English abstract
Introduction:
Social Responsibility is considered one of the significant themes in any human society as it is associated with the job of identifying and controlling individuals' behaviors within the society. Social Responsibility depends on a number of elements; such as perception, feeling and actual practice of social responsibility behavior. The full sense of the social commitments among individuals and practising the behaviors consistent with the core of social values and norms. It also means, giving up these behaviors result in violating or misrepresenting of values or norms of the society. Therefore, bringing individual up on being responsible for his own sayings and deeds is extremely important for regulating life in the human society.
Social Responsibility means considering the social development aspects, moral aspects as well as considering commercial profits. In addition to being a commitment towards employees, customers, consumers and the whole society. It goes beyond charity voluntary work in order to realize a relationship that benefits both parties; giver and taker.
It also means that, in taking any decisions, management has to take in consideration positive and negative impacts of those decisions on all parties involved. Management should work hard to increase the positive impacts in the way benefits the entire parties and does not conflict with the organization's goals.
Social Responsibility is an important basic element of life. Without it, life will be chaotic, Law of jungle will dominate the society-where strong eats the weak and big crushes small- there will be lake of cooperation, competition, selfishness, individualism and egoism will be spread in society until humankind dies out like dinosaurs. Right norm of life needs standing social conscience among individuals and groups in order to achieve the balance between materialism which springs from the human desires and spirituality, morals, principles and divine legislations.
Statement of The Problem
The dialectic relationship among the individual, institution and the society may be the core of the philosophical thinking since ever. So, Is it the responsibility of the individual, the institution or the society? If we considerate the individual responsible for protecting and keeping the public interest, without appropriate relationship among the individual, the institution and the society, the individual's role will be incomplete and cannot be positively or productively performed. Therefore, the developed societies have national strategic plans which increase the sense of belongingness and identity. Those plans provide definition of citizenship concepts (rights & duties). They also develop knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes, and formulate the citizens according to local and regional circumstances as well.
Given to the individual- society close dialectic relationship, there must be media to organize this relationship. The educational institution is the most important medium that can play a prominent role in the society through promoting the different relevant concepts. These concepts include ones of social responsibility which contain several variables about moral responsibility, responsibility towards one's self, others, society (national responsibility), the out world and economic responsibility too.
Although the social responsibility affects the economic institution more than the public institutions, as the social responsibility in this context is associated to moral investment and contribution to the development that help the society and environment achieve beneficial returns to investment, the view of the educational institutions, especially non- profit ones, are associated with the social responsibility in its all aspects and components.
From the foregoing, there is an urgent need to choose social responsibility as one of the approved scientific techniques in institutional evaluation processes, in a serious trial to identify advantages and disadvantages of this strategy in order to promote its role in assessing and improving the performance of Post- Elementary Schools in Oman.
In the light of the foregoing, the problem of the study is determined in the following main question:
* What is the Proposed Strategic Plan For Promoting Social Responsibility of Post- Elementary Schools in Oman In The Light of The Global Standards?"
The main question has divided into the following sub-questions:
1- What are the theoretical frameworks of social performance? What is the social responsibility (concept- significance- standards)?
2- What are the most prominent international initiatives of promoting social responsibility standards in education?
3- What are the prominent global standards of promoting social responsibility in education? What is ISO26000 Social Responsibility Guidelines?
4- What is the reality of the ISO26000 Social Responsibility Guidelines indicators availability in post- elementary schools in Oman?
5- What is the proposed strategic plan for promoting social responsibility of post- elementary schools in Oman in the light ISO26000 Standards?
The Study Objectives
The study aims at:
Identifying the theoretical frameworks of social performance, identifying the (concept- significance- standards) of social responsibility, showing the prominent international initiatives of promoting social responsibility standards in education. In addition to introducing ISO26000 Social Responsibility Guidelines (standards- indicators). The study also aimed to identify the reality of considering social responsibility in post- elementary schools in Oman; in order to realize strengths & success factors and potential weaknesses when post- elementary schools in Oman are going to take social responsibility. Besides, identifying the reality of the ISO26000 Social Responsibility Guidelines indicators availability in post- elementary schools in Oman. Thus, the study is able to develop a plan for promoting social responsibility of post- elementary schools in Oman in the light ISO26000 Standards.
Significance of The Study:
The theoretical and applied significance of the study is as follows:
1- Addressing the social responsibility issue is a global worldwide interest. That gives the research a great importance; as the target group is the society fuel and constructive power which is represented in the employees and working staff in the Ministry of Education in Sultanate of Oman
2- Promoting social responsibility among employees and staff of its post- elementary schools by the Ministry of Education in Oman will positively impact the educational institution, performance. Therefore, they are to be raised up to the excellence and competitiveness level.
3- Identifying reality of social responsibility in post- elementary schools in Oman and doing their social role towards their staff provides the decision makers opportunity to know the points of strength and weakness. Thus, they develop perceptions and solutions that can contribute to improving performance in educational institutions.
4- The current study addresses a vital issue for educational institutions success, which is social responsibility; as it is one of the most important practices for promoting the institutions' reputation. This little scientific addition may help the researchers and practitioners in management field to identify the significant role that social responsibility can do in promoting legality and improving the reputation of these institutions.
Methodology
The current study used the Descriptive Approach because it is the most appropriate for the nature of the study. This approach depends on collecting data through direct field observations, interviews or standardized questionnaires. These instruments are suitable for getting facts, opinions and information from a large number of people who represent a specific society. So, the study concluded to some explanations of the examined phenomenon; in order to analyze the internal environment of the post- elementary schools in Sultanate of Oman to identify the extant they reach in applying and promoting social responsibility and to detect points of weakness and strength there.
Instruments
The study used "questionnaire" as an instrument entitled (The reality of social responsibility indicators in post- elementary schools in Sultanate of Oman in the light of ISO26000 Guidelines". It targeted a sample of managers, principals and teachers of post- elementary schools in Sultanate of Oman.
The Limitations of the Study
-Thematic Limitations:
The thematic limitations of the current study is the strategic planning for promoting social responsibility of the post-elementary schools in Sultanate of Oman in the light of the global standards.
- Population Limitations:
The random sample of the study is represented in managers, principals and teachers of post- elementary schools in Sultanate of Oman.
- Location Limitations:
The study included the following states: North Al- Batenah- South of Al- Batenah- Mascut- Al- Dakhelya- North of Al- Sharquia- Al- Wosta- Dhofar- Musandum.
Time Limitations:
The time period of completing the theoretical and applied study from 2016- 2018.
The study Procedures:
The chapters of the study have been put in order according to the study questions & answers' as follows:
1) The Theoretical Framework:
It includes the intellectual frameworks of social performance and social responsibility (concept- dimensions- significance- objectives- characteristics) and social responsibility assessment standards. In addition, it introduces prominent international initiatives for promoting social responsibility standards in education and the most prominent standards of social responsibility in education.
2) The Applied Framework:
It is about:
Reaching a clearer perception about the availability of social responsibility indicators in post- elementary schools in Sultanate of Oman in the light of ISO26000 standards.
3) Proposed Plan for: { Promoting Social Responsibility of Post- Elementary Schools in Sultanate of Oman In the Light of ISO26000 Guidelines standards}.
Findings:
The study concluded to the possibility of realizing standards of work practices: the results suggested that it is very achievable standard at 86.47%, the standard of fair operating practices is achieved at 84.0%. Meanwhile, Environment standard is achieved at 84.0% , standard of Consumer Issues is achieved at 82.70%, Human Rights standard is at 81.96% and standard of National Community Participation and Development is achieved at 81.54% as well as the Institutional Governance standard is at 79.80%.
Recommendations
The Study recommends the following:
- Educational institutions have to vary the programs relevant to their social responsibility towards their human resources and to develop them consistently and innovatively to achieve a high level of job satisfaction; eventually, improve the institution's performance as a whole.
- Associating policies and programs of human resources social responsibility to the general policy of the educational institution in social responsibility all over the institution in coordination with human resource management. Such programs must not be, if they are, just marginal activities with no regularity or developing.
- Focusing on monetary incentives is not enough, but it is necessary to adopt programs with social and moral nature which is based on moral motivation of the employee; reward the hard-working according to objective system for performance evaluation.
