Adoption and application of electronic records systems in higher learning institutions

Information and communication technology developments that continue to occur have changed the way records are managed. Due to these changes, higher learning institutions in developing countries are adopting different electronic records management systems to increase accountability and efficiency. However, despite the adoption of these systems, the majority of records retrieved in most of these institutions are paper-based. In other words, the e-records systems that have been adopted by these institutions are not effectively utilised to support e-records management, which is one of the things that have been noted by this study that sought to examine the adoption and application of electronic records systems in Tanzania's higher learning institutions. Specifically, the study has examined types of e-records systems and factors affecting the effective adoption and application of e-records systems. To achieve this, a descriptive research design was employed by integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Whereas quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Product Service Solution (SPSS), qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Generally, the study reveals that various e-records management systems are used by higher learning institutions in Tanzania for purposes that are generally similar across the institutions. Moreover, the findings suggest that e-records management systems are not effectively used to support records management due to various human, organizational, technological, and regulatory factors. Therefore, to realize an effective transformation of records management from being paper-based to being electronic-based, various concerted efforts are needed. More specifically, multi-actor efforts between institutional management and records management practitioners are the fulcrum needed for the effective application of e-records systems.