CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Every organization relies on the availability of reliable records for information, for planning, decision making etc.

The term “Records Management” has been given various definitions by different authors. For instance, Omoregie (2009) defines records management as a planned programme for creation, maintenance, retention, transfer and disposition of records. He further states that records management is the administration of records, concerned with achieving economic and efficiency in creation, maintenance, use and disposal of records of an organization throughout their life circle and in making the information they contain available to support the business of the organization.

According to Awe (2000), records management is the practice of maintaining the records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal. This may include classifying, storing, security, and destruction (or in some cases, archival preservation) of records. The International Council on Archives (ICA) committee on electronic records, defines a record as “recorded information produced or received, in the initiation, or individual activity and that comprises of providing evidence of the activity”. The keyword in these definitions is ‘evidence’. Put simply; records can be defined as “evidence of events” (Utulu, 2001).

This, therefore, becomes an issue of great concern to individuals and organization in the past, frantic effort to improve the situation in many business organizations through the introduction of computers and internet services as well as development of database management do not seem to have helped the situation much enough because the records management system is still conventionally paper-based and manual in operation. Many management staff complain of funds, and material resources. The reality reveals gross inadequacy of qualified personnel’s, facilities, student’s explosion and space problems. This study is, therefore, a response to the challenges of records management in modern business organizations. Records management occupies a strategic position in the efficient and effective management of organizations. However, it is central in the administration of institutions of higher learning because it documents the planning and implementation of appropriate course of services allowing proper monitoring of work. In the conventional paper-based organizations, such as business organization, paper continues to be viewed as the material for records in administration documentations (Igwoku 2008). The approach is for records created in the course of day-to-day business of the university to be stored and kept in hard copies as evidence of an action, decision or process.

Records management facilitates control over volumes of records produced through the use of disposal schedules, which details the time period for which different types of record should be referred.

The process of records management provides a framework for keeping, maintaining and providing for the disposal of records and what is contained in them. They are, therefore, intended to benefit all members of staff by facilitating continuity and evaluation of services and preserving privacy. This framework is provided for guidelines designed to educate people on decisions regarding professional records management practices.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The challenge and prospect of records management from the perspective of business organizations has posed a lot of challenges to managements and staff of the organization.

Awe (2000), accuses these bodies of being responsible for unavailable, inaccurate, incomplete, and dishonest records. And according to Utulu (2001) these adversely affect planning for and provision of structures and facilities, adequate funding, proper formulation and review of policies.

Other associated problems of records keeping identified generally in the business organizations in Nigeria include lack of record manual and filing guidelines, which leads to loss of vital information. (Egwunyenga, 2005) and inadequate computer terminals (Oketunji, 2002) others are difficulty in record retrieval and lack of appreciation by management and staff of the need for well controlled records. (Egunleti 2001).

Some of the problems identified are cost of managing records, loss of documents, inadequate security of records, lack of resources needed in managing records and ambiguity of what a record is.

The management of these problems would mean the development of efficient, and effective options within the business organizations. This indeed requires urgent attention.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to examine the challenges and prospect of records management in a business organization. Other sub-aims are as follows:

1. To examine the extent to which management secure records in a business organization.
2. To examine the problems face by management in the management of records.

iii. To profer are solutions to such problems of record management in the organization.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research work is intended to evaluate the challenges of records management in a business organization. This research project will be beneficial to people in the secretarial field to help them improve on their records management skill and processes. It will also benefit intending secretaries who have the quest for more knowledge on the challenges of records management in business organizations as well as the solutions. Students who are researching into similar topics, especially, students of the office technology and management and other management students in higher institution of learning, would find it beneficial to their research.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following question shall be used in the course of this research study.

1. To what extent are records secured by management in an organization?
2. What are the problems faced by management in the management of records in a business organization?

III. What are the solutions to the problems of records management in business organization?

1.6 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the research work is limited to selected companies in Rivers State, to be specific (they include: First Bank of Nigeria Plc, First City Monument Bank Nigeria Plc, and Union Bank Nigeria Plc).

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This research work had some problems one of which was lack of finds. This prevented the researcher from covering other organizations to have a wider view of the problem under study.

Also, the attitude of some of the respondents posed a lot of set back to the study; this was either incomplete questionnaire or inaptitude towards the researcher by the respondent.

Another was the limited time within the project work is expected to be completed coupled with other academic work at hand. This caused the researcher a great problem as he finds it difficult to cope with both at same time.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Business: Any commercial, industrial or professional activity undertaken by an individual or a group.

Challenges:     A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength.

Management:  The organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve defined objectives.

Office:     A room, set of rooms, or building where the using of a commercial or industrial organization or of a professional person is conducted.

Records:  A thing constituting a piece of evidence about the past, especially an account of an act or occurrence kept in writing or some other permanent form.

Records management: Records management refers to a set of activities required for systematically controlling the creation, distribution, use, maintenance, and disposition of recorded information maintained as evidence of business activities and transactions.

Secretary: A secretary is a person who deals with correspondence, keeps records makes arrangement and appointments for particular members of staff.

Organization:  It is defined in terms of planning co-ordination, direction and implementation.

Prospect: The possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring.