Ethical Oversight

1. Purpose
The Journal of Public Administration and Policy (JAKP) is committed to publishing research that is conducted ethically, responsibly, and upholds scientific integrity. Ethical oversight is a shared responsibility between authors, home institutions, funding agencies, editors, reviewers, and journal managers. This policy describes the principles of research ethics that authors must adhere to, especially in terms of protection of human participants, data confidentiality, scientific honesty, and compliance with applicable regulations and legal norms. This policy refers to the Core Practices principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
2. Scope and Principles
Ethical supervision in scientific publications in the field of public administration and policy includes the following aspects:
• Protection of Informants and Policy Subjects. Research that involves interaction with bureaucrats, stakeholders, civil society, or citizens through interviews, surveys, field observations, or FGDs, must be conducted with informed participatory consent. Researchers must consider the power position, potential hierarchical relations, and vulnerability of the groups involved.
• Information Confidentiality and Institutional Privacy. Data originating from individuals, public institutions, or community organizations must be managed with confidentiality in mind and comply with regulations related to data protection and access to public information.
• Academic Honesty and Accuracy of Representation. Authors are responsible for maintaining academic integrity by avoiding the practice of data manipulation, fabrication of findings, or plagiarism. In the policy context, authors also need to present narratives and analysis fairly to all parties studied.
• Transparency of Research Ethics. Any ethical procedures, such as participant consent, internal data access permissions, and special considerations for vulnerable groups, must be explained openly in the manuscript.
• Editorial Accountability. JAKP ensures that all editorial decisions are based on legitimate academic evaluations and sound ethical considerations, without being influenced by political pressure, institutional affiliations, or economic interests.
3. JAKP Policy
a. Adherence to Research Ethics
All manuscripts submitted to JAKP must make clear that the research has been conducted in accordance with relevant national, institutional, and/or international ethical guidelines.
b. Research Involving Human Participants
• Participation Consent: Authors must obtain informed consent from all participants. If participants are incapable of giving consent (e.g. children, people with disabilities), consent must be obtained from a legally authorized person.
• Confidentiality and Anonymity: The identity of participants (name, job title, specific location) should not appear in the manuscript unless explicit and written consent has been given.
• Vulnerable Groups: If the research involves vulnerable groups (e.g. indigenous communities, informal workers, urban poor), the authors should explain the additional protection measures taken and the rationale for their inclusion in the research.
• Ethics Approval: Research involving humans should be approved by an independent ethics committee or relevant institution. Authors should include the name of the institution, approval number (if applicable), or explain the basis for institutional policy if approval is not required.
c. Confidentiality of Partner Organization or Institution
For research involving institutions, agencies, or organizations as subjects or study sites, authors must obtain written permission from the relevant parties, especially if mentioning the name of the institution or using confidential internal data.
d. Consent for Publication of Identifiable Information
If the manuscript includes direct quotes, images, or case narratives that may identify individuals or organizations, the authors must obtain separate consent for the publication of such information and state this in the manuscript.
e. Animal Research (if applicable)
Although not the primary focus of JAKP, if the manuscript involves animals, the authors must adhere to relevant ethical guidelines and include approval from the animal ethics committee.
f. Data Security and Privacy Protection Regulations
Sensitive data should be secured, anonymized if necessary, and only shared in accordance with the principles of scientific openness and data protection laws. If data cannot be anonymized, access restrictions and permission mechanisms must be described.
g. Ethical Statement in Manuscripts
Each manuscript must contain an "Ethical Considerations" or "Ethical Consent and Participation" section that includes:
• A statement about participant consent
• The ethical body that gave consent (or the basis for not needing consent)
• Data protection and privacy
• Consent to publication of identifiable information (if applicable)
• Explanation of protection of vulnerable groups (if relevant)
h. Ethics Review and Documentation by the JAKP
The JAKP reserves the right to request evidence of ethical approval or participant consent documents (anonymized). In certain cases, the JAKP may contact the ethical body for verification.
i. Responsibilities of Editors and Reviewers
Editors and reviewers are required to identify possible ethical issues in manuscripts and report them to the Editor-in-Chief. Manuscripts that do not meet ethical standards will be rejected or asked for corrections before publication.
j. Handling of Ethical Violations
If ethical violations are found before or after publication, JAKP will investigate according to COPE guidelines. Steps that can be taken include requests for clarification, correction of articles, statements of concern, or retraction of articles.
k. Guidelines for Authors
Technical guidance on ethical policies is available on the JAKP "Instructions for Authors" page. Authors are encouraged to refer to national ethical guidelines, institutional regulations, as well as international principles such as the Declaration of Helsinki (for studies with humans), especially the principles of consent and risk protection.
l. Case Studies and Observation in Organizations
For research based on case studies or observations in organizations, authors must certify that permission has been obtained and that the mention of the institution's name or data does not violate confidentiality or cooperation agreements.