Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

The Journal of Innovative Research in Management Sciences (JIRMS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, efficiency, and transparency of the scholarly publishing process. The Journal recognizes that, in exceptional circumstances, authors or the Editorial Office may need to withdraw a manuscript from the editorial and publication process before online publication.

Manuscript withdrawal refers to the removal of a submitted or accepted manuscript from the editorial and publication process prior to its online publication as the Version of Record. It is distinct from article retraction, which applies only to material that has already been published.

The Journal seeks to balance the legitimate interests of authors with the need to safeguard editorial resources, uphold research integrity, and preserve the credibility of the scholarly record.

Author-Initiated Withdrawal

Authors may request the withdrawal of a manuscript before publication in exceptional and justifiable circumstances, including but not limited to:

  • the discovery of significant errors or inaccuracies in the manuscript;
  • authorship disputes or contributorship concerns;
  • ethical concerns identified by the authors;
  • accidental duplicate submission;
  • legal or copyright issues; or
  • other circumstances that materially affect the integrity or publication of the work.

A withdrawal request must:

  • be submitted in writing by the corresponding author;
  • clearly state the reasons for the withdrawal request; and
  • where appropriate, include the written consent of all co-authors.

Submission of a withdrawal request does not automatically terminate the editorial process. The manuscript shall remain under editorial consideration until the withdrawal request has been formally reviewed and approved by the Editorial Office.

Editorial Withdrawal

JIRMS reserves the right to withdraw a manuscript from consideration before publication where there is evidence or reasonable concern regarding:

  • plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or excessive similarity;
  • duplicate or redundant submission or publication;
  • fabricated, falsified, or manipulated data;
  • fabricated references or manipulated images;
  • guest, gift, honorary, or ghost authorship;
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest;
  • peer-review manipulation;
  • submission of AI-generated, fabricated, or misleading scholarly content as original work;
  • ethical, legal, or copyright violations; or
  • any other conduct that compromises research integrity or violates the Journal's policies.

The Editorial Office may seek clarification from the authors and, where appropriate, consult independent experts or relevant institutions before reaching a final decision.

Withdrawal During Peer Review

Authors are strongly discouraged from requesting withdrawal after a manuscript has entered external peer review. Once the review process has commenced, the Journal and its reviewers invest considerable time, expertise, and administrative resources in evaluating the manuscript. Withdrawal requests submitted during or after peer review will be considered only in exceptional and justified circumstances.

Withdrawal After Acceptance

Withdrawal requests submitted after the issuance of the acceptance letter are strongly discouraged and will only be considered under exceptional circumstances.

At this stage, the Journal may already have incurred significant costs relating to editorial management, peer review, production preparation, metadata registration, and publication administration. Accordingly, the Journal reserves the right to recover reasonable costs associated with services already rendered.

Financial Implications of Withdrawal

Publication charges, waivers, and refund provisions are governed by the Journal's APC and Waiver Policy.

However, where an author requests withdrawal after the manuscript has entered external peer review, after peer-review reports have been completed and communicated to the authors, or after the issuance of the acceptance letter but before publication, the Journal may have already incurred substantial editorial, peer-review, production, and administrative costs.

Accordingly, in such circumstances, the corresponding author may be required to pay 50% of the Article Publication Fee (APF), amounting to PKR 14,000, to recover costs already incurred by the Journal.

The Editorial Office reserves the right to determine the applicability of this provision based on the stage of the editorial process and the circumstances of the withdrawal request.