Corporate social responsibility in academia: A study at the university of Bucharest

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present an exploratory study on the perception of students from the Faculty of Administration and Business, University of Bucharest, regarding corporate social responsibility in academia. Profit or focus on a single minded goal is insufficient and any organization has to account for the needs of multiple stakeholders to whom it is beholden. The requirements placed on a university are even more stringent, as it has to balance the needs of its students, the academic freedom afforded to faculty or the requirements of an ever changing business environment. For this purpose, we have conducted a study on student's perception of the way that the university conducts itself with regard to its stakeholders. This was done through the means of an exploratory questionnaire, applied on a sample of students from the Faculty of Administration and Business, University of Bucharest. We obtained 394 valid responses, from all years of study and specialization. Initial results show that the faculty ranks is perceived fairly well with regard to marketing, communication and community outreach; the same cannot be said concerning some of its policies, which are barely noticed. We have also found that only a very small number of students are or have ever been involved in a volunteer position themselves.