Ascertaining the Influence of Records Management Policies on Service Delivery of Selected Government Parastatals in Mombasa County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ejikm.1356Keywords:
Records Management Policies, Service Delivery, Selected Government Parastatals, Mombasa County, KenyaAbstract
Purpose: To determine the influence of records management policies on service delivery of selected government parastatals in Mombasa County, Kenya.
Methodology: The study used mixed method research approach and descriptive research design. This study's target population comprised of 9 government parastatals located in Mombasa County. The study used simple random sampling method to obtain 3 parastatals which were Kenya Coconut Development Authority [KCDA], Kenya Maritime Authority [KMA], and Kenya Ports Authority [KPA]. The study used simple random sampling method to obtain 269 operations staff who answered open-ended questionnaires. This study conducted a pre-test study at Kenya Ferry Services Limited whose respondent were 27 operations staff randomly selected and distributed in all departments. Reliability and validity were also measured. The study analyzed descriptive statistics which comprised of frequencies, percentages and mean. The findings were presented through tables, figures and narratives.
Findings: The study established that as a result of training staff on records management, time efficiency had been enhanced which reduced the complains made by the citizen seeking the services. Additionally, parastatals had put effort to not only develop policies but also implement them in manual and digital work settings. Some of the purposes of these policies needed staff to be oriented to enable easy comprehension.
Notably, government parastatals had not yet put enough effort towards ensuring that changes in polices were notified to the staff. This left the staff to make personal initiatives on how and where to get the records management policy manuals. As a result, there were increased cases of loss of records especially when changes in policies affect the database. Therefore, these findings will be relevant in ensuring that training and development in regards to records management and policies is scaled to a even more higher level. This is to ensure that clients get the best while at the same time the staff are there to issue high standard services.
The study recommends that the management should employ strict measures such as assigning the task of distribution of policy manuals to staff in departments. This could be done through sending emails to staff notifying them on policy change. Additionally, the management should maximize on use of social media platforms such as departmental WhatsApp groups to facilitate easier dissemination of information to the staff.
Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: Records management has a significant influence on delivery of selected government parastatals in Mombasa County, Kenya. That is, records management influences service delivery through provision of information that would enable decision making and gave a chance to the public to ask questions on unsatisfied records policies. There is need to ensure that the decision-making process is enhanced through the use of quality records to avoid poor decisions that have high-cost attribute to the commercial parastatal.
Downloads
References
Adom-Nyankey, K., & Andoh, R.P.K. (2021). Effectiveness of human resource records management strategies at a university in Ghana. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 5(4), 1-14. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-04-2021-0059
Africa News (2019). Ghana passes right to information after long delays. https://www.africanews.com/2019/03/27/ghana-parliament-passes-right-to-informationlaw-after-long-delays// o
Agu, P.C., Njoku, E.E., Umaru, S., Eleke, N.I., Nwokoma, I.H., & Bashiru, O.T. (2022). Records management and organizational performance. ARRUS Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(2), 66-76. https://doi.org/10.35877/soshum738
Burns, S., Ferris, J., & Liatsopoulos, D. (2019). The problems and barriers of records and information management in Africa. http://acamcgill.pbworks.com/f/Ferris+et+al.pdf
Franks, P. (2018). Records and information management (2nd Ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman. https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/records-and-information-management-second-edition
Gesmundo, J.L., Glorioso, R.R.B., Raviz, K.J., &Apat, E.J.C. (2022). Records management strategies and professional performance of administrative staff. International Journal of Academe and Industry Research, 3(1), 71-92. https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/publications/356461-records-management-strategies-and-profes-0fb4f139.pdf
Homeland Security (2020). Final report: Information communications and technology risk reduction subcommittee. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/final_ict_risk_reduction_subcommittee_report_1.pdf
International Monetary Fund (2020). Kenya: Fiscal transparency evaluation update. https://www.imf.org/-/media/Files/Publications/CR/2020/English/1kenea2020001.ashx
Kamau, H.W.G. (2017). An assessment of the performance of public record centers in facilitating proper records management practices in public offices in Kenya [PhD Thesis]. Kenyatta University, Kenya.
Kamatula, G., & Kemoni, H. (2018). A framework for e-records in support of e-government implementation in the Tanzanian public service. ESARBICA Journal, 37(1), 69-88. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332427836_a_framework_for_e-records_in_support_of_e-government_implementation_in_the_tanzanian_public_service
Kimia, J. N. (2019). Interrogating problems facing parastatals in Kenya. SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies (SSRG-IJEMS), 6(6), 92-96. http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org/IJEMS/2019/Volume6-Issue6/IJEMS-V6I6P114.pdf
Komba, S. C., Nawe, J., & Manda, P. A. (2017). Preservation and accessibility of audio-visual records in Tanzania’s television broadcasting companies. University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal, 12(2), 22-36. http://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/8464
Luyombya, D., & Ndagire, S. (2020). Records management procedures and service delivery in private universities: A case study of the Islamic University in Uganda. Journal of Sasa, 53(1), 1-19. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jsasa.v53i1.1
Mokandu, O. R. (2020). Records management practice for support of governance in county governments of Kenya: A case of Nyamira county (Master’s Thesis). Kisii University, Kenya. http://library.kisiiuniversity.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1043/records%20management%20practice%20for%20support%20of%20governance%20in%20county%20governments%20of%20kenya.pdf?sequence=1&isallowed=y
Mosweu, O., & Rakemane, D. (2019). The role of records management in ensuring good governance in Africa: Impediments and solutions. Journal of Sasa, 53(1), 1-21. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jsasa.v53i1.8
Mwangi, W. G., Ngetich, F.K., & Ochichi, P. (2017). An examination of records management practices for improved service delivery in Laikipia County Government, Kenya. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 6(10), 2013-2017. https://doi.org/10.21275/ART20177571
Mwanyungu, S.W. (2019). Records management practices for enhanced service delivery at the Teachers Service Commission, Nairobi Kenya [Master’s Thesis]. Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya.
Nafula, A.I. (2018). The role of records management in supporting the administration of justice at Milimani Commercial Courts, Nairobi Kenya [Master’s Thesis]. Moi University, Kenya. http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/1296/1/Nafula%20Anne%20Immaculate.pdf
Otieno, B. P. (2021). Assessment of records management practices for effective service delivery in Maseno university registries, Kisumu County, Kenya [Master’s Thesis, Kenyatta University]. Kenya. https://studylib.net/download/25491852
Peltier, T. R. (2016). Information security policies, procedures, and standards: Guidelines for effective information security management (1st Ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Taber, K. S. (2018). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48(1), 1273–1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2
The Disability Trust (2018). Records management policy and retention schedule. https://www.records-management-policy-and-retention-schedule.pdf
Upward, F. (1996). Structuring the records continuum – part one: Post custodial principles and properties. Archives & Manuscripts, 24(2), 268–285. https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/journal_contribution/Structuring_the_records_continuum_-_part_one_postcustodial_principles_and_properties/4037445
Wu, M., Zhao, K., & Fils-Aime, F. (2022). Response rates of online surveys in published research: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 7(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100206
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Susan Karwitha Muthamia, Dr. Geoffrey S. Serede, Josephat Odinga
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
