Policies

Conflict of Interest (COI) / Competing Interests Policy

Introduction

Femington Academic Publishing requires transparent disclosure and responsible management of conflicts of interest to maintain trust in the scholarly record. This policy outlines how authors, editors, and reviewers should identify, declare, and manage financial and non‑financial competing interests related to submitted and published work.

A. What Constitutes a Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest (COI), also known as a competing interest, occurs when an individual’s relationships or circumstances have the potential to compromise—or appear to compromise—their impartial judgment.

1. Financial Conflicts

  • Grants, funding, or sponsorship from commercial entities
  • Honoraria, consultancy fees, or speaker fees
  • Stock ownership, equity interest, or paid employment
  • Patents or pending patents related to the work

2. Academic or Professional Conflicts

  • Personal academic rivalry
  • Competitive relationships such as competing research groups
  • Involvement in directly related research fields
  • Institutional affiliations that may benefit from publication

3. Personal Conflicts

  • Personal relationships (friends, family, close colleagues)
  • Personal disputes or animosity
  • Membership in advocacy groups influencing interpretation of findings

4. Institutional or Organizational Conflicts

  • Institutional pressure to publish favorable results
  • Overlapping duties with organizations related to the manuscript topic

5. Ideological Conflicts

  • Strong political, religious, or philosophical positions
  • Personal beliefs that may influence objectivity
  • Any situation that may reasonably be perceived as a conflict must be disclosed