Abstract

The level of transparency in higher education institutions in Colombia two years after the enactment of the Law 1712/2014 on Transparency and the right of access to public information in that country is analyzed. The study includes a sample of 197 public and private higher education institutions registered in the National Higher Education Information System of the Colombian Ministry of National Education in May 2015. Data observed on the websites of these institutions show a context where levels of formal and substantive transparency are low and no significant progress. The results reveal difficulties in the effective application of concepts and processes related to cyberculture.

Abstract

This paper aims to address the problem of hate on the Internet. It is opened with a definition of hate speech. Then it discusses hate speech prior to the Internet, during the Internet’s early days and at present time. The paper explains some of the ways that hate groups utilise the Internet and their purposes in doing so, examining the content and the functions of hate sites as well as the agenda of hate mongers. Under examination are the issues of propaganda, targeting children and youth, incitement and blood libels. The article is based in the main on a close study of dozens of hate websites.

Abstract

Aware of the fact that nowadays transmitting information is insufficient for successfully communicating, organizations are increasingly multi-channeled communicators, in addition to receiving what their public communicates, because they are aware that simply transmitting information is no longer sufficient for successful communication. In particular, political organizations and their leaders have shown a strong interest in recent years for exploring technologically advanced communication avenues, in accordance with the ‘permanent campaign’ idea (Blumenthal, 1980; Ornstein; Mann, 2000). This article examines current tendencies that determine the management of political communication, outside of specific voting contexts, through a case study of five parties with parliamentary representation in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. Using qualitative methodology, based on website analysis and in-depth interviews with press departments, this study explains why these organizations situate themselves in a 1.5 evolutionary phase (Kalnes, 2009).

Abstract

Since the entry into force of the Law on transparency and good governance, city councils have had an obligation to fulfill the criteria and principles included therein. In this context of demanding better political communication from the authorities, a study of the communication on the websites of Extremadura’s city councils, representing more than 7,000 inhabitants, was carried out in the years 2015 and 2016. An analysis model, with 52 indicators grouped into five groups, was applied. This research presents and discusses the most interesting results and conclusions related to the online political communication of these city councils.

Abstract

A new analysis system for website quality evaluation is presented. It is characterized by its potential to interrelate and evaluate both technical and strategic aspects of a website. It has its origin in the premise that, although the technical aspects, which determine the website operability and functionality, have a great impact on its quality, they do not alone guarantee success. This approach differs from those commonly adopted by analysis systems for website quality evaluation, since most of them have been developed adopting a predominantly operational or functional approach.

Abstract

A range of different methods and tools have been proposed by both academics and professionals in recent years for evaluating the quality of websites. Some are of general application and can be used to assess any type of website, while others have been adapted to the specialized characteristics of the websites employed in a given sector. This paper undertakes an analysis of existing scientific production in this field, with the aim of identifying its most relevant publications, its principal authors and the specific sectors served by the sites under evaluation. By triangulating review methods, 716 texts, published between 2000 and 2018, were identified in Scopus, Web of Science and other databases and examined. In addition to basic bibliographic information, the number of citations received by each text was recorded using Google Scholar. The area of knowledge in which each author works was also categorized based on his or her specific affiliations. The results point to a growing interest in website quality in a scientific community that has a presence in more than 70 countries. Its authors are drawn from various disciplines, although the highest number of publications is recorded in computer science, business and medical informatics. The most frequently cited texts are in fact seminal books in the associated disciplines of usability, information architecture and user experience. However, as of 2007, the number of texts describing evaluation tools for the websites of specific sectors – most notably, education (33%), health (27%) and commerce (21%) – increased their share. In conclusion, it is evident that website quality is a field of study undergoing constant growth and increasing specialization and one that offers ample opportunities for research.

Abstract

The emerging concept of university social responsibility (USR) consists in the fulfillment of the mission of the university in terms of ethical standards, community support, respect for human beings, and respect for the environment. Thus, universities must not only provide professional training but also instill ethical principles in students to allow them to behave as good citizens and help solve community problems. On the other hand, competition for students requires efficient management of university reputation and communication with their stakeholders, to demonstrate the accomplishment of the university’s mission and attract potential students. The objective of this paper is thus to explain the causal relationship between communication about university social responsibility (USR) activities through institutional websites and university selection, as well as the role of reputation. Research work was carried out based on an explanatory cross-sectional design, with a sample of 356 subjects from a population of 11th-grade students from public and private schools in the City of Barranquilla (Colombia). The results revealed that USR communication through institutional websites has a significant influence on university selection, not only directly but also indirectly, through reputation as a mediating variable. These findings contribute at a theoretical level by providing empirical evidence to understand and explain the analyzed topic. Furthermore, the results provide useful information to evaluate USR disclosure and implement strategies to make progress on USR issues.

Abstract

A new evaluation and self-evaluation tool designed to measure the degree of visibility of the information literacy (infolit) services of Spanish academic libraries according to their websites is presented, together with the results of its application between October 2019 and February 2020. Building on the state of the art established by international organizations and the most prominent scholars in the field, the Metrics for Library Information Literacy (MeLIL) questionnaire also incorporates emerging problems in contemporary information literacy such as mobile learning, fake news, data literacy, transparency, and open science, among others. MeLIL is made up of six criteria and 38 indicators. After a pilot project with eight libraries to validate the questionnaire, the content of the websites on information literacy programs of the 78 Spanish academic libraries was analyzed. The results confirm the validity and transferability of the instrument to measure the level of development of infolit in Spanish academic libraries according to their websites. Furthermore, the progress made in the training and infolit services offered by Spanish academic libraries is systematically described.

Abstract

Transparency and public accountability are two essential aspects of public administrations because they help to prevent possible cases of corruption and encourage citizen participation. In this sense, transparency is a communicative, not merely administrative or legal, process between public institutions and citizens. The main objective of this study is to identify predictive factors of transparency in government healthcare centers in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Spain in 2021. To do this, we analyzed the websites of 64 public administrations from these countries. Content analysis was applied to assess the presence of 24 indicators on each website. The results for the studied cases reveal an association between the level of transparency and three factors: healthcare systems, internet access, and administration levels. We also identified a predictive factor that should be considered in future studies on the transparency of healthcare websites: the likelihood of decreased transparency was reduced by 91% for public healthcare systems (Ecuador and Spain) as opposed to mixed public –private healthcare systems (Chile and Colombia). We thereby conclude that the involvement of the State, at least in matters related to the healthcare field, favors greater access to information by the community, at the same time as providing greater social responsibility because of substantial communication of the activities carried out by these centers, as well as how and by whom.