CHALLENGES OF HYBRID RECORDS KEEPING: A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY

OF GHANA ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR THE HUMANITIES

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

The study examines the challenges of hybrid record keeping in academic institutions in Ghana,

using the University of Ghana Ethics Committee as a case study. Specifically, this study examines

the records management practices adopted in University of Ghana Ethic Committee. The study

also discusses the challenges associated with hybrid record keeping at the University of Ghana

Ethic Committee as well as discusses the importance of proper record management system, with a

particular focus on managing a hybrid record. In this chapter, we discuss the background of the

study, problem statement, research objectives, research questions, and the significance of the study

and the organization of the study.

1.1 Background of the Study

The role of the ethics committee in providing ethical clearance for research and making decisions

strive on the effective documentation and management of both paper and digital records to oversee

and regulate the ethical standards of research within the disciplines of universities. The University

of Ghana’s ethics committee as part of efforts to manage records for research in the university has

instituted an electronic record management system with the aid of Information and

Communication Technology software to track and store documents to support the activities they

carry out. The University of Ghana, like other higher education institutions across the globe,

generates large volumes of physical and electronic data, reports, documents and statistics on a

daily basis. Undoubtedly, these documents and data are of high importance to academic
management bodies and students; as such the ethics committee is strictly bounded to always

managing information effectively and preserve documents as a record of their activities. Moreover,

comprehensive and detailed electronic records kept by the ethics committee on computers and

archived at the library ensure that management, researchers and students have access to either

administrative or academic information that is related to a wide range of ethical standards granted

for research to be carried and for smooth running of the institution.

Notwithstanding, it has been recognized that the adoption and promotion of Information and

Communication Technology, including Electronic document and records management system

(EDRMS) is growing rapidly in most developing countries across the world, including Ghana.

With the entrant of ICT into records/archives management, record keeping practices have

increased in academic institutions and are drastically supporting the maintenance of reports,

statistics and documents for projects, research and other activities. In addition, “the penetration of

technology has led to the electronic information revolution and transformed the way people do

their work” (Blais, 1995). Mrwebi (2000) indicated that information plays a very vital role in the

development of organizations which is essential for any corporate body to function. Academic

institutions produce increasingly large amounts of information and consequently greater volumes

of records, in both paper and electronic forms. It is essential that information is captured, managed

and preserved in an organized system such as the Electronic Document and Records Management

System (EDRMS) to maintain accurate and authentic information that fulfils legal and ethical

requirement during record keeping on research and other academic-based activities.

However, if records are not managed properly, the academic institution cannot provide the

necessary support, and information might be lost causing problems for the committee and the

institution as a whole. Studies into records keeping systems in Sub-Saharan Africa have also
revealed that a little over half (52.2%) of records are retrieved within 1 hour (Aziz & Rao, 2002).

Generally, organizations including academic institutions spend an average of 4 weeks a year

searching for or waiting on misfiled, mislabeled and lost information. Many organizations

typically misfile 2% to 7% of their paper and electronic records. Specifically, paper records users

waste up to 2 hours a day looking for misplaced documents whiles electronic records users spend

7.5% of their time on electronic systems looking for files (Professional Records and Information

Services Management [PRISM] International, 2004). This situation occurs because, at any given

time, between 3 and 5 percent of organizations’ files are lost or misplaced. Moreover, 90% of

records, once filed, are hardly or never referred to again or immediately (PRISM International,

2004). In relation to the academic institution, this haphazard arrangement and poor recovery of

records have a detrimental effect on documents that are retrieved for research and another

academic purpose.

Besides, although advances in technologies, networking and development of software that support

complex information flows and collaborative work, has allowed more organizations the

opportunities to adopt systems that not only process and store information, but also maintain the

organization’s records, there are poor management and the hybrid records which they practice pose

challenges to most institutions in Ghana to be precise and Africa. Mutiti (2002) also noted that the

responsibilities for managing electronic records in Africa are not well defined. In Africa, records

managers are yet to capture the basics of electronic record management. Most offices use

computers to assist in some portions of the organization’s recordkeeping and are still producing

more and more paper documents that are stored as “record copy”. Improper management of

electronic record system makes the performance of duties more difficult as well as makes academic

institution vulnerable to security breaches, prosecution and embarrassment. Also, since hybrid
records are a combination of paper and electronic records there are a lot of challenges associated

with the usage of hybrid records; these include management problem (Since the records in two

different formats it becomes difficult to manage it because the organization has to develop different

rules for both types of records) and Costly Errors (because of some data being in paper format and

some being in electronic sometimes common errors are bound to happen), etc [Course Hero,

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Accordingly, to create an efficient and effective ethics committee that ensures that ethical

standards are regulated well, there is a need for proper and effective management of hybrid records.

Effectively managing the records provides an overview of the activities of the ethics committee of

the institution as well as provide a forecast of the position of records that have been archived.

Effective management of records at the university controls the rate at which accumulated papers

gain momentum in the institutions. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15489

(2001) explained records management as the field of management responsible for the efficient and

systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including

the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of an information about business activities

and transactions in the form of records. Hence, the need for accurate records management at the

various units, sections, departments and faculties of the university particularly Ethics Committee

is very essential, especially examining the challenges that the academic institution face at hybrid

record keeping.

Against this background, this study examines the challenges of hybrid record keeping at academic

institutions, with focus on how effective record management practices can improve a hybrid of

both paper and digital record keeping at University of Ghana Ethic Committee.
1.2 Problem Statement

Academic institutions, particularly the University of Ghana have been identified as a place that

keeps high volumes of records. Due to its large population and the activities they conduct,

University of Ghana Ethics Committee keep records of documents and files on general information

about research, projects, academic assignment and even on students’ academic records. As a result,

departments, units and faculties of the institutions allocate large office space to keep these

documents and may often file manually every year when students conduct research and this

sometimes results in improper management of records. Thus, it has become a recurrent issue for

records to be irretrievable when required especially in tertiary institutions (Fabunmi, 2004).

Accordingly, the need for a record management system that can better address data security

challenges and enhance the credibility and sustainability of student academic records both on paper

and digital has led to the adoption of hybrid record system which has a hybrid of both paper and

electronic record keeping systems.

Additionally, the current rise in the use of ICT and Electronic Records Systems has brought the

attention of stakeholders of the institution and administrators on the use of a hybrid system to

properly manage records. But these administrators often find it difficult to retrieve the information

they need to formulate, implement and monitor ethic conduct on research. As a result, in most

academic institutions in Ghana, there are cases of serious weakness of electronic records

management and organizational frameworks. Consequently, many tertiary institutions in Ghana

have become preoccupied with the adoption of hybrid records to maintain more efficient and

credible records that meet the ethical and legal standards of research.

This search has been further complicated by the technological requirements and pace of the current

digital age which have a disadvantage. Coupled with these problems are that, there are inadequate
computers to manage the volume of records generated and inadequate facilities for the

preservation, storage and retrieval of records. Also, there are inadequate ICT skills and

competencies; personnel handling the records are not trained in effective record management.

These problems are factors that pose a challenge to hybrid records keeping at academic institutions

and leaves most record managers frustrated about their work.

In light of the above, this study examines the challenges of hybrid record keeping at the University

of Ghana Ethics Committee

1.3 Objectives

The objective of the study is to examine the challenges of hybrid record keeping, using the

University of Ghana Ethics Committee as a case study. Specifically, the research sought to:

a. Investigate the adoption of Hybrid record management at University of Ghana Ethics

Committee.

b. Identify the challenges associated with hybrid record keeping at the University of Ghana

Ethics Committee.

c. Identify the benefits of adopting hybrid record keeping to the University of Ghana Ethics

Committee.

1.4 Research Questions

To achieve the above objectives, the study sought to address the following questions;

1. Has University of Ghana Ethic Committee adopted hybrid record management?

Ethic Committee?

3. What are the benefits of adopting hybrid record keeping to the University of Ghana Ethics

Committee.?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study will be very significant to different stakeholders, particularly;

The findings of the study would help academic institutions in Ghana, particularly the University

of Ghana to improve upon efficiency and effectiveness of proper record management of hybrid

records to ensure easy accessibility of documents for academic-based activities.

Likewise, the study will help the management of the University of Ghana Ethic Committee to

sensitize the administrative staff on the importance of effective records management practices in

the university. Again, the study will benefit the management to appreciate the challenges

associated with hybrid records keeping despite the technological innovation of hybrid records and

how to address them those challenges in future.

The findings would serve as a source of reference for future researchers who wish to conduct

studies on records management. It would also help students and the general public to know the

importance of proper records management to meet the day to day activities of the Ethics

Committee within the university.

1.6 Scope of the Study

University of Ghana Ethic Committee. It, therefore, covered personnel of the administration of the

Ethics Committee. Therefore, the conclusion and generalization may not be readily applicable to

other institutions.

1.7 Methodology

The study is a case study which focuses on gaining in-depth knowledge of events happening at a

particular jurisdiction. It also employs quantitative data to analyze data in order to arrive at a

conclusion. Both primary and secondary data were used in this study. Primary data were collected

through questionnaire administration whilst articles from the internet, journals, and direct

information from respondents were gathered as the secondary data. In addition, it employed

descriptive analysis. Purposive sampling was also used to sample staff who deal directly with

records management since they are the right respondents who can give more relevant and valuable

information for the research as possible. Descriptive analysis is beneficial to researchers since it

helps one to gain a more accurate and precise profile of the event, the person or the situation.

Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 18.0) was also used to analyze the data.

Findings were presented descriptively in tables, frequencies and percentages.

1.8 Organization of the Study

problem, the objectives, the research questions, significance, the scope of the study, outlined the

methodology and organization of the study.

Chapter two reviews related literature of the study. Chapter three describes the research design,

the population of the study, sample and sampling procedure of the study. It also considers the

variables of the study, method of data, ethics and data analysis.

In chapter four, the results and the findings of the study are discussed.

Finally, the summary of the findings, conclusions, limitation and the recommendation of the study

are captured in chapter five.