Electronic Records Management System

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

            In the past two decades, those usually referred to as “topflight secretaries” were highly sought after by organizations. Their high demand by business offices were based predominantly on their stenographic skills of manual typing and shorthand speeds not below 120/50 words per minute (wpm). Again, as a further boost to the secretarial profession, Polytechnics in Nigeria also began to offer the course “Secretarial Studies” at National and Higher National Diploma levels. Recently, however. Office Technology and Management (OTM) became the new nomenclature for the programme in both the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education (National Board for Technical Education, 2004; National Commission for Colleges of Education, 2012). The change in nomenclature was thus expected to give way to the training of modern-day crop of administrative office assistants versatile not just in the traditional office skills but also in effective use of modem office technologies, one of the general objectives of OTM programme is, therefore, to lead studies to the understanding of the use and impact of computer-based technologies in working environment (Okoye, 2012). OTM graduates are now expected to have offered courses in Modem Office Technology, Desktop Publishing and Webpage Design (NBTE, 2004). They should therefore be able to conduct research on Internet (WWW), operate and troubleshoot new office technologies, create spreadsheets, compose correspondences online, manage databases, as well as create presentations, reports, and other business documents using desktop publishing software and digital graphics. Armed with such skills, they would be sure of employment in the modern electronic workplace.

            The current reality is true universally for instance, Lorenz (2009) has confirmed that administrative office assistants comprised 4.2 million U.S. jobs in 2006. It was further observed that the modern administrative assistants who are also known as virtual assistants use office experience and computer skills to work as desktop publishers. They equally use software to create, format and combine text, images, charts and other visual elements to produce publication- ready materials which are thereafter preserved as electronic records.

            Electronic records are materials that are in computer readable form. Electronic filing, as part of electronic records management, is therefore now in vogue in modern offices since the records are created electronically. As a corollary, electronic records have come to replace even tangible objects like bulky advert brochures, plans, drawings and cards, giving rise to the need to also manage such records electronically (Adewole, 2000).

Electronic records management is described as the efficient management of records stored on computerized systems, and the key to achieving this, according to the North Dakota State Government [NDSG] (1998), is the ability to manage and support such records% On the other hand, the word “basic” refers to the most essential or minimum requirements. “Skill” is the ability coming from one’s knowledge, practice or aptitude to do something well. It entails proficiency, facility or dexterity acquired through training, experience or practice (Encarta Dictionary, 2013; Merriam- Webster, 2013; Business- Dictionary, 2013).

            The need for acquiring basic skills in electronic records management becomes even more obvious when one puts it into perspective with a study by the University of California which determined that the quantity of information created between years 2000 and 2003 almost doubled and that approximately 93 percent of it was “born digital”. Another research indicated that in 2006, 60 billion e-mails were sent each day and that electronic records were increasing by 80 percent annually (Rockfeller, 2006). The digital information recorded in electronic systems help managers in modern organizations to direct, control, communicate, plan, formulate policies and make fast and informed decisions.

            According to Uwaifo (2004) Cain and Millar (2007). The availability of the records is crucial in attaining organizational goals and more important is the proper management of these records. To be of maximum value, records must be organized and properly managed (Akporhonor&Iwhiwhu, 2007), (International Council on Archives, 2008) (Ayandele and Adeoye, 2010).

            The implication of all these is that the use of electronic devices has changed the way organizations conduct business, altered the form and quantity of records, the records management policies, the entire office procedures and activities, as well as the skills required to operate in such changing work environments in organizations.

            A Public Organization is a state-run organization. It is Government controlled and is paid for by public taxation. Usually a general tax will pay for state provisions, but in some cases an alternative tax will. For example, in the UK citizens pay a National Insurance contribution. This finances the National Health Service (NHS).

            Public organizations take care of matters that the public informs the government – via voting, protests, or debate – that they should be handling and assisting with. The public demand a service and the Government, as elected representatives and officials, have a duty to adhere to those wishes and orchestrate a fair but effective service to help those who need it. Examples of public organizations would be the Police and Fire Services.

            There are three main stages of records management in public organizations: records creation [inputting] record storage and records retrieval [outputting] (NDSG, 1998 in Okoye, 2009). Creation has to do with initial capturing of records and encoding of same using the correct approach and infrastructure while retrieval takes the form of printed output (hard copy), screen display, output on microfilm, speech output and direct output to other devices or media (Adibe, 2005). This study concentrated on these three areas with a view to verifying empirically those skills required by OTM graduates, working in public organizations, to be able to handle for creation, storage and retrieval aspects of electronic records management.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

            Office automation has become a reality in this 21th century. Cain and  (2007), have rightly observed that standalone personal computers and mobile devices are used for word processing while spreadsheets and databases have become the work horses of office life. As a result, electronic records are being created virtually everywhere in the world of work. Wherever computers are used, records are generated and records provide the primary evidence of how the functions of administration are carried out. This means that, in order to enjoy the benefits of modern electronic records management system, an average organization should have fully computerized business and administrative processes that would OTM graduates who possess the required skills to deploy the modern office technologies to manage its records. It is in the light of the above that the researcher was motivated to determine those electronic records management skills required by OTM graduates for employment in public organizations in Minna metropolis.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

            The purpose of the study was to determine the basic electronic records management skills required by OTM graduates for employment in public organizations in Minna metropolis. Specifically, the study sought to:

1. To determine the electronic records creation skills required by OTM graduates for employment in selected public organizations.
2. To determine the electronic records storage skills required by OTM graduates for employment in selected public organizations.
3. To determine electronic records retrieval skills required by OTM graduates for employment in selected public organizations,

1.4 Research Questions

            Accordingly, three research questions guided the study. They included:

1. What are the electronic records creation skills required by OTM graduates for employment in selected public organizations?
2. What are the electronic records storage skills required by OTM graduates for employment in selected public organizations?
3. What are the electronic records retrieval skills required by OTM graduates for employment in selected public organizations?

1.5 Significance of the study

            This study will be beneficial to students. It will serve as a reference material to others who may wish to engage in similar study in the future.

1.6 Delimitation of the Study

            Emphasis was mainly on the electronic records management skills required by OTM graduation for employment in selected public organizations. The study was centered on creation of electronic record, electronic record storage, retrieving of electronic record.

1.7 Limitation of the Study The problem faced by the researcher was the reluctances of the respondents in ticking the questionnaires. The problems, the researcher encountered was that some officers were either too busy for interviews or cleverly avoided certain questions for the fear that the information given might put their jobs in jeopardy.

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