1. Commitment to Scientific Integrity

Ultima Management is deeply committed to upholding scientific integrity and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of research and publication misconduct. The Editorial Board adopts a proactive approach to prevent, detect, and address any allegations of research misconduct objectively, fairly, transparently, and accountably.

2. Scope of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct defined and monitored by Ultima Management includes, but is not limited to, the following infractions:

• Fabrication: Making up data, research results, or fictitious documentation that was never actually generated or conducted during the actual research process.
• Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or deliberately altering, distorting, or omitting data or results such that the research record is inaccurately represented.
• Plagiarism: Using the ideas, processes, results, or words of another person without providing proper and legitimate attribution or citation.
• Human and Animal Ethics Violations: Conducting research without obtaining appropriate ethical clearance from an authorized institutional review board, particularly for studies involving human participants or animal subjects.

3. Investigation Procedures and Sanctions

• Reporting Allegations: Suspected research misconduct can be reported by reviewers, readers, or any third party in writing to the Editorial Board, accompanied by valid preliminary evidence.
• Investigation Process: The Editorial Board will establish an internal investigative panel to review the evidence confidentially, protecting the identity and rights of both the whistleblower and the accused party. This process strictly follows guidelines and flowcharts.
• Imposition of Sanctions: If the research misconduct is proven true, Ultima Management reserves the right to impose strict administrative and ethical sanctions, including:
  • Immediate rejection of the manuscript if it is still under review.
  • Formal retraction of the article from the digital OJS platform (Article Retraction) if it has already been published.
  • Blacklisting the authors from submitting any manuscripts to Ultima Management for a minimum period of 3 (three) years.
  • Sending an official notification letter to the authors' affiliated institution or research funding agency.