Electronic records management research in ESARBICA: a bibliometric study
| Pages | 159-174 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-12-2016-0045 |
| Date | 16 July 2018 |
| Published date | 16 July 2018 |
| Author | Dickson Chigariro,Njabulo Bruce Khumalo |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance |
Electronic records management
research in ESARBICA:
a bibliometric study
Dickson Chigariro
University of the Western Cape, Capetown, South Africa, and
Njabulo Bruce Khumalo
Independent Researcher, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to find out how the e-records management subject has been researched and
tackled by researchers in the Eastern and SouthernAfrican Regional Branch of the International Council on
Archives(ESARBICA).
Design/methodology/approach –This research paper applied a bibliometric survey, where a
quantitative survey of the literature pertaining to the study of e-records management in the ESARBICA
region, covering the period from 2000 to 2016, was conducted applying bibliometric methods. The survey
aimed at providing descriptive data that cast a spotlight on the features and development of the e-records
managementbase literature in the ESARBICA region.
Findings –The research data display a lamentable outlook in the contribution to the electronic records
management body of knowledge from the ESARBICA region. Few research articles from professionals
in the records and archives management are being published. These figures call for increased
investments in electronic records management research by institutions in ESARBICA, as management
of electronic content has become the centre of political and socio-economic development. Follow-up
studies need to be done to counter limitations placed on this research paper. The findings show that
there is under production of research publications in the ESARBICA region. The region only
contributed 2 per cent of the total world output in the period under review and in the study of electronic
records management from journals indexed by Scopus.
Research limitations/implications –A bibliometric study places researchers at the mercy of
analysing incomplete information due to limitations of resources. The variance in use of terminology
(key words) by authors in published research articles may entail some being left out in an analysis of
articles the same subject matter. As much as due diligence was placed on using Boolean search methods
to counter such limitations they are unavoidable. An interpretation of bibliometric or citation analysis
research is subjective as some analysts may label results incomplete or unreliable; hence, this paper
finds itself in the same predicament. Inability to access the Thompson Reuters Web of Science database
left the authors with Scopus as the only option, as Google Scholar was overlooked due to difficulties of
having to rely on third-party software for analysing its indexed content that are mostly inaccurate and
or ambiguous.
Practical implications –The findings of this study help uncoverareas in e-records management, which
have been researched over the years, and identify the prominent e-records management researchers in the
ESARBICAregion.
© Dickson Chigariro and Njabulo Bruce Khumalo. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This
article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may
reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and
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Electronic
records
management
159
Received1 December 2016
Revised1 June 2017
31July 2017
12October 2017
Accepted13 November 2017
RecordsManagement Journal
Vol.28 No. 2, 2018
pp. 159-174
EmeraldPublishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/RMJ-12-2016-0045
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.htm
Originality/value –A number of bibliometric studies have been conducted; however, none has been
conductedto establish e-records management research trends in the ESRABICAregion.
Keywords Technology, Records management, Africa, Researchers,
Electronic records management, Bibliometric, E-records, ESARBICA
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Electronic records management has become a game changer in the records and archives
management field. Traditional records and archives management work procedures, work
methods, theories and principles have been questioned and new schools of thought,
paradigms and philosophies birthed. Researchers and scholars in the records and archives
management field have also pursued research on e-records management and such research
has been varied and been different. Research interests and output show the developments
within a country and or region and thus an analysis of such research output in the Eastern
and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives
(ESARBICA) region goes a long way in reflecting on its advances. Wamukoya and Mutula
(2005a,2005b, p. 72) highlightedthat the management of e-records is acknowledged by both
governments and records management professionals as a global problem. The research
seeks to investigate into problems being faced by communities and thus, e-records
management research in the ESARBICA region apprises of what problems have been
identified and investigated by researchers in the region. Kemoni (2009) highlighted that
from South Africa, most countries in the ESARBICA region face various problems in
managing e-records and to enhance the managementof e-records in the region, there is need
for governments and directors of National Archives within the ESARBICA region to
implement the recommendations proposed by various records and archives management
researchers/scholars and practitioners. As countries in the ESARBICA region seek to
develop e-records management, there is a need for capacity building which will ultimately
be informed by research findings and recommendations. The International Records
ManagemenTrust (IRMT) (2004) pointed out that as e-government services are delivered
using new Information and Communication Technologys, the intended benefits will be
compromised unlessthe issue of capacity buildingis addressed.
An analysis of research trends in e-records management in the ESARBICA region will
show the problems facing the region in this subject area. Furthermore, such an analysis is
important in showing which research areas are over/under-researched. Technology is
dynamic and ever-changing, and thus, research trends can show whether researchers and
scholars are investigating pertinent issues which are in line with developments in
technology. Research also has the capacity to show whether there is sufficient capacityand
training to articulate e-recordsissues. Kalusopa (2011) noted that there is no well-articulated
guidance and input to policymakers and planners from records and information managers,
and national archivistsin the ESARBICA . Furthermore, Katuu(2004) indicated that various
individual countriesseem to be struggling with the same issues in e-records management,in
their local environments, but little seems to be done in terms of regional or international
consultation or cooperation to avoid reinventing the wheel. This is all happening at a time
when many records managers in sub-Saharan African do not have the necessary
professional capability to deal with electronic records and weak institutional capacity and
the absence of comprehensive records management policies, guidelines and practical
standards has aggravatedthe situation (Ngulube and Tafor,2006a, 2006b,p.58).
RMJ
28,2
160
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