Records Management Professionals Research Articles

Hybrid records management practices at M’mbelwa District Council in Malawi

The study aims to investigate hybrid records management practices at M’mbelwa District Council in Malawi. Underpinned by the Records Continuum Model, this mixed methods study was guided by the pragmatism paradigm and adopted a convergent parallel design. Parallel mixed methods sampling was used to simultaneously select participants who provided quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The Registry Officer and Management Information Systems Officer were selected using purposive sampling, while top, middle, and clerical levels staff were selected using stratified purposive sampling. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, interview guides, observation guide, and document analysis guide. Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis while quantitative data to SPSS. Findings indicate that hybrid records were generated at the Council which included reports, emails, minutes, leave applications, and receipts. Mostly, Council employees store hybrid records in their offices using files, shelves, folders, drawers, computers, flash drives, and Integrated Financial Management Information System. The Council did not have a records management policy, plans, or guidelines. However, hybrid records management practices yielded some benefits to the Council’s service delivery. Nevertheless, personnels’ skills in hybrid records management practices ranged from moderate to poor, and there were some ICT and non-ICT infrastructures. However, top management support towards hybrid records management activities was inadequate. Hybrid records management practices at M’mbelwa District Council are, therefore, not properly organised. The study recommends the Council to consider developing a hybrid records management system and policy, developing records management into a full department, and recruiting qualified records management professionals.

Managing Records in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: How Prepared Are Archives and Records Management Professionals in Eswatini?

This study examines the perspectives and readiness of archives and records management (ARM) professionals in Eswatini regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for records management. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered to a purposive sample of ARM professionals. The study reveals mixed perceptions among ARM professionals regarding readiness for AI integration due to factors such as inadequate expertise and budget constraints for technology procurement. The study recommends adequate funding for organizations to acquire necessary infrastructure, investment in training and skill development for ARM professionals, and the development and implementation of clear policies addressing AI integration in records management.

The effect of digitalization on the daily use of and work with records in the Norwegian public sector

PurposeThis paper presents an exploratory case study on the impact of user-oriented digitalization on records management in the Norwegian public sector. The purpose of this study is to identify some of the opportunities and issues that may arise for records management professionals, case workers and citizens.Design/methodology/approachThe concept of administrative burdens and how user-oriented design can reduce or increase them is the main theoretical focus. A series of five interviews with records management professionals from five municipalities and three with IT staff members from two larger state institutions served as the primary source for this qualitative case study in conjunction with a literature review. The interviews were conducted in a semistructured format with a general interview guide.FindingsSmaller municipalities lack the resources of larger state institutions, and they do not involve users in the same extent, even though their records management professionals strive for user-orientation. The work with directly involving users appears to vary in larger institutions, where resources must still be properly prioritized. Reducing administrative burdens is vital for user-oriented design, but digitizing services often increases them, so service delivery must consider the benefits of local, in-person guidance in relation to wholly digital services.Originality/valueWhile much research has been conducted in Norway on digitalization, little has been done to examine the implications for records management work or the public’s use of records. By identifying some key concerns, this paper hopes to serve as a springboard for further research in these areas.

Working from home: the experience of records management professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to investigate how recordkeepers in Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Iceland and Italy experienced accomplishing their tasks from home over varying lengths of time during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA multilingual survey including 44 questions was designed and administered to the six countries identified above in 2022. This research was preceded by an environmental scan looking at existing studies considering archival and records management responses to the pandemic.FindingsThe impact of working from home on recordkeeping and, more generally, work performance was perceived differently by the survey respondents depending on various factors. The study also identified a number of similarities across countries, such as an increased awareness of the importance of records management shared by organizational actors. Surprisingly, the pandemic did not appear to have a great impact on the perceived quality of records management.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study aiming to capture records professionals’ perceptions of their role while working from home during the pandemic.

Implementation of legislative framework governing records management throughout the life cycle in the Limpopo provincial government of South Africa

Purpose This study aims to investigate a framework for implementation of legislative framework governing records management throughout the life cycle in the Limpopo provincial government of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach This quantitative multi-method study used a semi-structured questionnaire, document analysis and interviews to collect data. The dominant approach was quantitative, with some support from limited qualitative data, which served to clarify the statistical data. No sampling method was applied, as the study targeted the entire population of 135 records management participants from the provincial departments with the questionnaire, while nine participants from provincial archives participated in interviews. Findings The study revealed that the role of the provincial archives in enforcing compliance with legislative frameworks for the proper management of records was always disrupted by a lack of key resources such as staffing, for inspecting and training records-creating departments and working resources at the departmental levels. Research limitations/implications The findings will contribute to the field in respect of future studies into compliance with records management legislation, and the proposed framework may be applied as a theoretical basis for, or part of, a conceptual framework. Practical implications The study will serve as a resource or benchmark for archivists and records management professionals in the industry, as they count amongst the policymakers who find ways of monitoring, evaluating and enforcing compliance with the legislation governing proper records management. Social implications The proper implementation of recommendations from this study will lead to significant improvements in the management of records with enduring value, allowing them to finally be transferred to an archival repository to serve the public interest as heritage, national memory, or resources for researchers and authors, amongst others. Originality/value The study proposes a framework for implementation of legislation governing records management with greater ease in the Limpopo provincial government of South Africa.

Influence of employees’ perceptions of the uses and security of human resource records on employees’ attitude toward human resource records

PurposeHuman resource records are the cornerstone of human resource management. Organizations rely a great deal on their employees to furnish them with human resource records, which is crucial to the effective management of the employees and the success of the organization. It is evident, however, that personal information-related issues in organizations are of significant concern and that examining employees’ perceptions and attitudes regarding personal information management is extremely valuable. Yet, this is largely absent in the literature. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the influence of perceptions of employees concerning the uses and security of human resource records on their attitude toward human resource records in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive survey design was used in this study. An online questionnaire was used to gather responses from employees for analyses. A structural equation model was developed and assessed because of the advantages that come with its use and the characteristics of this study. The assessment of the structural equation model was done to determine the significance of the hypothesized paths. In addition, effect size, coefficient of determination and predictive relevance of the structural model were assessed. Before that, the validity and reliability of the measurement model were examined through the assessment of the indicator loadings, average variance extracted, Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. An importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) was also conducted.FindingsThe hypotheses formulated in this study could not be rejected because the hypotheses tested were statistically significant. Thus, this study revealed that employees’ perception of the uses of human resource records influenced their attitude toward human resource records. Also, employees’ perception of the security of human resource records influenced their attitude toward human resource records. The IPMA revealed that the perception of uses of human resource records was more important, yet its performance was below the perception of security as significant.Practical implicationsHuman resource records management professionals, particularly in Ghana, ought to ensure that the human resource records in their organizations are used for the purpose for which they are collected and also, secured. In addition, they should assure employees that their personal information is used as expected and secured. This could be realized with the use of international records management standards especially those in the ISO 30300 series. More so, human resource managers as part of their counseling duties also need to counsel employees so that they form positive perceptions about the uses and security of the personal information they give to their organization in the course of their employment.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study brings to light the attitude of employees toward human resource records based on their perceptions of uses and security in the Ghanaian context which is absent in the literature as previous studies have focused mainly on personal information management behavior only at the individual level.

The state of digital records preservation in South Africa’s public sector in the 21st century: a literature review

PurposeThis study aims to assess the status of the digital records preservation practices in the South African public sector at the national department level. It set out to establish to what extent digital preservation policies have been implemented in South Africa’s public sector, to determine the related skills and competency of public sector staff, and to make any necessary recommendations of the basis of the results.Design/methodology/approachA content review of Southern Africa literature dealing with the preservation of digital records, its importance and related factors over the past 20 years was conducted.FindingsThe current state of preservation of South African digital records suggests serious consequences of existing knowledge and training gaps. Addressing those gaps may provide the knowledge needed to support new ways of working. Records management professionals in the South African public sector at the national department level are currently ill-equipped to adequately preserve digital records. This complicates the application of tools offered by the information and communication technologies that have resulted in increased creation of digital records.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to only the public sector of South Africa.Practical implicationsThe study makes practical implications concerning the policy framework for improving the state of digital preservation in South Africa so as to ensure long-term preservation of digital records. For instance, government departments are recommended to formulate and implement in-house policy frameworks, guidelines and plans that address digital preservation of records.Social implicationsSufficient funding and resource allocation ought to be provided to advance electronic records management programmes. In addition, the formulation of proper strategies needed to preserve digital records should incorporate technological tools and media software in the existing operations for the creation, capturing, appraising and preserving of digital records.Originality/valueThis study offers informed recommendations to address the challenges of preserving digital records in South Africa so that future losses may be avoided and allow readers to see changes over the 20-year period.

Electronic Records Management at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, South Africa: Towards E-government

Electronic records play a vital role in organisations, as they serve as evidence of organisational transactions and support openness, transparency and improved decision-making. Improved electronic records management ensures that e-government is available to citizens. This paper focuses on the status of electronic records management as it relates to South Africa’s Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD), with the purpose of encouraging more effective public access to information. The qualitative research applied in the study that directed this paper, was founded on the principles of interpretivism. Interviews with electronic records management professionals yielded information on current electronic records management practices and how these could be improved to support and expand e-government activities at the DoJ&CD. Within an e-government environment, the management of electronic records requires a vibrant and organic relationship with organisational affairs to ensure transparency and accountability. Findings indicate that, while the DoJ&CD has been implementing various systems to support electronic records management, there has been no integration of the systems to promote e-government. Guidelines to support and expand electronic records management are crucial at the DoJ&CD to support judiciary activities. The findings support the development and implementation of structured and organised electronic records management guidelines, including the implementation of an integrated electronic records management system, updating of the existing file plan, improvements of ICT infrastructure and extended training opportunities for staff. The development of electronic records management guidelines is imperative to ensure that electronic records can be safeguarded for future access.

Data protection in Botswana

Data protection legislation is concerned with the safeguarding of privacy rights of individuals in relation to the processing of personal data, regardless of media or format. The Government of Botswana enacted the Data Protection Act in 2018 for purposes of regulating personal data and to ensure the protection of individual privacy as it relates to personal data, and its maintenance. This paper investigates opportunities and challenges for records management, and recommends measures to be put in place in support of data protection, through proper records management practices. The study employed a desktop approach and data was collected using content analysis. The study found that opportunities such as improved retrieval and access to information, improved job opportunities for records management professionals and a conducive legislative framework are available. It also revealed that a lack of resources to drive the records management function, limitations in electronic document and records systems and a lack of freedom of information to regulate access to public information by members of the public is still a challenge. The study recommends the employment of qualified records management staff with capacity to manage records in the networked environment for purposes of designing and implementing records management programmes that can facilitate compliance with the requirements prescribed by the Data Protection Act.

The Effect of Professionalism on the Dual Commitments of Records Management Professionals in ROK Army

The Effect of Professionalism on the Dual Commitments of Records Management Professionals in ROK Army

Records management as invisible work: A study of Finnish municipalities

Records are strategic tools in e-government in the communication between public organizations and citizens and in promoting trust between these two actors. Records management professionals (in short, RM professionals) are responsible for organizations' daily records management practices. Rapid technological development has changed the status of RM professionals and put them in the background while other groups such as IT-professionals have gained prominence. This study examined visibility of records management work and RM professionals in Finnish municipal organizations. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. The theoretical framework of invisible work was tool in analysis. The findings show that records management and RM professionals in Finnish municipalities are invisible when looked through the factors that previous studies have shown to be related invisible work. RM profession in Finnish municipal organizations is strongly fragmented and gendered and the work is done in informal structures sometimes by temporary personnel. The connection of these factors to invisible work and especially their implications to public sector organizations' records management have not gain much attention in earlier research. Therefore, in order to promote trustful e-government more future studies that examine the visibility of the records management work and RM professionals in different public sector organizations are needed.

Open government data: critical information management perspectives

PurposeOpen government data and access to public sector information is commonplace, yet little attention has focussed on the essential roles and responsibilities in practice of the information and records management professionals, who enable public authorities to deliver open data to citizens. This paper aims to consider the perspectives of open government and information practitioners in England on the procedural and policy implications of open data across local public authorities.Design/methodology/approachUsing four case studies from different parts of the public sector in England (local government, higher education, National Health Service and hospital trust), the research involved master’s level students in the data collection and analysis, alongside academics, thus enhancing the learning experience of students.FindingsThere was little consistency in the location of responsibility for open government data policy, the range of job roles involved or the organisational structures, policy and guidance in place to deliver this function. While this may reflect the organisational differences and professional concerns, it makes it difficult to share best practice. Central government policy encourages public bodies to make their data available for re-use. However, local practice is very variable and perhaps understandably responds more to local organisational strategic and resource priorities. The research found a lack of common metadata standards for open data, different choices about which data to open, problems of data redundancy, inconsistency and data integrity and a wide variety of views on the corporate and public benefits of open data.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited to England and to non-national public bodies and only draws data from a small number of case studies.Originality/valueThe research contributes to the debate about emerging issues around the complexities of open government data and its public benefits, contributing to the discussions around technology-enabled approaches to citizen engagement and governance. It offers new insights into the interaction between open data and public policy objectives, drawing on the experience of local public sectors in England.

An investigation into the records management profession in the public service of Namibia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the recognition of record management profession in the Namibian Public Service. The objectives of the study are to determine appreciation of the importance of records record management; establish policies that support records management; find out the promotion of the records management function in the public service; establish training and job opportunities available for the record management professionals; and come up with recommendations on how the recognition of the record management profession could be enhanced in the public service of Namibia.Design/methodology/approachThis case study used qualitative data collection methods, namely, focus group discussions and interviews. The two ministries and records keeping staff who took part in the focus group discussions were conveniently selected, whereas the two government offices where one key informant each was interviewed were purposively selected.FindingsThis study revealed that the records management profession was not well recognised in the public service of Namibia. The hiring of staff with low educational qualifications and the hiring of records keeping staff with some Diploma qualifications into the same positions as those without qualifications were all evidence of this. In addition to these was the failure to re-grade the records keeping staff through the establishment of a records management cadre.Practical implicationsThe study recommends the creation of record management units in all offices, ministries and agencies headed by qualified record managers supported by qualified records management staff, finalisation and implementation of the records management policy, as well as the creation of a records management cadre.Originality/valueThe findings of the study on which this paper is based could inform policy for decision makers, and for the records management keeping staff, a strategy for advocating for recognition of their profession was planned.

I dentifying Core Competencies for Records Management and Information Governance Professionals: A Job Advertisement A nalysis

Records and information management (RIM) has been well needed in both public and private sectors for decades. The recent progression toward enterprise wide information governance (IG) provides a good example of RIM's fast-pacedevolution. However, what should those being hired for a RIM/IG position know? What other qualities should they bring to the job in order to survive and thrive? Unfortunately, there is a dearth of empirical research that addresses these concerns. This proposed poster will report an on-going project that aims to identify core competencies for this group of informationprofessionals by using a job advertisement content analysis approach.

Records management in the cloud: From system design to resource ownership

New technology implementations impact organizational behavior and outcomes, sometimes in unintended ways. A combination of design decisions, altered affordances, and political struggles within a state cloud computing implementation reduced levels of service among records management professionals, in spite of their strongly expressed desire to manage records with excellence. Struggles to maintain ownership and control over organizational processes and resources illustrate the power dynamics that are affected by the design of a new system implementation. By designing the system with a single goal in mind (centralization to reduce costs), strategic management failed to consider otherwise predictable outcomes of reducing the resources controlled by a group with lesser power and increasing the resources controlled by an already dominant power within the institution. These findings provide valuable insights into the considerations which cloud computing designs should take into account. They also offer an understanding of changing educational requirements for records management workers to engage more effectively across occupations in technologically changing environments and the potential risks that cloud computing provide to productivity. The research was comprised of an extensive literature review, a grounded theory methodological approach, and rigorous data collection and synthesis via an empirical case study.

Methods, methodology and madness

PurposeThis paper aims to present findings from a recent study examining current records management as fit for digital government in Australia.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on findings from the first phase of research for a postdoctoral degree. This research was collected through an online quantitative survey of government records management professionals in Australia. The survey’s purpose was to understand whether the profession has kept pace with advances in, and expectations of, digital government. Building on the findings of the survey, this paper explores the concepts of methodology and methods and applies them to current digital records management in the Australian Government. Methodology for Australian Government digital records management is contained in the 2015 Digital Continuity 2020 policy. However, measuring method proved more difficult. The researcher supplemented data published by the National Archives of Australia and the Department of Finance with data from her own research to measure the validity of methods by examining suitability of current requirements.FindingsAustralian Government records management professionals overwhelmingly feel requirements, organisational culture and behaviour form a barrier to implementing successful records management programs. This paper finds that the Australian Government is buying ten times more digital storage per year than the sum of all of the digital Australian Government records known. This suggests perhaps not all records are recognised. While there will always be more storage than records, the ratio should not be so inflated. Further problems are found with requirements for records management being seen as mostly paper-based and too resource intensive to be of use. This research, combined with a contemporary literature review, shows that there is an imbalance with the current methodology and methods and asks the question: Has a methodology (Digital Continuity 2020) been created without suitable and known methods being in place?Research limitations/implicationsThe method for collecting survey data was based on self-reporting, which can lead to limitations in that the population sample may exaggerate their response or demonstrate bias. However, responses to the survey were common enough to eliminate bias. The study is based on the Australian Government; however, findings may translate to other governments. This paper presents findings from the first phase of research of a postdoctoral degree. Not all findings are presented, only those relevant to the topic.Originality/valueAs the Australian Government moves to become a true digital government, records management is still required to ensure accountability of government actions and decisions. However, while the government transitions to digital, and information stores continue to grow, the question of whether records management has kept up with the rapid pace of digital information flow and expansion does not need to be asked. Instead, the time has come to ask, “What can we do to keep up?”

Survey research on tasks and competencies to inform records management education

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report findings from research conducted to study the everyday work of information professionals, specifically records managers. This paper is a part of the “Research on the Work of 21st Century Information Professionals” study.Design/methodology/approachResearchers used the tailored design approach to create and increase response rate of our survey. Survey research methodology facilitated the development, pilot and launch of a survey instrument with a 20-question module specific to records management work.FindingsThe authors discovered the frequency of 11 tasks in records managers’ daily work, as well as how important each of 11 competencies are to their success on the job. Professional development topics and format, job satisfaction, strategies for gaining compliance, desired skills for new hires and curricular recommendations are also presented.Research limitations/implicationsThe survey generated 334 responses from records management professionals. This sample was based on graduate alumni, targeted professional groups and snowball strategy. Implications from this study include educating doctoral students to study information work and identifying particular areas for strengthening graduate curricula and professional training.Practical implicationsThe authors obtained direct insight on what records managers do in their daily work that will inform curricular decision-making.Originality/valueThe study explores an interest in daily work activities through multiple quantifiable data measures to offer nuanced insight on the relationships between different aspects of records management work.

Retention in “the right to be forgotten” scenario: a records management examination

Purpose This paper, through examining the judgment on Case C-131/12 and the European Union (EU)’s Proposal for a General Data Protection Regulation, aims to demonstrate to the records management (RM) profession, the importance of being proactively involved in records creation identification and the challenges of performing sound retention analyses for newly emerging activities. It also serves as a call to the RM profession that more active participation in law-making processes is needed. Design/methodology/approach The research selects the current right to be forgotten phenomenon as an illuminating case and examines it with fundamental RM concepts and principles, in particular those relating to records creation and retention. The research process consists of three major parts: one, the establishment of an analytical framework based on RM theories; two, description of the selected case that is relevant to the analysis; and three, the application of the analytical framework to the described case. Findings Records retentions are much needed for the activities of data controllers that are now established by the most recent Judgment of the European Court of Justice pertinent to the right to be forgotten and the proposed General Data Protection Regulation. The determination of retention periods for such activities requires an RM framework that synthesizes the identification of digital records and the various types of value associated with the different usages of records. It is also observed that the data protection legal framework does not address RM considerations, or at least, not in any explicit, easily recognizable manners. Research limitations/implications Records retentions are much needed for the activities of data controllers and/or processors that are now required by the Judgment of the European Court of Justice and the proposed EU General Data Protection Regulation, yet the legal framework does not offer any assistance in establishing retentions. It is also observed that the data protection legal framework fully acknowledges the importance of records but fails to address RM considerations – at least, not in any explicit, easily recognizable manners. Practical implications The findings are expected to be instructive to data controllers and/or processors, in particular with respect to records creation identification and records retention establishment in their organizations. It is also expected that the observations generated during the analysis process could shed light on the development of the RM profession. Social implications The right to be forgotten in the digital world has newly acquired complications, and it has the potential to affect not just the privacy right but also the rights considered conflicting to it, such as the rights of freedom of press and freedom of expression/speech. Efficient and effective RM programs should be able to assist their parent organizations in dealing with this complicated situation through creating and managing records that support the compliance of regulatory requirements on the one hand and the balancing of competing rights on the other hand. Originality/value The research appears to be the first of its kind according to the literature search conducted within the accessibility scope of the researcher.

TANTANGAN MANAJEMEN ARSIP ELEKTRONIK DI ERA WEB 2.0

Abstract From early 1990s, electronic records (e-records) have become a part of daily business activities for both small and big organisations. Since then, Records Management (RM) professionals have aimed to create a consistent and standard way to manage e-records. Nowadays, the challenges for managing e-records have been considerably complicated with the rise of Web 2.0 during the last few years. This paper will point out the challenges in managing electronic records, how RM professionals in Western Australia try to discover the best way to manage them in the Web 2.0 environment, and how it changes the role of the RM professionals in general.Keywords: electronic records, web 2.0

What lessons can be learned from the US archivist’s digital mandate for 2019 and is there potential for applying them in lower resource countries?

Purpose This paper aims to present a high-level summary of the US archivist’s digital mandate for 2019, embodied in the publication “Managing Government Records”, issued on August 24, 2012, and a summary of US policy. The authors then consider the implications of the US e-recordkeeping initiative for lower-resource countries. Design/methodology/approach After setting out key elements of the US Archivist’s digital mandate, the paper proceeds to evaluate its policy implications for lower-resource countries based on the authors’ field experience and knowledge of case studies. Findings The USA is embarking on a state of the art approach for managing public sector archives in a digital form, with deadlines approaching for all federal agencies to manage e-mail and other e-records. Although a similar need exists in lesser-resourced countries, there are enormous barriers to successful implementation of a similar approach. Research limitations/implications The archivist’s 2019 digital mandate assumes that the technology sector will embrace the needs of public sector agencies in working on applicable electronic archiving solutions. Practical implications The Archivist’s Directive has the potential to be an enormous driver of change in the records management profession with respect to future management of increasingly digital archive collections. Vast collections of public sector e-mail and other forms of e-records potentially will be preserved under the directive, raising the stakes that archivists and records managers work on solutions in the area of long-term preservation and future access. Social implications The importance of capturing the activities of public-sector institutions in all countries for the purpose of openness, transparency and access cannot be overstated. In an increasingly digital age, new methods are needed to ensure that the historical record of governmental institutions is preserved and made accessible. Originality/value The US Archivist’s mandate represents a cutting-edge approach to long-term digital archiving with potential future applicability to the management of public sector records worldwide.