objectives of the paper, theoretical framework, methodology,

results, discussion and conclusions

Personal opinion about the paper: interest, methodology,
readiness, academic rigor, possibility to implement the conclusions
to the practice,

This study, based on institutional theory, dynamic capabilities and

stakeholder theory, investigates the antecedents and the consequences
of responsive and proactive stakeholder orientation (RSO and PSO) in the
public university context.
Objectives:
- no empirical proposal exists regarding PSO behaviour in the HEI
(higher education institutions) context
- no previous research has studied the relationship between
stakeholder orientation and public universities performance
- main goal of this study is to develop and test a conceptual model
of RSO and PSO, with their antecedents and consequences,
contextualised to public universities.
Theoretical framework:
- Dynamic capabilities have been recognised as a theoretical
framework within the theories of strategic management
- influences from institutional factors should be regarded in order to
identify, contextualise and define the environmental antecedents
of RSO and PSO in public universities
- The stakeholder theory is grounded in the belief that the final
performance of an organisation should consider the returns to the
different stakeholders of this organization and not just to their
shareholders (those interests groups which can affect or be
affected by the achievement of the university's objectives
regarding educational matters in structure or manner, regardless
of level)
- The stakeholder approach has also been used to assess
organisational effectiveness
Hypothesis:
- H1 Mimetic factors based on copy successful actions of other public universities
have a positive effect on the adoption of a RSO.
- H2 Mimetic factors based on copy successful actions of other
public universities have a positive effect on the adoption of a PSO.
- H3 Traditional culture of public universities has a negative effect
on the adoption of a RSO.
- H4 Traditional culture of public universities has a negative effect
on the adoption of a PSO.
- H5 Complexity of public universities has a negative effect on the
adoption of a RSO.
 - H6 Complexity of public universities has a negative effect on the
adoption of a PSO.
- H7 Emphasis shown by public university managers on university's
stakeholders has a positive effect on the adoption of a RSO.
- H8 Emphasis shown by public university managers on university's
stakeholders has a positive effect on the adoption of a PSO.
- H9 Cohesion amongst public university structures has a positive
effect on the adoption of a RSO.
- H10 Cohesion amongst public university structures has a positive
effect on the adoption of a PSO.
- H11 RSO of public universities has a positive effect on the
beneficiary satisfaction of their stakeholders.
- H12 PSO of public universities has a positive effect on the
beneficiary satisfaction of their stakeholders.
- H13 RSO of public universities has a positive effect on their
resource acquisition.
- H14 PSO of public universities has a positive effect on their
resource acquisition.
- H15 RSO of public universities has a positive effect on their
reputation.
- H16 PSO of public universities has a positive effect on their
reputation.
Methodology:
- Sample & data collection:
o managers of 48 Spanish public universities totaling 7,130
individuals
o online questionnaire
o 795 valid cases, 11,15% valid response rate (a 3,28% of
sampling error at 95% confidence level (Z=1,96, p=q=0,5))
o early and late respondent groups was compared using the
KolmogorovSmirnov (KS) test
- Variables:
o Mimetic factors (MF)
o Traditional culture of the university (CULT)
o Complexity of the university (COMP)
o Top management emphasis (EMPH)
o Cohesion (COH)
o Responsive stakeholder orientation (RSO)
o Proactive stakeholder orientation (PSO)
o Beneficiary satisfaction (SAT)
o Resource acquisition (ACR)
o Reputation (REP) [TABLE 1]

Research based:
 - Survey among public university managers (as rectors, vice-rectors,
deans, heads of departments, managing directors, etc.) - 48
Spanish public universities, totaling 7,130 individuals.
- Data were collected through online questionnaire
- Hypothesis covariance-based structural equation modelling
(SEM)
Results:
- The results obtained mainly stresses that the mimetic effect on
copy successful university actions, university top managers
emphasis on both stakeholder orientations and a better
communication among managers from different university
structures have positive effects on a RSO and PSO
- more responsive or/and proactive stakeholder oriented universities
obtain a better organizational performance in terms of beneficiary
satisfaction, acquisition of resources and reputation
- to achieve some important university performance goals as
reputation, a responsive stakeholder orientation is not sufficient,
thus a proactive stakeholder orientation is also needed.
- in order to enhance the RSO and PSO of their institutions,
university managers should be acting especially on the emphasis
shown to SO, on fostering the cohesion among the different
university structures, on reducing as much as possible the level of
complexity of the university organization and on trying to imitate
the proper stakeholder oriented behaviours of other public
universities
- policy-makers to transform these institutions bearing in mind that
both, RSO and PSO, could become important sources of
competitive advantage
- governments need to establish policies that encourage the
implementation of university strategies oriented to their
stakeholders, in order to break the current scenario of their public
universities and promote the implementation of proactive
strategies among public universities as a way to improve the
reputation of such institutions

For HEIs, it is hard to define customers (high complexity) => multi-

orientational way of thinking (instead of customers/competitors view)
Marketing (Amercian Marketing Association) organizations should fulfil
the expectations of the society at large, instead of just satisfying
customers needs & wants (stakeholder orientation)
A responsive stakeholder orientation (RSO) would mean the
organizational attempt to understand and satisfy stakeholders
expressed needs
Proactive stakeholder orientation (PSO) would represent the
organizational attempt to understand and satisfy stakeholders latent
needs