DISCLOSURE OF COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION: A STUDY IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF STAKEHOLDERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19094/contextus.v13i2.683Keywords:
Legitimacy theory. Stakeholder theory. Indicators of disclosure. Disclosure. Community institutions of higher education.Abstract
This study aimed to identify information deemed relevant by the stakeholders to the disclosure of the social responsibility and confirm their presence in the homepages of Community Institutions of Higher Education – CIHE. For the theory of stakeholders, defined key stakeholders and the priority and theory of legitimacy defined the importance of highlighting the social responsibility of organizations. A form with representative information indicators of social responsibility was created and applied to some groups of stakeholders by means brainstorming and idea writing. As a result, the most valued indicators included products prices and social and environmental projects; and the less were the turnover of employees and executive payment. The general mean of the indicators assessed was 8.3, which confirms the interest for CIHE disclosure. The quantification of presence of these indicators in the homepage of CIHE associated to the ABRUC generated the disclosure ranking.
References
ABRUC - Associação Brasileira das Universidades Comunitárias. Available in <http://www.abruc.org.br>. Access in 13 de Jul. 2013.
AKERLOF, George A. The Market for "Lemons: Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, v. 84, n. 3, p. 488-500, Aug. 1970.
ARCHEL, Pablo; HUSILLOS, Javier; LARRINAGA, Carlos; SPENCE, Crawford. Social disclosure, legitimacy theory and the role of the state. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 22, n. 8, p. 1284 – 1307, 2009.
ARCHEL, Pablo; FERNÁNDEZ, Manuel, LARRINAGA, Carlos. The organizational and operational boundaries or Triple Bottom Line Reporting: A survey. Environmental Management, v. 41, p. 106-117, 2008.
ASHFORTH, Blake E.; GIBBS, Barrie W. The double-edge of organizational legitimation. Organization Science, v. 1, n. 2, p. 177-194, 1990.
AVELINO, Bruna Camargos; PINHEIRO, Laura E. T.; LAMOUNIER, Wagner Moura. Evidenciação de ativos intangíveis: Estudo empírico em companhias abertas. Revista de Contabilidade e Organizações, São Paulo, v. 6, n. 14, p. 22-45, 2012.
BARDIN, Laurence. Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70, 1977.
BEBBINGTON, Jan; LARRINAGA-GONZÁLES, Carlos; MONEVA-ABADÍA, Jose M. Legitimating reputation / the reputation of legitimacy theory. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 21, n. 3, p. 371-374, 2008.
BOESSO, Giacomo; KUMAR, Kamalesh; MICHELON, Giovanna. Descriptive instrumental and strategic approaches to corporate social responsibility. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 26, n. 3, p. 399-422, 2013.
BOUTEN, Lies, EVERAERT, Patricia; LIEDEKERKE, Luc Van; MOOR, Lieven De; CHRISTIAENS, Johan. Corporate social responsibility reporting: A comprehensive picture? Accounting Forum, n. 35, p. 187– 204, 2011.
BOUTEN, Lies, EVERAERT, Patricia; ROBERTS, Robin W. How a two-step approach discloses different determinants of voluntary social and environmental reporting. Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, v. 39, n. 5, p. 567-605, 2012.
BRASIL. “Lei nº 12.881.” Dispõe sobre a definição, qualificação, prerrogativas e finalidades das ICES. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 13 de nov de 2013. Edição extra.
BUSHMAN, Robert M.; PIOTROSKI, Joseph D.; SMITH, Abbie J. What Determines Corporate Transparency? Journal of Accounting Research, v. 42, n. 2, p. 209-252, May. 2004.
BUSHMAN, Robert M.; SMITH, Abbie J. Transparency, financial accounting information, and corporate governance. Economic Policy Review, v. 9, n. 1, p. 65-87, 2003.
CHO, Charles H.; ROBERTS, Robin W. Environmental reporting on the internet by America's Toxic 100: Legitimacy and self-presentation. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, n. 11, p. 1-16, 2010.
CHO, Charles H.; PHILLIPS, Jillian R.; HAGEMAN, Amy M.; PATTEN, Dennis M. Media richness, user trust, and perceptions of corporate social responsibility: An experimental investigation of visual web site disclosures. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 22, n. 6, p. 933-952, 2009.
CHO, Charles H.; GUIDRY, Ronald P.; HAGEMAN, Amy M.; PATTEN. Do actions speak louder than words? An empirical investigation of corporate environmental reputation. Accounting, Organizations and Society, n. 37, p. 14-25, 2012.
CHO, Charles H.; FREEDMAN, Martin; PATTEN, Dennis M. Corporate disclosure of environmental capital expenditures: A test of alternatives theories. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 25, n. 3, p. 486-507, 2012.
CLARKSON, Max B. E. A stakeholder framework for analyzing and evaluating corporate social performance. Academy of Management Review, v. 20, n. 1, p. 92-117, 1995.
CORMIER, Denis; LEDOUX, Marie-Josée; MAGNAN, Michel. The use of Web sites as a disclosure pratform for corporate performance. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, n. 10, p. 1-24, 2009.
COWEN, Scott S.; FERRERI, Linda; PARKER, Lee D. The impact of corporate characteristics on social responsibility disclosure: A typology and frequency-based analysis. Accounting Organizations and Society, v. 12, n. 2, p. 111-122, 1987.
CUGANESAN, Suresh; GUTHRIE, James; WARD, Leanne. Examining CSR disclosure strategies within the Australian food and beverage industry. Accounting Forum, n. 34, p. 169–183, 2010.
DARNALL, NICOLE; SEOL, Inshik; SARKIS, Joseph. Perceived stakeholder influences and organizations' use or environmental audits. Accounting, Organizations and Society, v. 34, n. 2, p. 170-187, 2009.
DEEGAN, Craig, BLOMQUIST, Christopher. Stakeholder influence on corporate reporting: An exploration of the interation between WWF-Australia and the Australian minerals industry. Accounting, Organizations and Society, n. 31, p. 343-372, 2006.
DEEGAN, Craig, RANKING, Michaela; VOGHT, Peter. Firms' disclosure reactions to major social incidents: Australian evidence. Accounting Forum, v. 24, n. 1, p. 101-130, Mar. 2000.
DOWLING, John; PFEFFER, Jeffrey. Organizational legitimacy: Social values and organizational behavior. Pacific Sociological Review, v. 18, n. 1, p. 122-136, Jan. 1975.
ELIJIDO-TEN, Evangeline; KLOOT, Louise; CLARCKSON, Peter. Extending the application of stakeholder influence strategies to environmental disclosures: An exploratory study from a developing country. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 23, n. 8, p. 1032-1059, 2010.
ERNST; YOUNG. Corporate Social Responsibility: A survey of Global Companies. Sydney: Environmental and Sustainability Services Group Ernst & Young, 2002.
FARROK, Sayd; HASSAN, M. Kabir; LANIS, Roman. Determinants of corporate social responsibility disclosure: the case of Islamic banks. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, v. 2, n. 2, p. 114-141, 2011.
FREEMAN, R. Edward; WICKS, Andrew C.; PARMAR, Bidhan. Stakeholder Theory and The Corporate Objective Revisited. Organization Science, v. 15, n. 3, p. 364-369, May/Jun. 2004.
GODOI, Maria Helena de. Brainstorming - como atingir metas. São Paulo: INDG, 2004.
GRAY, Rob, KOUHY, Reza; LAVERS, Simon. Methodological themes: Constructing a research database of social and environmental reporting by UK companies. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 8, n. 2, p. 78-101, 1975.
GRI, Global Reporting Iniciative. Sustainability Disclosure Database. GRI - Global Reporting Iniciative. s.d. Available in <https://www.globalreporting.org>. Access in 25 Jul. 2013.
GUTHRIE, James; PARKER, Lee D. Corporate social reporting: A rebuttal of legitimacy theory. Accounting and Business Research, v. 19, n. 76, p. 343-352, 1989.
HACKSTON, David; MILNE, Markus J. Some determinants of social and environmental disclosures in New Zealand companies. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 9, n. 1, p. 77-108, 1996.
HARRISON, Julie A.; ROUSE, Paul; VILIERS, Charl J. De. Accountability and performance measurement: A Stakeholder perspective. The Business and Economics Research Journal, v. 5, n. 2, p. 243-258, 2012.
IBGC. Instituto Brasileiro de Governança Corporativa. Código das Melhores Práticas de governança Corporativa. 2009. Available in <http://www.ibgc.org.br>. Access in 13 Jul. 2013.
JENSEN, Michael C.; MECKLING, William H. Theory of the firm: managerial behavior agency costs and ownership structure. The Journal of Financial Economics, v. 3, n. 4, p. 305-360, Oct. 1976.
JOHANSEN, Trine Susanne; NIELSEN, Anne Ellerup. CSR in corporate self-storying – legitimacy as a question of differentiation and conformity. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, v. 17, n. 4, p. 434-448, 2012.
LAAN, Sandra Van Der. The Role of Theory in Explaining Motivation for Corporate Social Disclosures: Voluntary Disclosures vs ‘Solicited’ Disclosures. The Australasian Accounting Business & Finance Journal, v. 3, n. 4, p. 15-29, 2009.
LANIS, Roman; RICHARDSON, Grant. Corporate social responsibility and tax aggressiveness: a test of legitimacy theory. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 26, n. 1, p. 75-100, 2013.
LINDBLOM, Cristi K. The implications of organizational legitimacy for corporate social performance and disclosure. Paper presented in Critical Perspectives on Accounting Conference. New York, 1994.
LODHIA, Sumit; JACOBS, Kerry. The practice turn in environmental reporting: A study into current practices in two Australian commonwealth departments. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 26, n. 4, p. 595-615, 2013.
MACAGNAN, Clea Beatriz. Evidenciação voluntária: fatores explicativos da extensão da informação sobre recursos intangíveis. Revista Contabilidade & Finanças, São Paulo, v. 20, n. 50, p. 46-61, Mai/Ago. 2009.
MACEDO, Francisca F. R. R.; MOURA, Geovanne Dias de; DAGOSTINI, Luciane; HEIN, Nelson. Evidenciação Ambiental Voluntária e as Práticas de Governança Corporativa de Empresas Listadas na Bm&Fbovespa. Contabilidade, Gestão e Governança, Brasília, v. 16, n. 1, p. 3-18, Jan/Abr. 2013.
MAHADEO, Jyoti Devi; OOGARAH-HANUMAN, Vanisha; SOOBAROYEN, Teerooven. Changes in social and environmental reporting practices in an emerging economy (2004–2007): Exploring the relevance of stakeholder and legitimacy theories. Accounting Forum, n. 35, p. 158-175, 2011.
MÄKELÄ, Hannele; NÄSI, Salme. Social responsibilities of MNCs in downsizing operations. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v.23, n. 2, p. 149-174, 2010.
MICHELON, Giovanna. Sustainability disclosure and reputation: A comparative study. Corporate Reputation Review, v. 14, n. 2, p. 79-96, 2011.
MIR, Monir Zaman; RAHAMAN, Abu Shiraz. In pursuit of environmental excellence: A stakeholder analysis of the environmental management strategies and performance of an Australian energy company. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 24, n. 7, p. 848-878, 2011.
MITCHELL, Ronald K.; AGLE, Bradley R.; WOOD, Donna J. Toward a theory of stakeholder identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. Academy of management review, v. 22, n. 4, p. 853-886, 1997.
MOMIN, Mahmood Ahmed; PARKER, Lee D. Motivations for corporate social responsibility reporting by MNC subsidiaries in an emerging country: The case of Bangladesh. The British Accounting Review, n. 45, p. 1-14, 2013.
MONEVA, José M.; ARCHEL, Pablo; CORREA, Carmen. GRI and the camouflaging of corporate unsustainability. Accounting Forum, n. 30, p. 121-137, 2006.
MOORE, Carl M. Group Techniques for idea building. London: Sage Publications Ltd, 1994.
MOTA, Marcio de Oliveira; MAZZA, Adriana C. A.; OLIVEIRA, Francisco C. de. Uma análise dos relatórios de sustentabilidade no âmbito ambiental do Brasil: Sustentabilidade ou camuflagem. BASE - Revista de Administração e Contabilidade da Unisinos, v. 10, n. 1, p. 69-80, Jan/Mar. 2013.
MURCIA, Fernando Dal Ri. Fatores determinantes do nível de disclosure voluntário de companhias abertas no Brasil. Tese (Doutorado em Ciências Contábeis) Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade, Universidade de São Paulo. São Paulo, 2009.
NEU, D.; WARSAME, H.; PEDWELL, K. Managing public impressions: Environmental disclosures in Annual Reports. Accounting, Organizations and Society, v. 23, n. 3, p. 265-282, 1998.
O'DONOVAN, Gary. Environmental disclosures in the annual report: Extending the applicability and predictive power of legitimacy theory. Accounting, auditing and accountability Journal, v. 15, n. 3, p. 344-371, 2002.
O'DWYER, Brendan; OWEN, David; UNERMAN, Jeffrey. Seeking legitimacy for new assurance forms: The case of assurance on sustainability reporting. Accounting, Organizations and Society, n. 36, p. 31-52, 2011.
ORIJ, René. Corporate social disclosures in the context of national cultures and stakeholder theory. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 23, n. 7, p. 868-889, 2010.
O'SULLIVAN, Niamh; O’DWYER, Brendan. Stakeholder perspectives on a financial sector legitimation process: The case of NGOs and the Equator Principles. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 22, n. 4, p. 553-587, 2009.
PARMAR, Bidhan L.; FREEMAN, R. Edward; HARRISON, Jeffrey S.; WICKS, Andrew C. PURNELL, Lauren; COLLE, Simone de. Stakeholder theory: The state of the art. The academy of management annals, v. 4, n. 1, p. 403-445, 2010.
PATTEN, Dennis M. Exposure, legitimacy and social disclosure. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, n. 10, p. 297-308, 1991.
PATTEN, Dennis M. Intra-industry environmental disclosure in response to the Alaskan oil spill: A note on Legitimacy Theory. Accounting, Organizations and Society, v. 17, n. 5, p. 471-475, 1992.
PATTEN, Dennis M. The relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: A research note. Accounting, organizations and Society, v. 27, n. 8, p. 763-773, 2002.
PHILLIPS, Robert. Stakeholder Legitimacy. Business Ethics Quarterly, v. 13, n. 1, p. 25-41, 2003.
ROBERTS, Peter W.; DOWLING, Grahame R. Corporate reputation and sustained superior financial performance. Strategic Management Journal, n. 23, p. 1077-1093, 2002.
SÁNCHEZ, Isabel-Mariá García; DOMÍNGUEZ, Luis Rodríguez; ÁLVAREZ, Isabel Gallego. Corporate governance and strategic information on the internet: A study of Spanish listed companies. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 24, n. 4, p. 471-501, 2011.
SANTOS SILVA, Vanderléia dos; MACAGNAN, Cléa Beatriz. Categorias de informações evidenciadas nos Relatórios Anuais. REDES - Revista de Desenvolvimento regional, Santa Cruz do Sul, v. 17, n. 2, p. 154-174, 2012.
SEC – Securities Exchange Comission. Form 20-F. s.d. Available in <http://www.sec.gov/about/forms>. Access in 02 Aug. 2013.
SHOCKER, Allan D.; SETHI, S. Prakash. An approach to incorporating societal preferences in developing corporate action strategies. California Management Review, v. 15, n. 4, p. 97-105, 1973.
SMITH, Joyce Van Der Laan; ADHIKARI, Ajay; TONDKAR, Rasoul H.; ANDREWS, Robert L. The impact of corporate social disclosure on investment behavior: A cross-national study. J. Account. Public Policy, n. 29, p. 177-192, 2010.
SUCHMAN, Mark C. Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management review, v. 20, n. 3, p. 571-610, Jul. 1995.
TAUT, Sandy. What have we learned about stakeholder involvement in program evaluation? Studies in Educational Evaluation, n. 34, p. 224-230, 2008.
TILLING, Matthew V.; TILT, Carol A. The edge of legitimacy: Voluntary social and environmental reporting in Rothmans’ 1956-1999 annual reports. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 23, n. 1, p. 55-81, 2010.
TILT, Carol Ann. The Influence of External Pressure Groups on Corporate Social Disclosure: Some Empirical Evidence. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 7, n. 4, p. 47-72, 1994.
VIEIRA, Valter Afonso. Escalas em Marketing: Métricas de resposta do consumidor e de desempenho empresarial. São Paulo: Atlas, 2011.
VILLIERS, Charl de; STADEN, Chris J. Van. Can less environmental disclosure have a legitimising effect? Evidence from Africa. Accounting, Organizations and Society, n. 31, p. 763-781, 2006.
WATSON, Shaun. Conflict diamonds, legitimacy and media agenda: an examination of annual report disclosures. Meditari Accountancy Research, v. 19, n. ½, p. 94 – 111, 2011.
WILLIAMS, Sarah J.; ADAMS, Carol A. Moral accounting? Employee disclosures from a stakeholder accountability perspective. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, v. 26, n. 3, p. 449-495, 2013.
WISEMAN, Joanne. An evaluation of environmental disclosures made in corporate Annual Reports. Accounting, Organizations and Society, v. 7, n. 1, p. 53-63, 1982.
YAMAMOTO, Roberto Katsuhiro. Estudo dirigido de estatística descritiva. São Paulo: Erica, 2009.
YIN, Robert. Estudo de caso. São Paulo: Atlas, 2011.
YUSOFF, HASLINDA; LEHMAN, Glen; NASIR, Noraini Mohd. Environmental engagements through the lens of disclosure practices: A Malaysian story. Asian Review of Accounting, v. 14, n. ½, p. 122-148, 2006.
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
The authors, while doing the submission, accept the notice below:
We authors hold the copyright related to our paper and transfer Contextus journal the right for the first publication with a Creative Commons’ international license of the modality Attribution – Non-commercial 4.0, which in turn allows the paper to be shared providing that both the authorship and the journal’s right for initial release are acknowledged.
Furthermore, we are aware of our permission to take part in additional contracts independently for non-exclusive distribution of the version of our work published in this journal (e.g. publishing it in an institutional repository or as a book chapter), while acknowledging both the authorship and the journal’s initial publication.
We also certify that the paper is original and up to this date has not been released in any other journal, Brazilian or of another nationality, either in Portuguese or another language, as well as it has not been sent for simultaneous publication in other journals.
Last, we not only know that plagiarism is not tolerated by Contextus but also certify the paper presents the sources of passages from cited works, including those authored by ourselves.
