Perceptions and expectations about the communication of Social Responsibility on social networks: reflections from a Portuguese university

Abstract

This research investigates the perceptions and expectations of stakeholders who follow the University of Minho (UMinho) on social media in relation to the communication about Social Responsibility (SR) carried out by the Institution in these environments. The growing public awareness of environmental, social and ethical issues has raised stakeholders’ expectations regarding the Social Responsibility practices adopted by organizations, as well as the way these initiatives are communicated to society. In recent decades, society has begun to observe and evaluate not only the results achieved by organizations, but also the means by which these results are obtained. In this context, aligning with the demands and expectations of the contemporary world has become essential for all institutions, including, in particular, universities. They have been increasingly urged to incorporate the principles of Social Responsibility into all their academic activities and to communicate this commitment in a transparent and accessible manner to society. Given this scenario, we raise the following questions: how important do stakeholders attribute to the Social Responsibility communication developed by the institution through social networks? What are their expectations regarding this communication? The methodology used was a case study with a quantitative approach, in which we used an online questionnaire applied to stakeholders who follow the University's social networks as a data collection instrument, totaling 506 responses. The results indicate that stakeholders consider it essential for the University to communicate about Social Responsibility, recognizing it as a relevant factor for transparency, credibility and building the institutional image. They also point out that social networks have acquired a central role in this process, since they are widely accessed by stakeholders and perceived as reliable sources for obtaining information about Social Responsibility initiatives. Although social networks are not considered by respondents as spaces for dialogue, the data indicate that they are already seen as favorable environments not only for accessing institutional information about Social Responsibility, but also as means that allow stakeholders to express their perceptions and expectations regarding the topic and to be heard by the Institution. This finding reinforces the need for the University to incorporate mechanisms that enable continuous monitoring of stakeholders' opinions and active listening, collaborating in the formulation and improvement of Social Responsibility actions. Active listening seeks to listen to understand others, creates an environment in which the public feels understood and valued, promoting the strengthening of the relationship between the organization and its stakeholders. In the context of social networks, it is associated with the strategy of continuously monitoring conversations, complaints and trends related to topics or brands of interest (Pomputius, 2019), analyzing and reflecting on the mentions made, perceiving the feelings expressed and responding with empathy. In the field of Social Responsibility, active listening enables organizations to better understand the expectations and concerns of their stakeholders, identify successes and opportunities for improvement, and prepare to develop actions that are more aligned with social demands. Finally, this research sought to contribute to the expansion of the academic debate on the communication of Social Responsibility carried out through social networks, especially in the university context, from the perspective of stakeholders, highlighting the importance of developing new digital strategies that strengthen the relationship between the University and society, as well as more effective Social Responsibility actions, aligned with society's expectations