Regional Secretary Policy 2026

Addendum to the IJBMRS Charter

Regional Secretary Policy 2026

Preamble

This Regional Secretary Policy 2026 is issued as a formal Addendum to the IJBMRS Charter, framed under the authority of the Office of the Chairperson and the Governing Framework of the International Journal of Business and Management Research (IJBMRS).

This policy is introduced to ensure clarity, accountability, uniform governance, documentation integrity, and institutional discipline in the appointment, functioning, and review of Regional Secretaries across all geographic regions.

The provisions herein are binding on all individuals appointed or serving as Regional Secretaries, irrespective of region, seniority, or prior association with IJBMRS.

1. Legal Standing and Charter Alignment

1.1 This policy derives its authority from the IJBMRS Charter and shall be read in conjunction with, and not in derogation of, the Charter.

1.2 In the event of any inconsistency, the IJBMRS Charter shall prevail, and this policy shall be interpreted to align with Charter intent.

1.3 This policy shall take effect from 08 January 2026.

2. Nature of the Role

2.1 The position of Regional Secretary is a governance-linked, non-executive, representative role.

2.2 Appointment as Regional Secretary does not constitute employment, contractual engagement, or vested right.

2.3 The role is time-bound, revocable, reviewable, and conditional upon compliance with IJBMRS policies, Charter provisions, and institutional conduct standards.

2.4 Term of Office:

• The term of a Regional Secretary shall be three (3) months, calculated strictly from the date of appointment communication.

• Completion of the term does not imply automatic renewal.

2.5 Renewal & Continuity:

• Any renewal shall be solely at the discretion of the Office of the Chairperson, following a formal review.

• No individual may assume or continue the office of Regional Secretary for more than two consecutive terms.

• The same individual shall not assume office for three terms in a row under any circumstances.

3. Appointment & Acceptance Protocol (Mandatory)

3.1 All appointments shall be issued only in writing from an authorized IJBMRS office.

3.2 A Regional Secretary appointment shall be deemed incomplete and non-operative until:

• Written acceptance is received explicitly acknowledging the role and scope; and

• The acceptance is recorded in IJBMRS official records.

3.3 Public representation (LinkedIn, CVs, websites, social media, or third-party communications) prior to written acceptance on record is strictly prohibited.

3.4 Absence of written acceptance within 14 calendar days of appointment communication may result in:

• Automatic lapse of the offer; or

• Initiation of procedural review without further notice.

4. Scope of Authority (Strictly Limited)

4.1 Regional Secretaries do not possess autonomous authority to:

• Commit IJBMRS to partnerships or MOUs;

• Represent policy positions;

• Issue assurances, confirmations, or guarantees;

• Modify nomenclature, branding, or institutional language.

4.2 All external engagements must:

• Be prior-approved in writing; or

• Be conducted using officially supplied materials and templates.

5. Scope of Duties & Responsibilities (Strictly Defined)

5.1 The scope of a Regional Secretary is representative, facilitative, and advisory only, and shall at all times remain subordinate to IJBMRS central governance.

5.2 Permitted Responsibilities include:

• Promoting IJBMRS calls for papers, announcements, and public notices using approved materials only;

• Facilitating introductions with universities, institutions, and scholars without committing IJBMRS;

• Identifying potential authors, reviewers, and collaborators for referral to the Editorial Office;

• Providing regional academic insights, feedback, and contextual information when requested;

• Representing IJBMRS in academic forums only when expressly authorized.

5.3 Prohibited Actions (Non‑exhaustive):

• Signing or implying Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), agreements, or partnerships;

• Making guarantees, assurances, promises, or representations on behalf of IJBMRS;

• Altering, re‑interpreting, or explaining governance, ISSN, DOI, policy, or Charter matters;

• Issuing instructions, corrections, or reviews to editors, authors, reviewers, or institutions;

• Acting or presenting oneself as an executive, officer, or decision‑making authority.

5.4 Failure to remain within the defined scope shall constitute governance overreach and invite review.

6. Communication Discipline

6.1 All official communications addressed to or issued by a Regional Secretary must:

• Use approved IJBMRS nomenclature;

• Follow institutional tone, hierarchy, and approved language;

• Avoid personal interpretation of governance or policy matters.

6.2 Official Email Provisioning (Conditional):

• A Regional Secretary may be provisioned with an official IJBMRS email address in the following formats:

  • @secretary.ijbmrs.org, or

  • @secretary-X.ijbmrs.org, where X is an internal contact identifier and may range alphabetically from A to Z.

• Provisioning, continuation, suspension, or withdrawal of such email access is entirely at the discretion of IJBMRS.

• Such email access does not imply authority, permanency, or entitlement.

6.3 Authoritative Source of Communication:

• All emails, notices, reviews, requests, or directives sent to Regional Secretaries must strictly conform to this Regional Secretary Policy 2026 (Addendum).

• Communications issued by Regional Secretaries must remain strictly within the scope defined herein.

6.4 Public critique, adversarial positioning, or escalation outside designated channels constitutes a policy breach.

7. Documentation, Records & Reviews

7.1 Administrative, documentation, compliance, review, and coordination responsibilities under this Policy shall be handled exclusively by the IJBMRS Research Secretariat.

7.2 The IJBMRS Research Secretariat operates under the Office of Research Secretariats (ORS) of the Ahmedabad Centre for Research and Innovation, and is the sole competent body for:

• Appointment documentation;

• Acceptance records;

• Term tracking and expiry control;

• Review initiation and coordination;

• Email provisioning, suspension, or withdrawal;

• Record maintenance and compliance verification.

7.3 The Editorial Office shall have no administrative, supervisory, or compliance responsibility with respect to Regional Secretaries.

7.4 Documentation-based reviews:

• May be initiated at any time by the IJBMRS Research Secretariat;

• Do not imply misconduct;

• Are binding in outcome once concluded.

7.5 Non-cooperation with the IJBMRS Research Secretariat shall be treated as institutional non-compliance.

8. Use of Designation

8.1 The designation “Regional Secretary – [Region], IJBMRS” may be used only:

• After formal acceptance is on record; and

• While the appointment remains active.

8.2 Upon cessation, suspension, or lapse, the designation must be removed immediately from all platforms.

9. Confidentiality & Institutional Loyalty

9.1 Regional Secretaries are bound by confidentiality obligations.

9.2 Internal communications, reviews, or governance discussions shall not be shared externally without authorization.

10. Suspension, Review, or Discontinuation

10.1 The Office of the Chairperson retains final authority to:

• Suspend;

• Review;

• Discontinue any Regional Secretary appointment.

10.2 No prior notice is required in cases involving:

• Reputational risk;

• Policy breach;

• Governance non-alignment.

11. Final Authority

11.1 Interpretation of this policy rests exclusively with the Office of the Chairperson, IJBMRS.

11.2 This policy shall be binding on all current and future Regional Secretaries.

Issued by: Office of the Chairperson
International Journal of Business and Management Research (IJBMRS)