Perceptions of public sector practitioners about records and information management surveys in zimbabwe

Abstract

This article aims at establishing public sector records practitioners‟ perceptions about records and information management surveys which are periodically held by the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ). The urge to carry out the study emanated from the continuing poor records management practices in public sector departments in Zimbabwe despite the fact that NAZ carries out periodic records and information management surveys. This study was carried out in the City of Gweru in Zimbabwe and it employed a survey research design where data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The study revealed that public records practitioners largely had negative perceptions about NAZ records surveys as they saw the exercise as intrusive and faultfinding. NAZ officers blamed the impasse on lack of knowledge about the importance of records and lack of professional training in records management. The study recommends that NAZ officers should be sleuth and diplomatic when conducting records surveys to promote good relations and as well, there is need for behavior change on the part of public recordspractitioners for them to develop positive perceptions about NAZ records and information management surveys.