluation of the manuscript based solely on its scientific merits, originality, validity, and relevance to the field,  maintaining strict confidentiality and handling all materials and information provided for the review process with the utmost professionalism and integrity.

4. Conflict of Interest
All editors, board members, authors, and reviewers will disclose any potential conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest arises when a person’s personal, academic, or financial interests could compromise their impartiality or integrity in the editorial process.

• - The Founding Editor must disclose relevant financial, institutional, and professional interests and must not use funding relationships or partnerships to influence manuscript assessment or editorial decisions.
• - The EiC and AEs must recuse themselves from manuscripts involving relevant personal, institutional, collaborative, or financial conflicts. An independent, non-conflicted editor shall oversee peer review and make the final decision.
• - Reviewers must disclose relevant competing interests and decline assignments where these could compromise impartiality.
• - Authors must disclose relevant financial and non-financial interests in their submissions and published articles.
• - The Publisher must respect editorial independence and must not influence acceptance or rejection for commercial, personal, or institutional reasons.

These safeguards also apply to submissions involving the Founding Editor, editorial or advisory members, and representatives of the Publisher. Conflicts and the arrangements for independent handling shall be documented.

5. Amendments
Any amendments to the Governance Policy will be proposed by the Founding Editor or Editor-in-Chief and communicated to all stakeholders (including editorial board members, reviewers, and authors) for transparency. Regular reviews of the policy will be conducted to ensure alignment with best practices in academic publishing.

 Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance is an open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or their institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0  and BOAI definition of open access. 

 All articles are freely available online in full text immediately upon publication, without registration. Readers are not charged subscription, pay-per-view, or article download fees. Journal applies the DOAJ's principle of Open access for its digital content: "Open Access is only when digital content is freely available online AND user rights and the terms of copyright are defined. Publishing open access offers a number of benefits for authors:

• Authors maintain the copyright to their work through the use of a Creative Commons Attribution License, allowing for the reuse and redistribution of publications as long as proper attribution is given to the original author.

• Open access publications undergo the same high-quality and rigorous peer review, production, and publishing processes as journals and books following the traditional subscription-based model.

• Open access journals that cross multiple disciplines help researchers connect more easily and providing greater visibility of their research. 

• Open access publications benefit from increased citations and usage, as well as greater public engagement, because the content is available to those who cannot access subscription-based content.

• An efficient online submission and production process ensures swift review, approval, and publication, facilitating a faster dissemination of research findings.

• Online publishing eliminates space constraints, providing authors with ample room for supplementary material, including figures, extensive data, and video footage.

• Open access publications enable authors to quickly and easily comply with open access mandates from funding sources or academic institutions. Final articles can be deposited into bibliographic databases and institutional repositories without embargo periods.

• Open access journals, like traditional ones, are deposited into bibliographic databases and institutional repositories without embargo periods. The immediate availability of full-text articles in Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance, without registration or subscription, allows search engines like Google Scholar to index them fully, significantly enhancing their visibility.

Open Access Explained

Publishing open access (OA) offers significantly greater reach and readership for authors' work: 1.6 times more citations than non-OA articles across all subjects, OA articles are downloaded four times more frequently, enhancing visibility and accessibility,  OA articles attract 2.5 times more Altmetric attention, including 1.9 times more news mentions and 1.2 times more policy mentions. These metrics demonstrate that publishing open access not only increases the dissemination of research but also amplifies its influence and engagement within and beyond the scholarly community.

Open Access Explained

Preprints and Conference Papers Policy
 
 

Note that a preprint is a complete research paper shared publicly on platforms before it undergoes formal peer review, aiming to disseminate findings quickly and receive early feedback. In contrast, a working paper is a preliminary report of ongoing research shared within an institution or group to gather informal feedback and stimulate discussion before reaching a more finalised stage.
 
Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance allows for the submission of manuscripts which have already been made available on such a server. Allowing a preprint version as submission does not, of course, guarantee that an article will accepted for publication without reviewing; it simply reflects a belief that availability on a preprint server should not be a disqualifying for submission.

Authors are requested to update any pre-publication versions with a link to the final published article. Authors may also post the final published version of the article immediately after publication.

If a preprint is assigned a DOI, Publishing House will assign a new DOI to the accepted article using https://doi.org/10.57017/ajelg and can optionally link to the preprint. Note that the preprint publisher must link to the published article, per CrossRef: “[Posted content] consists of preprints, eprints, working papers, reports, dissertations, and many other types of content that has been posted but not formally published… Once a journal article (or book, conference paper, etc.) has been published from the posted content and a DOI has been assigned, the posted content publisher will update their metadata to associate the posted content with the DOI of the accepted manuscript (AM) or version of record (VOR)”. More details are available here.

If authors have previously presented their work at a conference, expanded and high-quality conference papers can also be considered for publication as full articles, under the following conditions:

- The conference paper must be significantly expanded to meet the length and depth of a research article;

- The original conference paper must be properly cited and referenced on the first page of the submission;

- If the authors do not retain the copyright of the published conference paper, they must secure permission from the copyright holder;

- Authors should clearly disclose that the submission is based on a conference paper, and provide a detailed explanation of the changes made from the original version.

Copyright and Licensing Policy

All articles published in Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance are open access licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 which permits unrestricted, use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, or format for any purpose, even commercially provided the work is properly cited. The CC BY licence is the most open licence available and considered the industry 'gold standard' for open access; it is also preferred by many funders. A "License Agreement" will be complete by the author(s) if the submitted manuscript is accepted for publication allowing them to retain the copyright to their work. 

Reproducing Published Material from other Publishers

Authors must obtain permission to reproduce any published material (figures, schemes, tables, or text extracts) for which they do not hold the copyright. Permission should be sought from the copyright holder, typically the publisher.

- When permission is required:

      - For authors' own works published by other publishers where copyright was not retained;

      - For substantial extracts from others' works;

     - For using unaltered or slightly modified tables, graphs, charts, schemes, artworks, or photographs not owned by the author.

- When permission is not required:

      - Reconstruction of the author's own table with data published elsewhere, with proper citation;

      - Reasonably short quotes (considered fair use);

      - Graphs, charts, schemes, and artworks completely redrawn by the authors and significantly changed beyond recognition.

- Obtaining Permission:

      - Authors should start obtaining permissions early to avoid publication delays;

      - If unsure about copyright, it's recommended to apply for permission;

      - Acknowledgement of permission should follow a standard style if instructed by the copyright holder.

These guidelines aim to ensure compliance with copyright laws and ethical standards in academic publishing. Authors are responsible for obtaining necessary permissions to reproduce copyrighted material and should adhere to the stated policies to prevent any delays or legal issues in the publication process.

  The principal aim of the Journal is to publish original and relevant works that demonstrate practical implications and policy relevance, supported by a robust methodology and a clear theoretical framework. Submissions should align with the journal’s core focus areas. Manuscripts will be considered on the understanding that they present original research or offer meaningful interpretations of progress within a thematic area, and that they are not under consideration for publication elsewhere.


  §  Types of Submissions
We accept the following categories:
- Research Articles (6,000–9,000 words): Original studies presenting significant theoretical, empirical, or policy contributions in economics, law, governance, public administration, business, or related disciplines.
- Review Articles (5,000–8,000 words): Comprehensive critical reviews of recent developments in relevant fields. This category also includes bibliometric, scientometric, and science-mapping studies, provided they investigate topics within the journal's scope and extend beyond descriptive publication mapping by offering conceptual, theoretical, methodological, governance, or policy insights, identifying research gaps, and proposing future research directions. 

Editorial Note on Bibliometric Studies: Bibliometric, scientometric, and science-mapping studies are evaluated as Review Articles. Manuscripts limited to publication counts, citation analyses, co-authorship networks, or keyword visualisations without critical interpretation, conceptual advancement, or implications for governance, policy, or professional practice generally fall outside the scope of AJELG.

- Case Studies (3,000–5,000 words): Applied case analyses illustrating practical implementation, institutional reforms, governance practices, or policy interventions.
- Methodological Notes (3,000–5,000 words): Contributions presenting innovative methods, analytical tools, or research approaches applicable to economics, law, governance, or interdisciplinary social sciences.

  § Manuscript Preparation
Formatting Requirements:
- Manuscripts must be submitted in Word (.doc/.docx) format.
- Use Arial, 11-point font, 1.2 line spacing.
- Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides.
- Pages should be numbered consecutively.
- Avoid endnotes where possible; use footnotes only if necessary.

AJELG Template File

Structure:
- Title page (title, author(s), affiliation, email, ORCID)
- Abstract (150–200 words)
- Keywords (4–6)
- Introduction
- Literature Review / Theoretical Framework
- Research Methodology

- Figures and Tables: Numbered consecutively and placed within the text, close to where they are first referenced; Include captions and indicate the source if applicable.
- Results / Findings
- Discussion
- Conclusions and Policy Implications
- References must follow APA Style, 7th edition, and be listed alphabetically by the first author’s surname. Include DOIs where available, using the https://doi.org/ format. Use Arial, 10 pt, justified alignment, a hanging indent of 0.63 cm, multiple line spacing of 1.2, and paragraph spacing of 0 pt before and 6 pt after. Cite only sources directly relevant to the manuscript; avoid unnecessarily extensive reference lists.

Introduction to Citation Styles: APA 7th ed.

• Introduction to Citation Styles: APA 7th ed.

• It is recommended that research papers be written in the third person to maintain a formal and objective tone. The use of the third person ("the author," "the researchers," "the study showed") creates a professional distance between the author and the subject, reinforcing the impartiality of the research. However, in certain cases, especially in methodology and discussion sections, it is also appropriate to use the first-person plural, even if the paper has a single author ("we conducted an experiment") to clearly describe the actions taken by the research team.
  Examples:
  • - Third Person: "A study was conducted to investigate the influence of variable X on variable Y."
  • - First-Person Plural: "We conducted a study to investigate the influence of variable X on variable Y."

Disclosure of Interest

Authors must declare any financial, personal, or professional interests that could bias the research, including funding sources, consultancies, stock ownership, or patents. If no such interests exist, explicitly state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest”

Authors should disclose in their statement the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process. A statement will appear in AJELG Disclosure Interest. Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication. This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc. If there is nothing to disclose, there is no need to add a statement.

Authors must comply with the RITHA Publishing House AI and Generative Technologies Policy. Any use of AI-assisted technologies beyond routine editorial assistance must be disclosed in accordance with the Publisher's policy.

Funding sponsor involvement

If the work was supported by a funding agency or sponsor, state their role. For example, if the sponsor did not influence the research, include: “The funding sponsors did not participate in the study’s design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript writing”. If the sponsor had a role, describe that involvement in the statement.

Acknowledgements
Authors may acknowledge individuals or organisations that provided support but are not listed as authors, such as technical assistance, administrative support, or donations of materials. For example: “We thank [Name] for assistance with [task]” to clearly identify the contribution.

Data Availability Statement (DAS)

All submissions to AJELG must include a Data Availability Statement. This ensures transparency and supports open science by informing readers where and how the underlying data can be accessed. If data cannot be shared, authors should clearly state the reason (e.g., ethical, legal, or privacy restrictions). Authors should include the DAS as a separate section immediately before the References in the manuscript. Depending on the status of your data, authors may use one of the following formats, adapted as appropriate:

·       Openly available data: Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in [Repository Name] at [DOI/URL], reference number [XXXX].

·       Data available on request: Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

·       Restricted data: Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available due to [reason: privacy, ethical, or legal restrictions], but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

·       No new data generated: Data Availability Statement: No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.

·       Third-party data: Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study were obtained from [Source Name] and are available at [DOI/URL] with permission from [Source].

Ethical Approval Statement (EAS)

All submissions to AJELG must include an Ethical Approval Statement. This ensures compliance with international ethical standards, promotes research integrity, and protects the rights, dignity, privacy, and welfare of participants and data subjects.

Authors should include the EAS as a separate section immediately before the References in the manuscript. Depending on the nature of the study, authors may use one of the following formats, adapted as appropriate:

·       Studies involving human participants (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments, behavioural studies, focus groups). Ethical Approval Statement: This study was conducted in accordance with applicable ethical standards and approved by the Ethics Committee of [Institution Name] (Approval No. [XXXX/Year]). Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study.

·       Studies involving vulnerable populations. Ethical Approval Statement:This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of [Institution Name] (Approval No. [XXXX/Year]). Additional safeguards were implemented to protect vulnerable participants, and informed consent was obtained from all participants and/or their legal guardians.

·       Studies involving animals. Ethical Approval Statement: All procedures involving animals were approved by the Ethics Committee of [Institution Name] (Approval No. [XXXX/Year]) and conducted in accordance with national and international guidelines for the ethical treatment of animals.

·       Secondary data analysis / administrative data / institutional datasets. Ethical Approval Statement: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from [Institution Name] (Approval No. [XXXX/Year]). All data were fully anonymized prior to analysis.

OR (if waiver applies): Ethical approval was waived by [Institution Name] due to the use of anonymized secondary data and the retrospective nature of the study.

·       Case studies (organizational, institutional, legal, policy, clinical). Ethical Approval Statement: Written informed consent for publication of this case study was obtained from all relevant parties. Ethical approval was obtained from [Institution Name] (Approval No. [XXXX/Year]), where required.

·       Systematic reviews, narrative reviews, and meta-analyses. Ethical Approval Statement: This study is based exclusively on the analysis of previously published literature. Therefore, ethical approval was not required.

·       Theoretical and conceptual papers. Ethical Approval Statement: This study is theoretical and conceptual in nature and did not involve human participants, personal data, or animal subjects. Therefore, ethical approval was not required.

  §  Submission Process
All manuscripts should be submitted through the journal’s online submission system or via email to: journals@ritha.eu

 § Editorial Assessment Criteria

Manuscripts submitted to Appl. J. Econ. Law Gov.  are assessed on the basis of their alignment with the journal's Aims and Scope, originality and significance of the contribution, scientific and methodological rigour, relevance of the literature and theoretical framework, validity and clarity of the analysis and results, ethical integrity, and the extent to which the conclusions are supported by the evidence presented. Manuscripts that fall outside the journal's scope, lack sufficient scholarly contribution or methodological rigour, fail to comply with research and publication ethics, or do not meet the journal's essential publication requirements may be rejected. Following peer review, the editorial decision may be Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.

 § Journal Peer Review Policy in accordance with Peer-Reviewing Policies of Publisher.

Appl. J. Econ. Law Gov. upholds a rigorous double-blind peer review model, a process designed to ensure the quality and impact of published papers align with the journal's aims and scope. Typically, two academic experts evaluate each submission, with additional or supplementary reviews conducted by the Editor in Chief and/or Associate Editor(s) to maintain academic rigour and research relevance.
The reviewers and individuals overseeing the peer review process are expected to adhere to our Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, including the references/documents within it. Furthermore, we strongly encourage reviewers to familiarise themselves and uphold the ethical guidelines for peer reviewers set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This commitment extends to recognising any potential misconduct or ethical concerns and promptly reporting them to the editorial office.
Manuscripts undergo comprehensive assessment based on several key criteria: (i) Alignment with the journal's aims and scope; (ii) Adherence to widely accepted academic standards in terms of originality, significance, and rigour, in addition to the high-quality research and analytical criteria stipulated in the editorial policies; (iii) Relevance of the research and its potential to contribute to the aims & scope of the Journal.

Please Note：

- Manuscripts with contents outside the scope will not be considered for review.
- Manuscripts usually will be refereed by 2 experts as suggested by the editorial board.
- Editor(s) will have the option of seeking additional reviews when needed. Authors will be informed when Editor(s) decide further review is required.
- All publication decisions are made by the journal’s Editors-in-Chief on the basis of the referees’ reports. Authors of papers that are not accepted are notified promptly.

- To meet the requirement for transparency in external/independent peer review, AJELG explicitly ensures that all reviewers are independent of the authors. Reviewers are never affiliated with the same institution as the authors under evaluation, and any potential conflicts of interest are disclosed and managed prior to the review process. The journal’s in-house publishing system further supports this by automatically preventing the assignment of reviewers who could have conflicts, thereby safeguarding the independence and objectivity of the evaluation.

- All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents.

- Authors are strongly encouraged to refer to the AJELG Review Form to gain insight into the criteria that reviewers will consider when evaluating their paper. Familiarising themselves with the specific aspects highlighted in the form can help them addresses to all relevant points and meets the expectations of the reviewers. 

- Upon acceptance, the paper proceeds to the production stage. In the event of rejection or if revisions are required, the editor provides constructive feedback from the reviewers to aid the author in improving the article. Reviewers are notified via email regarding the final decision on their review. If revisions are requested, reviewers anticipate receiving a revised version, unless they have opted out of further participation. However, where only minor changes were requested this follow-up review might be handle by the editor.
- Reviewers receive comprehensive guidelines on how to evaluate submissions. These guidelines refer to sources which serve as a roadmap for reviewers, outlining key criteria and considerations to ensure assessment of each manuscript's scholarly merit, originality, and adherence to ethical standards, as follows:

•         Peer Review: The Nuts and Bolts by Sense About Science (SAS)
•         Peer review: An Introduction and Guide, PRC
•         COPE’s Ethical guidelines for reviewers
•         Wiley’s Best Practice Guidelines on Publishing Ethics
•         The Council of Science Editors (CSE)
•         Reviewing Journal Manuscripts, by Charon Pierson

- Editors, reviewers and editorial stuff involved in the review process should disclose conflicts of interest resulting from direct competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, and remove oneself from cases in which such conflicts preclude an objective evaluation.

- Reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could bias their evaluation of the manuscript. Similarly, authors are expected to declare any conflicts of interest related to their research. To promote transparency and fairness, AJELG conducts a thorough conflict-of-interest screening before finalising reviewer assignments. Each reviewer must disclose any personal, financial, or professional conflicts that might affect their impartiality in assessing the manuscript. This step reinforces our commitment to an unbiased peer review process.
Editors and manners of managing specific conflicts
     Submission by an editor
A manuscript submitted by Editor(s) or one of the member of Editorial Advisory Board will be handled by one of the other associate editors who are not at the same institution as the submitting author. The chosen associate editor will select referees and make all decisions on the manuscript. Moreover, the publishing system, does not allow a conflicted editor to be assigned to work to relevant information concerning their manuscript. If the case, a conflicted editor will be blocked from participating in any discussion among the editors pertaining to such manuscripts.
     Submission by author from same institution as one of the editors
A manuscript submitted by an author who is at the same institution as one of the editors will be handled by another editors who is not at that specific institution. Another editor will select reviewers and make all decisions on the paper.

     Potential conflict of interest for reviewers
RITHA publishing system attempts to prevent conflicts of interest by not inviting reviewers from the same institutions as authors. However, because previous relationships or places of employment may not be obvious, the editors will ask that they decline to review if they know, or guess the identity of the author.
-  Reviewers evaluate using a Reviewing Form specially designed provided by the editor in chief to determine the scholarly merit and validity of the research findings. Reviewers provide detailed feedback to the editor in chief, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in the manuscript. Editor in chief carefully consider the reviewers' comments and recommendations when making decisions on the manuscript's publication. Depending on the feedback received, manuscripts may be accepted for publication, accepted with minor revisions, returned to the authors for major revisions with re-submit recommendation, or rejected. In cases where revisions are requested, authors are provided with clear and constructive guidance to address the reviewers' concerns and enhance the quality and clarity of their work.
- The Journal regularly reviews and updates its peer-reviewing policies to ensure effectiveness, fairness, and alignment with best practices in scholarly publishing. These peer reviewing policies were last updated on July, 2025.

- To meet the requirement for transparency in external/independent peer review, AJELG explicitly ensures that all reviewers are independent of the authors. Reviewers are never affiliated with the same institution as the authors under evaluation, and any potential conflicts of interest are disclosed and managed prior to the review process. The journal’s in-house publishing system further supports this by automatically preventing the assignment of reviewers who could have conflicts, thereby safeguarding the independence and objectivity of the evaluation.

AJELG Review Form

The publication process may vary depending on the complexity of the manuscript, the number of revisions required, and the responsiveness of reviewers and authors. However, the journal generally follows the timeline below:

• - Initial Editorial Screening: up to 2 weeks
  (including scope assessment and plagiarism checking) 
• - Submission to Completion of Peer Review: approximately 10–12 weeks
  (including editorial assessment, reviewer evaluation, revisions, and final editorial decision) 
• - Production and Online Publication after Acceptance: up to 4 weeks
  (including copyediting, proofreading, formatting, DOI assignment, and online publication preparation) 
• - Estimated Total Submission-to-Publication Time: approximately 14–16 weeks

Authors are encouraged to maintain active communication with the editorial office and to submit revisions promptly in order to facilitate timely publication.

  §  Ethical Considerations
- Manuscripts must be original and not under review elsewhere.
- All authors must disclose conflicts of interest, if any.
- Plagiarism or self-plagiarism will lead to rejection or retraction.

  §  Publication Fees
AJELG does not charge submission fees, manuscript processing fees, article processing charges (APCs), or publication fees. Authors are not required to pay any fees at any stage of the submission, peer review, or publication process. Any future changes to this policy will be announced on the journal’s website before taking effect and will not apply to manuscripts already submitted.

  §  Copyright and Open Access
- AJELG operates under an open-access model.
- Authors retain copyright but grant the journal non-exclusive rights to publish and distribute the article.

- Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0): This license permits sharing and adaptation, including for commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given, a link to the license is supplied, and any changes are indicated.


  § Contact
Editorial Office

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance (AJELG)
RITHA Publishing House – SCIRES WEB SRL
No. 6, V. G. Paleolog Street, 48B-sc.2-et.3-ap.15
Craiova, Dolj, 200231, Romania
Email: journals@ritha.eu

For further inquiries or editorial support, please contact: journals@ritha.eu or office@ritha.eu

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice

Our Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement is based on the Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the position statements developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) at the DORA Roadmap: A two-year strategic plan for advancing global research assessment reform at the institutional, national, and funder level. Furthermore, the ethical framework of the  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance integrates the best practices outlined in The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. Endorsed by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and All European Academies (ALLEA), this code serves as a benchmark for national research integrity standards across the European Union, following a rigorous development process.

Publication Ethics of Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance refers to the principles, guidelines, and standards that govern the ethical conduct of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, peer reviewers, and publishers. The primary goal of our publication ethics is to maintain the integrity and credibility of the Journal, ensuring that published papers are accurate, reliable, and transparent. Key aspects of our publication ethics include:

§ Publication Integrity and Prevention of Abuse

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance (AJELG) is governed by the RITHA Publishing House Anti-Abuse and Publication Integrity Policy, which applies to all submissions, peer-review activities, editorial decisions, and published content. The Policy establishes the framework for preventing, identifying, investigating, and addressing manipulation or abuse of the scholarly publication process.

§ Allegations of Plagiarism and Research Misconduct
The Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics. The journal recognises that plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, data fabrication, data falsification, citation manipulation, authorship misconduct, peer review manipulation, and other forms of unethical conduct undermine the credibility of scholarly communication. Any allegation of plagiarism or research misconduct received before or after publication will be treated seriously, confidentially, and in accordance with the principles and procedures established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The Publisher and editors take reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of manuscripts involving research misconduct through editorial screening, similarity checks, peer review, and, where concerns arise, requests for supporting data or documentation. These measures address, among other concerns, plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data fabrication or falsification. Neither the journal, its editors, nor the Publisher shall encourage research misconduct or knowingly allow it to take place. Allegations concerning submitted or published work shall be assessed and handled in accordance with applicable COPE guidance and flowcharts.

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief may request supporting evidence from the complainant and conduct a preliminary assessment, including similarity screening and comparison of the questioned work with the allegedly original source. The corresponding author will normally be contacted and invited to provide an explanation within a reasonable period of time. Where necessary, the Editor-in-Chief may consult Associate Editors, members of the International Advisory Board, independent experts, reviewers, the Publisher, or the authors’ affiliated institutions. During the investigation, the Journal may suspend editorial processing of a manuscript or, in the case of published articles, issue an expression of concern when appropriate.

If misconduct is confirmed, the Journal may take one or more corrective actions, including manuscript rejection, publication of a correction, publication of an expression of concern, article retraction, notification of the authors’ institution, or restrictions on future submissions. All decisions will be based on the available evidence and guided by the principles of fairness, transparency, proportionality, and due process.

The Journal is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record and will ensure that any corrective actions remain permanently linked to the published article and its DOI whenever applicable.

§ Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published. The Editor-in-Chief may be guided by the policies of the journal's editorial board and constrained by such legal requirements as shall then be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The Editor-in-Chief may confer with other editors or reviewers in making this decision.

 § Authorship and Contributorship

The  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance adheres to strict policies on authorship and contributorship to ensure transparency and integrity in the publication process. To qualify as an author, individuals must have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or analysis and interpretation of the data. Additionally, authors must be involved in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content, give final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Contributors who do not meet the full criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the manuscript. These contributors may include those providing technical support, writing assistance, funding acquisition, or general supervision of the research group. The corresponding author has the responsibility to communicate with the journal on behalf of all co-authors and ensure that all authors have seen, approved, and are aware of the manuscript submission. Additionally, the corresponding author must ensure that the manuscript adheres to the journal's policies and guidelines, including those concerning conflicts of interest and ethical research conduct.

Requests for changes to the authorship list after submission must be accompanied by a clear explanation for the change and signed confirmation from all authors agreeing to the change. In cases of authorship disputes, the journal will adhere to the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), with the Editor-in-Chief mediating and seeking resolution based on these established guidelines.

Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be listed in the acknowledgments section. Authors must obtain written permission from acknowledged individuals as they may be recognised for their contribution to the manuscript. Furthermore, authors must provide a clear statement of their individual contributions to the manuscript, which will be published as part of the article. Each author should be listed with their specific contributions, such as conceptualisation, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, project administration, resource management, software usage, visualisation, original draft preparation, and review and editing.

See also, AJELG_Template Format which includes the section Credit Authorship Contribution Statement: This section has the intention of recognising individual author contributions, reducing authorship disputes and facilitating collaboration. In this regard, the statement will describe for each authors the role played to research outputs. For more details about how to describe the role played, please see: https://credit.niso.org/. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the descriptions are accurate and agreed by all authors. 

§ Fair Play

An editor at any time evaluates manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

§ Confidentiality

The Editor(s)-in-Chief and any member of editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, or reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, or the publisher, as appropriate. Once a manuscript is rejected for publication, all the copies of the manuscript will be deleted from our editorial system. Reviewers are required to adhere to confidentiality rules and must not distribute or misappropriate any information pertaining to the manuscript during or after the peer-review process. In instances where reviewers wish to involve another individual in the review process, they must seek prior permission from the Editor-in-Chief. Reviewers should provide the name of the person assisting in the review, ensuring that confidentiality is rigorously maintained.

§ Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest/Competing Interest

Competing interests, also known as conflicts of interest, occur when the authors, reviewers, or editors have financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence their actions, decisions, or judgments. To ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of published research, AJELG requires that authors disclose any potential financial and/or non-financial conflicts of interest both at the end of their manuscript and in the AJELG_Disclosure Interest file. This includes financial relationships, personal relationships, and professional affiliations that could be perceived as influencing the work. If no conflicts of interest are present, authors must explicitly state: "The author(s) declare(s) no conflicts of interest". We acknowledge that some authors may be constrained by confidentiality agreements. In such cases, authors should specify, "The authors declare that they are bound by confidentiality agreements that prevent them from disclosing their competing interests in this work". The declaration for each manuscript during peer review is fully accessible to reviewers and becomes entirely transparent to readers upon the online publication of the manuscript after acceptance.

Similarly, editors and reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling or reviewing manuscripts where a conflict exists. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for managing disclosed conflicts, which may involve reassigning the manuscript to a different editor or reviewer without conflicts. Journal promotes transparency by publishing authors' disclosures within the article to make potential biases apparent to readers. If undisclosed conflicts of interest are discovered post-publication, Journal will investigate and may take actions such as publishing corrections or retractions.

§ Disclosure  the Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

The Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance (AJELG) recognises the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated tools in academic research and publishing. The journal adopts a transparent and responsible approach to their use, in accordance with COPE and DOAJ recommendations.

For Authors

Authors may use AI and AI-assisted technologies to support the preparation of manuscripts, provided that such use is properly disclosed and remains under human supervision.

• - Authors must disclose the use of generative AI tools (e.g., large language models, chatbots) in the preparation of their manuscript, beyond basic language editing, formatting, or reference management.
• - Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of their work, including any content generated with AI tools.
• - AI-generated content must be carefully reviewed and verified by the authors.
• -  AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, nor can they be credited with authorship contributions.
• - Generative AI tools must not be cited as sources in the reference list.

Authors must disclose in their statement the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process. AI and AI-assisted technologies should be used under human control and supervision as they may generate incorrect or prejudiced output, and they should not be listed as an author or co-author, nor cited as an author.

A statement will appear in the Disclosure Interest Form: Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication. This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc. If there is nothing to disclose, there is no need to add a statement.

For Reviewers

Peer reviewers must protect the confidentiality and integrity of the peer review process and comply with the Journal’s AI Policy throughout the evaluation of a manuscript.

•  - Reviewers must not upload or share manuscripts, supplementary files, unpublished data, or any confidential information related to the review with unauthorised generative AI tools or services. 
•  - Generative AI tools must not be used to produce substantive evaluations, scientific judgments, or publication recommendations on behalf of the reviewer. 
•  - Limited use of AI-assisted tools for language editing, grammar, or clarity improvement may be acceptable, provided that manuscript confidentiality is fully preserved and no confidential content is disclosed to external AI systems. 
•  - Any significant permitted use of AI-assisted tools in preparing the review must be disclosed in the Review Form. 
•  - Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy, integrity, originality, and recommendations of their review reports. 
•  - Upon submitting the review, reviewers are required to confirm through the AI Use and Confidentiality Statement included in the AJELG Review Form that they have complied with the Publishing House’s AI Policy.

For Editors and the Journal

AJELG ensures that the use of AI and automated tools in editorial processes is transparent, responsible, and subject to human oversight.

• - Editors do not rely on generative AI tools to make editorial decisions or to produce substantive evaluations of manuscripts.
• - Any use of automated tools (e.g., plagiarism detection, integrity checks, reviewer suggestions) is supervised and verified by human editors.
• - The journal ensures that all automated processes are appropriately tested and used as support tools only, not as decision-making systems.
• - Final editorial decisions are made exclusively by qualified editors based on scholarly merit and peer review reports.

See also: COPE Position Statement: Authorship and AI tools | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics

§ Duplicate and Redundant Publication

AJELG publishes only original scholarly works that have not been previously published and are not simultaneously under consideration by another journal, book, conference proceeding, or other formal publication venue. Duplicate publication occurs when substantially the same manuscript, data, analyses, findings, or conclusions are published more than once without appropriate disclosure, permission, justification, or cross-referencing. Redundant publication occurs when authors reuse substantial portions of previously published work in a new manuscript without sufficient novelty, transparency, or acknowledgement of the earlier publication.

Authors are required to disclose any related manuscripts, preprints, conference papers, working papers, reports, datasets, or previously published materials that overlap with the submitted work. Any overlapping publications must be appropriately cited and clearly distinguished from the submitted manuscript. The journal may use similarity detection tools, editorial assessment, peer review, and other verification procedures to identify potential cases of duplicate or redundant publication. When concerns arise, authors may be requested to provide explanations, copies of related works, or additional information necessary to assess the originality of the submission.

If duplicate or redundant publication is confirmed, AJELG may take appropriate editorial actions, including manuscript rejection, publication of a correction, publication of an expression of concern, article retraction, notification of relevant institutions, or restrictions on future submissions, depending on the severity of the case.

The journal recognises that certain forms of prior dissemination, including preprints, conference abstracts, conference papers, theses, dissertations, working papers, and technical reports, may not constitute duplicate publication when handled transparently and in accordance with the journal’s Preprints and Conference Papers Policy. Authors are required to disclose any such prior dissemination at the time of submission and provide appropriate citations and documentation where applicable.

§ Author Expertise, Affiliation and Scholarly Contribution

AJELG welcomes submissions from researchers, academics, practitioners, policymakers, and professionals from diverse geographic regions and institutional backgrounds whose expertise is relevant to the aims and scope of the journal.

Authors are expected to provide accurate and complete information regarding their names, institutional affiliations, academic or professional positions, contact details, and, where available, ORCID identifiers. The journal may request additional information to verify authorship, institutional affiliation, or the scholarly relevance of a submission. Authors should possess demonstrable expertise, experience, research activity, or professional engagement related to the subject matter of the manuscript. The journal encourages contributions from both established and emerging scholars, provided that the submitted work meets the journal’s scientific, methodological, and ethical standards.

All listed authors must have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the research and manuscript preparation. Authorship should accurately reflect individual contributions, and any form of guest authorship, honorary authorship, gift authorship, or ghost authorship is considered unacceptable.

The Editorial Team may seek clarification regarding authorship, affiliations, funding sources, contributor roles, or potential conflicts of interest whenever necessary to ensure the integrity and transparency of the scholarly record.

§ Appropriate Citations to the Literature

Authors are required to ensure proper citation when incorporating material from other sources, including their own previously published work, and to obtain appropriate permissions when necessary. Excessive self-citation is discouraged. Authors should refrain from copying references from other publications without having read the cited work. Additionally, authors should avoid preferential citation of their own, friends', peers', or institution's publications, and should not cite advertisements or advertorial material. Following COPE guidelines, any original wording directly taken from other researchers' publications, including the author's own work, must be enclosed in quotation marks with the appropriate citations. COPE has issued a discussion document on citation manipulation, providing recommendations for best practices, which authors are expected to adhere to. 

Journal uses the APA in-text citation style, which includes the author’s surname and the year of publication, for example: (Nikolson, 2026). Direct quotations must also include the relevant page number, for example: (Nikolson, 2026, p. 56).

Prior to acceptance, manuscripts may undergo editorial checks to verify citation accuracy, bibliographic completeness, and consistency of publication details. Manuscripts presenting substantial discrepancies between in-text citations and reference lists, or demonstrating inappropriate citation practices, may be returned to authors for correction or rejected when such deficiencies compromise the scholarly integrity of the work.

§ Expressions of Concern

The Editors of Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance may consider the issuance of an Expression of Concern when substantial concerns arise, justifying the need to alert readers to potentially misleading information within an article. However, the decision to issue an Expression of Concern should be reserved for situations where an investigation into the concerns has proven inconclusive, yet there remain compelling indicators that the concerns are valid. Reference COPE case: Data manipulation and institute's internal review. Editors should be mindful that issuing an Expression of Concern carries comparable risks to a researcher's reputation as a retraction. Therefore, it is often advisable to delay the publication of a retraction until a definitive judgment has been reached through an independent investigation. Reference COPE case: Handling self-admissions of fraud.

§ Complaints and Appeals Process

Authors who disagree with an editorial decision may submit a formal appeal to the Editorial Office, explaining their reasons and providing relevant supporting evidence. Appeals against editorial decisions will be reviewed by a qualified, non-conflicted editor who was not responsible for the original decision.

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may submit complaints concerning the journal’s editorial processes, publication ethics, or published content to journals@ritha.eu, using the subject line “Complaint” or “Appeal”. Submissions should identify the relevant manuscript or article, where applicable, and clearly describe the concern.

The Editorial Office will acknowledge receipt within seven working days and communicate the next steps. The time required to reach a conclusion will depend on the complexity of the case and any investigation needed. Complainants or appellants will be informed of the outcome and the reasons for the decision, subject to confidentiality requirements.

Complaints and appeals will be handled fairly, confidentially, and by individuals free from relevant conflicts of interest, with reference to applicable COPE guidance. Where a complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the Publisher will arrange an independent assessment by a qualified, non-conflicted individual.

All parties are expected to communicate respectfully. Inappropriate language or behaviour may result in limits on correspondence, but will not, by itself, prevent the journal from assessing substantive concerns or evidence of misconduct. Requests for anonymity will be respected as far as reasonably possible, consistent with a fair investigation and applicable legal obligations.

§ Data Sharing and Reproducibility

The  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance is committed to promoting transparency, reproducibility, and the highest standards of research integrity. In accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Journal requires authors to adhere to the following regarding data availability and reproducibility:

 - Authors must make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available to editors, reviewers, and readers without restriction, unless legal or ethical considerations prevent sharing. Authors should specify in their manuscript how and where the data can be accessed. If data cannot be shared publicly, the statement must include the reasons and outline any conditions for access.
 - All data sets used in the research must be properly cited in the manuscript’s reference list. Authors should ensure that data sets have persistent identifiers, such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), to facilitate data citation and retrieval.
 - Authors are encouraged to deposit their data in reputable data repositories that adhere to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles.
 - Authors must provide detailed descriptions of the methods, materials, and analysis techniques used in their research to enable other researchers to replicate the study. This includes sharing any code, software, or computational methods applied in the analysis.
 - Any supplementary materials, including data sets, protocols, code, and software, should be submitted alongside the manuscript and made available to readers through the journal’s platform or via a trusted repository.
 -  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance may require authors to provide raw data and detailed methodological information during the review process to verify the results and conclusions presented in the manuscript. Authors should be prepared to respond promptly to such requests.
- If there are ethical considerations that prevent the sharing of data, such as privacy concerns or proprietary restrictions, authors must explain these limitations in their Data Availability Statement. Any ethical issues must be addressed and resolved in accordance with the guidelines provided by COPE.
- If any issues regarding data availability or reproducibility arise post-publication,  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance will work with the authors to resolve them. This may involve publishing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate.

§ Digital Preservation and Repository Policy 

The published articles of the Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance are deposited in the archive system of in-house Editorial & Publishing System to ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of the articles. Digital preservation encompasses a series of processes and actions designed to guarantee the enduring accessibility and dissemination of information available in digital formats. The preservation policy of this Journal comprises the following strategies:

      - Website Archiving: All electronic content, including website content and manuscripts, is stored in different locations. The primary server hosts the content online and allows readers to access it. Simultaneously, a backup of the same content is preserved on other servers. In the event of a server failure, these alternative resources can be activated, and the website is expected to be available again within 2 hours, according our agreement with web-servers' provider.
       - Long-Term Preservation through PORTICO: Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance  participates in the PORTICO digital preservation service through RITHA Publishing House. Published content is deposited with PORTICO for long-term preservation. If the journal ceases publication or its content becomes permanently unavailable through the Publisher, access to preserved content will be provided in accordance with PORTICO’s applicable access policies and trigger-event procedures.
      - Abstracting/Indexing Services: The journal’s Abstracting/Indexing services retain essential information about articles. Additionally, some of these services also archive metadata and electronic versions of the articles. This enables the scientific community to access copies of the articles through these systems as an alternative to traditional journals.
      - Author Self-Archiving Policy: Authors are encouraged to deposit their published articles in institutional or subject-specific repositories after publication, using the final published version (publisher's PDF). There are no embargo periods for any article published in this journal, which ensures immediate and unrestricted access upon publication. Articles deposited in repositories should be publicly accessible and free of charge, in line with our Open Access and Copyright policy. All articles must be deposited under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), consistent with the journal's licensing. Authors are advised to include complete citation information and a link to the original publication on the journal's website to ensure proper attribution. In this regards, please follow our suggestion from the section Cite this article.

§ Ethical Oversight

Authors must obtain explicit consent from all participants, including individuals and organizations, whose data or information is included in the publication. This includes obtaining consent for the use of personal data, images, and other identifying information. A statement confirming that consent to publish has been obtained must be included in the manuscript. Research involving vulnerable populations (e.g., children, elderly, socio-economically disadvantaged groups) must be conducted with heightened ethical considerations. Authors must provide evidence of ethical approval and informed consent specific to the vulnerable group, ensuring that the research does not exploit or harm the participants.

Research involving animals must comply with relevant national and international ethical guidelines. Authors must provide a statement confirming that the research was approved by an appropriate ethics committee and conducted in accordance with accepted standards for the humane treatment of animals. Details of the care and use of animals must be included in the manuscript. Research involving human subjects must adhere to ethical standards that protect the rights, dignity, and welfare of participants. Authors must obtain approval from a relevant ethics committee and provide a statement confirming that ethical standards were followed, including informed consent and the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Authors must ensure that all confidential data, including personal and sensitive information, is handled with the utmost care and in compliance with relevant data protection regulations. Confidential data must be anonymised or de-identified to protect the privacy of participants. Editors and reviewers are also required to maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and data. The Journal is committed to ethical business and marketing practices. This includes transparency in the publication process, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring that advertising and promotional activities do not compromise the integrity of the journal. All sponsorship and funding sources must be disclosed.

§ Intellectual Property

The  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance adheres to the principles of intellectual property (IP) as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Authors must ensure that their submissions are original works and do not infringe on the IP rights of others. Any use of third-party material, including figures, tables, or extensive quotations, must be accompanied by proper permissions and attributions. Authors are required to provide evidence of these permissions upon submission. Additionally, Journal emphasises the importance of proper citation and referencing to acknowledge the contributions of other researchers and to avoid plagiarism.

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance also respects the IP rights of authors. Upon acceptance of a manuscript, authors retain the copyright to their work while granting Journal the right of first publication. This ensures that authors maintain control over their intellectual property while allowing Journal to disseminate the research widely. The Journal supports open access and encourages authors to share their work under Creative Commons licenses, promoting broader access and reuse while protecting the authors' IP rights. Any disputes related to IP infringement are addressed promptly and in accordance with COPE guidelines concerning policy on intellectual property, ensuring fairness and integrity in the publication process.

§ Post-Publication Discussions, Corrections, Expressions of Concern and Retractions

AJELG is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the scholarly record. Readers, authors, reviewers, and other stakeholders are encouraged to report concerns, errors, or potential ethical issues related to published articles. When concerns arise regarding a published work, the journal will evaluate the available evidence and take appropriate corrective actions in accordance with COPE principles and publishing best practices.

Post-Publication Discussions. AJELG welcomes reasoned scholarly comments and critiques concerning published articles. Readers may submit these to journals@ritha.eu, identifying the article and providing supporting arguments and references. The Editor-in-Chief or a designated, non-conflicted editor will assess their relevance, accuracy, and scholarly merit and may seek independent review. Authors will be invited to respond. Where appropriate, comments and author responses will be published and linked to the original article. Concerns requiring correction or an investigation will be handled under the journal’s relevant procedures.

Corrections. A correction (Erratum or Corrigendum) may be issued when a published article contains errors that do not invalidate the overall findings, conclusions, or scientific contribution of the work. Corrections may address factual inaccuracies, author information, affiliations, funding statements, references, or other elements requiring clarification. Corrections will be permanently linked to the original article and its DOI.

Expressions of Concern. An Expression of Concern may be issued when substantial concerns have been raised regarding the integrity, reliability, or ethical conduct of a published work, but where the available evidence remains inconclusive or an investigation is ongoing. The purpose of an Expression of Concern is to alert readers to potential issues while preserving procedural fairness during the investigation process.

Retractions. A retraction may be issued when there is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to misconduct or honest error, when plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, data falsification, unethical research practices, or other serious breaches of publication ethics are confirmed, or when the scholarly record would otherwise be significantly compromised. 

Retracted articles will remain accessible as part of the permanent scholarly record but will be clearly identified as retracted. A Retraction Notice explaining the reasons for the retraction will be published and permanently linked to the original article and its DOI.

Editorial Responsibility. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for approving corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions, following consultation with the Editorial Board, reviewers, independent experts, the Publisher, or relevant institutions where appropriate. All decisions will be guided by principles of transparency, proportionality, fairness, and the preservation of the scholarly record.

 § Advertising Policy

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance can accept only advertisements that are relevant to the journal’s subject community, promote high quality products and services, and are provided by reputable organisations who display a true commitment to science and research. This journal can earn revenue from advertising sales income.

Publishing House’s advertising policy safeguards editorial autonomy and mitigates potential conflicts of interest as this is states in Editorial Policies of RITHA Publishing House, section Advertising Policy. RITHA Publishing House targets advertising based on publication, taxonomy, geography, behaviour, and opted-in audience demographics. User specific targeting only applies to individuals who have willingly and explicitly agreed to share their personal data as per our privacy policy. 

Decisions on accepting advertisements are made by the Publisher’s authorised representative, following assessment of their relevance, accuracy, and compatibility with the journal’s ethical standards. Advertisements must be clearly labelled and visually separated from scholarly content. They must not be presented as articles, peer-reviewed material, or editorial endorsements. Advertising arrangements shall not influence reviewer selection, editorial assessment, or decisions on acceptance or rejection.

For more information about this journal’s advertising policy, please contact office@ritha.eu.

AJELG currently receives no advertising revenue. Any future advertising arrangements will be disclosed and will remain separate from editorial assessment and publication decisions.

§ Direct Marketing Policy

Any direct marketing conducted on behalf of AJELG, including calls for papers and invitations to submit manuscripts, must be appropriate, relevant to recipients’ research or professional interests, and unobtrusive. Communications must clearly identify the journal and the sender, avoid excessive or repeated unsolicited contact, and provide a straightforward means of declining further promotional messages. Such requests must be respected.

Information about the journal and Publisher must be accurate, current, and not misleading, including statements about indexing, editorial board membership, peer review, publication fees, and publication schedules. Invitations must not guarantee acceptance, indexing of individual articles, or citation outcomes. All submissions remain subject to the journal’s normal editorial assessment and peer-review procedures.

The Publisher is responsible for ensuring that these requirements are followed by staff and any third parties conducting promotional activities on the journal’s behalf.

§ Revenue Sources

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance does not charge submission fees, manuscript processing fees, article processing charges (APCs), or publication fees. Authors are not required to pay any fees at any stage of the submission, peer review, or publication process.

Any future changes to this policy will be announced on the journal’s website before taking effect and will not apply to manuscripts already submitted.

Editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit, relevance to the journal’s scope, and compliance with research and publication ethics. The availability of funding, an author’s ability to pay, and any fee waiver or discount status shall not influence peer review or decisions on acceptance or rejection.

AJELG is currently funded and fully supported by RITHA Publishing House, which covers its operational costs and digital infrastructure. The journal currently receives no revenue from subscriptions, article processing charges, or advertising.

Journal Malpractice Statement 

Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance is committed to pursuing the highest standards of probity and the elimination of malpractice in research presented within own articles published. It is ultimately the responsibility of the Editor-in-chief to ensure that this policy is disseminated to all and followed through. If any third party believes that malpractice has occurred, they are encouraged to contact the Editor-in-Chief at journals@ritha.eu. Allegations of malpractice will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated by the Editorial Board.

Where malpractice is substantiated, appropriate editorial actions may include correction, expression of concern, retraction, notification of the authors’ institution, and restriction from future submissions. Retracted articles will remain available on the journal website, clearly marked as retracted and linked to a Retraction Notice, in accordance with COPE recommendations.

 
In handling all manuscripts, the Editor-in-Chief makes publication decisions based on the thorough evaluation by reviewers, adherence to the journal's governance policies, and compliance with legal constraints concerning plagiarism, libel, and copyright infringement. It is expected that authors will provide accurate data, cite relevant sources appropriately, and disclose any conflicts of interest.
 
 

The Editorial Board of  Applied Journal of Economics, Law & Governance is committed to maintaining the integrity of scholarly publishing and ensuring that all published research meets rigorous ethical standards. This commitment extends to fostering an environment of trust and transparency among authors, reviewers, and readers, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in applied economics while safeguarding the scholarly content.