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This paper presents the challenges of post custodial management of digital records in the context of Botswana. This is a qualitative study which used a focused review literature supplemented by interviews with seven (7) purposively selected records management experts. The study has revealed that the post-custodial management of digital records is a challenging vocation in Botswana. Such challenges include poor information and communication technology infrastructure, lack of capacity for digital records management, and an inadequate legal and policy framework conceptualized upon the capability to guide digital records preservation. These challenges suggest that records creating agencies may not be prepared and capacitated to manage digital records in a post custodial context. This study recommends that funds be made available to Botswana National Archives and Records Services to set up a digital archive that meets best practice standards in digital records preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archival materials are repeatedly consulted to settle disputes before the courts of law. The main purpose of the paper is to examine the use of archival materials in the ultimate settlement of the border dispute between Botswana and Namibia over the disputed ownership of the Sedudu/Kasikili Island. This paper took a qualitative approach where documentary review of archival materials and other documentary sources were used to answer the research questions. The findings indicate that archival materials in their various forms such as drawings, maps, plans, reports, scientific documents, and correspondence by colonial authorities played a significant role as evidence that informed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to legally settle the boundary dispute between Botswana and Namibia. This paper also established the need for archivists to preserve the reliability and authenticity of records over time for them to be trusted as evidence. The fact that the case was solved with access to archival materials among other evidence presented, is an indication of the importance of archives in the society. Although this paper contributes to literature on the role of archives in the resolution of boundary conflicts, it is limited in that the findings are restricted to a review of archival materials in the holdings of the Botswana National Archives and Records Service (BNARS) exclusive of archival materials from the National Archives of Namibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of digital systems in the delivery of public services by the Government of Botswana has seen an increase in the generation of digital records. Without preservation efforts over time, the continued availability of digital records is not guaranteed. The reverse side of this is that a focused records preservation regime ensures access to and accurate digital records in the long term, regardless of the challenges of media failure and technological change. Lack of an adequate legal and policy framework on digital material preservation; gaps in human resources in terms of knowledge, skills, and competencies to drive digital material preservation; lack of appropriate standards for digital records preservation; and limited collaborative efforts towards digital records preservation are some of the challenges in digital records preservation in Botswana. Despite these challenges related to digital records preservation, developing countries in Africa are increasingly embracing the use of cloud computing technology for the management and preservation of digital records due to its benefits. In the developed world, cloud computing has matured into a viable option for the management and preservation of digital records. This study utilised a review of literature, supplemented by document analysis, to propose a framework for digital preservation of records in the cloud in the context of e-government in the Botswana public sector. It is guided by concepts from the Policy, Strategy and Resources troika model as a lens to frame the study. The model provides the key elements of policy, strategy, and resources as necessary for the preservation of records in Botswana's public sector, using cloud computing as a platform. The proposed framework for the preservation of digital records may benefit public sector organisations that endeavour to adopt cloud computing for records preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the inclusion of specified Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in the curriculum of library and information schools at the University of Botswana in Botswana (UB) and the University of Fort Hare (UFH) in South Africa. The said 4IR technologies are cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning as well as blockchain technology. This study used content analysis on the website of the two universities, documentary review and literature as data sources in the endeavour to resolve the research problem. The two universities were selected purposively because they were comprehensive universities using the South African context. In addition, the selection was also informed by the LIS curriculum offered by the universities. The study revealed that UB offered a Bachelor of Information and Knowledge Management with specialisation in archives and records management, knowledge management, and library and information studies, and the Bachelor of Information Systems (information management). At postgraduate level, the UB offered a master's degree in archives and records management, a master's degree in library and information studies, and a Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Studies. UFH offered a Bachelor of Library and Information Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Archives and Records Management at undergraduate and the postgraduate levels. Regarding the inclusion of the specified 4IR technologies in their curriculum offerings, the study found that both the UB and the UFH were not included. The study recommends the inclusion of the specified 4IR technologies in the library and information science school to prepare graduates for the disruptive 4IR work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Government entities often implement automated records management systems, often without a clear governing framework to facilitate such automation. This study aims to explore the role played by information architecture (IA) in records automation in Botswana and propose a guiding framework in the context of e-government. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study uses a focused literature review to study the importance of IA in records automation in e-government. Findings: Without proper IA, information organization including retrieval/access to records becomes difficult. Practically, this would practically and negatively affect process automation in e-government solutions. Research limitations/implications: The proposed framework can guide e-government record automation in Botswana. However, its limitation lies in the fact that it has not been tested, thereby limiting its practicality until tested empirically. Practical implications: The proposed framework can be used to inform record automation management processes in the realm of Botswana's e-government project. Originality/value: The proposed framework contributes to the body of knowledge on the automation of records and e-government in Botswana specifically and Africa in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National archival agencies are mandated to manage public sector archives and records. They provide guidance by issuing, among others, guidelines, policies, and procedures. With advances in technology, and in the spirit of e-government, it is expected that national archival agencies should have websites through which key documents that provide guidance on the management of archives and records are made accessible online. The purpose of this study was to compare the websites of Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS) and the National Archives and Records Services of South Africa (NARSSA) with specific reference to key documents providing guidance on the proper management of public archives and records. This study is qualitative and obtained data from a content analysis of the websites of the two organisations. These were supplemented by interviews from selected key officers responsible for public archives and records management programmes. It is notable that BNARS has a website that can be accessed through Botswana's Department of Information Technology. On the website, the only downloadable guidance document is an archives search room inquiry form. Comparatively, NARSSA has a more comprehensive website with downloadable guidance documents such as file plans, templates records management policies, records retention and disposable schedules, and functional specifications for electronic records management systems, to mention just a few. It is recommended that BNARS should have a comprehensive website with guidance documents posted on it to provide guidance for proper public archives and records management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how the trustworthiness of digital records generated in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system known as the government accounting and budgeting system (GABS) is maintained to support the audit process in the public sector of Botswana. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study used modern archival diplomatics as a theoretical framework to examine the procedures for authenticating digital accounting records in GABS to support the audit process in Botswana. Data were collected through interviews and documentary reviews. Findings: The study established that although GABS is not a record-keeping system, it generates digital records. In the absence of procedures, auditors rely on social and technical indicators (system application controls) to authenticate records. Research limitations/implications: The findings of the study are limited to the case study and cannot be generalised to other organisations. Practical implications: The findings of the study can inform the necessary measures that can be taken to ensure that digital records generated in ERPs are maintained authentic to support financial auditing processes. In addition, the paper also presents differing approaches by records managers, auditors and information technology specialists to evaluate the authenticity of records in digital systems, thus contributing to the literature about professional allies and competitors to archivists and records managers. Originality/value: This paper provides empirical evidence from an original study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to assess whether Botswana’s Government Accounting and Budgeting System (GABS), an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, generates digital records and maintains them as authentic over time. GABS was deployed by the Accountant General’s Department (AGD) in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFED) to manage accounting and financial management processes from budgeting to expenditure. Business applications such as ERPs generate digital records whose authenticity over time may not be guaranteed because, by design, they are not recordkeeping systems. This qualitative study used concepts influenced by archival diplomatics as a theoretical lens to assess the authenticity of records generated and stored in GABS. Data was collected through systems analysis and interviews with purposively selected information and communication technology (ICT) professionals at AGD. The study found that GABS generates authentic digital records as theorised by archival diplomatics. The records are thus authentic enough to support auditing processes in the public sector of Botswana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data protection legislation is concerned with the safeguarding of privacy rights of individuals in relation to the processing of personal data, regardless of media or format. The Government of Botswana enacted the Data Protection Act in 2018 for purposes of regulating personal data and to ensure the protection of individual privacy as it relates to personal data, and its maintenance. This paper investigates opportunities and challenges for records management, and recommends measures to be put in place in support of data protection, through proper records management practices. The study employed a desktop approach and data was collected using content analysis. The study found that opportunities such as improved retrieval and access to information, improved job opportunities for records management professionals and a conducive legislative framework are available. It also revealed that a lack of resources to drive the records management function, limitations in electronic document and records systems and a lack of freedom of information to regulate access to public information by members of the public is still a challenge. The study recommends the employment of qualified records management staff with capacity to manage records in the networked environment for purposes of designing and implementing records management programmes that can facilitate compliance with the requirements prescribed by the Data Protection Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the legislative and policy frameworks in support of digital archives curation, and the challenges inherent in digital archives curation in the context of Botswana public sector. The study used qualitative content analysis to resolve the research problem. The data collected was analysed thematically. The International Council on Archives (ICA) Principles on Access to Archives were used as a conceptual framework to guide the study. Digital curation is a function modern archivists cannot ignore nor shy away from. The study findings revealed that the legislative and policy framework for digital archives curation exists, but it is weak. In addition, the study revealed that there are constraints hindering access to archives including, among others, inadequate funding, inappropriate infrastructure, shortage of skilled personnel and time restrictions to enable wider access. Therefore, the researchers hope that insights from this study can shed light on the current state of affairs on digital archives curation and provide future directions for guiding digital archives curation at Botswana National Archives and Records Services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are often implemented in the public sector value chains for purposes of improving business processes. In 2004, the government of Botswana implemented the Government Accounting and Budgeting System (GABS), an ERP to facilitate improved management of financial records. The custodian of the system is the Accountant General's Department (AGD) in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFED). This descriptive study adopted a qualitative approach and collected data through interviews and documentary analysis. The study sample was selected purposively from six (6) departments with the mandate of each as a determining factor in relation to answering the research questions. The collected data were analysed thematically in accordance with research objectives. The main purpose of this study was to investigate records management practices related to the management of authentic digital accounting records generated and stored in GABS to support the audit process in Botswana's public sector. The study revealed that although there is a national legislative and policy framework in place, it has not been operationalised through guidelines and procedures to guide the management of digital records generated by the system. Furthermore, records retention and disposal through the system have not been catered for, resulting in the system being clogged by old records since it was commissioned in 2004. Amongst others, this study recommends the development and implementation of guidelines and procedures to guide the management of records produced by the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments in Africa are spending significant funds in their drive towards putting public business processes and services online. Although this drive has different names, such as electronic government (e-government), open government and open data, the motivation is hinged upon achieving overall efficiency and effectiveness in public services and is based on the notion of freedom of information. In Botswana's public services, diverse interventions are being put in place to facilitate business automation and electronic records management. The then-Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), now Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), has joined the drive by implementing the Document Workflow Management System (DWMS) as an e-records management system. This study probes the determinant factors influencing meaningful adoption and usage of the DWMS for effective records and information management within MITI. Multivariate analysis is employed to understand which factors have the highest variance in adoption and use of the DWMS. The study utilises the adapted Unified Theory of AccGovernments in Africa are spending significant funds in their drive towards putting public business processes and services online. Although this drive has different names, such as electronic government (e-government), open government and open data, the motivation is hinged upon achieving overall efficiency and effectiveness in public services and is based on the notion of freedom of information. In Botswana's public services, diverse interventions are being put in place to facilitate business automation and electronic records management. The then-Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), now Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), has joined the drive by implementing the Document Workflow Management System (DWMS) as an e-records management system. This study probes the determinant factors influencing meaningful adoption and usage of the DWMS for effective records and information management within MITI. Multivariate analysis is employed to understand which factors have the highest variance in adoption and use of the DWMS. The study utilises the adapted Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the conceptual framework in its design. Quantitative data was collected from a population of sixty-one officers, from which fifty-three (86.9%) responses were received and included in the analysis. Effort expectancy, behavioural intention, social influences and facilitating conditions were the key determinants for adoption and use accounting for 55% of variance. The study identifies to what degree each of the potent factors contribute to adoption and use of the DWMS at MITI. The major limitation of this study is that it was impossible to identify all the factors influencing behaviour intention, as human behaviour is difficult to measure. Other unidentified factors account for 45% of variance not accounted for by the predictor factors. This is an indication that there is a need for an in depth study, preferably a longitudinal study, that critically probes the factors of technology adoption in work processes by a large set of individuals in a developing world context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Public sector organisations in the developing world contexts have hugely invested in procuring information management systems such as the electronic document and records management system (EDRMS). The procurement and implementation of these systems come at a huge cost to taxpayers. Unfortunately, most of these systems remain white elephants due to reluctance by the anticipated users to adopt and use them in their information management endeavours. This study aims to understand Action Officers’ perceptions of, adoption and/or usage of the document workflow management system (DWMS) at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Botswana. The DWMS is one type of EDRMS. Design/methodology/approach – The survey uses a questionnaire distributed in Gaborone, Botswana to gather data on the perceptions of anticipated users of the DWMS. The study used a modified form of UTAUT as a theoretical lens to explore user’s perception on the adoption and use of DWMS at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Botswana. The population of the study was 68. A total of 53 (86.89 per cent) out of 61 users of DWMS were purposively sampled and responded to the questionnaire. The rest took part in interviews. Findings – Negative attitudes to computers, computer anxiety, the complexity of DWMS and its incompatibility to current working practices influences Action and Records Officers’ unwillingness to adopt and use the DWMS. Research limitations/implications – This study was limited to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)’s Department of Corporate Services, so its findings cannot be statistically generalized to the MTI as a whole. Another limitation relates to the secretive nature of staff in some government departments which lead them to provide partial information related to the study. Finally, the additional technology adoption factors discovered from interviews (i.e. computer anxiety, incompatibility of DWMS to current work practices, negative attitudes to system use and complexity of the system) have not been empirically tested to ascertain their validity. This provides an opportunity for a future study to empirically test the said additional factors. Practical implications – To mitigate the lower DWMS adoption and usage, robust change management and communication were identified as some of the critical factors that should be considered. The identified factors may be used in drafting a model to aid the implementation of DWMS in Botswana or in a contextually similar environment in the developing world. Originality/value – This study provides empirical evidence from an original study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National heritage is an important part of a country's identity. When a nation appreciates its heritage, it becomes more likely that this heritage will be sustained. In Africa, a lack of appreciation for national heritage is not uncommon (UNESCO 2006), and therefore various efforts are directed towards changing this trend. This paper argues in the affirmative that archives are described as evidence of history and these records, therefore, have the potential to contribute to promoting national heritage. Archives serve as documentary evidence of the individuals or governments that created them. As such, citizens have a right to review such records to learn more about their national heritage. This article seeks to examine the role of archives in promoting national heritage. The perception and experience of national archival institutions on this matter is explored in three Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA) member states, namely Tanzania, South Africa and Botswana. Documentary review and questionnaires were employed to identify, among other things, the types of archival materials preserved in the national archives of each country with regard to national heritage, the number and description of individuals or groups that normally visit such repositories and the categories of information that visitors frequently request. The findings indicate that the three archives, RAMD, NARS, and BNARS, have a good number of archives of national heritage value. However, the number of professionals and strategies to manage, preserve and promote them is inadequate. There is a need to think out of the box to determine different ways to reach out to people and to promote access to information on our national heritage. For instance, social networking is an approach that none of the archival institutions in this study use to promote their collections, despite more and more people in these countries having access to social networks through mobile technologies. The study suggests that, while digitising records has proved to be one solution to preserving archival heritage, it is important that archival institutions use such technological advancement by digitising archival documents and then uploading them to their websites for easy public access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]