Withdrawal Policy

The International Journal of Management Research (IJMR) recognizes that authors may occasionally request the withdrawal of a submitted manuscript. This policy explains the circumstances, procedures, and responsibilities associated with withdrawing a manuscript before or after editorial processing.

Authors should submit manuscripts only after obtaining the approval of all co-authors and carefully reviewing the journal’s aim and scope, author guidelines, publication ethics, peer-review process, and applicable charges.

Withdrawal Before Initial Editorial Screening

Authors may request withdrawal shortly after submission, before the manuscript has entered editorial screening or peer review.

The corresponding author must submit a formal withdrawal request to the editorial office containing:

  • Manuscript title
  • Submission or manuscript identification number
  • Names of all authors
  • Clear reason for withdrawal
  • Written agreement of all co-authors
  • Signature or confirmation of the corresponding author

The manuscript will be considered withdrawn only after the editorial office issues written confirmation.

Withdrawal During Peer Review

Withdrawal after editorial screening or during peer review is discouraged because editors and reviewers may already have invested considerable time and effort in evaluating the manuscript.

A withdrawal request submitted during peer review must include a reasonable explanation and confirmation from all authors. The Editor or Editor-in-Chief will review the request before making a decision.

Authors must not assume that a manuscript has been withdrawn merely because a request has been submitted. The withdrawal becomes effective only when officially confirmed by IJMR.

Withdrawal After Acceptance

Withdrawal after acceptance is strongly discouraged because the journal may already have completed peer review, editorial assessment, revision checking, copyediting, formatting, metadata preparation, or production work.

Authors requesting withdrawal after acceptance must provide:

  • A detailed explanation for the request
  • Written consent from all listed authors
  • Manuscript identification details
  • Confirmation that the manuscript will not be submitted elsewhere until the journal formally approves the withdrawal

Where applicable, the journal may require payment of reasonable administrative or production costs already incurred. Any applicable charges will be communicated to the authors before the withdrawal is finalized.

Withdrawal During Production

A manuscript that has entered copyediting, layout, proofreading, DOI registration, metadata deposit, or online publication preparation may not normally be withdrawn without a valid and exceptional reason.

Possible reasons may include:

  • Serious error affecting the reliability of the research
  • Discovery of research misconduct
  • Unauthorized submission
  • Significant authorship dispute
  • Legal or ethical concerns
  • Accidental duplicate submission
  • Breach of confidentiality or participant protection

The Editor-in-Chief will determine whether withdrawal is appropriate and whether a withdrawal notice or other corrective action is required.

Withdrawal After Publication

Once an article has been formally published, it normally cannot be treated as an ordinary withdrawal. The published article forms part of the permanent scholarly record.

Concerns raised after publication will be managed through the journal’s applicable procedures for:

  • Correction
  • Retraction
  • Expression of concern
  • Removal in exceptional circumstances
  • Publication of an explanatory notice

A published article may be retracted when its findings are unreliable, it contains serious misconduct, it was published elsewhere without appropriate disclosure, or it violates ethical, legal, or copyright requirements.

Article Removal in Exceptional Circumstances

Complete removal of a published article will be considered only in rare situations, such as when:

  • The article contains defamatory or unlawful material
  • Publication creates a serious legal risk
  • Confidential or private information has been disclosed improperly
  • Continued access presents a significant risk to individuals or the public
  • A court or competent legal authority requires removal

Where technically and legally possible, the article’s bibliographic record may remain available with a notice explaining why the full text has been removed.

Acceptable Reasons for Withdrawal

IJMR may consider withdrawal requests based on reasons including:

  • Accidental duplicate submission
  • Submission without the consent of all authors
  • Serious errors discovered before publication
  • Unresolved authorship disputes
  • Ethical concerns affecting the research
  • Incorrect or unauthorized use of data
  • Copyright or permission problems
  • Legal restrictions
  • Major technical problems that make the manuscript unsuitable for publication

Withdrawal requests made solely to submit the manuscript to another journal, avoid requested revisions, or obtain faster publication elsewhere may not be regarded as sufficient justification once substantial editorial work has been completed.

Unacceptable Withdrawal Practices

Authors must not:

  • Submit the same manuscript to another journal while it remains under consideration by IJMR
  • Withdraw a manuscript without informing all co-authors
  • Ignore editorial correspondence and assume that the submission is withdrawn
  • Request withdrawal merely because reviewers recommended substantial revisions
  • Submit a withdrawal request after acceptance without a valid explanation
  • Use withdrawal to avoid investigation of suspected misconduct
  • Submit the manuscript elsewhere before receiving written withdrawal confirmation

Such conduct may be treated as a breach of publication ethics.

Procedure for Requesting Withdrawal

The corresponding author should send a formal withdrawal request through the journal’s official communication channel.

The request should include:

  1. Manuscript title
  2. Manuscript identification number
  3. Date of submission
  4. Names and affiliations of all authors
  5. Detailed reason for withdrawal
  6. Confirmation that all authors agree
  7. Corresponding author’s signature or verified written consent

The editorial office may contact co-authors directly to confirm their agreement.

Editorial Assessment

The Editor or Editor-in-Chief will evaluate:

  • The stage of editorial processing
  • The reason provided by the authors
  • Whether all authors have agreed
  • Time and resources already used
  • Possible ethical or legal concerns
  • Whether the manuscript is under investigation
  • Whether a corrective public notice is necessary

The journal may temporarily suspend the withdrawal request while investigating suspected misconduct, duplicate publication, authorship disputes, or ethical concerns.

Withdrawal Confirmation

A manuscript remains under consideration until the journal sends formal written confirmation of withdrawal.

After confirmation:

  • Editorial evaluation will stop
  • Reviewers may be informed that the review has been discontinued
  • The manuscript record may be marked as withdrawn
  • The authors may submit the work elsewhere, provided no ethical or legal restriction applies

Internal records of the submission and withdrawal may be retained for administrative, ethical, and audit purposes.

Withdrawal Charges

IJMR does not use withdrawal charges as a penalty. However, where substantial editorial or production work has already been completed, reasonable costs may apply, subject to the journal’s published financial and refund policies.

Any charge, where applicable, should reflect actual administrative or production work and will be communicated transparently to the corresponding author.

Refunds

Any refund relating to a withdrawn manuscript will be handled according to the journal’s applicable Fee Policy and Refund Policy.

Payments for services already completed, including editorial processing, formatting, production, DOI-related work, or print preparation, may be non-refundable where applicable.

Authorship Disputes

IJMR will not normally decide authorship disputes on behalf of researchers or institutions.

Where a withdrawal request results from an authorship disagreement, the journal may:

  • Pause editorial processing
  • Request written statements from all authors
  • Refer the matter to the authors’ institution
  • Wait for an institutional decision before taking further action

The manuscript will remain inactive until the dispute is resolved.

Suspected Research Misconduct

A manuscript may not be withdrawn merely to avoid investigation of suspected:

  • Plagiarism
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Duplicate publication
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • Unethical research
  • Citation manipulation
  • Unauthorized authorship
  • Copyright infringement

The journal may continue its investigation and retain relevant records even if the authors request withdrawal.

Editorial Withdrawal

IJMR reserves the right to withdraw or discontinue consideration of a manuscript when:

  • It falls outside the journal’s scope
  • Required revisions are not submitted within the specified period
  • Authors fail to respond to editorial communication
  • Ethical approval or consent documentation is missing
  • The manuscript contains substantial plagiarism
  • Duplicate submission or publication is identified
  • Authorship information is unreliable
  • The submission violates journal policies
  • Legal, ethical, or technical concerns prevent publication

The corresponding author will be informed of the editorial decision where appropriate.

Policy Review

IJMR may periodically review and update this Withdrawal Policy to reflect developments in publication ethics, editorial practice, legal requirements, and scholarly publishing standards.