Records management practices in Uganda’s power sector: a case study of Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited

Abstract

This study examined records management practices at Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), identified the challenges faced and proposed strategies that could be adopted to improve records management at this company. The study was motivated by the inefficiency demonstrated by Uganda’s power companies in creating, receiving, maintaining, storing and using records, and in submitting those required to fulfil compliance and accountability obligations to regulatory authorities. Such inefficiency led to questioning these companies’ records management practices or whether there were any challenges they faced. Consequently, represented by UEDCL, the specific objectives of the study were to:(a) examine the records management practices used at UEDCL; (b) challenges facing UEDCL’s records management; and (c)to propose strategies that UEDCL could use to address the challenges. The study was guided by the records continuum theory and adopted a case study research design involving a mixed methods approach. Qualitative data was collected using interviews with four senior managers and three records managers using an interview guide. Quantitative data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 38 employees. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods and qualitative data analysed using Yin’s (2015) framework of thematic analysis. The key findings indicate that the records management practices used at UEDCL included: records creation, especially through printing job-related information; classification using mainly open access; access control using mostly authorised requests for filed physical records; distribution by mainly transporting physical files and spiral bound books; storage decentralised at department level mainly; disposal through shredding and deletion; and preservation of strategic and policy company documents as well as customer and personnel records. However, records maintenance and scheduling of records retention and disposal were negligibly used as over 97% of the employees could not recognise them, yet these practices are among those recognised by the records continuum theory and most of the previous empirical studies. The challenges faced in UEDCL’s records management included: lack of a records management policy, lack of records retention and disposal schedule, inadequate records storage space, accumulation of no longer needed records, and insufficient records management resources. Other challenges were Internet instability, computer obsolescence, poor records maintenance, difficulty in locating physical files, lack of records security and using unprofessional records managers as the most critical challenge. The strategies proposed to address these challenges include: developing a records management policy and a records retention and disposal schedule; providing staff training; digitalization; records storage space management; upgrading computer hardware and software; improving Internet services; increasing budget for records management, and recruiting professional records managers as the most needed strategy. From these findings, the study concluded by underscoring the need to adopt these strategies to improve the company’s records management. Consequently, the study recommended to the Board and management of UEDCL to adopt the strategies. Further research was recommended into why UEDCL did not conduct records maintenance and scheduling of records retention and disposal; and why it allocated insufficient funds to records management on which the performance of all its business activities relied. An inferential study was also recommended to determine which of the established factors challenged records management at UEDCL in a significant manner.