The role of records centres in the digital environment: A case study of records centres in Windhoek
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Date
2024
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The study investigated the role of records centres in the digital environment focusing on
Windhoek records centres. The study was guided by the records life cycle, records
continuum theory and records management standards. The philosophical foundation of
this study was the interpretivist paradigm which applied a qualitative approach. The study
adopted a multi-case study research design. The target population was 18 respondents,
purposively collected from three commercial records centres, which were Document
Warehouse, AGS Records Management and Phildou and six in-house records centres in
Windhoek, which were University of Namibia, Namibia University of Science and
Technology, NamPower, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namcol and National
Archives of Namibia. A census was applied, hence, all nine records centres in Windhoek
were intended to take part in the study. However, only eight records centres granted
permission for the study to be conducted. The data collection was conducted by means of
face-to-face interviews comprising open-ended questions and then analysed using content
analysis. The findings of the study indicate that the services offered by the records centres
were storage and retrieval services of semi-current records. Furthermore, the study reveals
that some of the services had not changed in the digital environment. However, there were
new services such as hosting of e-records on the cloud, scanning and using the electronic
document management system. The study could not conclusively determine if policies
and guidelines were fully integrated into ICTs. The study discovered challenges faced by
records centres, such as transitioning in terms of human and financial resource needs,
digital obsolescence, and a lack of adequate equipment to meet the digitalisation of
records. The study recommends that records centres should train staff members on
electronic records management practices and create digital archival repositories
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts in records and archives management
Keywords
Records management, Digital environment, Electronic records, Records centre, Records management system, Records life cycle theory, Records continuum theory, Namibia