Records management research in Finland
| Date | 01 December 1999 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007250 |
| Published date | 01 December 1999 |
| Pages | 199-205 |
| Author | Marjo Rita Valtonen |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Records management research
in Finland
MARJO RITA VALTONEN
Abstract
Records management is just beginning to emerge as a professional discipline in
Finland where it only became possible in 1997 for the first time to study records
management in an academic institution. Since it is at such an early stage in its
development it is not surprising that records management research has not yet
been established. In this article the author explains the first steps towards devel-
oping records management research in Finland by looking, in particular, at the
plans in the University of Tampere.
Introduction
The field of records management is quite undeveloped in Finland. There
is no specific profession, nor a records management function established
in Finnish organisations, but records are being taken care of by a vari-
ety of actors, especially in the early stages of their life.
In Finland, as in Sweden, the application of the principle of provenance
is unusually broad in comparison with many other countries. The prin-
ciple has been applied not only when arranging and describing records
and archives at archival institutions, but also as a guiding principle for
a regulated records management programme1. In both countries the
Archives Law gives the National Archive Service (NAS) great power to
control the management of the records and archives of state and munic-
ipal authorities. The principle of provenance and the theory of the life-
cycle of records provide the fundamental principles on which the
archival and records function in Finland is based.
Scientific education, research or theoretical discussion on records man-
agement, or even on archival topics, has generally not existed in Finland.
The use of the concept of records management has been very variable
Records Management Journal, vol. 9, no. 3, December 1999, pp. 199–205
Records Management Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3, December 1999
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