This article discusses knowledge retention strategies in public sector organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on a survey of empirical and theoretical literature the article addresses the following research questions: What organizational learning activities take place in public sector organizations? What strategies are public sector organizations using to capture and retain knowledge? What ICT infrastructure is available in public sector organizations for knowledge capturing and sharing? What challenges face public sector organizations in sub-Saharan Africa in capturing and retaining knowledge? What is the current status of knowledge retention in the public sector in sub-Saharan Africa? The results reveal that public sector organizations are using various strategies such as codification, personalization, training, education, workshops, seminars, storytelling, mentoring and apprenticeship to capture and retain knowledge. The ICT infrastructure available for capturing and retaining knowledge in the public sector includes institutional repositories, emails, global networks databases, portals, accounting and financial systems, human resource systems, knowledge route-maps knowledge networks and discussions forums. The challenges for managing knowledge assets in public sector organizations include limited understanding of KM benefits; shortage of skill; lack of incentives or rewards to share knowledge; lack of appropriate technology; limited commitment from senior management, lack of appropriate models to learn from and brain drain. The implementation of e-government initiatives across the continent was starting to institutionalize and promote knowledge management strategies in public sector organizations. The results from this article provide a foundation for knowledge management policy formulation to enhance efficiency and service delivery in public agencies.
This paper discusses the relationship between good record keeping and its impact on the delivery of justice and human rights in the Bulawayo Magistrates' Courts. It defines the concepts of court records management and justice delivery, and explores the link between records management and the discharge of justice. The study was conceived against a background of poor record keeping and management in the judiciary. The law (Criminal Procedures Act and the Constitution of Zimbabwe) states that an accused person must be tried within a reasonable time period and yet this has not been achieved in some cases. A survey research design was used on a purposively selected sample of 30 participants employed in various sections of the court that completed the questionnaires and were interviewed. The findings indicate that the Bulawayo Magistrates' Court uses a range of records to administer justice, which are necessary for upholding individual rights. In some situations citizens have been denied the right to fair trial, right to entitlement, right to freedom of movement, right to association and as a result of missing or incomplete records individuals have been detained for long periods without trial. To achieve justice in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGs) magistrates' courts need to have in place professional recordkeeping systems, improve on the security of court records, employ professionally qualified records managers and embark on aggressive fundraising activities in order to obtain adequate funding to upgrade record storage, cater for environmental threats to records, and replenish record keeping resources among other issues.
This study investigated the use of Information and Communication Technologies that are used to for knowledge management amongst academics at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) based on anecdotal evidence that inadequate IT resources have always hampered knowledge management among academics. The purpose of the study was to investigate how ICTs are used to enhance knowledge management amongst academics at the NUST. Anchored on the interpretivist paradigm, the study used qualitative research method in a case study design where interviews were conducted with six deans of faculties across the university and one ICTs officer. Data was gathered through face-to-face in-depth interviews and analysed using themes. Findings indicated that NUST provides the academics with desktop computers for knowledge management and laptops are provided only on request. Academics are offered training when the ICTs department introduces new software. It also emerged that mistrust and bureaucracy in the university affects lecturers’ knowledge management. The study concluded that academics at the university are aware of the importance of ICTs in managing knowledge, but weak and unreliable internet connection were major barriers to knowledge management amongst academics. The study recommends adequate provision of technologies such as laptops since some academics are reluctant to share knowledge using personal resources.
Background: The infopreneurship education course forms part of the final year Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Records and Archives Management (BScRAM) at the National University of Science (NUST). The course looks unique and out of place in relation to other records and archives courses which specifically focus on the management of records and archives.Objectives: The study examined the students’ perceptions regarding the relevance of the infopreneurship course in the BScRAM that is offered in the Department of Records and Archives Management at NUST, Zimbabwe. The aim of the study was to determine student evaluation of relevance of the course to the BScRAM.Method: Both quantitative and qualitative methods of collecting data were used. Using a census method, data was collected through a focus group interview and a self-administered questionnaire from a study population that comprised 17 students who were in their final year of the BScRAM at NUST.Results: The results revealed students found the infopreneurial education module quite relevant to their degree. Although the lecturer was helpful in providing resources, students felt that they needed to visit some infopreneurial businesses for familiarisation and looked forward to having guest lecturers from the infopreneurial world.Conclusion: Although the BScRAM was not well known at high school level, students found the infopreneurial education in this degree quite stimulating. Having gone through an infopreneurship course, students were prepared to undertake infopreneurial businesses after graduating from the university.
The change from paper to digital records management at the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has been widely accepted to solve problems of poor records management systems and inefficiency throughout the organisation, but it brought with it some challenges. The purpose of the study was to assess the digitisation project to improve records access at ZERA. In a sequential explanatory design, the researchers used a simple mixed methods research approach to collect data. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews from purposively selected individuals because of their characteristics and significance in the context of what the study was investigating. The findings of the study revealed that the digitisation project at ZERA was a major success and it has improved the records management system in numerous ways, including improved access to records, fast and easy retrieval of information and timely access to records. However, the study revealed that digitisation comes with challenges such as the issue of security of records as cyber criminals always try to unlawfully access the organisation’s information. These challenges affect the organisation’s efficiency and effectiveness, slowing down processes and affecting the organisation’s service delivery. It also revealed that some members of the organisation find it difficult to adapt to digital change. Instead of embracing and using the new system, they lag behind and stick to the old ways of doing things. ZERA did not train its staff in the management of digital records, which contributed to resistance to digital change. The study recommends ZERA to budget for the appropriate infrastructure; employ more reliable security measures; train its staff in using, managing and securing digital records, and employ individuals with the required skills to manage digital records.
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