7.1 Summary of findings
7.1.2 How information culture affects the creation, capture and management of electronic
This section summarises the findings related to records creation and capture. The summary focuses on remote records capturing, email and the assessment of employees’ capability to create and capture electronic records.
Furthermore, the section presents a summary of how information culture affects the creation and capture of electronic records.
7.1.2.1 Creation and capture of electronic records
The parastatals have laid down procedures that should be followed with regard to the capture of electronic records.
However, some challenges are being experienced. In organisation A, although the records system had mandatory fields, there were instances where employees tried to skip the required fields. In organisation C, the challenge in capturing records came at the records classification stage. Although the employees were asked to consult the
180 Records Management Unit, they never did so. In organisation B, although there is a mail policy, this was not being followed by employees. Thus, even though the parastatals had laid down procedures, the creation and capture of electronic records still present challenges. Findings from both the survey and the interviews established that it was a challenge to capture the metadata of electronic records in the studied parastatals. Similar findings were presented by Kalusopa and Ngulube (2012). The authors found that there were no well-defined or clear procedures or policies to guide the creation of records in most of the labour organisations in Botswana.
Furthermore, Kalusopa, Mosweu and Bayane (2021) acknowledge that knowledge of the creation and capture of records at the Ministry of Land and Housing was low.
7.1.2.2 Remote electronic records capturing
Parastatals have measures in place to capture records created remotely or outside employees’ workstations. In organisation A, the creation, capture and access to electronic records were made secure through the use of a VPN.
In organisations B and C, a cloud-based facility was used to ensure that records created and captured are accessible through the cloud. A majority of survey respondents reported that they were not aware of procedures for creating and capturing electronic records. Despite their lack of awareness of records creation and capture procedures, the employees were aware of the consequences of the lack of proper records creation and capture.
7.1.2.3 Email
While email is used in the parastatals as a communication tool to share information, dealing with email records seemed to be problematic in all three. Furthermore, while the parastatals have developed procedures on how official email records should be handled, the findings revealed that employees were not uploading official emails to the records system. In addition, even though the employees were advised to print and submit the printed documents to the Records Management Unit, they failed to do so.
Email thus presents challenges to the parastatals. Similarly, Kalusopa and Ngulube (2012) reported that email was a challenge among labour organisations in Botswana. There were no policies and procedures on the management and use of email. Furthermore, emails and attachments were disposed of at the employee’s discretion without reference to organisational procedures or standards. Although the use of email is common among the parastatals, the findings of the study suggest that email is not properly managed and can be lost.
7.1.2.4 Assessment of employees’ capabilities in electronic records creation and capture
181 The findings revealed that employees have challenges concerning the creation and capture of electronic records.
In all three parastatals employees were not following records processes, procedures and classification.
Furthermore, the respondents also acknowledged that they were not aware of the procedures for creating and capturing electronic records but that they were aware of the cost of the lack of adherence to proper records management procedures.
7.1.2.5 Information culture and the creation and capture of electronic records
Findings summarised here concern information transparency, information sharing, and information proactiveness and their effect on records creation and capture.
7.1.2.5.1 Information transparency
Information transparency – the study found that information transparency was the second-best predictor with a total variation of 30.4% and showing positive standardised regression weights =.429, t=4.78, p<.001.The study established that information culture in ERM promotes transparency. There has to be communication with employees on what is expected regarding records. The respondents in the study were aware of the cost of their lack of adherence to proper records creation and capture procedures. Information transparency is facilitated by openness and openness is facilitated by access to organisational records. In this regard, respondents indicated that they have access to records created by others. Therefore, an information transparent culture affects the “openness”
of how decisions regarding records are taken. Furthermore, information transparency enables information on the creation and capture of records to be shared. Finally, employees knowing how decisions are taken helps build their trust in the records systems.
7.1.2.5.2 Information sharing
Information sharing – the study found a positive correlation between information sharing and records management. Information sharing accounts for 37.8% of the total variation in the dependent variable (records management) over and above other independent variables. An information sharing culture was shown to be the underlying culture for all other information cultures presented in the study. The study found that the parastatals have strong information sharing cultures. An information sharing culture in the parastatals promoted the effective use of electronic records and information capture. The interview respondents indicated that electronic records
182 systems/ECMSs allowed for collaborative working and information sharing. The electronic records/information were exchanged or shared through an information sharing culture.
There has to be proper records management to capture and maintain the information to be shared. The information sharing culture promotes the maintenance of proper electronic records which allows for the exchange of information within the parastatals and with clients outside the parastatals. Records created and captured by the parastatals were maintained within the electronic records systems to allow the exchange or sharing of information.
The interview respondents indicated that the parastatals have SharePoint, intranet and email through which information can be shared.
7.1.2.5.3 Information proactiveness
Information proactiveness – the study pointed out that information proactiveness had a variation of 36.2%.
Moreover, information proactiveness had significant standardised regression weights ß=.037, t=2.624, p<.010.
Information proactiveness indicated a positive relationship with records management. An information proactive culture was identified in the parastatals. Such a culture supports the creation and capture of electronic records/information because it thrives where there is properly maintained or aggregated information. As noted above, the parastatals have ECMSs that allow for the aggregation of information. Information proactiveness is facilitated when there is proper records creation and capture because it is based on applying information, making decisions on business changes, and promoting innovation on products and services.
An information proactive culture supports the effective use of the created and captured electronic records/information. The culture thrives when employees search for information/records to enhance or create new products and services. The respondents indicated that they search for information widely including the use of the ECMS.
Although the interview findings indicated that there were challenges with classifying records that could impede access, the parastatals have procedures that ensure that the records created can be accessed. Information for responding to organisational requirements and business decision-making can be located and retrieved timeously thus increasing organisational efficiency. This enables organisations to increase their competitive advantage by capitalising on information
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