Policy on Conflicts of Interest

The Dyke 

The Dyke is committed to ensuring transparency, objectivity, and trust in the editorial and peer review process. All participants, authors and reviewers, must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest (COIs) that could influence their work or judgement. This policy outlines how such conflicts are identified, disclosed, and managed.

 

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest occurs when personal, financial, or professional affiliations could reasonably be perceived to compromise or bias a person’s responsibilities or decision-making in relation to a submitted manuscript.

Conflicts of interest may be:

• Financial: Funding, grants, employment, consulting fees, stock ownership, or honoraria related to the work
• Institutional: Affiliations or positions that may influence objectivity
• Personal: Close personal relationships (e.g., family, collaborators, former students)
• Academic: Competitive research, intellectual rivalry, or disputes

 

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must:

• Disclose all funding sources, institutional affiliations, or financial support received for the research.
• Declare any personal or professional relationships that may influence the interpretation or reporting of their work.
• Provide a Conflicts of Interest Statement at the time of submission. If there are no conflicts, authors should state: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in rejection or retraction of the manuscript.

 

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

• Recuse themselves from reviewing any manuscript where a personal, financial, or academic conflict exists.
• Inform the editor immediately if a potential conflict arises after accepting a review assignment.
• Decline to review manuscripts from authors they have collaborated with within the past three years or where a direct competitive interest exists.

 

Management and Disclosure

• All disclosed conflicts will be reviewed by the editorial team.
• Where a conflict exists but does not preclude participation, the relationship will be disclosed in the published article’s conflict of interest statement.
• In cases of serious undeclared COIs discovered post-publication, the journal may issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction as appropriate.

 

Transparency and Integrity

The Dyke strives to foster a culture of transparency and integrity. Disclosing conflicts of interest does not imply wrongdoing, it allows the editorial process to remain fair and accountable.

 

For any questions about this policy or to declare a conflict, contact the editorial office at editorinchief@thedyke.msu.ac.zw