Managing University social responsibility

Abstract

The university mission is considered as its social function, and the university is a pivot of strategic social transformation. The culture of changes mostly tends to increase the organisational flexibility and orientation towards the market needs. In embracing changes, individual researchers, units and organisations should build a more competitive and entrepreneurial approach and be more accountable for the performance. The integration of declared principles, values and commitments into the overall organisational activities, managerial processes and practices creates added value for the institutionalisation of university social responsibility. In this respect, the aim of this paper is to examine empirically how vice-rectors for research and deans of faculties comprehend and manage social responsibility in research performance. Fifteen informants were interviewed: vice-rectors for research and deans of faculties, representing at least six Lithuanian state universities. Using the method of semi-structured interview the collected data were then analysed in the context of the grounded theory. The research findings demonstrate that the vice-rectors for research and deans of faculties formally understand the responsibility; while it indicates the narrow attitude to both mission and responsibility of the university. Such perception of responsibility hampers the development of university social responsibility with corresponding societal expectations, and its systematic implementation in internal processes.