Barriers to Effective Electronic Records Management in Public Sector Organizations in East Africa

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Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the barriers to effective electronic records management in public sector organizations in East Africa. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Barriers to effective electronic records management (ERM) in East African public sector organizations include inadequate technology infrastructure, limited financial resources, staff training gaps, policy implementation challenges, resistance to change from paper-based systems, data security concerns, and insufficient organizational commitment. Addressing these barriers requires holistic strategies encompassing technological upgrades, enhanced financial support, robust training programs, streamlined policies, and fostering a culture supportive of ERM practices. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Institutional theory, technology acceptance model (TAM) & resource dependency theory may be used to anchor future studies on barriers to effective electronic records management in public sector organizations in East Africa. Implementing cloud-based solutions for data storage and management can improve accessibility and data integrity, overcoming technological barriers to effective ERM implementation. Depoliticize ERM processes by establishing bipartisan support and clear governance frameworks. Policy reforms should include guidelines for managing political transitions without disrupting ERM continuity