This thesis is comprised of seven chapters, each of which is briefly described below.
Chapter One: Background and introduction
This chapter presented the background information to the study and introduced the concept of digital archiving that this thesis investigates, from the global, regional and local perspectives. It explained the meaning of key concepts and terms used, provided brief histories of the study sites, and the thesis structure. The chapter also presented background to the problem area, statement of the problem, study objective, research questions, originality of the study, study scope, limitations/delimitations and significance of the study. Overviews of the conceptual framework, preliminary literature review, research methodology and methods used were provided. Lastly, ethical considerations and a summary of the chapter were provided.
Chapter Two: Conceptual and Theoretical Framework
The chapter begins by giving an overview of theories underpinning the study which include records continuum model, Open Access Information Systems Reference model and ARMA Records Management Maturity model. A discussion on the justification for selection of the models is also included. Theoretical triangulation leading to formulation of a conceptual framework for the study is explained. Related models to the study such as Records Life Cycle and Digital Data Curation are also discussed. The ensuing discussion positions the study in literature and determines the direction of the study.
Chapter Three: Literature review
This chapter outlines the importance of reviewing literature in research and presents a review of related literature. The section contextualizes the study by explicating the relevant concepts touching on the study variables. It discusses key concepts which include records and records management, electronic and digital records, management of electronic records, archives as a concept and importance of archives, risks facing
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digital archives and legal and regulatory frameworks for digital archives. Similar studies done are reviewed a in relation to the current study.
Chapter Four: Research methodology and methods
This chapter provides the methodological perspective of the research and focuses on the variety of approaches adopted by the study including: the research paradigm and justification; research methodology and evaluation; research design; population of the study; sampling techniques; data collection; validity and reliability of the instruments;
ethical considerations and presentation and analysis of data.
Chapter Five: Data analysis and presentation of findings
The chapter deals with the central part of the thesis, where the research data is presented, which forms the basis of the investigation, shaped by the researcher’s own thinking. It analyzes and presents the results of qualitative and quantitative data based upon research questions and relevant theories. Quantitative data is analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate inferential and descriptive statistics while qualitative data is analyzed using thematic analysis.
Chapter Six: Interpretation and discussion of findings
This chapter provides a discussion of the findings in accordance with the research problem, objective and questions. The researcher develops the story found in the data, making connections between the results of the data analysis and existing theory and research.
Chapter Seven: Summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations
The chapter provides a summarized discussion of the research purpose, methodology and results of this study. Conclusions are discussed, derived from the major research findings of the study. Recommendations are proposed, which include a digital archiving framework that borrows from the study’s underpinning models as well as other existing frameworks, for example DRAMBORA which addresses the aspect of risk assessment and evaluation in trusted digital repositories. Suggestions for future research are provided.
31 1.16 Summary
This chapter served as the foundation upon which this research is structured by contextualizing the study and serving as a “curtain raiser” for the phenomenon under investigation. It provided background information to the study and introduced the concept of digital archiving that this thesis professes to investigate, from global, regional and local perspectives. An overview of the historical background of the study sites served to give an understanding of the contemporary phenomenon within the context of its real life. The chapter illuminated poor digital archiving practices in Kenyan public universities as the key problem instigating the research. The objective of the study was to investigate digital archiving practices in archival repositories of selected public universities to ascertain the state of affairs in these institutions.
Research questions were formulated to inform the development of a framework for sustainable maintenance of digital archives in the institutions.
The chapter outlined areas covered in the research in relation to the concept of digital archiving. Constraints impacting the study such as scarcity of published content on the topic were pointed out and approaches to overcome the identified limitations were explained to lend soundness to the study. The boundaries delineating the study such as the selected research sites and respondents were specified to ensure the study remained within manageable borders. Whilst acknowledging that seemingly similar studies have been undertaken on digital archiving, the importance and originality of this study was spelt out to distinguish it from the other related studies. The meaning of key terms and concepts as used throughout the thesis were explained to ensure precise comprehension of the research. A prelude to the conceptual framework formulated from the triangulation of theories derived from three underpinning models was provided. Themes stemming from the conceptual framework were highlighted in the preliminary literature review to provoke a clear understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. An overview of the research methodology adopted ensued to inform on the data collection process and techniques used. Ethical considerations pertinent to the study were stipulated to lend validity and authenticity to the research.
Last but not least, an outline of all the chapters of the thesis was presented as a culmination to this chapter, providing a bird’s eye view of the entire research. A detailed discussion of the theories and conceptual framework for the study supervenes in the subsequent chapter.
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CHAPTER TWO
CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
“The social sciences is a minefield with a plethora of theoretical constructs for understanding and interpreting phenomena. Almost any issue will appear as a contested terrain with a multiplicity of interpretations gleaned from a myriad of
theoretical schools” (Munene 2019:9).