Confidentiality Protocols

CapitalMark – Journal of Marketing & Finance

At CapitalMark, we recognize that confidentiality is essential for maintaining trust, integrity, and fairness in academic publishing. As a journal dedicated to marketing, finance, and business research, we are entrusted with sensitive intellectual property, unpublished financial models, and original data. These confidentiality protocols establish clear responsibilities for editors, reviewers, and staff to ensure the secure and ethical handling of all manuscripts.

1. Confidentiality of Manuscripts

For Editors

  • Manuscripts are treated as privileged material and cannot be disclosed outside the editorial process.

  • Editors must not use unpublished research findings—such as market models, case analyses, or financial data—for personal or institutional benefit.

  • Editors are prohibited from sharing manuscript content with third parties without explicit editorial board approval.

For Reviewers

  • Reviewers must safeguard the confidentiality of manuscripts under review.

  • Manuscripts may not be discussed with colleagues, students, or external consultants unless authorized by the editorial office.

  • All physical or digital copies of manuscripts must be deleted or securely destroyed after the review process is completed.

For Journal Staff

  • Only designated staff are permitted to access manuscript files.

  • Staff are required to use secure, password-protected systems for all editorial work.

  • Unauthorized access, copying, or disclosure of manuscript materials is considered a serious ethical breach.

2. Confidentiality of the Peer Review Process

Double-Blind Peer Review

  • CapitalMark uses a double-blind review model to ensure objectivity.

  • Author identities are anonymized prior to reviewer assignment.

  • Reviewer identities remain strictly confidential and are never revealed to authors.

Reviewer Identity Protection

  • Editors must ensure that email communication, submission system settings, and feedback files do not compromise reviewer anonymity.

  • Reviewer details are never shared with other reviewers, authors, or external organizations.

3. Confidential Correspondence

With Authors

  • All decision letters, reviewer comments, and revision requests are confidential and intended solely for the authors addressed.

  • Authors are prohibited from publicly sharing reviewer reports or internal editorial communications.

  • Unauthorized sharing of decision correspondence violates journal policy.

With Reviewers

  • Communications with reviewers (including abstracts, guidance notes, and deadlines) must remain confidential.

  • Reviewer feedback shared with authors is anonymized to remove identifying details.

  • Editors must avoid language or formatting that could inadvertently reveal a reviewer’s identity.

4. Data Protection and Secure Storage

System Access

  • The submission and editorial management system is accessible only to authorized users.

  • All users must protect their login credentials and avoid using unsecured devices or networks.

Secure File Handling

  • Manuscript files, especially those containing sensitive business or financial data, must be stored securely.

  • Use of public cloud services or shared drives is not permitted unless encrypted and access-controlled.

  • Files must be deleted from local systems once the review process is complete.

5. Post-Decision Confidentiality

Rejected Manuscripts

  • Data and concepts from rejected manuscripts remain confidential.

  • Editors, reviewers, and staff must not cite, use, or disclose these materials.

Accepted Manuscripts

  • Once published, the final version of a manuscript becomes public.

  • However, the review reports, editorial deliberations, and decision-making notes remain confidential indefinitely.

6. Handling Breaches of Confidentiality

Reporting Violations

  • Any breach of confidentiality—intentional or accidental—must be reported to the editorial board immediately.

  • The board will review the matter, notify relevant parties, and take corrective measures.

Consequences of Breach

  • Removal from the editorial or reviewer database

  • Termination of submission system access

  • Notification to the violator’s affiliated institution

  • Referral to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) where necessary

7. Commitment to Ethical Standards

CapitalMark upholds confidentiality in line with the ethical guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and best practices in scholarly publishing. Protecting the confidentiality of research ensures fairness in peer review, safeguards author intellectual property, and strengthens trust between scholars, editors, and the academic community.