The challenge of implementing a records management system at the National Electricity Regulator in South Africa
| Date | 01 August 2000 |
| Pages | 73-86 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007257 |
| Published date | 01 August 2000 |
| Author | San‐Daleen de Wet,Adeline du Toit |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
The challenge of implementing
a records management system at
the National Electricity Regulator
in South Africa
SAN-DALEEN DE WET and ADELINE DU TOIT
Abstract
This article concentrates on the implementation of an electronic records system
at a statutory body in South Africa. Problems with the current records system as
well as the criteria used to choose a new system to manage the records are dis-
cussed. It is concluded that South African enterprises should integrate records
management more effectively with other information management functions
in the enterprise so that records management becomes a strategic management
function towards reaching a competitive advantage.
Introduction
Discontinuous change has become one of the major characteristics of the
South African environment. Such an unstable dynamic environment,
where continuous change is a normal occurrence, necessitates an appro-
priate response in order to gain, regain or sustain a competitive advan-
tage. Enterprises in South Africa are therefore gradually realizing that
there should be major changes in how they deploy their strategic
resources to transform the enterprise into something new, something
totally different to what it has been before. Strategic transformation
actions, can however, only be sustained if backed by excellent informa-
tion systems (including a system to manage the internal records of the
enterprise) (De Coning, 1994:34).
All but the smallest enterprises in South Africa have record departments,
and the potential market for new records systems is enormous. Records
management has evolved from a paper-based function responsible for the
Records Management Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, August 2000, pp. 73–86
Records Management Journal, Vol. 10, No. 2, August 2000
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