Resumo

The literature review on disclosure of information from 1981 to 2016 showed that there is no standardization of representative indicators of organizational social responsibility used in these studies. Without standardization of indicators, it is not possible to compare directly the results of the research that has been done on the dissemination of information on social responsibility of organizations. In addition, disclosure disregards stakeholders' interests, which may undermine organizational legitimacy.

The literature reviewed does not point to representative indicators of the social responsibility information created from stakeholder perspectives. The research has been derived from three kinds of studies about information disclosure. First, indicators have been created from the empirical analysis of organizations’ annual reports or websites; second, have been obtained from empirical literature; finally, have been gathered, being recommended by other institutional publications. Therefore, the objective is to identify what social responsibility information is of stakeholder interest.

Organizations are inherently a social structure; their maintenance depends on the quality of the relationship established with the society in which it is inserted (Shocker & Sethi, 1973). It would presuppose that organizations must act according to the norms, beliefs, values and the interests of society to legitimize and continue to exist (Suchman, 1995). The disclosure representative of social responsibility information is one way to demonstrate the organization’s social performance and to enable the organization to appear more open to its stakeholders (Bushman & Smith, 2003).

The exploratory inductive study was developed with the application of a form elaborated from a literature review that identified the main categories of social responsibility and the main stakeholders of the organizations to whom the accountability should be addressed. Completion of the forms was accomplished in meetings with the stakeholder groups, no interaction, using brainstorming techniques (Godoi, 2004; Moore, 1994)). Responses were analyzed for keywords, using content analysis and triangulation with the reviewed studies to the compilation and categorization of the indicators.

This study identified representative indicators of the social responsibility information of Philanthropy Institutions of Higher Education considered relevant by stakeholders. It was assumed that organizations must show information representing the stakeholders’ interests to legitimizing a long-term social relationship. The results of this research have identified 169 social responsibility indicators, classified into five categories and others general. Of the indicators 69 are news, the others already were by previous studies, empirical analysis or indicated by institutional guidelines.

This study identified social responsibility indicators, which represent stakeholders’ interests, and that should are evidenced by the organizations. Results confirm that stakeholders desire extensive organizational social performance disclosure. Large parts of the new indicators are specific to the type of organization, confirming the need to observe the stakeholders interests of each activity sector specifically. This leads to conclude that studies using only general indicators result in a limited analysis, this potentiate the problems of information asymmetry and organizational legitimacy.

Bushman, R. M., Smith, A. J. (2003). Transparency, financial accounting information, and corporate governance. FRBNY Economic Policy Review, 9(1), 65-87. Godoi, M. (2004). Brainstorming - como atingir metas. São Paulo: INDG. Moore, C. M. (1994). Group Techniques for idea building. London: Sage Pub. Shocker, A. D., Sethi, S. P. (1973). An approach to incorporating societal preferences in developing corporate action strategies. California Management Review, 15(4), 97-105. Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management review, 20(3), 571-