MANAGING RECORDS AS A STRATEGIC BUSINESS RESOURCE

By : Muhammad Nooramin Bin Mohd Hassan 

Abstract 

This article aims on discussing on how records can be a strategic resource for Record Management Professionals as well as strategies needed in maintaining records.  This article refers on various sources about record as a reliable source, training generally and training for Records Management specifically.

Keyword: Record, resource, training.

Introduction 

In making records as a strategic business resource, organization must come out with strategies and prepare for the impact.  Before that, how the organizations ensure all the records can be a strategic resource? There are three important elements which are business system analysis, regulatory requirement and training for records management professionals. This article will discuss more on training for Records Management Professional but before that, a brief information about all three method will be clarify.

Running or implying Business System Analysis (BSA) is one of the ways. BSA is an analytical framework that involves all basic tasks and gathers information about business of the organization. Business activities analysis involved identifying, defining and examining in detail on all components in the respective organization. Examples of component that need to be inspected are goals and strategic of the organization, function of the organization, opportunity and threats, review the effectiveness of organization’s strategic plan (Celsa Acosta, 2008) and activities of the organization that constitute the functions.

Other strategic or method that can be implicit in order to certify records as a strategic business resource is  managing records according to the regulatory requirement; international or national standard. Regulatory requirement is essential because it will help organization to stay within policies and procedures of the country they are operating in regarding the retention of information. For instance, Malaysian government; especially National Archive of Malaysia  (Malaysia, 2003) and Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) had legislated various regulations, procedures and guidelines  such as National Archive Act 2003, Official Secret Act 1972 (Amendment 1986), Guidelines on Managing Electronic Records in Unstructured, Structured and Web Environment and Guidelines in the Management and Preservation of Electronic Mail. 

Training for Records Management Professionals 

What is training? 

From the Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary 8th Edition, training means the process of learning the skills that you need to do a job. Cambridge Dictionaries Online stated that training is the process of learning the skills you need to do a particular job or activity. According to Edwin Flippo, ‘training is the act of increasing the skills of an employee for doing a particular job’. (Chand, 2015)

On the word of Dale S. Beach, he defines training as the organized procedure by which people learn knowledge and/or skill for a definite purpose (Chand, 2015).Training refers to the teaching and learning activities carried on for the major purpose of helping members of an organization acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes needed by a particular job and organization.

Figure 1: Training Driving Factor (Chand, 2015)

Training Driving Factors

Environmental Changes

Advanced technologies such as computerization and automation have resulted in many changes that require trained staff possessing enough skills. For example most of organization has started to use Electronic Record Management System (ERMS) so employees of respective organization need to convert or migrate all record into electronic system-based. In short, the organization needs to train the employees to enrich them with the latest technology, system used and knowledge.

Organizational Complexity 

Different organization has different record system especially on classification or numbering in handling file. The complexity depends on how big the organization is and how many daily business transaction they have. For new records management professionals, they need to investigate and identify carefully on organization’s operation because at the end of the day; they need to recognize the originality or resources they have been used from all those business.

Human Relation

Every management; including Records Management has to maintain very good human relations within themselves in order to maintain a harmonious scenario. In other words is welcoming positive vibes in working space. With the aim of getting a fruitful vibrant, training is necessary as it will strengthen relationship between top, middle and lower management.

Changes in Job Scope

Changes in job scope will happen if employee is promoted to the higher level or transferred to the other department. Training is also required to equip the old employees with new techniques and technologies.

Employees Capability

An employee’s job specification may not exactly ensemble for the requirements of the job and the organization, irrespective of past experience and skills. There is always a gap between an employee’s present job specifications and the organization’s requirements. For filling this gap; training is essential (Chand, 2015). An organization that invests in training and development generally tends to have satisfied employee, thus increase their productivity. However, the training has to be relevant to the employees situation and one from which they can learn and take back something. It will be ineffective if training and development become tedious and leaden, and employees attend it merely because they have to. As record management professional, attending industry specific training and organization may send many employees for international seminars and conferences which it will be beneficial to all.

Examples of Training for Records Management Professionals

a) Storing, arranging, indexing and classifying records

 b) Giving advice on issue related to legislatio

 c) Managing and monitoring budgets and resources

d) Training and supervising records staff

e) Preserving corporate memory and heritage

f) Advising on records storage and records media

g) Identify the most appropriate records management resources

Training for Records Management Professional is significant as it the staff or employees itself will determine the reliability, integrity, authenticity and usability of business records. What does it means with reliability, integrity, authenticity and usability of records?

According to Electronic Records Management and Archive Management Policy: Electronic Records and the National Archive Act 2003; in order to serve as reliable evidence of decisions and activities, public records must have the following qualities:

i.                    Authenticity

An authentic public record is one that is proven both to be what it purports to be and to have been created or sent by the person who purports to have created or sent it. To demonstrate the authenticity of public records, organizations should implement and document policies and procedures which control the creation, transmission and maintenance of public records to ensure that records creators are authorized and identified and that public records are protected against unauthorized addition, deletion and alteration. To be authoritative, a public record should be created at the time of the transaction or incident to which it relates, or soon afterwards, by individuals who have direct knowledge of the facts or by instruments routinely used within the business to conduct the transaction.

ii.                  Reliability

A reliable public record is one whose contents can be trusted as a full and accurate representation of the transactions, activities or facts to which they attest and can be depended upon in the course of subsequent transactions or activities.

iii.                Integrity

The integrity of a public record refers to its being complete and unaltered. It is necessary that a record be protected against alteration. Records management policies and procedures should specify what additions or annotations may be made to a public record after it is created, under what circumstances additions or annotations may be authorized, and who is authorized to make them. Any authorized annotation or addition to a public record made after it is complete should be explicitly indicated as annotations or additions.

iv.                 Usability

A useable public record is one which can be located, retrieved, presented and interpreted. It should be capable of subsequent presentation as directly connected to the business activity or transaction which produced it. The contextual linkages of public records should carry the information needed for an understanding of the transactions that created and used them. It should be possible to identify a public record within the context of broader business activities and functions. The links between public records which document a sequence of activities should be maintained.

Conclusion

As a conclusion, business analysis, regulatory requirement and training are essentials for records management professional in order to determine the integrity, authenticity, usability and reliability of the record. Hence, the records can be trusted.

Reference

Official Portal MAMPU. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.mampu.gov.my/web/en/

Celsa Acosta, L. A. (2008). Manual 2 - How to Evaluate Your Organization. Retrieved from http://teachamantofish.org.uk/resources/schoolinabox/Manual2HowtoEvaluateYourOrganization.pdf

Chand, S. (2015). YourArticleLibrary.com. Retrieved from
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/humanresource-development/training-meaning-definition-and-types-of-training/32374/

Malaysia, A. N. (2003). National Archive Act 2003 . Retrieved from http://www2.arkib.gov.my/borang/akta_03_eng.pdf