Evaluation of the Online Accountability of the Portuguese Private Institutions of Social Solidarity

Abstract

In Portugal, in order to make the management of public resources more accountable, regulations on financial disclosure have emerged. Currently, the Private Institutions of Social Solidarity, through the Decree-Law No. 172-A/2014, are required to publish the financial reporting on their websites from 2016. Given the diffusion of innovations and the institutional theory, based on coercive isomorphism, the IPSS may have already created the conditions to fulfill this requirement. This chapter intends to ascertain whether the IPSS have conditions to comply with the mandatory disclosure under the law. This research shows that there is very limited presence of IPSS on the internet, the websites reveal low maturity levels and are little sophisticated. Furthermore, the IPSS that disclose the financial reporting on their websites, are still a minority, even if required by law to do so. The value of this research are related to the recent innovations introduced by the legal framework. Thus, it is important to monitor the evolution of law compliance by these institutions.