Browsing by Author "Ngulube, Patrick."

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Challenges of managing indigenous knowledge systems.
(Elsevier, 2011) Lwoga, Edda Tandi.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
This article provides a systematic analysis of the challenges of managing agricultural indigenous knowledge (IK), and accessing external knowledge in the rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on Tanzania. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect primary data from 181 smallscale farmers in the six districts of Tanzania. The findings indicated that farmers faced various challenges in managing their IK, and accessing external knowledge, which ranged from personal and social barriers, to factors in the external environment such as infrastructure, policy, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), and weak linkages between research, extension services and farmers. Farmers also faced challenges when using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to manage their knowledge, such as personal, socio-cultural, infrastructural, technical, and economic factors. It is thus important for the government to improve access to extension services, review the IPR system, enhance rural electrification, telecommunications and roads infrastructure. Further, the knowledge providers (i.e. agricultural extension officers, researchers, educators, libraries, non governmental organisations, civil society, and other agricultural actors) should nurture a knowledge sharing culture. Farmers need to be assisted and trained to document their knowledge, map communities’ IK bearers and innovators, use multiple formats (print and ICTs) with traditional communication channels (for instance, folklore and apprenticeships) specific to a local context to disseminate knowledge. Participatory approaches should be employed in knowledge production and dissemination in order to include farmers’ needs and expressing knowledge in the resulting technologies, practices and new knowledge. In this way linkages between indigenous and external knowledge would be enhanced for improved farming activities in the local communities.
Communities of practice in institutions of higher learning : a descriptive study of the humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Zululand.
(2007) Mngadi, Bongekile Pretty.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Knowledge is a key resource. It enables individuals and organisations to perform through social interactions. New knowledge is created and shared that gives an organisation the edge to succeed in a highly complex and demanding world. Higher education institutions need to value and nurture the knowledge of academic staff and support and encourage social interactions that exist. One way of doing this is through the utilization of communities of practice. Communities of practice may improve performance of an organization and encourage and facilitate learning, collaboration and knowledge sharing. The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which communities of practice are defined and utilised within higher education institutions to foster learning and facilitate the sharing of knowledge among academic staff, in order to advance the scholarship of teaching and research in the humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Zululand. The study intended to establish how communities of practice were understood, the nature of communities of practice and their formation, factors that support or inhibit the formation of communities of practice and the ways in which communities of practice can be cultivated and fostered within higher education institutions. Questionnaires, focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The study found that most academics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and University of Zululand were involved in communities of practice and had an understanding of communities of practice. The study also established that both institutions did not have a policy on communities of practice. The major problems facing the academics at UKZN and Unizul were that they had very heavy workloads, family responsibilities, lacked support from the institution, time constraints, the absence of policy on communities of practice and organizational culture (see Table 6).
Developing a model for a corporate records management system with special reference to sustainability reporting in Iringa region, Tanzania.
(2005) Mwani, Bukaza Loth Chachage.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
Development of a model for knowledge auditing in the Eastern Cape estuaries with special reference to the Tyolomnqa estuary.
(2003) Maponya, Pearl Mapeu.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Estuaries are irreplaceable natural resources that must be managed carefully for the mutual benefit of all who enjoy and depend on them. The estuarine environment is a very dynamic and complex environment, which poses threats and challenges to estuary managers and estuary users. As estuarine management is a very knowledge-intensive task, researchers in the Eastern Cape Estuaries Management Programme (ECEMP), estuary managers and estuary users have recently turned their attention to knowledge management as one of the important means of ensuring continued success and effective management of estuaries. However, knowledge management as an emerging field has been slow in formulating universally accepted methodologies for auditing, capturing, creating, acquiring, sharing and utilising knowledge. Existing methodologies do not adequately address, in particular, the knowledge audit requirements of non-traditional or non-constrained and non-formalised organisations. The purpose of this study was to develop a context-specific model for auditing knowledge in the Eastern Cape estuaries, with special reference to the Tyolomnqa Estuary. The study intended to identify the knowledge community, analyse existing knowledge and knowledge needs and gaps in the Tyolomnqa Estuary area. In order to achieve the objectives, the descriptive research design, employing the case study approach was used in the study. Focus groups and unstructured interviews were used to collect data. A literature review, concentrating on values and issues surrounding the management of estuaries and key issues in knowledge management and knowledge auditing, was carried out. The collected data was analysed according to themes such as knowledge sources, knowledge identification and knowledge needs and gaps. The study found that the communities of the Tyolomnqa Estuary lack knowledge concerning the management of estuaries. The study also established that the community has little knowledge on who to contact for expert advice in addressing estuarine issues. Furthermore, the study found that the community needed knowledge on how to address estuarine management issues and how that knowledge could be accessed. Based on the findings and the literature review, the study proposes a context-specific knowledge audit model for non-traditional organisations. The model is meant to assist non-traditional organisations to evaluate their knowledge health or status, and to develop a much better understanding of the know-how and how it can be used to effectively sustain their services. The model can be used to successfully implement knowledge management strategies in non-traditional organisations. The model needs to be tested for verification and validation purposes.
Information and communication technologies and sustainable livelihoods : a case of selected rural areas of Tanzania
(2008) Chilimo, Wanyenda Leonard.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have, in the recent past, attracted enormous attention as important tools for socio-economic development. However, the role of ICTs in fostering development and addressing the needs of the poor, especially in developing countries, has become the subject of a heated debate. This contestation is due to the high failure rate of the ICTs for development projects and a widening gap between the expectations of what ICTs can possibly do and the experiential reality of how these technologies are actually being used. More often than not ICTs have been regarded as a panacea or a „magic bullet‟ that will solve all development problems, with ill-conceived expectations of how they would be used. This study examined the relationship between ICTs and sustainable livelihoods in selected rural areas of Tanzania. The aim was to investigate how and for what purposes ICTs are used by people in the selected rural areas of Tanzania and to study the effect that ICTs have had on the various aspects of their livelihoods. A combination of the sustainable livelihoods framework and other ICTs for development models formed the theoretical foundation of the study. The investigation was carried out using ICT services provided by the telecentres and mobile phone services. The study was conducted in four rural districts in Tanzania which have telecentres. It used a multi-case study research design. A mixed paradigm methodology was adopted and the qualitative research was used as a dominant paradigm. Data was collected through structured interview protocols administered to 203 users and non-users of ICTs in communities surrounding the telecentres. Semi-structured interview protocols were administered to four managers of the telecentres. In addition, eight focus group discussions were conducted in communities surrounding the telecentres. An observation checklist was used to verify data obtained from managers, users and non-users of the telecentres. The study administered semi-structured interview protocols to officers from the ministry responsible for ICTs in Tanzania, that is the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MoID), The Tanzania Communication and Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and a national research institution (The Commission for Science and Technology- COSTECH). The findings of the study indicated that, contrary to the use of mobile phones, which was characterised by greater uniformity across socio-economic groups and gender, telecentre users in the researched areas were generally young. The majority were males with higher levels of education. It was found that telecentres management have failed to take into consideration the appalling conditions of the extremely poor and disadvantaged individuals in their provision of ICT services to the community. The study established that the urban rural digital divide still exists and is still a reality in the areas reviewed, despite some efforts that are under way to bring ICTs to those communities. Old ICTs such as radio and television are not universally available. It was observed that inadequate road infrastructure makes it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets outside the districts, even in cases where farmers are provided with information on the availability of those markets. Inadequate electricity supply hinders large-scale uptake of ICTs in rural areas. The findings show that telecentres managers were not aware of the information needs of the communities they serve and therefore they were not in a position to meet such information needs. Due to personnel‟s inadequate skills and capacity the Ministry of Infrastructure Development did not play its policy-making function effectively. This problem, coupled with delayed implementation of important policy objectives such as the universal access policy and even the national ICT policy itself, affects the development of the ICT sector in rural areas of Tanzania. The findings further show that while the necessary conditions for access exist in all the telecentres involved in the study, sufficient conditions for access are still lacking, especially with regard to skills, awareness and affordability. On the relationship between ICT and rural livelihoods the findings of the study show that while ICTs may not fully support and sustain socio-economic development in poor communities, the impact of these technologies extends to various aspects of the livelihoods of the rural people. Economically, these technologies lead to better earnings and savings. Socially, they help in community interaction and knowledge-sharing, better follow-up for remittances and creation of savings and credit co-operative societies. In relation to human capital, the technologies‟ implications extend to ICT literacy, improved farming techniques and better access to information on new cash crops. The use of ICTs in rural areas is still faced with many barriers. These range from affordability to language problems and the lack of basic infrastructure such as electricity. Language was particularly found to be a substantial barrier to effective use and application of ICTs. The study recommends that telecentre managers should re-design programmes with the aim of bringing the under-represented groups such as farmers back to the centre of their projects, rather than treating them as passive receivers of ICT services. On the issue of mobile phones, there is a need to develop services that are nuanced towards the real needs of the rural people and incorporate them into the mobile technology. The study recommends that universal access policies should involve old ICTs such as radio and television, or people in the rural areas, who have fewer resources, will eventually pay too much for basic communication services, as in the case of satellite television and radio. Capacity-building is important, not only in the regulatory authorities, but also in the ministries responsible for ICTs and other institutions involved with ICTs, so as to provide effective national ICT leadership. The study recommends that managers of telecentres learn about the different aspects of access, in order for them to go beyond the provision of physical access to ICTs. Continuous improvement and renewal of telecentre services is necessary to ensure survival of the telecentres. Collaboration of the telecentres and other organisations, such as academic institutions, is needed to create content both for the telecentres and the community radios. Telecentres and other information systems developed or adopted to serve the people must meet the needs of the people intended to be served. This can be done by regularly conducting information needs assessment.
Information and knowledge needs, access and use for small-scale farming in Tanzania.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2012) Lwoga, Edda Tandi.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
This article assesses information and knowledge needs, access and use for agricultural development in the rural areas of developing countries, with a specific focus on Tanzania. Data from focus groups and information mapping and linkage diagrams were used to triangulate with the interview data in order to bring together the strength of all data sets to validate, confirm and corroborate findings from various sources. The findings revealed that the information seeking patterns of farmers were location specific. The major sources of information for farmers were predominantly local. Most respondents indicated public extension as an important source of agricultural information. Private extension services, village meetings and farmer groups were significant sources of information in some regions. Printed information had low use. The role of information and communication technologies in providing access to agricultural knowledge and information, and the application of information and knowledge on farming systems in the rural areas of Tanzania are also presented. The article concludes with recommendations for improved access to agricultural knowledge and information in the rural areas of Tanzania.
Information needs and information-seeking behaviour of small-scale farmers in Tanzania.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal., 2010) Lwoga, Edda Tandi.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
This article provides a review of the information needs and information seeking patterns of the rural farmers in selected districts of Tanzania. Focus group data was triangulated with interview data in order to validate, confirm and corroborate quantitative results with qualitative findings. The findings revealed that the information needs and information seeking patterns of farmers were location and gender specific to a certain extent. Farmers relied on interpersonal and face to face communication more than explicit sources of information. Constraints on information access included internal (personal) and external barriers (unavailability of the extension officers, distant locations for consultations with public extension officers, poor responses to information requests from the government and village leaders, lack of awareness of the available information sources, inability of some experts to solve problems, and poor knowledge sharing culture). It is thus important for the government to improve access to extension services, and equip them with necessary skills and adequate information resources. Further, the public and extension services, researchers, educators, information services and other agricultural actors should conduct regular studies on information needs, map communities’ knowledge and information sources, create awareness of information sources, and knowledge culture, and use multiple sources of information (such as print and ICTs) to deliver relevant information in the communities in order to meet the disparate farmers’ needs.
Information seeking patterns and telecentre operations: a case of selected rural communities in Tanzania.
(Elsevier, 2011) Chilimo, Wanyenda Leonard.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
Information needs assessment is critical in developing and running relevant information services. This article explores the information needs and information- seeking patterns of the people living in communities surrounding telecentres. The research was based in four rural districts in Tanzania which have telecentres. These were Sengerema, Magu, Karagwe and Ngara districts. The research was done utilising the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to determine how people or communities seek information concerning problem-solving, decision-making or question- answering situations. CIT was also used to determine the extent to which ICTs were used in seeking information. It was found that business and agricultural related information were the main information needs of the people in the communities involved in this study, however this information was rarely provided by the telecentres. The study further found out that face-to-face communication and the radio were the major sources of information that the respondents used. This study recommends that management of the telecentres should regularly assess user information needs in order for telecentres to have an impact on rural communities.
An investigation into the effect of the world wide web on the citation behaviour of Master of Information Studies students at the University of Natal during the period 1996-2002.
(2004) Thompson, Elizabeth Conceicao Garcia.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Described as accommodating both traditional and new information spaces (Fourie 2002: 53), the Web has significantly changed the milieu of research and study. The study determined how this changing research and study environment has affected the research behaviour of students in African higher education environments, specifically at the research entry level of master's degree programmes. The study examined both explicit examples of the affect of the Web on students' citation behaviour and tacit influences that may have determined the extent of this affect. Explicit examples of the affect of the Web were drawn from analysing changes in the citation patterns of Master of Information Studies (MIS) theses during a period of access to the Web, and specifically in the years 1996, 1999 and 2002. Tacit influences on students' citation behaviour were inferred from an investigation of the level and nature of MIS supervisors' use and support of the Web for research and of a background study of the facilities, resources and services supporting student access to the Web at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Findings of this study concluded that the use of the Web medium has grown and in 2002 accounted for 17.5% of all citations included in MIS bibliographies. However use of this medium is disparate with a few bibliographies accounting for much of this growth. Findings indicated that the Web medium was mostly utilised for the delivery of sources that do not meet the traditional description of a scholarly source. The study also found that the Web was used as an alternative medium for the delivery of informal and grey literature sources without necessarily increasing the level of use of these sources. The study revealed greater support for this medium from the masters programme's supervisors than was evidenced from a citation analysis of the bibliographies of theses. Disparities in the support of this medium for research, within the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg's supporting infrastructure was also observed. Recommendations drawn from these conclusions include the need for greater intervention from teaching faculty, librarians and the institution in the provision of clear guidelines of expectations, relevant instruction and sufficient physical access at points of expertise, to effectively support the use of Web resources.
An investigation into the management of electronic records in the public sector in Lesotho.
(2004) Sejane, Lefuma.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Government computers are generating enormous volumes of e-records such as e-mails, word processed documents and databases. The immediate challenge of the public sector is therefore to preserve these digital records and make them accessible to future generations. The present study was conducted to investigate the management of e-records in the public sector in Lesotho. The objectives of the study guided the researcher to find out what IT infrastructure and resources existed. The study looked at which records were currently being created and strategies and policies used in managing those records. The archival legislation was reviewed to assess how it affected e-records. An e-records model suitable for managing e-records in Lesotho was suggested. The study adopted the descriptive research by utilizing the case study approach. Interview schedules were employed for data gathering, together with observations. The literature review guided the content of the interview schedule. Data was analyzed according to the objectives of the study. The overall findings revealed that the public sector in Lesotho was not managing its e-records satisfactorily. The public sector did not have legislation that specifically dealt with managing e-records, there were no written policies, strategies and guidelines were non-existent. The study also revealed that there were no qualified personnel with expertise and skills in the management of e-records in the public sector. The study's conclusions and recommendations were that the public sector be allocated more resources and IT infrastructure. Staff should be trained, policies should be formulated, legislation should be amended to accommodate e-records and, lastly, the study recommended that the public sector in Lesotho should adopt the South African e-records management model.
An investigation into the use of the Internet by students at St. Joseph's Theological Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2006) Shezi, Mhlukanisi Simon.; Leach, Athol Brian.; Ngulube, Patrick.
The discussion of introducing the Internet at St. Joseph's Theological Institute in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa took place in 2002 and access to the Internet was introduced in 2003 via 70 computers which were housed in the library. Given that the Internet has emerged as an important learning tool at the tertiary level, the aim of the study was to investigate the use of the Internet by the students at St. Joseph's. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: to find out which students were using the Internet, to find out what students were using the Internet for, to find how often students used the Internet and when they used it, to find out the problems experienced by those students who used the Internet, to find out why certain students do not use the Internet, and lastly the study aimed to make recommendations concerning the use of the Internet by students. The survey research method was used and the data was collected through a self administered questionnaire. No sampling was done as the entire population of 188 students was surveyed. Sixty five students responded - a response rate of 34.6 %. Findings revealed that of the 65 students who completed the questionnaires 34 (52.3%) had used the Internet and 31 (47.6%) had not. Out of the 24 respondents who gave reasons for not having used the Internet, the majority 17 (70.8%) of respondents said that they had not received formal training and did not know how to use the Internet. The major problems facing the Internet users at St. Joseph 's were the shortage of computers mentioned by 13 (38.2%) respondents and computers being slow as indicated by 13 (38.2%) respondents. Six (17.6%) respondents also pointed to not having enough training in the use of Internet facilities. Recommendations concerning Internet use at the Institute were made and suggestions for further research put forward.
Knowledge sharing and distribution in an open system : a case study of the Eastern Cape Estuaries Management Programme.
(2003) Mosia, Lucky Nomusa.; Kaniki, Andrew M.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Knowledge management is largely a social process. It is more about the community‘s understanding, skills and values in relation to their practices than technology. Knowledge is generated and shared through social interaction of people. Exploring the community‘s acts of communication and interaction can help to understand the knowledge they have as well as the knowledge gaps that are apparent. It can also aid in discovering ways in which their practices are shaped and constrained by the knowledge they have. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal means of knowledge sharing and knowledge distribution in an open system using the Eastern Cape Tyolomnqa Estuary as a case study. Different scholars stated in their different works that sharing knowledge is problematic in most organizations, whether they are formal or informal organizations. There are several reasons that have been identified as to why people do not want to share their knowledge. To achieve the objectives of this study, both secondary and primary sources of data were used. This included literature from various sources, such as books, journal articles and information from the Internet that has been reviewed and analyzed. Interviews and focus groups were used to collect data. Interviews were conducted with 16 people who were purposively selected from the Buffalo City Council, Tyolomnqa Conservancy, Tyolomnqa Estates, Tyolomnqa Forum, and Phozi, Ncera, Sandile and Xhama communities. The key informants were people with management positions, and community leaders. The interviews were unstructured. After collecting data by means of face-to-face interviews focus groups, workshops were convened with the Tyolomnqa Forum, and Phozi, Ncera, Sandile and Xhama communities. The self-administered questionnaire was additionally used as a data collection technique for researchers. Data were analyzed through content analysis and the use of SPSS, and presented in the form of tables and figures. It was identified that their knowledge sharing was fragmented and there was no formal organisational structure to bring communities along the Tyolomnqa Estuary to work together as one would do in bureaucratic organizations like companies. The Tyolomnqa Estuary Forum, which has vested interests in estuary management, could be used as model to provide the organisational infrastructure to facilitate the acquisition and sharing of knowledge on the management of estuaries. It is envisaged that such forums can be a viable mechanism of facilitating the harnessing and sharing of knowledge on the sustainable use of estuaries at the local level.
The management of audiovisual materials in the member states of the East and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA).
(2008) Abankwah, Ruth M.; Ngulube, Patrick.
This research investigated the management of audiovisual materials (AV) in the East and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA). The study employed questionnaires, interviews and observation to gather data from a population of fourteen national archives. The response rate from the questionnaires was 64.28%. The observations and interviews were carried out from a sample of three national archives and four national media organisations, as explained in Chapter Three. The study confirmed previous studies that attributed continued dissipation of AV materials to various factors such as climatic and environmental conditions, shortage or lack of skilled AV archivists and lack of a standard legal framework in the ESARBICA region. Most national archives did not cover audiovisual archives in their legislation. The study discovered that most of the national archives did not apply the following policies to AV materials: appraisal, acquisition, access, preservation, retention, digitisation and disposal. The study revealed that most of the national archives had a collaborative relationship with national media organisations, where the latter were required to deposit copies of AV materials in the national archives. However, some national archives relegated the responsibility of managing AV materials to media organisations. Poor infrastructure hindered effective management of AV materials. Most of the national archives did not have equipment to monitor environmental conditions. This could have contributed to the vinegar syndrome in some of the national archives. Poor structural placement of some of the national archives resulted in inadequate allocation of funds to the national archives. This invariably impacted on the way national archives preserved AV materials. The researcher discovered that there were very few training opportunities in AV archiving in the region. The few trained staff had intermediate skills obtained from conferences, seminars and workshops. Most importantly, the study revealed that most of the national archival institutions in the region were not applying the records life-cycle model (or any other model) to the management of AV materials. The major recommendations were a change in the structural placement of the national archives, where the directors of the archives would report to an influential ministry in the government service. Such a position would accord the national archives more recognition and thus more financial resources may be availed to the national archives to enable them manage the nation's heritage more effectively. An Integrated Records Management (IRM) model was recommended. The application of the IRM model requires a paradigm shift from the traditional image of archivists as mere custodians of archives to active participants in the decisions that affect the management of all formats of records, from the creators' organisations or departments before such records (including AV materials) are transferred to the national archives for long-term preservation.
The microfilm of the new millennium: the digitization of the liberation struggle archives heritage in east and southern Africa
(University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011-06) Garaba, Francis.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
New information and communication technologies have greatly affected archival institutions. It is therefore not surprising that the world of archival management has presently been confronted with many challenges as new technologies transform the archival landscape. Digital technologies are challenging custodians' abilities to preserve our archival heritage. This article provides an overview of digitization initiatives drawing, in the main, on a survey carried out in archival institutions within the east and southern African region. Modern technology has had a profound impact on how information is stored and accessed. A study carried out between 2006 and 2009 in heritage institutions, both private and public, with liberation struggle archives, within the Sub-Saharan region, revealed that digitization was the most widely used preservation strategy in the surveyed archival institutions. Resources permitting, archival institutions should adopt digitization for their liberation struggle heritage as a reformatting strategy in order to counter the problem posed by deteriorating media. The methodologies employed for data gathering included a survey, observation and structured interviews. This article provides the reader with the findings of the research and the opinions of the researchers. However, this paper does not contend or claim to be exhaustive of all issues pertaining to digitization
Preservation and access to public records and archives in South Africa.
(2003) Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
Abstract available in pdf file.
Records management practices and public service delivery in Kenya.
(2007) Kemoni, Henry N.; Stilwell, Christine.; Ngulube, Patrick.
Abstract not available.
Research capacity needs of academic staff in the humanities at the University of Zululand.
(2007) Moyane, Smangele Pretty.; Ngulube, Patrick.
The advancement of knowledge through research has long been a major objective of higher education institutions. Most higher education institutions in South Africa strive for being 'excellent' in research. However, the 21st century has brought some challenges to institutions of higher education in South Africa. Among the challenges encountered include the increasing pressure on academic staff to either 'publish or perish', obtain funding and a rating from the National Research Foundation and the need to be promoted. Addressing these challenges calls for institutions of higher learning to reappraise their research and development strategies and create an environment in which research of all kinds can flourish. Building capacity in research is crucial, in that it reinforces the institution's ability to improve its overall impact on research. The present study was conducted to establish the research capacity needs of academic staff in the humanities at the University of Zululand. The study intended to identify research capacity strategies and policies in p lace at the University of Zululand, determine the level of research support available for academic staff, establish the level of research competencies and skills of academic staff, examine factors influencing research productivity and recommend possible solutions that could lead to the improvement of the research environment at the University of Zululand. Due to the nature of the problem investigated, the study used a descriptive survey research design, as well as a knowledge audit process to gain an understanding of research capacity needs of academic staff in the humanities at the University of Zululand. Self-administered questionnaires, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. The collected data was analysed using the computer program SPSS and content analysis. The overall findings revealed that research support provided to academic staff was not adequate and that correlated with the relatively low research productivity in the humanities at the University of Zululand. The study also revealed that grants for research, v access and publication, research networking, sufficient work time, teaching loads, motivation and rewards were cited as the major factors that inhibited research productivity. The study found that the university did not have formal research policy and strategies in place. It was also found that the university did not have a formal research office or centre. Based on the findings, the study recommended that academic staff should insist that the institution ensures that policies on research are established and written in black and white. The study recommended that the institution should develop a research rapport with academic staff and provide more research support for academic s taff, if the university desires to be excellent in research. This would include the development of the research centre/office that would support academics . The study further recommended a similar study, but extended on a larger scale, to include more universities and make comparative analysis of research needs of academic staff.
The significance of records management to fostering accountability in the public service reform programme of Tanzania.
(2010) Ndenje-Sichalwe, Esther.; Ngulube, Patrick.; Stilwell, Christine.
This study investigated the extent to which records management practices fostered accountability in the Public Service Reform Programme (PSRP) in some government ministries in Tanzania. The effective implementation of the PSRP depends largely on many factors, the most important of which is the proper and well organized methods of managing public records. It is essential for government ministries to ensure that records are properly managed at every stage of the records life cycle, so that the information they contain can provide evidence of transactions and the efficient and effective provision of service to the public. The records life cycle model through its phases formed the theoretical foundation of the study. A mixed methods research approach was adopted and quantitative approach was used as a dominant paradigm. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered simultaneously during a single phase of data collection. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered to registry personnel from the government ministries, interviews with senior ministerial officials, National Archives personnel from the Records and Archives Management Department (RAMD) and staff from Tanzania Public Service College. The overall response rate from the questionnaire was 67%. An observation checklist was further used to verify data obtained from the questionnaire and interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS statistical package version 15.0 and the results of the study are presented in the form of figures, tables and text, while qualitative data from interviews was content analyzed and in some instances presented in tabular form. The findings of the study indicated that records in some government ministries in Tanzania were not properly managed to foster accountability in the implementation of the PSRP. The study established that although the introduction of the PSRP has resulted in some efforts in reforming records management practices in the government ministries, current records management in the government ministries was still weak, thus fostering accountability in the PSRP would be difficult. The findings of the study revealed a lack of registry mission statements, records management policy and dedicated budgets for v registry sections. The majority of government registries in Tanzania lacked records retention schedules and systematic disposal of records resulting in heavy congestion of records and poor retrieval of information. Further, disaster preparedness and security control for records and archives did not form a significant part of the records management activities in the government ministries of Tanzania. On the extent of the use of computer applications in the management of records, the findings indicated the existence of computers in some registries but few computers were used to create records. National Archives and registry personnel faced challenges in the management of electronic records. The study established that National Archives personnel had not undertaken surveys to determine the number of electronic records created in the ministries. The findings of the study showed that although registry personnel received professional records management advice from the National Archives personnel, they did not implement the advice. The findings of the study revealed that the levels of skills and training of registry personnel was relatively low. The majority of registry personnel had not attended courses to update their knowledge and skills. To foster accountability in the public sector, the major recommendation of the study was the restructuring of records management systems. The restructuring should include enacting records management policies in order to accommodate the changes brought about by technology to enhance the proper management of records and effective implementation of the PSRP. The study recommends that government ministries should allocate dedicated budgets for registries. A budget should make provision for registry supplies and equipment and should ensure that registry personnel are provided with formal training in records management so as to develop their levels of skills and training. In order to ensure reliability, integrity, authenticity and long-term preservation of electronic records in support of the requirements of good government and fostering accountability, the study recommended for the integrated approach to records management to be considered in order to incorporate records in both paper and electronic formats. Further, the National Archives should undertake a survey at least annually, to determine the number of electronic records created in the government vi ministries. It is recommended that the government should update Records and Archives Management Act No.3 of 2002 to reflect the management of electronic records. National Archives should develop records retention and disposition schedules and records should be disposed of regularly in order to create more space for the current records, thus enhancing accountability in the implementation of the PSRP. The study recommends that professional records management advice should be provided on a regular and continuing basis. The National Archives should work closely with the President’s Office-Public Service Management to organize training for senior ministerial officials in order to create awareness regarding the importance of managing records as a strategic resource and its effectiveness in fostering accountability in the implementation of the public service reform programme. The setting up of standards and guidelines on the training of registry personnel is also necessary in order to enhance their status and skills. Enhancing their status and skills would be important for the proper management of records throughout their life cycle to foster accountability in the effective implementation of the PSRP. The study further recommended several issues which could be the subject of further investigation by other researchers in the field, including investigating the current records management practices in Judiciary, Parliament and local government authorities in Tanzania, a study to establish the levels of e-records readiness and e-government in the public sector in Tanzania, and a study to investigate the training of National Archives personnel in order to establish their levels of education and how they impact on the management of records in the government ministries. Furthermore, a study should be conducted to establish the role of records management in addressing corruption, fraud and maladministration in the public sector of Tanzania. A study to assess records management performance in the public sector using international standards such as ISO 15489 Information and Documentation-Records Management, General International Standard Archival Description (ISAD(G)), ISO/DIS 11799 Document Storage Requirements for Archive and Library Materials and ISO 11108: 1996 Information and Documentation-Paper for Archival Documents, is also important.
Staff attitudes to access and outreach in KwaZulu-Natal Archives.
(2002) Koopman, Jewel Margaret.; Ngulube, Patrick.
The purpose of this study was to investigate staff attitudes to access and outreach in the three provincial and two of the university-based private archives of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. The position with regard to physical, legal and bibliographic access, including reference services and user education, was explored through visiting the five archives and discussing the situation with archives staff, using the "Checklist for a visit to an archives repository" as the first survey instrument. A survey was then conducted among the 45 staff members, using the second survey instrument: "Survey of archives in KwaZulu-Natal: staff questionnaire", in order to find out if archives inKZN hold outreach activities to publicise themselves and promote their use, and if so, which activities are held, and what attitudes staff hold with regard to these activities. To provide the necessary background information, a literature review was done. The archival situation was looked at from all aspects, starting with a brief overview ofthe history, development and usage ofarchives in the Western World, Africa and South Africa and focussing on the current policy and situation in KZN. Background information was also given on the issues of reference services, public programming and outreach in archives generally and in South Africa in particular. The results of the checklist and questionnaire were then analysed, and revealed difficulties with physical and bibliographic or intellectual access, a lack of user education, and deficiencies in staff qualifications and training. It was found that four out of five archives had held outreach activities, and that there was a growing awareness ofthe need to publicise archives. Activities preferred by staff and user differed from archive to archive. Staff needed to be aware ofwhich type of activity would appeal to each different sector ofthe public. Staff attitudes varied on such topics as best ways ofencouraging users into the archives, factors causing archives not to encourage new users, and factors causing lack of interest of potential users. It was found that there was a dearth of public relations training both in degrees and diplomas, and of in-service training. Recommendations were then made for, among others, improvements to premises, reading room service and user education; upgrading of archives qualifications; provision of in-service training and outreach workshops, based on the findings of the study.
Third-year students' perceptions of the library services at the Butterworth campus of the Eastern cape technikon, south Africa.
(2005) Mgqalelo, Nomonde.; Bell, Fiona Ruth.; Ngulube, Patrick.
The purpose of the study was to investigate third-year students' perceptions of library services at the Butterworth campus of the Eastern Cape Technikon (ECT) in South Africa. The study was conducted with full-time and part-time third-year students in all the three faculties, namely the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Business Sciences and the Faculty of Applied Technology. The methodology included a review of related literature and the data collection involved a descriptive survey using self-administered questionnaires. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select respondents from all three faculties. Out of the 274 questionnaires distributed, 220 were returned, resulting in a response rate of 80%. The questionnaires focused on the library resources and services available to third-year students of the ECT, ranging from the extent of awareness and usage to the level of satisfaction with various library resources and services. The data collected was analysed by means of SPSS®. A coding list was developed from the variables in the study and the results were interpreted in relation to these variables. The findings of the study revealed that third-year students were aware of the resources and services available in the ECT library. However, the study also revealed that the resources and services are not fully utilized by the ECT students whom they are supposed to serve. There were a variety of problems perceived by the students which emerged from the results of the study. These were: the lack of space in the library, the shortage of computers, out-dated library books, the attitude of librarians, library opening hours, long queues, lack of individual user instruction, level of noise, the need for a study room, the need for training of library staff, lack of photocopiers and difficult access to the electronic room. Many respondents found the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) to be inadequate, in the sense that it did not give a true reflection of all the books on the shelves in the ECT library. However, the majority of them were generally satisfied. Recommendations for possible future library services were made in the light of this discussion. Suggestions for future research form part of the conclusion of this study.