Records Management Practices and Service Delivery at the Pensions Department, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of records management practices on service delivery at the Pensions Department in Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: To assess records management policies on service delivery at the Pension’s department in Kenya, to establish the effect of staff capacity on service delivery at the Pension’s Department, to determine the application of ICT in records management on service delivery at the Pension’s Department and to find out the effect of records management practices on service delivery at the Pension Department. The study was guided by the design and implementation of records keeping systems (DIRKS) theory. Mixed method descriptive survey research design was used. The target population was 112 employees where a sample of 88 was derived. A stratified sampling technique guided sample selection. Questionnaire, participant observation and personal interviews supported data collection. Pilot study was undertaken to determine research feasibility and to make improvements to the research instrument. Validity and reliability was achieved using content validity, expert opinion and Cronbach’s alpha. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Presentation of findings was through the application of pie charts, frequency tables and graphs. Ethical considerations in the entire research process was observed. The study found a strong reliability above 0.70 with a response rate of 75%. The study established that respondents agreed that records management policy affected service delivery. It was also found that staff capacity affects service delivery. ICT application in records management was also found to affect service delivery. Finally, the study established that records management practices affect service delivery at the Pension Department. All the four independent variables were found to have positive and strong relationship with service delivery. However, all the independent variables did not have significant effect on service delivery. The study concluded that records management practices affect service delivery at the Pension Department. The study also concluded that there were some written policies that staff were not aware of, security of records was not adequate, there were skill gaps among staff and there were cases of lost files. The study recommended the need to develop clear policies and sensitize the staff for more awareness. It also recommended more resource allocation not only for equipment purchase, but for staff training, acquisition of modern and bigger servers for more electronic records storage and implementation of modern finding aids for easy location and retrieval of records. The study recommended future research in other government agencies, use of different variables and outside Nairobi County.