ABSTRACT
This study was designed to explore the significant
relationship between, effective record keeping and public service efficiency, a
study of Lagos State Ministry of Environment.
The sample for the study comprised of 86 civil servants.
The main tool used for the study was a questionnaire designed to collect
relevant data about the subject matter. The data collected were subjected to
frequency distribution, percentages, mean and Non-parametric chi-square test.
After testing the various hypotheses, it was concluded
that effective record keeping is a panacea to public service efficiency. It is
recommended that Lagos State Ministry of Environment should incorporate the
principle of record all information and making sure that such information are
available to the public when needed.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1 .1 Background
to the study
1.2 Statement of
research problem
1.3 Objective of
study
1.4 Research
questions
1.5 Research
hypotheses
1.6 Significance
of the study
1 .7 Scope of the
study
1.8 Limitation
of the study
1.9 Organization
of study
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Conceptual
Clarification
2.3 The Collapse
of Record Keeping Systems
2.4 Theoretical
Framework
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Restatement
of research question
3.2 Restatement
of research hypotheses
3.3 Research
design
3.4 Population
of the study
3.5 Sample and
sampling techniques
3.6 Data
collection instrument
3.7 Administration
of data collection instrument
3.8 Method of
data analysis
3.9 Limitation
of the methodology
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Summary of
data collected
4.2.2 Interpretation
of bio data
4.2.3 Question 1-15
with interpretation
4.3 Hypotheses
testing
4.4 Discussion
of findings
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Summary of
the study
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
5.4 Suggestion
for further studies
References
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Record keeping is a fundamental activity of public
administration (Ashley, 2000). Without records there can 'be no rule of law and
no accountability. Public servants must have information to carry out their
work, and records represent a particular and crucial source of information.
Records provide a reliable, legally verifiable source of evidence of decisions
and actions. They document compliance or non-compliance with laws, rules, and
procedures (World Bank, 2004).
Governments can no longer justify taking action with
little or no reference to past performance or future goals. Nor can they
justify parallel or duplicate services when they can combine services and
reduce costs. Client service, quality performance of tasks, and measurable
outcomes are increasingly important responsibilities, and these aspirations all
depend on accessible and usable records.
Yet, in many countries around the world, record keeping systems
are unable to cope with the growing mass of unmanaged records. This is
particularly true in countries with limited financial or administrative resources
or where records and archives managers lack training or professional
development opportunities. Administrators find it ever more difficult to retrieve
the information they need to formulate, implement, and monitor policy and to
manage key personnel and financial resources. This situation impedes the
capacity to carry out economic and administrative reform programs aimed at
achieving efficiency, accountability, and enhanced services to citizens. Moreover, the decline, and in some cases
total collapse, of record keeping systems makes it virtually impossible to
determine responsibility for actions and to hold individuals accountable (Cimtech,
2009).
The loss of control of records has consequences for all
citizens, especially for the poorest who are least able to defend themselves.
Relevant and accurate public records are essential to preserving the rule of
law and demonstrating fair, equal, and consistent treatment of citizens.
Without access to records, the public does not have the evidence needed to hold
officials accountable or to insist on the prosecution of corruption and fraud.
Moreover, the public suffers when inadequate information
systems affect the delivery of programs. All aspects of public service,
including health, education, pensions, land, and judicial rights, depend upon
well-kept and well-managed records.
Records are vital to virtually every aspect of the
governance process (Johnston, et. al 2005). The effectiveness and efficiency of
the public service across the range of government functions depends upon the
availability of and access to information held in records. Badly managed
records adversely affect the broad scope of public service reforms, and
development projects are often difficult to implement and sustain effectively
in the absence of well managed records. The relationship between key governance
objectives and the records required to support them is illustrated below.
Governments are being asked to be transparent, open, and
engaged with their citizens. And citizens are becoming more concerned about
their roles in the governance of the country. They want to be able to trust in
their government, and they expect it to function in a manner that engenders
this sense of trust. Records, and the
evidence they contain, are the instruments by which governments can promote a
climate of trust and demonstrate an overall commitment to good government
(Schulz, 2009).
Similarly, accountability is critical to a responsible
government. The foundation for accountability is well-managed records. When
managed in a way that ensures integrity and authenticity through time, records allow employees to account to their managers.
They permit managers to account to the heads of government institutions and
they help the heads to account to elected officials and others who represent
the interests of society.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
In many countries, public sector record keeping systems
are weak or have actually collapsed to the point where they barely function.
This situation is particularly evident in countries that were once part of
European-dominated colonial regimes. In these countries, structured record
keeping systems were common, supporting the information needs of a small,
centralized civil service, often with a well-trained and experienced records
staff. In many of these countries the European model of registries, a central
point for the registration and control of documents, was introduced, and it was
not unusual to civil servants to begin their careers working in registries and
then move upwards. They tended in this way to develop a good understanding of
the importance of information management.
In the years following independence, this situation
deteriorated progressively as part of a general decline in public administration. Informal practices supplanted formal rules,
and efficient public administration was of secondary importance to providing
employment. While the civil service expanded steadily, bringing with it a
corresponding increase in the flow of paper, more formal ways of working
gradually collapsed, often replaced by ad hoc work methods (Zairi, 2007).
In many cases, the institution grew used to making decisions
without referring to records. There was little incentive to maintain effective
record keeping systems or to allocate adequate resources for records storage
and staff. In some cases, the failure to create and maintain records systems
was motivated by the desire to conceal financial and other irregularities.
Eventually, the registries stopped acting as the point of
entry for able recruits and became a dumping ground for staff without career
prospects. The staff had limited training or experience with record keeping
work, and record keeping was allowed to deteriorate. File classification and
indexing systems originally designed to meet the record keeping requirements of
the colonial period could not meet the needs of,
complex modern governments.
Paradoxically, in many countries, despite the low usage
of records, there was an extreme, reluctance to destroy records, even after
they ceased to have any value to the institution. In the absence of rules and guidelines
for what should be kept and for how long, staff were reluctant to authorize
destruction. Over time, registries became severely congested with older
records. Ultimately, many records systems collapsed under their own weight
(Digitary, 2004).
Even as record keeping has declined in many countries,
there have been important advances in the field of records management in other
countries, particularly in Europe, North America, and Australia. For the most
part these advances have made little impact on the countries that require them
most. Professional literature has been
almost impossible to acquire owing to poor communications and the lack of foreign' exchange. Even when learning
materials could be acquired, the principles were extremely difficult to apply
in the deteriorating conditions. As a result, modern records management
practices have not been introduced.
Information users are well aware that there are severe
problems in information retrieval, but they do not know what solutions are
required. They do not appreciate the complexities of establishing and maintaining
records systems; often they do not recognize the connection between the
breakdown of record systems and the larger problem of public administration. As
a result, record system reforms rarely feature in government priorities.
The major problem this study intends to investigate is if
there a relationship between personnel record management and efficiency in the
civil service most especially in Lagos State Ministry of Environment, how
record management has impacted on the performance of the agency, also taking
cognizance of challenges affecting the record keeping in civil service.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to critically examine
the relationship between human record management and the efficiency in the
public service most especially in Lagos State Ministry of Environment.
Other specific objectives include:
2. To examine the impact of record management
on the performance of Ministry of Environment.
3. To examine the impact effective record
keeping on service delivery to the
populace.
4 To proffer solution
to the current problem in record management
1.4 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions will guide this study:
1. Is there a correlation between human
record management and the efficiency in the public service most especially in
Lagos State Ministry of Environment?
2. Has record management improve the
performance of Ministry of Environment?
3. Has
effective record keeping ensured service delivery to the populace?
1.5 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Considering the nature of problems stated above, the
following research hypothesis would be tested for rejection or acceptance.
1 Ho:
There, is no significant relationship
between human record management and the efficiency in the public service.
Hi: There is a
significant relationship between human record management and the efficiency in
the public service:
2 Ho:
Record management has not improved the performance of Ministry of Environment.
Hi: Record management has improved the performance of Ministry of Environment.
3 Ho: There is no significant relationship between
effective record keeping and service delivery to the populace.
Hi: There is a
significant relationship between effective record keeping and service delivery
to the populace.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The result of this study will be a great benefit to large
number of people. The Lagos State Ministry of Environment will benefit because
it finding and recommendation will improve the record storage management of the
agency. Other agencies of Lagos state will also benefit because it will promote
their work.
Just as it is useful to agencies of Government, record
keeping is also useful to the general populace as it inform them of the
activities of government.
Finally, the results of this study should help scholars,
students, managers, communicators, administrators, financial experts,
educational planners, decision makers, government agencies and upcoming
researchers in the conduct of future research. It will also provide useful information which
will enable them make useful and positive decisions that will help move forward
our economy.
This study will also contribute to the existing
literature on the subject matter its impact of record management on civil
service.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is limited to Lagos State Ministry of
Environment. The rationale behind the choice of the case study is because Lagos
State Ministry of Environment is has a crucial role to play in the development
of Lagos State that is why it was cave out of Ministry of Works. Despite these
limitations, however the study will provide the basic foundation required for
further research.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The research was restricted to the staff of Lagos state
Ministry of Environment, Alausa, Ikeja, because of the problems of time, cash
constraints, also lack of adequate facilitate and thorough examination and analysis
of the subject matter.
It is of utmost importance to state here that every
research project faces one problem or the other that contributed to its
imperfection. In the case of this
study the major reason for its long delay was inability to get current and
relevant materials as regard the proposed subject. The researcher has limited
time due to class assignments, there are also financial Constraints to go to
long distance distributing, retrieving, and also soliciting for current and
adequate information that are relevant to the efficiency of the research work.
Moreover, there is also there may be a problem of prompt response from
respondent.
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF STUDY
This research work is divided into five chapters. Chapter
one is introducing the subject matter of the
study stating the research problem, objectives, significance,
hypothesis, scope and limitation of the study.
Chapter two involves a thorough examination of the
subject matter via literature review. Journals and articles that are related
and relevant to the research work.
Chapter three reveals the research methodology to be
employed. Chapter four is used to present relevant data gathered from various
sources and the analysis of these relevant data.
Chapter five which is the last chapter that summarizes
the research work, inference and recommendation that are made and what action
to be taken by Lagos State Ministry of Environment to improve its record standard.
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