dc.description.abstract |
Governments worldwide undertake administrative reforms for the purpose of
improving performance of public sector institutions. Records are vital instruments in
the implementation of reforms and no meaningful reforms can take place without
sound records management. Although the Directorate of Housing has proactively
supported the strengthening of the records management function in all its departments
and units, the reforms undertaken in records management fall short of International
best practice. This has had a negative impact on administrative reforms being
undertaken by the Directorate in various sectors. The aim of the study was to evaluate
the role of records management in supporting administrative reforms in the
Directorate of Housing, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to: investigate the
administrative reforms being undertaken in the Directorate of Housing and their
impact; examine how records management supported administrative reforms; examine
the extent to which the reform agenda in the Directorate incorporated reforms in
records management; determine what records management infrastructure existed in
the Directorate; determine the extent to which the Directorate had computerized its
business processes including those involving records management; and propose a
framework that addresses issues of records management as part of the reforms
implemented by the Directorate of Housing. The study was informed by a
triangulation of the DIRKS Model and the Quality Management Systems Model (ISO
9001:2008). The study sample was 33 respondents out of a total population of 166.
The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study method. Face to-face interviews were conducted on one-to-one basis using interview schedules.
Data was presented in the form of themes using descriptive analysis. The study
findings established that the Directorate was undertaking administrative reforms to
meet its mandate, among them; development and review of housing policies,
realignment of slum upgrading with the housing policy and development of a building
code. It further noted that although records management was critical in the reforms
process, it was not accorded the attention it deserves as there were no adequate
records management policies, systems, and infrastructure. The study concludes that
records are a vital component of reform process and the management of records
should be guided by best practice. Based on the study findings, the study makes the
following recommendations; that there should be urgent reforms in records
management, guided by policies and regulations, provision of a vote head for records
management, enhancement of records management infrastructure, capacity building
for records management staff, integration of records management in directorate
functions, and modernization of records management through ICT |
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