Three articles by James Hunton, former professor at the Rotterdam School of Management, have been withdrawn by the journals that published them, the university reports. An Academic Integrity Committee (CWI) of Erasmus University has cast doubt on the scientific reliability of the articles.
The CWI launched an investigation into Hunton’s publications following a complaint in 2012. The committee could find no evidence of violation of academic integrity based on the available information, but nevertheless doubts their scientific reliability.
Fabrication of data
It was difficult for the committee to establish violation of academic integrity in part because Hunton refused to cooperate with the investigation. He declined to provide any further information or explanation about his articles and he also refused to make his raw data available. Suspicion of Hunton was raised further when a parallel investigation into Hunton’s work at Bentley University in the United States did reveal fabrication of data and academic misconduct.
33 articles
On 12 November 2012, a complaint was submitted to both universities against Hunton, claiming possible violation of academic integrity. A total of 33 scientific articles by Hunton have been withdrawn, according to RetractionWatch.
From 2009 through to 2012, Hunton was engaged by Rotterdam School of Management as a part-time professor (0.4 FTE), in the Accounting & Control department. In the same period, Hunton’s chief appointment was at Bentley University.
