An assessment of senior management support for the records and information management function in Zimbabwe’s central government

Purpose

Using a case study of Zimbabwe’s central government, this study aims to empirically examine the extent to which senior management was supportive of the records management function as well as the reasons why such levels of support subsisted.

Design/methodology/approach

This mixed methods research made use of the explanatory sequential research design where quantitative responses from records and information supervisors were either confirmed or disconfirmed by open-ended interview responses from finance and administration directors. Fifteen records and information supervisors and eight finance and administration directors participated in the study. Document reviews and personal observation were also used in soliciting data.

Findings

The study revealed that top management was not very supportive of the records management function as a result of lack of knowledge about records management and because of negative perceptions and attitudes harboured by some senior managers towards the functional area. The study also revealed that organisational structural factors also played a part as the records and information management section was poorly represented by finance and administration directors at the top, who by virtue of their training had little knowledge about and interest in records management.

Originality/value

The study raises the importance of senior management in records management processes, projects and programmes. It highlights that without senior management support, records management initiatives are bound to fail. Thus, the study is important as it raises the need to incorporate senior management as part of organisations’ tactical and operational strategy.