Article withdrawal & correction

All published research is effectively a "snapshot" of a moment in time, and the version of record can’t be updated to reflect changes, for example new author affiliation or new findings.

However, we understand that sometimes errors are made during the research, writing and publishing stages. When these issues arise, we have the option of introducing one of the following correction notices.

This generally refers to a production error introduced during the publication process. If an erratum is issued, it will appear on the abstract of the online version of the paper and in the hard copy of the next volume or issue of the publication.

This generally refers to an author error or oversight made before the paper was submitted. If a corrigendum is issued, it will appear on the abstract of the online version of the paper and in the hard copy of the next volume or issue of the publication.

As a publisher, Emerald is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. As part of this, Emerald is constantly looking for ways to make positive changes that remove obstacles for authors. Following in the steps of the Association for Computing Machinery and the American Chemical Society, Emerald is implementing an author name change policy.

Effective immediately, if Emerald receives a request from an author wishing to change their name on a published article for any reason (including religious conversion, marriage, gender identity change or divorce), we will change the name on that article. We will not ask for further detail or the reason for the name change, however, we may sometimes require other information (such as the article citation) to make the change effectively.

We will make best efforts to adjust the name throughout the article, and if applicable, adjust any pronouns.

We will additionally provide the updated article to our third parties, and ask them to update their databases accordingly. However, we will not inform them as to how the article has changed.

Emerald will consider any name change requests by someone who is not that author as potentially harassment, and will act accordingly.

The landscape is constantly changing, and we are aware that there may be teething issues that we encounter, but Emerald will endeavour to share lessons learnt and welcomes feedback. We hope this policy will make a real difference to our authors.

A retraction notice will be issued in serious cases of ethical misconduct or where the research is seriously flawed and misleading. In normal circumstances, the paper will remain in the online version of the journal or book. A retraction notice will appear on the online version of the paper and in the hard copy of the next volume or issue of the publication. Where possible, papers will remain electronically accessible but clearly state that the article has been retracted.

A note of clarification will be used when a point needs to be emphasised or clarified in the text, but it does not constitute a correction. Please note that any correction has to be highlighted as a stated erratum, corrigendum or note of clarification, and the text cannot be amended. This is designed to make it clear to the reader that there have been changes to the text, which they might have cited or referred to in their subsequent research or practice.

In cases where an ethical allegation is made and we are unable to resolve the investigation quickly, we will issue an expression of concern to the article to make it clear that an investigation is still ongoing.

In cases where a conclusion is unclear or where we are unable to make a fair decision due to conflicts of interest or lack of information, we will publish an expression of concern regarding the paper. An expression of concern will appear on the online version of the paper at the abstract level, so it is visible to all readers, including non-subscribers.