Assessment of Public Awareness of University Social Responsibly in Tanzania: A case of SAUT Community Day
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jpr.2489Keywords:
Awareness, Corporate Socially Responsible, Public Relation Tools, University Community DayAbstract
Purpose: Each year, SAUT engages in USR activities through Community Day, fostering collaboration between the institution and the community. The university utilized public relations tools to announce and invite participation in Community Day; however, the expected attendance was not met. The issue of low attendance, particularly among external audiences, has been a persistent challenge for the institution, and the underlying reasons for the limited engagement remain unclear. This study was crucial in its aim to identify the factors influencing attendance and to improve future engagement strategies.
Methodology: The research, which employed a comprehensive descriptive design and a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative methodologies, was thorough in its exploration of community day participation. The qualitative aspect delved into individual perspectives on the low participation, offering comprehensive suggestions for enhancement. The quantitative survey, on the other hand, comprehensively assessed public awareness and involvement in SAUT Community Day. Data was gathered from 120 respondents through a self-administered questionnaire and interview method to acquire insights from five academicians.
Findings: The findings indicated that a significant 84% of respondents were exposed to the University Community Day through a range of public relations toolkits, particularly, flyers and posters whereas 16% got information through SAUT Community Radio. The findings indicated that no respondents had received community day adverts from mainstream media. Even though most respondents were aware of SAUT Community Day, the findings revealed that only 40 out of 111 respondents, accounting for 36%, participated in the SAUT Community Day. Only 10 individuals from the entire sample possess a clear understanding of Community Day.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The findings are of great significance for scholars and Public Relations officers, as they validate the use of mainstream media and PR tools via social media tools to reach a large audience. The study is a valuable resource for corporate companies and universities seeking to enhance their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
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