Social responsibility and strategic orientation of higher education - Cases of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the current state of higher education’s social responsibility activities, their strategic orientations and linkages between them. A survey was conducted among Croatian and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s students. The results are based on 219 answers from Croatia and 172 answers from Bosnia and Herzegovina students. Regarding social responsibility, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are countries that share similar pattern and where social concern is in the forefront, followed by concern for ethical working and behaviour and concern for the natural environment, while the least important is concern for economic results. Regarding strategic orientation, the pattern differs between countries, although orientation towards social goals is in the forefront. Regarding the linkage between social responsibility and strategic orientation, the concern for economic results is the only significant and dominant one, while other dimensions do not have a significant impact on strategic orientation. Among controls, the level of study is a significant variable as master students perceive the flexibility of education and organizations orientation towards social goals less favourably. The findings will serve higher education organizations for rethinking their strategies and actions for a better response to the environmental and societal challenges, on which higher education can base its future actions.

Keywords

• higher education
• social responsibility
• strategic orientation
• international comparison