Refund Policy

Journal of Management & Social Science Refund Policy

Purpose:

This policy outlines the circumstances under which authors may receive a refund of article processing fees (APFs) paid to the Journal of Management & Social Science ("the Journal").

Definitions:

  • Article Processing Fee (APF): The fee charged to authors to cover the costs of publishing their article in the Journal.
  • Manuscript: The author's submitted work, including the abstract, main text, references, figures, and tables.
  • Submission Date: The date the manuscript is formally submitted to the Journal via the online submission system.
  • Publication Date: The date the article is published online on the Journal's website.

Refundable Circumstances:

  • Technical Difficulties: If the Journal's online submission system experiences technical difficulties that prevent authors from submitting their manuscripts and the Journal fails to resolve the issue within a reasonable timeframe (determined by the Editorial Team), a full refund will be issued.
  • Withdrawal Before Review: Authors may withdraw their manuscript before the peer-review process begins (typically within 48 hours of submission) and receive a full refund of the APF. After 48 hours, a 50% refund will be applied.
  • Editorial Decision: If the manuscript is rejected after peer-review and the authors contest the decision based on valid and demonstrably strong grounds, the Editorial Team may offer a full or partial refund at its discretion.

Non-Refundable Circumstances:

  • Author Error: The Journal will not issue refunds for author errors, such as plagiarism, incorrect formatting, or failure to follow submission guidelines.
  • Withdrawal After Review: Once the peer-review process has begun, authors cannot withdraw their manuscript and receive a refund, except under exceptional circumstances approved by the Editorial Team.
  • Published Articles: No refunds will be issued for published articles, even if the author is later dissatisfied with the publication process or outcome.

Procedure for Requesting a Refund:

Authors wishing to request a refund under this policy should contact the Journal Manager in writing, stating the reason for their request and providing appropriate supporting documentation. The Journal Manager will review the request and make a decision within 10 business days.

Appeal Process:

If an author is dissatisfied with the decision of the Journal Manager, they may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 10 business days. The Editor-in-Chief's decision is final.

Transparency:

The Journal will publish the total number of refunds issued each year in its annual report.