Reginald - there will always be abuses out there. It's the name of the game but, hopefully, the 'abusers' are few and far between and do not last long in the business. To say what those abuses are, generally, have to be taken on a case-by-case basis - so it's difficult to say collectively what they are. I suppose if I had to list them- they might include:

- Editors that favour those that they know or who offer some sort of endorsement or reward for the editor.

- Editors that invite favoured colleagues to submit at certain times i.e. special editions.

- Reviewers who reject - and then 'pinch' the idea themselves.

- Reviewers who reject because the manuscript criticizes or demeans their own existing work.

- Reviewers who think that the work is better than theirs - and might upstage their work.

That said - i would like to think that there is not a great deal of scope or opportunity for this to happen out there.

Reginald - there will always be abuses out there. It's the name of the game but, hopefully, the 'abusers' are few and far between and do not last long in the business. To say what those abuses are, generally, have to be taken on a case-by-case basis - so it's difficult to say collectively what they are. I suppose if I had to list them- they might include:

- Editors that favour those that they know or who offer some sort of endorsement or reward for the editor.

- Editors that invite favoured colleagues to submit at certain times i.e. special editions.

- Reviewers who reject - and then 'pinch' the idea themselves.

- Reviewers who reject because the manuscript criticizes or demeans their own existing work.

- Reviewers who think that the work is better than theirs - and might upstage their work.

That said - i would like to think that there is not a great deal of scope or opportunity for this to happen out there.

Reginald and Dean,

One more to add to the list:

- Reviewers who reject or devalue a manuscript in part because their (i.e., the reviewer's) works are not cited in the piece.

Correct Robert!!

I came to know that, there are always few of the academic journal editors' and reviewers' abuses in now a days. so, kindly choose a reputed / standardized  journal along with impact factor for publish to your good research paper please. 

Dear Reginald

I also share the view that if an editor misuses her/his position s/he is not likly to last long in the business and is bound to be noticed for such misdemeanors sooner or later. But nevertheless, some of the editors/reviewers must be committing some of the following unacceptable behaviours:

--Secretly prefering their friends in inviting articles for special issues

--Sending the paper to a known refree who could be expected to write  un/favourable comments as advised by the editor

--Rejecting the article on extraneous considerations  in the preliminary round itself on some flimsy ground as *not the priority area of the journal* etc.

--Rejecting an article if it has not cited the editor's work

--Rejecting the paper, and stealing the idea to work upon her/him self

Additional abuse:

An editor recommends his own paper(s) to be cited, even if the topic is fully covered by existing references.

An edtior requests authors to cite paper(s) of his/her own journal, even if the topic is fully covered by existing references. 

A reviewer recommends recommends his own paper(s) to be cited, even if the topic is fully covered by existing references.

An editor or a reviewer reveals the name of the reviewer.

An editor or a reviewer hint to the authors that if they collaborate with him/her then he/she will make favourable comments.

Another abuse is to reject a paper simply because the author happens to be a student of an enemy of the editor.  X and Y are enemies and have engaged in polemics in print. X´s former student wants to publish in Y´s journal.  Y finds out that X directed the former student´s Ph.D. thesis.  Simply for this reason, Y rejects the article.

Rejection of the manuscript because he is not interested on the field or open problem.

I think the reviewers may not like the better idea or can't digest it....

Conflict of interest can make academic journal editors' and reviewers' abuse their authority and favor or bias against a certain paper.  

I am happy to say that I have rarely personally encountered the above-mentioned unpleasant episodes but I have heard of a number of stories of abuse. Overall it is rare and very rare among reputable journals.

I myself try to handle papers professionally and fairly as an editor and a reviewer.

Dear Kamal,

Unfortunately, the abuses are more common than uncommon and seem to happen more frequently to the lesser known schools' faculty members than to the more reputable schools' faculty members. I think some of these abuses happen to merely get the rejection rate up--since a high rejection rate is associate with the prestige of a journal. There is a big literature on the abuses described in this current discussion. (See Bell and Chong, 2010).

Too bad there is not a "better business bureau" to report such abuses when they happen. If there were such a place, we would have a much better understanding of the frequency of such abuses and to whom these abuses are happening.

Moreover, since faculty don't take typical classroom courses the true way we learn and develop is to try and publish in scholarly journals and to receive honest criticisms as feedback for our work from qualified peer reviewers in our fields.

• Bell, R. L. & Chong, H. G. (2010). A caste and class among the relative frequency of faculty's publications: A content analysis of refereed business journals. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 8 (1), 65-89.

Your question is quite general but i appreciate very much that it is the reflection of  readers & those who prefer to abuse the same.

As a writer & editor i have initially undergone such sort of negative trend but in very sort period the same critics have started visiting me .I always used to observe criticism in an impartial mode & for the abuse,i attend to under scrutiny & if i find that the readers is totally negative ,i used to give them reply befitting to there abuse & in both the areas it has help to carry out my writings including my magazine in the satisfactory way .

Your magazine talks about the academic excellence & if the criticism & the abuse your reflection in the nature of jealousy or for their selfish silent one has to present the reply in the slientific manner which would certainly receive & appreciation from your valued subscribers & readers 

Pl above are only my views 

Any ACT or OMISSION of a editor or Reviewer which when emphatically "should not be" if they are researcher publishing an article constitutes to be as UN- DOABLE" by academic journal editors' and reviewers'.

There cannot be any degree of Allowance or tolerance, the system should take care of adherence to ethical policies...