A study of electronic record management in the Namibian Public Service in the context of e-government
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2009
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In striving to achieve good governance, organisations including Governments worldwide have been turning to information technologies. The conduct of business online has led to an increase in the creation of electronic records, which has brought about challenges in the management of records. This study, titled "A Study of Electronic Records Management in the Namibian Public Service in the Context of E-Government", was based on the assumption that the Public Service of Namibia has embarked on egovernment, which should result in an increase in the creation of electronic records (erecords). The study aimed to answer the research question: "How can the electronic records environment be strengthened to support e-government in Namibia?" An electronic records environment encompasses the existing records management awareness amongst all officers; records keeping procedures; legal and regulatory framework; safety, security and confidentiality of records; monitoring of records keeping practices; resources and facilities for records management; training and skills for records management; electronic information systems and ICT use; and the management of records emanating from these systems. The study investigated all these issues, and applying existing records management models, attempted to establish whether or not the Public Service of Namibia has the capacity to create, manage, share, and use electronic records to support e-government. This capacity is referred to as e-records readiness. The study is a multi-case study of seven Ministries, two Local Authorities and two Regional Councils. The methodology used was a qualitative approach, employing interviews, document search and observation to collect data. A qualitative approach was the most suitable in the exploration of this new area of electronic records management, which has not seen much research, particularly in Namibia. The units of analysis comprised the institutions studied as well as the respondents, who included the action officers, records keeping staff, heads of records functions, IT staff and National Archives staff. The institutions as well as the respondents were selected using purposive and accidental sampling methods. The data was analysed manually using content analysis and presented in descriptive narrative with some illustrative tables and figures
The study showed that e-government in the Public Service of Namibia, is in the initial phase of implementation and has led to an increase in the creation of electronic records. However, the status of records management in the Public Service of Namibia, which has a hybrid records system, that is, a paper and electronic records environment, is very poor. This is evident in the officers' lack of understanding of what records are and the importance of records management; inadequate legal and regulatory environment; failure to follow laid down procedures and standards; absence of a records management disaster plan including digital preservation strategy; and inadequate resources, which includes lack of staff and skills to manage records in general and in particular, electronic records
The Public Service of Namibia's score of 55 out of 120 in an e-records readiness assessment carried out as part of the study, signifies high risk, which means that government's e- records are at risk of misuse and loss. The study came to the conclusion Namibia's e-government initiatives are not supported by a strong records management programme. This missing link needs to be rectified to ensure that Namibia benefits fully from its investment in e-government
The study recommends an integrated records management programme for the Public Service of Namibia to improve the electronic records environment. Such a programme would promote records management awareness; determine resource requirements; review the legal and regulatory framework; review records management standards and procedures; develop and maintain records centres; manage archives; implement an electronic records management system; and ensure the sustainability of the programme through staff training and regular monitoring and evaluation. In view of the fact that the Public Service of Namibia might take the route of enterprise content management (ECM), and in recognition of the importance of interoperability of information systems for information sharing, further investigation is required into the electronic information systems running in the Public Service and possibilities for their integration with an electronic records management system, which the Office of the Prime Minister plans to roll out to the entire Public Service.
In striving to achieve good governance, organisations including Governments worldwide have been turning to information technologies. The conduct of business online has led to an increase in the creation of electronic records, which has brought about challenges in the management of records. This study, titled "A Study of Electronic Records Management in the Namibian Public Service in the Context of E-Government", was based on the assumption that the Public Service of Namibia has embarked on egovernment, which should result in an increase in the creation of electronic records (erecords). The study aimed to answer the research question: "How can the electronic records environment be strengthened to support e-government in Namibia?" An electronic records environment encompasses the existing records management awareness amongst all officers; records keeping procedures; legal and regulatory framework; safety, security and confidentiality of records; monitoring of records keeping practices; resources and facilities for records management; training and skills for records management; electronic information systems and ICT use; and the management of records emanating from these systems. The study investigated all these issues, and applying existing records management models, attempted to establish whether or not the Public Service of Namibia has the capacity to create, manage, share, and use electronic records to support e-government. This capacity is referred to as e-records readiness. The study is a multi-case study of seven Ministries, two Local Authorities and two Regional Councils. The methodology used was a qualitative approach, employing interviews, document search and observation to collect data. A qualitative approach was the most suitable in the exploration of this new area of electronic records management, which has not seen much research, particularly in Namibia. The units of analysis comprised the institutions studied as well as the respondents, who included the action officers, records keeping staff, heads of records functions, IT staff and National Archives staff. The institutions as well as the respondents were selected using purposive and accidental sampling methods. The data was analysed manually using content analysis and presented in descriptive narrative with some illustrative tables and figures
The study showed that e-government in the Public Service of Namibia, is in the initial phase of implementation and has led to an increase in the creation of electronic records. However, the status of records management in the Public Service of Namibia, which has a hybrid records system, that is, a paper and electronic records environment, is very poor. This is evident in the officers' lack of understanding of what records are and the importance of records management; inadequate legal and regulatory environment; failure to follow laid down procedures and standards; absence of a records management disaster plan including digital preservation strategy; and inadequate resources, which includes lack of staff and skills to manage records in general and in particular, electronic records
The Public Service of Namibia's score of 55 out of 120 in an e-records readiness assessment carried out as part of the study, signifies high risk, which means that government's e- records are at risk of misuse and loss. The study came to the conclusion Namibia's e-government initiatives are not supported by a strong records management programme. This missing link needs to be rectified to ensure that Namibia benefits fully from its investment in e-government
The study recommends an integrated records management programme for the Public Service of Namibia to improve the electronic records environment. Such a programme would promote records management awareness; determine resource requirements; review the legal and regulatory framework; review records management standards and procedures; develop and maintain records centres; manage archives; implement an electronic records management system; and ensure the sustainability of the programme through staff training and regular monitoring and evaluation. In view of the fact that the Public Service of Namibia might take the route of enterprise content management (ECM), and in recognition of the importance of interoperability of information systems for information sharing, further investigation is required into the electronic information systems running in the Public Service and possibilities for their integration with an electronic records management system, which the Office of the Prime Minister plans to roll out to the entire Public Service.