AJSD POLICIES

POLICY THRUST

The thrust of the policy framework of AJSD is to pursue and promote Afrocentric sustainable development that is culturally and philosophically aligned with the identity and aspirations of the African. This philosophy recognizes the worldview of the African and puts Africa and African people’s progress and development at the epicenter of both thought and action, without prejudice to the interconnectedness of the modern world.

Corporate Governance

The Governing council and board of AJSD has the fiduciary responsibility ensuring that the assets of the nonprofit are used in support of the mission and in accordance with donor and sponsors intent. The board therefore exercises its fiduciary responsibility by adopting the following corporate governance and financial policies:

Conflict of Interest

AJSD recognizes that Governing Council, Editorial Board members, Officers and Committee members may have diverse professional and commercial interests.   These varying interests are reason the Governing Council has adopted a conflict of interest policy that aligns with our core values of integrity and transparency; ensuring a failsafe process for consistently delivering on AJSDs mission and mandate. AJSD promotes integrity and transparency as core values. All parties within AJSD are strongly discouraged from influencing decisions to financially or commercially benefit themselves or any parties that they are affiliated with. Our policy requires any individual(s) or groups within AJSD to disclose any conflict(s) or potential conflict(s) of interest upfront. They must disclose any relationships that may influence the way they carry out their responsibilities. This extends to members spouses, partners and dependents and covers all involvements within the past 24 months irrespective of the status of the involvement. Thereafter, the conflicted persons will be prohibited from voting on any matters in which they may be conflicted.

Members will be required to file, sign and update a disclosure form annually and at any time(s) requested by the Executive Committee or Governing Council. They also have a continuing obligation to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may arise from time to time.

The Governing Council must dedicate time at least twice every year to discuss hypothetical situations that can lead to conflict of interest and role-play how they will manage the situation. The council will also circulate a conflict of interest questionnaire every year to determine the status of members of the organization.

Funding Policy, Use of Funds, Approvals and Reporting

100% of all funds committed to Afrocentric sustainable development projects by financiers shall be devoted to the specific projects funded. For administrative and other logistical expenses, we shall raise separate funding pools for these. We shall ensure transparency and strict corporate governance compliance in financial management. The governing council shall set approval limits for management which shall be reviewed from time to time. Any approvals above the set limits will require the sign off of at least two members of the governing council. Revenues and expenses shall be published quarterly for the review of all stakeholders.

Financial Reporting Policy – Annual and Periodic Reports

By this policy, annual and periodic reports including reports of income and expenditure of the organization will be published for public viewing.

Reimbursement of Travel and (or) Other Expenses

Expenses will be pre-approved by the responsible officer(s) in line with approved limits put in place by the Governing Council and the Executive office. Any expense outside of this limit will need Governing Council approval.

Boards Role in Reviewing Compensation of the Executive Director

The Governing Council has the mandate for setting and reviewing the compensation of the Executive Director and other officials of AJSD.

EDITORIAL POLICIES

Credit for Authorship

This provides credit for a researcher’s contributions to a study and conveys responsibility and accountability. To qualify as an author, certain criteria must be fulfilled:

Each individual author is expected to have contributed immensely to any part of the study from concept development, design or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data. An author must also have approved the version of the manuscript submitted as well as any serious modifications that affect his or her contribution to the study.

The author is responsible and accountable for his work and the accuracy and integrity of the entire work involving other researchers especially as the whole is a sum of the different parts.

While all authors are not required to sign the letter of submission, we take all submissions to mean that all authors agree to the content and structure of the submission. The author corresponding on behalf of others is responsible for ensuring that this agreement has been reached, and that the manuscripts submitted are those agreed by participating team members who should appropriately disclose to the reading public any overt or covert competing interests.

Competing interests

It is important to us that authors disclose any competing interests. We believe that transparency, as one of our core values, enables readers form their own opinion of a potential bias in the report. We therefore require authors to state any competing interests, financial or otherwise, that may influence the objectivity of a report or publication. This may include sponsorships or affiliations with third parties that potentially benefit from the work described. The corresponding author is responsible for submitting a competing interests’ statement on behalf of all authors of the paper. In the event that an editorial board member of AJSD is affiliated in any way to the publication, this must also be expressly stated. AJSD promotes independent thinking. Our policy is one of editorial independence, where decisions and content are not be compromised by commercial interests. Our policy promotes full disclosure where there is any risk of a perception of compromise from any arrangements with financiers, sponsors and the like.

Research Ethics

AJSD promotes freedom of the researchers thought with the corresponding obligation of responsibility to all stakeholders in the ecosystem. While we are very aware of the full benefits of research, we will not feign naivety to the potential harm that can be caused if best practice is ignored.

Among others, best practice includes respecting the rights and dignity of both human and non-human participants in the study, including the communities or ecosystems where the studies are conducted.

Non-maleficence and beneficence remain key principles in research ethics promoting the maximization of benefits while minimizing potential harms. These fundamental principles are no doubt an integral part of general frameworks for the ethical conduct of research across different disciplines.

While advancing knowledge is undeniably a public good, it must always be weighed against potential harm to a wide array of stakeholders. Our editorial policy therefore promotes the appraisal of all submissions against its benefit/harm with a view to mitigating all potential risks. The editorial board may therefore decline any publication that harms any part of the ecosystem. Conversely, the board may take remedial action including but not limited to correcting or amending already published content.

It is the responsibility of authors to ensure that studies are conducted ethically. Where unsure, the corresponding author must draw the attention of the editorial board to any area(s) of potential infraction.

Reporting standards and availability of data, materials, code and protocols

Research results should be replicable. Replication can only be achieved when readers have access to data and other materials used by the researcher. We therefore require authors to sign a data and materials availability statement upon submission of the manuscript, and to promptly provide reviewers and readers unqualified access to data pre and post publication respectively. Any restrictions must be communicated to the editorial board at the time of manuscript submission. After publication of the manuscript, readers who are unable to get authors to provide access to materials and data should contact the AJSD Editor In Chief for necessary action. This action starts with reaching out to the author(s) by email or telephone to resolve the complaint. Where this is not resolved, a formal statement may be published indicating that data and other materials are not available to readers to replicate findings.

Plagiarism and duplicate publication

According to the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), plagiarism includes the “theft or misappropriation of intellectual property and the substantial unattributed textual copying of another’s work”. It can be said to have occurred when text have been copied and pasted without attribution to source(s). AJSD publishes original thought and will not consider plagiarized manuscript for publication. The onus is on author(s) to ensure credit is given when using the work of others. Even in instances where an author is reusing work from his/her/their previous research, this must be clearly indicated and referenced.

If for any reason plagiarism is noticed after the manuscript has been published, the editorial board of AJSD will take remedial action as it deems fit.

Corrections, Retractions and Matters Arising

It is unavoidable that feedback from reader(s), the discovery of new information or the like props up from time to time, requiring corrections, updates, rejoinders, retraction etc., after manuscripts or other content are published on AJSD. This policy ensures that a window is open within a reasonable timeframe to cater to feedback from the reading public. The response to the feedback may take any form including but not limited to editors notes, opinion articles from the reader etc.

Based on the need, the editorial board will effect corrections, give space for feedback from readers and other post publication updates to works of peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed article types. Errors of any nature that may affect the integrity of published work will be corrected as amendments. Other marginal errors can be brought to the notice via editors notes.

Generally, corrections will be treated as follows:

Correction of Author Error: A correction of Author Error may be published to correct error(s) made by the author(s) that affects the integrity of any part of the publication, or that has the potential of negatively impacting the reputation of the authors or AJSD.

Correction of Publisher Error: A correction of Publisher Error may be published to correct error(s) made by AJSD that affects the integrity of any part of the publication, or that has the potential of negatively impacting the reputation of the authors or AJSD.

Addendum: Authors may publish an addendum when new information relevant to the appreciation of the article is available post publication.

Editor’s Note: The editorial board will issue a press release online to alert the readers of an ongoing investigation or inquiry into concerns raised by readers after an article or manuscript has been published.

Editorial Expression of Concern: in line with recommendations by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), AJSD will issue an online Editorial Expression of Concern (EEoC) to alert readers of ongoing investigation into potential problems that may affect the integrity of the publication. The Editors Note or EEOCs will be set aside once an amendment, correction or retraction is published upon completion of investigation.

Retraction: An article or published work may be retracted when its integrity is significantly undermined by errors in any part of the research process. Retractions may also occur if research ethics are found to have been violated post publication. AJSD will issue an online statement communicating the retraction irrespective of whether the authors agree or disagree.

Post Publication Matters Arising

It is important to keep the conversation going after publication whether it involves a challenge from readers, request for more information or a failure to replicate results claimed by the published work. AJSD will publish the ongoing conversation as post publication matter arising, concurrently giving original authors a right to reply.

Peer Review

AJSD peer reviews most researched contributions including articles, letters, technical reports, analysis, reviews, and insight articles. Opinion articles, news reports and others may not be peer reviewed, except they present technical data deemed by editors to require such review. The decision on what is peer-reviewed sits with the editorial board.

Criteria for publication

In general, to be acceptable, a paper should be Afrocentric, meaning it must have an African worldview, with the greatest benefit of Africa or a part of Africa in view.

Many scholars have made the case for an African worldview. Professor Dumisani Abebe, writing on ‘The African Worldview As the Basis of Practice in the Helping Professions’, Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk 2008:44(3), quotes Scheile (2000:2) thus: “the knowledge base of the social sciences is dominated by American-European paradigms”. This has created problems because some of these paradigms don’t flush well within the African cultural context, impeding the owning and perpetuation of sustainable development models that have worked elsewhere because of cultural differences. Schiele continues: “the challenge is to displace western ways of thinking and replace them with ways that are germane to African cultural experiences”. Other authors like Swigonski (1996:4) equally quoted by Dumisani says an Afrocentric perspective starts with the question: Does this place Africans in the centre? Is it in the best interest of African peoples? Afrocentric work reorganizes the African frame of reference so that African history, culture and worldview become the context for understanding Africans.”

The paper must equally represent an advance in understanding likely to promote African thinking within the field of sustainable development in the best interest of Africa and Africans. This benefit to Africa and Africans or the potential risks to Africa such a study exposes and averts should be evident in the conclusions.  Refer to AJSD policy on Afrocentric Development for more information.

The review process

The review process starts with editors reading the manuscripts. Contributions considered valuable and which meet the criteria are forwarded for review. Others adjudged unfit for further review are promptly rejected after informal consultations with subject matter experts.

For manuscripts that make the cut, a minimum of two reviewers are engaged for formal review. The editorial board then makes the call after weighing the recommendations of the reviewers either to accept with or without revisions by authors, reject requiring authors to carry out further work or reject outright. AJSD is aware that reviewers may recommend diametrically opposed courses of action. Either way, the final decision rests with the editorial board.

When reviewers consent to reviewing a manuscript, the consent covers for subsequent revisions, should such a need arise; authors will however need to have followed through on initial recommendations before reviewers are asked to further revise the manuscripts.

How We Select Peer-Reviewers

The quality of the publication process is undergirded by a number of important factors, reviewer selection been very critical. The parameters we use in selecting reviewers include expertise, track record and reputation. We adjudge reviewer quality by other personal attributes like speed, thoroughness, and accompanying notes for their views and recommendations.

AJSD promotes diversity and inclusion and maintains a nondiscriminatory policy in reviewer selection, employment and all other affairs of the organization. To the best extent possible, AJSD will maintain a multinational outlook in its governance and operations.

Writing the review

All reviews must achieve two cardinal objectives:

1. Provide the editorial board with relevant information to make a decision on the work or manuscript
2. Guide the authors on critical steps required to improve on their work

Transparency is required whether or not a review is favorable, in each case communicating clearly and unambiguously the reasons for the reviewers decision.

Reviewers are required to access a work or manuscript against the following criteria:

• Afrocentric: Does the work have an African worldview? Is Africa and Africans at the center of this work? To what extent does it benefit Africa?
• Strengths: this outlines the key features of the work
• Importance: Is the work important, not so important or unimportant? Give reasons
• Ingenuity and impact: Does the work or its conclusion draw from African philosophical and cultural development thought or is it predominantly European-American? To what extent does it advance a localized development paradigm?
• Methodology: Comments on the validity of the method, quality of the data, its analysis and presentation. Reviewers must carefully review all data to ensure integrity and replicability of results.
• Appropriateness of statistics and statistical tests
• Interpretation and Conclusions: are the conclusions and analysis vigorous and reliable?
• Recommendations: outline additional work that could improve the quality of the work
• References: are references appropriate and adequate? Should references be added or excluded? Which do you recommend?
• Language: Is the language used appropriate? Is it libelous or does it denigrate any individual(s) or group(s)?
• Are there any part(s) of the work outside of your area(s) of expertise?
• Are there any other points or issues worthy of note?

The above provides a guide to reviewers and the list is not exhaustive. Reviewers must present their arguments with documentary evidence.

Timeliness

It is important that reviewers work within the timelines agreed. If any delay is anticipated, reviewers must notify the editorial board through the corresponding editor promptly.

Confidentiality and Anonymity

At AJSD, the review process is conducted in confidentiality. Every individual within the editorial and peer review process (including but not limited to editorial board members, reviewers and authors) are required to keep submitted manuscripts confidential. Reviewers must not violate the intellectual property rights of authors in any way. Should a reviewer deem it fit to consult a third party for advice while reviewing a paper, he/she must first get the written consent of the corresponding editorial board member. In the event of securing such consent, the reviewer must ensure that the third party’s name is included in the report and that the individual(s) maintain confidentiality.

We will also keep the identity of reviewers anonymous, except they chose to sign the reports that will be forwarded to authors. Reviewers must not disclose themselves to authors at any stage within the review process. At the end of the process, there will however be an exchange of reports between reviewers for comments. We however may disclose reviewers’ identities in the event of a request by regulators, law enforcement agencies, court of law and the like. Irrespective of the editorial boards decision on the manuscript, all correspondence, reports and material disclosed to parties within the peer review process cannot be published without the prior written consent of the editorial board. AJSD reserves the right to contact sponsors, regulatory authorities and any other group(s) or institutions in the event of misconduct from the author(s).

Acknowledgements

Anyone whose contribution to the manuscript is not sufficient to qualify him/her for authorship can be appreciated in the acknowledgements section. Acknowledgment for donors, financiers and the like is in order.

An appropriate format for acknowledgement of grant funding is:

A.B.C. discloses support for the research of this work from Funder [grant number xxxx], Funder [grant number xxxx] and Funder [grant number xxxx]. D.E.F. discloses support for publication of this work from Funder [grant number xxxx],  Funder [grant number xxxx] and  Funder [grant number xxxx].

Pre-Publication Media Communication

Authors should note that they are not to solicit media coverage for manuscripts under review with AJSD. Should manuscripts be accepted, media engagements can be done two weeks from the confirmed date of publication. In this case, authors will confer with the corresponding editorial board member on a one page press release which must be approved by the editorial board before it is made available to the media. Upon publication, authors are free to engage the media freely but only with the approved content published.

Self archiving and license to publish

As a hybrid journal, we offer both open access and paid content. Our open access and self-archiving policy aligns with the requirements of a lot of funders. We do not require authors of primary studies to assign the copyright of their published work. Authors grant AJSD an exclusive license to publish in exchange for reusing their published work without recourse to AJSD. For other types of contributions including articles, reviews, opinions and the like, copyright belongs to AJSD.

Free or open access articles are published under the Creative Commons (CC) license which keeps the copyright with the author, while allowing the unrestricted re-use and dissemination of content so long as the author(s) is given the credit in the manner the author specifies.

Paid content, where available, is accessed by subscribers upon payment of subscription fees.

Author(s) are advised to ensure they comply with their funder(s) or sponsors license requirements

For articles published through subscription, authors may choose to self-archive the peer-reviewed manuscript in any repository of their choice. In this event, the archived document can only be made available to the public not earlier than three months after publication by AJSD.

In the case of open access articles published under a Creative Commons licence, authors may archive and make available to the public the published version immediately. This must always be accompanied by a link to the URL of the published article on AJSD’s website.

Note that for both paid and open access content, the integrity of the record is paramount, and the version published by AJSD will remain the final version.

Conditions of use

Articles published and archived by AJSD are intended to promote the sustainable development of Africa, African communities and its peoples. These articles and the research findings they contain however remain subject to copyright. For avoidance of doubt, check with the editorial board.

Non Commercial Use

Content may not be used to gain commercial or monetary advantage

Attribution

All use must be attributed to the author(s) in line with authors’ specification. For the avoidance of doubt, contact the editorial board of AJSD

Third party content

Content belonging to third parties must only be used in line with the copyright of the author(s).

Use at own risk

Use of AJSD content is at your own risk. AJSD accepts no liability from use of content published by AJSD.