Corporate governance disclosures by Spanish universities: how different variables can affect the level of such disclosures?

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to examine how the level of corporate governance disclosures by Spanish universities is influenced by a set of variables. Design/methodology/approach To do this, the authors carried out a content analysis of the website disclosures of all Spanish universities identified by the Universities Rectors’ Conference in Spain. Findings Results show that the amount of corporate governance information disclosed by Spanish universities is far from being adequate and does not meet the stakeholders’ demands, as well as those requirements imposed by the law. The findings have revealed that the most influential variables associated with better disclosure levels of corporate governance information are the public–private status and institution size. Originality/value Compared to the private sector, the researchers have paid less attention to corporate governance disclosures in universities. In the Spanish university context, there is limited literature on the level of corporate governance disclosures.

Online sustainability disclosure practices in the university context. The role of the board of directors

“…This study relies upon a content analysis method to detect the level of voluntary sustainability disclosure provided by Italian public universities through their official websites (An et al , 2019; Andrades et al , 2021). It has been selected as it is one of the most popular and reliable research methods used in accounting studies to process and systematise large amounts of textual and visual data in a cheaper, faster and more reliable way (Chan et al , 2014; Manes-Rossi et al , 2018).…”

“…This section formulates the research hypotheses based on the theory previously discussed and arguments from mainstream studies investigating the association between corporate governance and CSR or sustainability disclosure in the private sector (Michelon and Parbonetti, 2012; Chan et al , 2014; Liao et al , 2015; Jain and Jamali, 2016; Rao and Tilt, 2016; Helfaya and Moussa, 2017; García‐Sánchez and Martínez‐Ferrero, 2018). Moreover, considering the lack of research on corporate governance and sustainability disclosure in the university realm, previous studies investigated the impact of certain university board attributes on the level of voluntary disclosure (Ntim et al , 2017); Intellectual Capital (ICD) disclosure (Manes-Rossi et al , 2018; Nicolo’ et al , 2020; Nicolò et al , 2021c); and, corporate governance disclosure (Andrades et al , 2021), represent further valid relevance to corroborate and contextualise the hypotheses.…”

“…Nevertheless, an extensive body of literature has highlighted that SRs practices in the university are still at an early stage due to many barriers curbing their diffusion Gamage and Sciulli (2017), Larrán Jorge et al (2019). Meanwhile, websites have gained increasing prominence in the public sector as sound tools to convey non-financial information to stakeholders (Andrades et al , 2021). In particular, some scholars noted that websites might represent powerful communication instruments for universities to disclose information about social, environmental and sustainability issues in a timelier, faster and more accessible way than other communication tools such as traditional SRs (Rodríguez Bolívar et al , 2013; Manes-Rossi et al , 2018).…”

Exploring intellectual capital disclosure and its determinants in knowledge-based institutions: empirical evidence from international universities

“…As a result, alternative communication tools have gained prominence in recent years to facilitate the dialogue between universities and their stakeholders. Internet-based technologies such as official websites have become one of the most used communication channels by universities to voluntary discharge accountability and supply to the limitations of traditional financial reports (Manes-Rossi et al , 2018; Ndou et al , 2018; Andrades et al , 2020; Nicolò et al , 2021b). In particular, universities are harnessing the potential websites to provide – through an official medium – information about value creation processes and performance achieved in the pursuit of their missions in a quicker, more accessible and easier way than traditional reports (Ndou et al , 2018; Brusca et al , 2020; Andrades et al , 2020).…”

“…Internet-based technologies such as official websites have become one of the most used communication channels by universities to voluntary discharge accountability and supply to the limitations of traditional financial reports (Manes-Rossi et al , 2018; Ndou et al , 2018; Andrades et al , 2020; Nicolò et al , 2021b). In particular, universities are harnessing the potential websites to provide – through an official medium – information about value creation processes and performance achieved in the pursuit of their missions in a quicker, more accessible and easier way than traditional reports (Ndou et al , 2018; Brusca et al , 2020; Andrades et al , 2020). Their usefulness has dramatically grown during the ongoing health crisis caused by COVID-19, which has forced universities’ stakeholders such as teachers, researchers, governors and administrative staff to smart working and students to attend e-learning programs.…”