Universities Are Crucial and Catalyst Organizationsin Identifyingand Fulfilling the Needs

INTRODUCTION

Universities are crucial and catalyst organizationsin identifyingand fulfilling the needs and demands of societies in terms of human capital. Thus the role of universities, as social institutions, extends beyond the provision of the immediate educational services. Universities are expected to play a significant role in serving their communities by being socially responsible and actively engaged in a variety of activities that help the communities to strive for development and advancement.

In the recent years, particularly in Europe and USA witnessed a keen interest and publication of variety of research about the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) particularly in profit making firms (MeisebergEhrmann, 2012). However, academic institutions in general and in developing countries in particular suffer from scarcity of scientific studies in this emerging important subject.

The vast majority of existing studies on CSR (80%) were quantitative in nature (Lockett et al., 2006). This is an exploratory research based on case study methodology. The study adopts an insider, qualitative approach and non-positivistic stance. Yin (2003) illustrated that qualitative techniques offer advantages, which are not likely to be obtained from quantitative methods.

The objectives of this chapter is two-fold: (a) discuss the concept of CSR and outline approaches that provide an understanding of what conditions under which enterprises may be more or less socially and ethically responsible, (b) develop a better understanding of the CSR practices in AUW.

This chapter is an endeavor to investigate the role of universities in contributing to communitydevelopment by getting involved in activities beyond theacademic realm. It argues that there is an ethical dimension underpins behaving in a socially responsible manner; in other words, institutions should do ‘good’ because it is the ‘right’ thing to do.

It sheds light on understanding the role of universities in implementing CSR initiatives and its underlying meanings and approaches to achieving business ethics with a special reference to a case study of a non-profitmaking university in a developing country, namely Ahfad University for Women (AUW). It has been chosen because different stakeholders recognize it as the only community-oriented private and non-profit higher education institution in Sudan with a wide scope of collaboration with UN agencies and NGOs. Hence it is considered as an unusual case to study.

The chapter starts by exhibiting some theoretical aspects about CSR and the contextual factors within which AUW strives for both meeting its social and ethical commitment and academic excellence. Further, the chapter presents the University contribution in CSR, followed by conclusion and recommendation for future research.

BACKGROUND

Corporate Social Responsibility: Concepts

CSR has been widely researched in Europe and the United States; however it persists as an emerging subject and the interweaving mechanism between organizations and society stillremains obscure(O’RiordanFairbrass, 2006). Thus, one can say CSR is a vibrant subject for academics as well as a challenging issue for managers and their stakeholders.

Scholars elucidated that CSRmeans different things to different people. However, the common understanding and meanings associated to CSR seem to be more related to social and/or environmental accountability. Vasilescu, Barna, EpureBaicu (2010) discoursed that CSR goes beyond the traditional concept of philanthropy. It extends to the organization proactive role in standing up to societal and environmental and sustainable development. Within the same line, van Marrewijk (2003)and Hansen and Spitzeck (2011) advocated that CSR is the organization’s voluntary activities related to protecting and improving social issues such as community development and environmental issues.

Other terms and definitions about CSR from organizations’ perspectiveshave been reported. They have been amalgamatedinto popular and accepted aspects addressing financial performance and operations efficiency (Orlitzy, Schmidt & Rynes, 2003), firm’s competitiveness (Porter & Kramer, 2006), moral and ethical concernshuman rights (Hansen and Spitzeck, 2011), voluntary activities (Proenca and Branco, 2014).

The manager of any socially responsible institution should be inspired to achieve goals, obey the law, act transparently and ethically and be a good corporate citizen meeting the needed level of civic engagement. Subsequently, a social responsible behaviorwill reflect positively in enhancing the reputation and performance of the organization.

Some scholars highlighted the importance of integrating CSR practicesinto the business strategy and its operations. Others, such as Vasilescu et al. (2010) revealed that an important dimension of CSR is how organizations interact with the internal (employees) and external (customers, government, community at large) stakeholders to behave in a socially and ethically responsible ways. He also emphasized that CSR is an endeavor to achieve a win-win situations for both the organization and society members at large in order to maintain the competitive advantage of the organization.

From the outset, one can conclude that CSR is a multidimensional and to some extent a complex concept. CSR can be summoned up to three commonly agreed standpoints. Firstly, it is associated with the economic, social and environmental universally referred to as the ‘triple bottom line’ facets of the business operation. Secondly, it is related to the ethical responsibility towards internal and external stakeholders. Thirdly, it is about sustaining the welfare of society where successful organizations strive to succeed.All this makes it difficult to agree on one best definition. This could imply that CSR may greatly differ based on individual perceptions ofresponsibility and the organization philosophy and beliefs (Woodward, et al., 2001). The next section explores some of the popular and frequently cited CSR approaches in the business literature.

Corporate Social Responsibility:Approaches

Evidence from the literature shows that there have been several approaches can be used to studying various roles and/or obligations within CSR and motivations in engaging in CSR initiatives. Among the popular and frequently cited approaches in the CSR literature are Carrol’s(2008) top-bottom approach to CSR elucidating organizations obligation towards first satisfying their economic responsibility and then moving their attention to satisfying other responsibilities such as legal, ethical and philanthropic in a hierarchical order. Lockett et al. (2006) classified four dominant CSR themes;social, environmental, ethics, and stakeholders. The triple bottom line approach aims at a achieving a balance between economic, social and environmental responsibilities. The stakeholder theory emphasizes the interests of those individuals and groups who affect and are affected by the operations of the organization. It is apparent that all these approaches have more or less shared the same characteristics.

Aguilera, Rupp, Williams & Ganapathi (2007) approach to CSR is to understand the motivationsunderlying organizationsengagement in SR activities. They have identified three motives; instrumental motives when CSR practices aimed at enhancing the competitive advantage of the firmand reputation of the firm, relational motives intending to bring about social legitimacy and moral motives instigating the values, norms and beliefs of the organizational actors to promote social good.

In this chapter, the conceptual framework of the study will be guided by the core characteristics model of CSR; emphasizing voluntary action, managing externalities, stakeholder orientation, alignment of social and economic responsibilities, practices and values, and beyond philanthropy (Crane, Matten and Spence, 2013). It is noticeable that some of thoseCSR characteristics are captured in Carrol’s and Lockett’s approaches.

This CSR core characteristics model is frequently cited in the academic and/or practitioners’ definitions of CSR debates (Crane, Matten and Spence, 2013). It is also believed to be morepractically helpful as compared to the other modelsin examining how CSR is demonstrated in a university context, which the author hopes will serve in delineating the complexity of the concept.

Universitiesas Socially Responsible Organizations

As mentioned earlier the fundamental concepts of CSR have been extensively discussed and debated in the business arena. This prompts one to question the applicability of those fundamental concepts over the operations of universities as an organization (Shawyun, 2011).

Universities are not only the foundation of education and learning but the cornerstone stone of human development. University Social Responsibility (USR) is a rather young field and the subject of social responsibilities of universities as creators of knowledge societieswas initially discussed at a global level in the 2nd Asia-Europe Education Workshop in 2011 for further information.

Universities are explicitly or implicitly perceived as the star or spotlight of social responsibility and as mentioned by Shawyun (2011), they fall under the microscopic lens as transformers of society,within this understanding social responsibility is coined with university; (cannot be divorced from Universities) hence it can be termed as university social responsibility.

Reiser (2008) explained that USR is “a policy of ethical quality of the performance of the university community via the responsible management of the educational, cognitive, labour and environmental impacts produced by the university, in an interactive dialogue with society to promote a sustainable human development”.

USR is envisioned as developing human capabilities and creativeness as potential leaders devoted towards betterment and human advancement through accessible and dissemination of knowledge and learning.

USR aims at building a better society through transforming and strengthening community potential; providing community services whether it is economic, social, cultural, peace, security and human rights that aid the government in contributing to sustainable development.

USR is not confined to producing graduates with academic excellence but producing graduates holding values and principles of tolerance, peace, empathy, responsiveness and commitment to community development to realize their social responsibility.

There are many challenges confronting universities’ operations as a result of the emergence of private universities lack of public funding, diversification, commercialization, and technologies. They have not only impacted on the quality of education but rendered universities to become more competitive and corporatized with a desire to become and maintain an image of good corporate citizen by devoting its direction towards society wellbeing (Vasilescu et al., 2010, Nagy & Robb, 2008).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CSR and USR Meanings

Different meanings of CSR emerged ranging from identifying and responding to meet needs of the multiple stakeholders, particularly those disadvantaged or under-privileged segments of the society. CSR is also about encouraging values of voluntarism, efficient utilization of resources necessary to engage in CSR.

CSR is concerned with identifying the needs of society, community, and individual, and responding to meet these needs whether it is knowledge, wisdom, material resources, or power(01/10/2014).

Social responsibility is the obligation to act to benefit society at large either by contributing to the society growth or prevention of harm(06/10/2014).

To be socially responsible an organization should employ all possible resources efficiently to achieve its goals and objective while maintaining the wellbeing of the different stakeholders and the community at large (20/10/2014).

The above quotations show that the meanings associated to CSR by the interviewees are to a great extent analogous. It was established by Angelo, Amui, Caldana and Jabbour (2012) that the definitions of CSR are rather context-specific than how CSR is actually defined. Therefore, one could not agree more with their view that organizations should define their own concept that symbolizes their mission and CSR policy.

The interviewees expressed the following understanding regarding USR.

USR involves sustainability in community development and civic engagement. It is about promoting and exercising the act of giving and volunteerism among the students, faculty members and staff (30/10/2014).

USR is about involvement of the university members including faculty members, students and personnel to undertake awareness raising, capacity building and advocacy activities to meet the needs of the community (01/10/2014).

USR indicates the university commitment, involvement in community issues in an attempt to serve the vulnerable groups via its outreach programs (06/10/2014).

It is clear from the responses that USR is rather part of the university culture than a business practice.The above-mentioned understanding of CSR implies to a great extentthat universities are not only provider of education and learning. Universities plays a fundamental role in promoting awareness and sensitization among its various stakeholders about the importance of social responsibility is part of ethical values and good citizenship. Therefore, university policies, strategies and functions should be directed towards voluntary community services by engaging internal and external stakeholders. This finding is consistent with previous studies such as Shawyun (2011).

Practices and Values

AUW has exemplified the concept of SR in its mission and vision statements reading respectively as “to provide quality education for women to strengthen their roles in national development, and in seeking equity for themselves and other fellow women in all facets of Sudanese society” (AUW, 2013).

AUW vision is “to be nationally prominent university and leading institution worldwide, known for gender equity, women empowerment, academic excellence, research, civic engagement and social responsibility” (AUW, 2013)

Analysis of relevant documents verified that USR is integrated in the strategic plan of AUW. Its strategy for SR is embodiedin achieving excellence in public engagement through incorporating public engagement in the University mission, vision, objectives, programs and activities. Promoting stronger collaboration and partnership between the university and its stakeholders and contributing to the advancement and betterment of the cultural, economic and health dimensions of the society. Evidence is provided in the following parts.

Stakeholder Orientation

AUW has maintained to position itself as a “community-oriented” and “society-caring” academic institution. When it comes to USR, the University embraces a “three-stakeholder approach” focusing on students, faculty members, and community members.

Students

Students are key fundamental stakeholder of the University and are highly engaged in the CSR of AUW.

AUW historical role is not only restricted tofostering its role of transforming ethical values among its students through both its educationmission andits production of knowledge that underlay concerns of real world but it strives to engage its students to participate in the CSR/USR activities. This exemplifies in adopting a ‘community-learning approach’guided by the University philosophyof incorporating community concerns into academics. Each student gets the opportunity to practice her socially responsibility through community-oriented practical courses offered by the University.

For instance, this is witnessed in the mandatory annual extension fieldtrips (part of the rural extension curriculum)where all students in fourth year in the different academic programs are required to participate in the fieldtripsto rural areas covering diverse regions in Sudan.

Students get the opportunity to identify with the disadvantaged community by staying in targeted rural areas for an average of two weeks. These fieldtripsbuilds their leadership skills and prepares them to become social change agents when they graduate and at the same time satisfy the interests and needs of those low-socio-economic communities with knowledge and awareness raising in community-related problems such as gender-based violence, public health, sanitation and nutrition (20/09/2014).

Another academic program which engages students with the community is theFamily Attachment Program, part of the medicine curriculum.

Second year students in the School of Medicine are attached to families in poor urban areas with whom they meet once a month for four years to educate families about child, maternal, and family health and to assist them with referrals and access to health services in the community. Within the same line, students in Family Sciences program provide nutritional advises to those poor families as well (30/10/2014).

Students in other specializations such as psychology and preschool education, after completing their internshipare assigned to provide counseling servicesin psychiatric hospitals, trauma andspecial needs centerslocated specifically in poor communities. This learning philosophy does not only allow each student a first-hand experienceof practical work that is central to her academic and professional preparation but enhances her commitment to be a socially responsible citizen.

In Management Studies, students develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of CSR through their graduateresearch combined with engagement with the industry that are CSR-oriented to build social responsibility awareness. Management students with support from faculty have the chance to provide adviceon entrepreneurship and managerial skills for those poor women wishing to apply for loans, part of the revolving fund project offered by AUW. This is discussed later in this section.

Hence, thesepractical academic programs expose students to get first-hand experience with community needs, raise their awareness and commitment to social responsibility. Within the same perspective, Checkoway (2001) highlighted that exposure to experiential education enables students to learn a great deal from theirengagement in the community.

Students also practice their social responsibility through extra-curricula activities. This is evidenced in the university support extended to its students to set up different associations for good social cause. For instance,Ana Sudan (I am Sudan) is a national student organization involving 200,000 volunteers representing all states. Through donors, the students have managed to establish 105 schools and rehabilitate 500 schools in under-privileged communities (Watson, Hollister, Stroud, Babcock, 2013).

The Ahfad Medical Students Association receives support from World Health Organization to organize free health mobile clinics. They treatan average of 200-300 people/day for endemic diseases as indicated by the Dean of the School of Medicine.

The Nuba Mountains Student Society formed by AUW is affiliated with the Nuba Mountains Students and Scholars Coalition, a national NGO that provide disadvantaged students with scholarships on conditional terms that after they graduate have to go back and work in their villages for five years. The University helps them in finding jobs with organizations targeting women empowerment alleviation.

Students are encouraged to document and publish their community experiences in a magazine (The Promising Half) funded by the university and produced by the students.

Other extra-curricula activities reflecting students’ commitment to social responsibility are seen in the celebrations of important international days, such as the International Women’s Day celebrated during the University annual Women’s Week. The themes of the women’s week correspond to those identified by the United Nations. Students develop sub-themes on which they plan and perform activities including drama, music, choral, etc. The celebrations of the Population and World Food days focus on raising awareness of students, government and communities of population and food security issues respectively. Similarly, students perform different activities to deliver messages tackling issues of hunger, poverty, and reproductive health. Violence against Women Day, cancer and heart disease awareness months are also huge events organized jointly by the faculty members and students (Abdel-Rahman and Osama, 2009).