Abstract
The importance of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) for social development is unquestionable due to their potential to contribute with intellectual solutions to social, economic, and environmental welfare in society. However, the lack of knowledge about University Social Responsibility (USR) causes inefficient managerial decisions when strategies are implemented in areas like university management, environmental care, university staff, promotion of responsible competencies, graduate employment, and responsible research. This article aims to answer the following research questions: Which areas of USR receive the most significant attention by Ibero-American universities? and how can universities improve their efforts to achieve USR integration? To answer these questions, three objectives are presented: First, to identify the preferences of Ibero-American universities initiatives to achieve social responsibility. Second, to identify the Ibero-American initiatives with a greater lag to achieve social responsibility. Third, to analyze how Ibero-American universities could improve their efforts to achieve USR integration. To answer the proposed research questions and the three objectives, a focus group methodology was applied, in which 37 Ibero-American universities from ten different countries were considered. The importance of this work is related to the variety of universities that participated adding value to the research. Findings reveal that university preferences on USR strategies are closer to university management and promotion of responsible competencies. Particularly, USR strategies are related to university self-evaluations, strategic plans implementation, and promotion of teamwork among students. The social implications of this research involve clarifying the level of progress of different USR areas, with the aim of encouraging academic authorities to increase efforts on those areas with a greater lag.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43545-021-00203-9/MediaObjects/43545_2021_203_Fig1_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43545-021-00203-9/MediaObjects/43545_2021_203_Fig2_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43545-021-00203-9/MediaObjects/43545_2021_203_Fig3_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43545-021-00203-9/MediaObjects/43545_2021_203_Fig4_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43545-021-00203-9/MediaObjects/43545_2021_203_Fig5_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43545-021-00203-9/MediaObjects/43545_2021_203_Fig6_HTML.png)
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data analysed are included in the paper.
References
Asociación Catalana de Universidades Públicas (2021) Sobre ACUP. http://www.acup.cat/es/sobre-acup
Agle BR, Mitchell RK, Sonnenfeld JA (1999) Who matters to CEOs? An investigation of stakeholder attributes and salience, corporate performance, and CEO values. Acad Manag J 42:507–525
Anderson P (1982) Marketing, strategic planning, and the theory of the firm. J Mark 42:15–26
Araya D, Peters MA (2010) Education in the creative economy: knowledge and learning in the age of innovation. Peter Lang, New York
Atakan M, Eker T (2007) Corporate identity of a socially responsible university—a case from the Turkish higher education sector. J Bus Ethics 76:55–68
Beach S (2009) Who or what decides how stakeholders are optimally engaged by governance networks delivering public outcomes? In: Article presented at the 13th International Research Society for Public Management Conference (IRSPM XIII), Copenhagen Business School, Fredericksberg, April
Bechina A (2010) Proceedings of the European Conference on Knowledge Management, ECKM, Academic C. Academic Publishing Limited Reading, UK
Bellenger DN, Bernhardt KL, Goldstucker JL (1976) Qualitative Research Techniques: Focus Group Interviews. Qualitative Research in Marketing, American marketing association, Chicago, pp 7–28
Bounds G, Yorks L, Adams M, Ranney G (1994) Beyond total quality management. McGraw-Hill, New York
Brown E, Cloke J (2009) Corporate social responsibility in higher education. ACME Int e-J Crit Geogr 8:474–483
Burrows J (1999) Going beyond labels: a framework for profiling institutional stakeholders. Contemp Educ 70:5–10
Casilla D, Camacho H (2012) Evaluación de la responsabilidad social universitaria. Opcion 28:452–465
Chestnutt I, Robson K (2001) Focus groups—what are they? Dent Updat 28:89–92
Chomsky N, Gomez J, Domenech A (2002) Los límites de la globalización. Ariel, Barcelona
Clarkson MBE (1995) A stakeholder framework for analyzing and evaluating corporate social performance. Acad Manag Rev 20:92–117
Clarkson MBE (1998) The corporation and its stakeholders: classic and contemporary readings. University of Toronto Press, Canada
Colby A, Ehrlich T, Beaumont E et al (2000) Higher education and the development of civic responsibility. Oryx Press, Phoenix
Cronje EM (2015) The effects of volunteering on student volunteers. Progressio 37:1–20
Domínguez M (2009) Responsabilidad social universitaria. Humanismo y Trabajo Social. Humanismo y Trab Soc 8:37–67
Donaldson T, Preston L (1995) The stakeholder theory of the corporation: concepts, evidence, and implications. Acad Manag Rev 20:65–91
Dumay JC, Guthrie J, Farneti F (2010) GRI sustainability reporting guidelines for public and third sector organizations. Public Manag Rev 12:531–548
ESDU (2018) Fundació Autònoma Solidària. In: Educ pel desenvolupament, Proj Esdu. http://www.uab.cat/web/cooperacio-i-epd/educacio-pel-desenvolupament/projecte-1345676259497.html. Accessed 16 Feb 2018
Ferreira J, Fernandes C, Ratten V (2017) The influence of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions. In: Peris-Ortiz M, Gómez JA, Merigó-Lindahl JM, Rueda-Armengot C (eds) Entrepreneurial universities exploring the academic and innovative dimensions of entrepreneurship in higher education. Springer International Publishing, Cham
Francis J (2011) The functions and norms that drive university student volunteering. Int J Nonprofit Volunt Sect Mark 16:1–12
Freeman RE (1984) Strategic management: a stakeholder approach. Pitman, Massachusetts
Freeman RE (2004) The stakeholder approach revisited. Zeitschrift Für Wirtschafts-Und Unternehmensethik 5:228–241
Freitas H, Oliveira M, Jenkins M, Popjoy O (1998) The focus group, a qualitative research method. ISRC Merrick School of Business, Baltimore
Gaete R (2011a) La responsabilidad social universitaria como desafío para la gestión estratégica de la Educación Superior: El caso de España. Rev Educ. p 109–133
Gaete R (2011b) Responsabilidad social universitaria: una nueva mirada a la relación de la universidad con la sociedad desde la perspectiva de las partes interesadas. Un estudio de caso. Univ Valladolid Dep Sociol y Trab Soc
Gasca E, Olvera J (2011) Construir ciudadanía desde las universidades, responsabilidad social universitaria y desafíos ante el siglo XXI. Convergencia 18:37–58
Gibbs G, Coffey M (2016) The impact of training of university teachers on their teaching skills, their approach to teaching and the approach to learning of their students. Act Learn High Educ 5:87–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787404040463
Gnyawali D, Fogel D (1994) Environment for entrepreneurship development, key dimensions and research implications. Entrep Theory Pract 18:43–62
Golafshani N (2003) Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research. Qual Rep 8:597–607
Goldman AE, MacDonald SS (1987) The group depth interview: principles and practice. Prentice Hall, New Jersey
González Ramos A, Conesa E, Peregort Pons O, Tura Solvas M (2018) The Spanish equality law and the gender balance in the evaluation committees: an opportunity for women’s promotion in higher education. High Educ Policy 32:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-018-0103-y
Goodpaster KE (1991) Business ethics and stakeholders analysis. Bus Ethics Q 1:53–73
Greenbaum TL (1993) The practical handbook and guide to focus group research. Lexington, Lexington
GRI (2017) GRI Standards, Global Reporting initiative. https://www.globalreporting.org/
Grisham T (2009) Leading sustainability. World Rev Entrep Manag Sust Dev 5:42–55. https://doi.org/10.1504/WREMSD.2009.021700
GUNI (2017) Higher education in the world 6. Towards a socially responsible university: balancing the global with the local. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Education (UNESDOC), Girona
GUNi (2018) Global university network for innovation. In: GUNi Int Conf put Agenda 2030 Cent. Work Univ Towar Sustain Dev Soc Transform. http://www.guninetwork.org/news/220-attendees-21-countries-debated-barcelona-role-universities-and-knowledge-achieving. Accessed 8 Feb 2018
Haines DJ (2001) Undergraduate student benefits from university recreation. Recreat Sport J 25:25–33
Harrison JS, St John CH (1994) Strategic management of organizations and stakeholders. West Publ Co, Eagan
HEIRRI (2015) About HEIRRI, Higher education institutions and responsible research and innovation. http://heirri.eu/about/. Accessed 16 Feb 2018
Hernández M (2007) La responsabilidad social dentro del sector público. Ekon Rev Vasca Econ 65:84–107
Hines J, Hungerford H, Tomera A (1987) Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behaviour: a meta-analysis. J Environ Educ 18:1–8
Hrebiniak LG (2007) Making strategy work. Whartoon S. Pearson Education Inc, New Jersey
ISO 26000 (2017) International Organization for Standarization. https://www.iso.org/iso-26000-social-responsibilit
Jacobs JA (1996) Gender inequality and higher education. Annu Rev Sociol 22:153–185
Jawahar IM, McLaughlin GL (2001) Toward a descriptive stakeholder theory: an organizational life cycle approach. Acad Manag Rev 26:397–414
Jones TM, Wicks AC (1999) Convergent stakeholder theory. Acad Manag Rev 24:206–221
Jongbloed B, Jurgen E, Salerno C (2008) Higher education and its communities: interconnections, interdependencies and a research agenda. High Educ 56:303–324
Kamberelis G, Dimitriadis G (2005) Focus groups: strategic articulations of pedagogy, politics, and inquiry. In: Denzin NK, Lincoln YS (eds) The sage handbook of qualitative research, 3rd edn. Sage Publications Inc, Thousand Oaks, pp 887–907
Kreiner PW, Bhambri A (1991) Influence and information in organization-stakeholder relationships. Res Corp Soc Perform Policy 12:3–36
Larrán Jorge M, Andrades Peña FJ (2015) Análisis de la responsabilidad social universitaria desde diferentes enfoques teóricos. Rev Iberoam Educ Super 6:91–107
Linares Y, Godoy MR, Sáez B (2012) La responsabilidad social universitaria: una contribución al desarrollo de las comunidades. Academia 11:215–223
Llinàs X, Girotto M, Solé F (2011) La dirección estratégica universitaria y la eficacia de las herramientas de gestión: El caso de las universidades españolas. Rev Educ 355:33–54
Lower LM, Turner BA, Petersen JC (2013) A comparative analysis of perceived benefits of participation between recreational sport programs. Recreat Sport J 37:66–83
Marginson S (2007) University mission and identity for a post post-public era. High Educ Res Dev 26:117–131
Marinescu P, Toma SG, Constantin I (2010) Social responsibility at the academic level. Study case: the university of Bucharest. Stud Sci Res-Econ Ed 15:404–410
Martí-Noguera JJ, Gaete R (2019) Construcción de un Sistema de Educación Superior Socialmente Responsable en América Latina: Avances y Desafíos. Educ Policy Anal Arch 27:97
Martí-Noguera JJ, Licandro OD (2018) El rol de la educación superior de cara a los desafíos sociales de América Latina y el Caribe, Instituto. UNESCO-IESALC y Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Caracas
Martí-Noguera JJ, Calderón AI, Fernández-Godenzi A (2018a) The social responsibility of university in Latin America: an analysis of Brazil, Spain and Peru’s legislation. Rev Iberoam Educ Super 9:107–1024
Martí-Noguera JJ, Licandro Ó, Gaete-Quezada R (2018b) La Responsabilidad Social de la Educación Superior como Bien. Común Concepto y desafíos. Rev La Educ Super 47:186
McGuire J (1963) Business & society. MacGraw-Hill, New York
Moneva JM, Martín E (2012) “Universidad y desarrollo sostenible: análisis de la rendición de cuentas de las universidades públicas desde un enfoque de responsabilidad social. Rev Iberoam Contab Gestión 10:1–18
Morgan DL, Krueger RA, King JA (1998) The focus group kit. Sage Publications Inc., Thousand Oaks
Murray C, Lombardi C (2010) The effects of disability-focused training on the attitudes and perceptions of university staff. Remedial Spec Educ 32:290–300
Navarro A, Alcaraz F, Ortiz D (2010) La divulgación de información sobre responsabilidad corporativa en administraciones públicas: Un estudio empírico en gobiernos locales. Rev Contab 13:285–314
Neave G (2000) The universities’ responsibilities to society. Pergamon, Oxford
Nelson TF, Engberg ME, Hurtado S (2005) Modeling accentuation effects: enrolling in a diversity course and the importance of social action engagement. J High Educ 76:448–476
Nishimura J, Okamuro H (2008) Has the industrial cluster project improved the R&D efficiency of industry-university partnership in Japan? CCES Discussion Paper Series 4, Center for Research on Contemporary Economic Systems, Graduate School of Economics, Hitotsubashi University, Ljubljana
Nyumba TO, Wilson K, Derrick CJ, Mukherjee N (2018) The use of focus group discussion methodology: insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods Ecol Evol 9:20–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12860
OCUD (2005) Observatorio de la Cooperación Universitaria al Desarrollo. OCUD http://ocud.es/
Oropesa A (2014) Ricotox: web sobre riesgo químico. Experiencia en la enseñanza universitaria de toxicología ambiental y salud pública. Rev Toxicol 31:71–76
Palalić R, Ramadani V, Ðilović A et al (2017) Entrepreneurial intentions of university students: a case-based study. J Enterp Communities 11:393–413. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-12-2016-0046
Peng W, Littlejohn D (2001) Organisational communication and strategy implementation—a primary inquiry. Int J Contemp Hosp 13:360–363
Pinkston TS, Carroll AB (1996) A retrospective examination of CSR orientations: have they changed? J Bus Ethics 15:199–206
Poole D (2008) Moving towards professionalism: the strategic management of international education activities at Australian universities and their faculties of business. High Educ 42:395–435
Porter ME, Kramer MR (2011) Creating shared value. Harv Bus Rev 89:62–77
PRME (2007) Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), United Nations Global Compact. http://www.unprme.org/sharinginformation-on-progr
PRME (2018) PRME six principles, United Nations Global Compact. http://www.unprme.org/about-prme/the-six-principle
Ramos-Monge EL, Llinàs-Audet X (2018) Acciones de las Universidades Españolas para impulsar la Responsabilidad Social en las Instituciones de Educación Superior: principales iniciativas y organismos. In: Colegio de Economistas de Cataluña (ed) Cap a un model eficient i equitatiu. Actes 3r Congrés d’Economia i Empresa de Catalunya, Barcelona, España, p 403–420
Ramos-Monge E., Llinàs-Audet X, Barrena-Martínez J (2017a) Drivers and barriers of University Social Responsibility: integration into strategic plans. World Rev Entrep Manag Sustain Dev 15. https://doi.org/10.1504/WREMSD.2019.098475
Ramos-Monge EL, Llinàs-Audet X, Barrena-Martínez J (2017b) Universities as corporate entities: the role of social responsibility in their strategic management. In: Emeagwali OL (ed) Corporate governance and strategic decision making. Intech, Rijeka, pp 199–215
Ramos-Monge EL, Llinàs-Audet X, Barrena-Martínez J (2019) Catalysts of university social responsibility into strategic planning by thematic analysis and deductive coding. Int J Entrep Innov Manag 23. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEIM.2019.10021655
Ratten V (2017) Entrepreneurial universities: the role of communities, people and places. J Enterp Communities 11:310–315. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-03-2017-0021
Ratten V, Welpe I (2011) Special issue: community-based, social and societal entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship & regional development. Entrep Reg Dev 23:283–286. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2011.580159
Ratten V, Ramadani V, Fayolle A (2017) Exploring family farms and sustainability entrepreneurship in Australian farmers’ markets. In: Warwick F, Laing J (eds) Exhibitions, trade fairs and industrial events. Taylor & Francis, Florida , p 230
Reavill L (1998) Quality assessment, total quality management and the stakeholders in the UK higher education system. Manag Serv Qual 8:55–63
Red UniRSE (2018) Instituto Internacional de la UNESCO para la Educación Superior en América Latina y el Caribe (IESALC). In: La Red Iberoam. Universidades por la Responsab. Soc. Empres. http://www.iesalc.unesco.org.ve/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=details&formid=1&rowid=62&lang=es. Accessed 12 Jan 2018
Rexhepia G, Bexhetic S, Kurtishib G (2013) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and innovation—the drivers of business growth? Procedia-Soc Behav Sci 75:532–541
Rice MP, Fetters ML, Greene PG (2014) University-based entrepreneurship ecosystems: a global study of six educational institutions. Int J Entrep Innov Manag 18:481–501
Sánchez F et al (2014) Evaluation and assessment of professional skills in the Final Year Project. 2014 IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE) proceedings, pp 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2014.7044378
Sánchez I, Mainardes E (2016) University social responsibility: a student base analysis in Brazil. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 13:151–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-016-0158-7
Schick A, Wokutch R, Conners S (1985) An integrating framework for the teaching and researching of corporate social responsibility. Bus Soc 24:32–39
Stavjaníčková I (2015) How to be a Succesful Graduate? Results of a comparative analysis of the demand and supply on the labour market. WSEAS Trans Bus Econ 12
Teelken C, Deem R (2013) All are equal, but some are more equal than others: managerialism and gender equality in higher education in comparative perspective. Comp Educ 49:520–535. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050068.2013.807642
TELESCOPI (2017) Red de Observatorios de Buenas Prácticas de Dirección Estratégica Universitaria en Latinoamérica y Europa. In: Red Obs. Telesc. https://telescopi.upc.edu/. Accessed 12 Feb 2017
Tovar E, Lopez J, Piedra N, Chicaiza J (2013) Impact of open educational resources in higher education institutions in spain and latin americas through social network analysis. In: ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings. Atlanta, GA; United States
UNESCO IESALC (2018) Portal Enlaces. In: Acerca del Portal Iniciativas Educ. Super. http://www.iesalc.unesco.org.ve/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=436&Itemid=390. Accessed 4 Apr 2018
UNESCO (1998a) Autonomía, responsabilidad social y libertad académica. In: VII Conferencia Mundial de Educación. UNESCO, Paris Francia
UNESCO (1998b) Declaración Mundial sobre la Educación Superior en el Siglo XXI: Visión y Acción. In: Conferencia Mundial Sobre la Educación Superior. UNESCO, París Francia
USDG (2017) Universities susteinable development goals. https://ods.cat/en/#nosotros, https://ods.cat/en/#nosotros
Vallaeys F (2014) La Responsabilidad Social Universitaria: un nuevo modelo universitario contra la mercantilización. Revista Iberoamericana De Educación Superior, 5(12). https://doi.org/10.22201/iisue.20072872e.2014.12.112
Vallaeys F, De la Cruz C, Sasia P (2009) Responsabilidad social universitaria. Manual primeros pasos. McGraw Hill, México
Vasilescu R, Barna C, Epure M, Baicu C (2010) Developing university social responsibility: a model for the challenges of the new civil society. Procedia-Soc Behav Sci 2:4177–4182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.660
Vázquez JL, Aza C, Lanero A (2016) Citizens’ perceptions on social responsibility in public administration organizations: a case study on Spain. Transylvanian Rev Adm Sci 12:166–183
Velandia C, Girotto M (2015) Strategic management in universities: a conceptual framework based on Ibero-American higher education systems. Springer, Switzerland
Wartick SL (1994) The Toronto conference: reflections on Stakeholder theory. Bus Soc 33:110–117
Weaver T (1976) What is the good of higher education? High Educ Rev 8:3–14
Wilkinson S (1998) Focus group methodology: a review. INT J Soc Res Methodol 1:181–203
Williams CC, Martinez-Perez A, Kedir AM (2016) Informal entrepreneurship in developing economies: the impacts of starting up unregistered on firm performance. Entrep Theory Pract. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12238
Williamson OE (1984) The economic institutions of capitalism. Free Press, New York
Yepes GA, Martí-Noguera JJ (2018) University social responsibility indicators system sharing information. Global Com, Bogotá
Zahra SA, Gedajlovic E, Neubaum DO, Shulman JM (2009) A typology of social entrepreneurs: motives, search processes and ethical challenges. J Bus Ventur 24:519–532
Acknowledgements
This work could not be carried out without the collaboration of the 47 academic authorities participating in the focus group.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ramos-Monge, E.L., Martí-Noguera, J.J. Analysis of the actions of Ibero-American universities to achieve social responsibility by promoting responsible competences. SN Soc Sci 1, 201 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-021-00203-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-021-00203-9