Hrm Topics

Research Topics for a Master's Degree in Business Administration

The procedure of completing a master's degree in business administration usually involves two or three years of study. The degree requirements typically include completion of the assigned coursework and submission of a research project at the end of the last year. It is important to choose a research topic that examines business administration techniques and issues related to your field of specialization. There are a few fields from which to choose when starting an MBA, including marketing, finance and human resources.

Internet Marketing

Internet marketing or digital marketing is an excellent research topic for those who are majoring in a marketing field. It's also referred to as e-marketing, and deals with the promotion and advertising of products or services over the Internet. A research project on this topic can encompass detailed research on modern uses of Internet marketing, e-marketing as a business, advantages and limitations of digital marketing, security concerns and its effects on different industries.

Cash Management

Cash management strategy deals with the control of cash collections and how companies oversee and invest this cash. This topic for research is perfectly suitable for students studying finance as an MBA major. You can outline your research topic around basics of cash management, cash managers, positive and negative cash flow, managing cash shortages, developing a cash management strategy for companies and why it's important.

Succession Planning and Management Succession planning and management falls under the human resources MBA segment.

Succession planning and management in companies deals with making provisions for the replacement and planned advancement of people with leadership qualities. The research project on succession planning and management can revolve around the basics upon which companies base succession strategies, or the requirements, practices and importance of succession planning.

Inventory Control Management

Inventory control management process is concerned with reducing the total cost of inventory by managing and detecting materials. You can write your research topic on inventory control management focusing on inventory control strategy developments, techniques of inventory control, main factors involved in the inventory control decision-making process and its implementation in companies. This research topic falls in the category of finance management studies as part of an MBA degree program.

Choosing a Research TopicBy Richard M. Reis

"It is really important to do the right research as well as to do the research right. You need to do 'wow' research, research that is compelling, not just interesting."

George Springer, chairman of the aeronautics and astronautics department at Stanford University

Of all the decisions you'll make as an emerging scientist, none is more important than identifying the

right research area, and in particular, the right research topic. Your career success will be determined by those two choices.

The research you do as a graduate student will set the stage for your research as a postdoc and as a professor. While it is unlikely that your later research will be a straightforward extension of your dissertation, it is also unlikely that it will be completely outside your field. Stories to the contrary are the exception, not the rule. The knowledge, expertise, and skills that you gain early on will form the foundation for your later investigations. Choosing the right topic as a graduate student will help you insure that your research will be viable in the future. The right topic will be interesting to you, complex, and compelling.

According to Cliff Davidson and Susan Ambrose of Carnegie Mellon University, "The most successful research topics are narrowly focused and carefully defined, but are important parts of a broad-ranging, complex problem."

Finding the ideal research problem does not mean simply selecting a topic from possibilities presented by your adviser or having such a topic assigned to you, attractive as this may first appear. It means going through the process of discovering and then developing a topic with all the initial anxiety and uncertainty such a choice entails. This is how you develop your capacity for independent thought.

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a research area. Some of them have to do with your particular interests, capabilities, and motivations. Others center on areas that will be of greatest interest to both the academic and private sectors.

The chemistry professor and author, Robert Smith, in his book Graduate Research: A Guide for Students in the Sciences (ISI Press, 1984), lists 11 points to consider in finding and developing a research topic:

1. Can it be enthusiastically pursued? 2. Can interest be sustained by it? 3. Is the problem solvable? 4. Is it worth doing? 5. Will it lead to other research problems? 6. Is it manageable in size? 7. What is the potential for making an original contribution to the literature in the field? 8. If the problem is solved, will the results be reviewed well by scholars in your field? 9. Are you, or will you become, competent to solve it? 10. By solving it, will you have demonstrated independent skills in your discipline? 11. Will the necessary research prepare you in an area of demand or promise for the future?

Let's take a closer look at Mr. Smith's list. Clearly it is important to pick a problem you are enthusiastic about (1), and one that will interest you over the long haul (2). Much research is just that, re-search. At times it will be mundane, and it will surely be frustrating. Experiments won't go right; equipment will fail; data from other sources won't arrive on time (or at all); researchers who pledged their assistance won't come through as expected, while others will do work that competes with your research. During these times you'll need courage and fortitude.

Picking a problem that you can solve in a reasonable period of time (3), that will lead to further research (5), and that is manageable in size (6) is a particular challenge for most graduate students and postdocs. Doctoral students tend to take on more than is necessary to achieve what ought to be their goal: completing a dissertation or obtaining another publication or two. That's why it is essential to have the right supervisor. It's his or her job to help you determine how to make your dissertation original and publishable, yet also manageable. (More on choosing the right adviser in my next column.)

There will be plenty of time for further work after you complete the Ph.D.

Whether or not a problem is worth solving (4), will make an original contribution to the literature in your field (7), and if solved, will have results that will garner the attention of scholars in your discipline (8), is at the heart of what is meant by choosing compelling topics leading to a meaningful "stream of ideas."

One way to tell if a subject is compelling is to note how many people attend seminars or symposia on different research topics. In some cases, attendance may be up for big-name speakers, but often it is because the work presented is of broad interest. These seminars can give you clues to possible research directions and topics. Of course, going into an area where there are too many other researchers has its drawbacks, but beware of going to the opposite extreme. You don't want to be the only researcher in an area that has little chance of drawing interest or support.

Your capacity to tackle the problem (9) will depend somewhat on your innate abilities. However, to solve the problem you'll also need to develop basic knowledge and technical understanding, computer skills, and experimental expertise. To acquire such skills you'll need direct access or Web access to courses and seminars, library materials, independent-study opportunities, and most importantly, other students, postdocs, faculty members, and even industrial scientists and engineers.

To develop independent skills in your discipline (10), start by defining and developing a problem that is sufficiently robust. You'll then need to acquire a fundamental understanding of certain phenomena or behaviors and experimental techniques in order to solve the problem. However, as Peter Feibelman, author of the popular book A Ph.D. is Not Enough (Addison-Wesley, 1993), says: "It is important that your focus be on problems and not on techniques or specialized tools. The latter come and go and as a researcher you want to be able to shift your approaches as needed to solve the more fundamental problems."

Choosing a research area that will be in future demand (11) can be tricky. Some fields, such as semiconductor physics and fiber optics, may have been compelling for some time, but are now approaching maturity and shifting focus and are likely to be less promising in the future.

Other areas, such as telecommunications and biotechnology, are quite popular. However, their very popularity may have oversaturated the fields. In such cases, large numbers of investigators often compete for limited financial and experimental resources.

Some fields drive the technology for other fields, and therefore may be in a better position to thrive as specific applications shift. You need to look at emerging fields and see if your work can affect these areas in some specific way. For example, work on amorphous silicon may apply to the emerging field of flat-panel displays, which, in turn, is part of an even broader field of low-power portable communications systems.

Finally, you need to pay attention to the broader implications of your work and to the possible appeal such work has to both academia and industry. As Smith notes:

"Interdisciplinary research is no substitute for good disciplinary training during the greater part of a graduate career. It is advisable, however, to seek exposure to interdisciplinary activities in graduate as well as postdoctoral training since most researchers engage in interdisciplinary research during their professional careers."

Once you've found the ideal research topic, your next challenge will be choosing the right research adviser. I will discuss a strategy for doing just that in my next column.

Richard M. Reis is director for academic partnerships at the Stanford University Learning Laboratory, and author of Tomorrow's Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering,

available from IEEE Press or the booksellers below. He is also the moderator of the biweekly Tomorrow's Professor Listserve, which anyone can subscribe to by sending the message [subscribe tomorrows-professor] to [email protected] Have a question or a suggestion for Richard Reis? Please send comments to [email protected]

Competitive analysis of Behavioral training in service and manufacturing industriesattrition rates in

f you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this article, we would be more than happy to provide you with more information. Our expert writers can produce dissertations to a 1st and 2:1 standard that are tailor-made to match your requirements and we have a dedicated customer support team who are on hand until 11pm Monday – Friday and 10am – 6pm Saturday and Sunday. Our professional writers will produce a quality and original piece of work that would be a praiseworthy finale to anyone's academic career.

We are also offering a unique Dissertation Topic and Outline service, for only £59.99 we'll be providing students with complete custom-made Dissertation Outlines, which will be helpful in formulating their dissertation topic, objectives, literature review and methodology. The Dissertation Outline is an ideal tool for any student struggling to start their dissertation or proposal.

For queries, please see our dedicated Custom Dissertation writing section, or to order your custom-written dissertation please click here.

1.0 IntroductionA dissertation on Human Resources Management (HRM) can encompass a wide range of topics, therefore it is vital to start wide and then focus in on a specific subject area. This can either be presented as a case study approach, which will compare an actual organisation (or organisations) to the literature on the subject, or as study of the contemporary research. The case study approach adds depth to the paper, introducing real life scenarios and how organisations identify and react to them. The following are only suggestions of topics within the Human Resources (HR) umbrella and can be adapted to meet individual needs and preferences for a Human Resources Management (HRM) dissertation.

2.0 HR TheoryThere are fundamental differences in the approach to Human Resources (HR), for example the 'hard' and `soft' versions of Human Resources Management (HRM). The 'hard' version places little emphasis on workers' concerns and, therefore, within its concept, any judgments of the effectiveness of Human Resources Management would be based on business performance criteria only. In contrast, 'soft' Human Resources Management, while also having business performance as its primary concern, would be more likely to advocate a parallel concern for workers' outcomes. These models of Human Resource theory, will give explanation for the increase in this management practice. It has been defined as "mutual goals, mutual influence, mutual respect, mutual rewards and mutual responsibility". The 'psychological contract' under this unitarist, high commitment model is one of mutuality, but it is a mutuality strictly bounded by the need to operate within an essentially unitary framework. The following are some suggestions within the area of Human Resources (HR) Theory that you could base your human resources management dissertation on.

Comparison of models HR in practice, a modern study

Can HR provide all the answers to people issues The dark side of HR Trade unions' place in the organisation HR behind closed doors Can line a manager execute HR policies, or does it dilute the practice? HR as a shared service HR and control practices Taylorism versus HR

3.0 Challenging HR "The Workers Verdict"This was a very compelling and powerful article published in 1999 by D Guest in the Human Resources Management journal. A good dissertation topic would be to re-visit this article and then compare this to employee's current opinion of the intervention. This article claimed Human Resources was another management tool to control the workforce, and in the wrong hands would bring back control and command management practices. It questioned the ability of management to acquire the soft skills needed to implement Human Resources in its purist form. This article is one of the most damming written on the HR practice, therefore a good paper could either conclude after nearly ten years of practice since, practitioners are delivering value for all or the workers verdict of the practice is still negative.

With all the sections there are numerous areas that can be reviewed. I have discussed one area and then added suggestions on how to focus the research. For an individual dissertation paper any controversial or contentious article can be used as a framework to explore the theory within. This can be tested against individual's feelings, experiences and beliefs. Challenging HR is a subject close to many workers hearts and would make for a compelling human resources management dissertation.

Theory in action (an example and study of the theory in practice). Is the Human Resource valued? Can the HR function always drive change? Outsourcing (can the gate keeper of culture be outsourced?) Outsourcing, what do we do now? Who pushed who out (a decline of the unions with the increase in HR practices). Employee bargaining power. Does HR work? Managing the HR function.

4.0 Training and DevelopmentRecognition of the importance of Human Resources has increased in recent years; this is a result of competition from overseas economies. In countries, for example Japan, Germany and Sweden, investment in employee development is higher than the UK. This has led to some organisations reviewing their policies on training, introducing continuous investment in their employees.

The latest recession's impact on business is the credit crunch and whether this will have an impact on training and development. It is well discussed within literature that the "training budget is first budget cut during hard times", although theorist do not believe in general that this is the best action for the Human Resources department, and the long term benefits of training outweigh the short term monetary savings. With the credit crunch a year old, an organisation, for example in financial services, could be studied to see the effect on their training budget. To add context two organisations could be compared, with a small section on their financial performance to test the statement above. Below are some suggestions as to how to narrow your human resources management dissertation on training and development down to a specific topic.

How do organisations survive economic crisis (from the training and development perspective)? Does training and development really impact on the bottom line? What skills are needed for today's turbulent climate? Who trains the trainers? Is training a Panacea? Soft skills, who needs them? Training on a budget. Where now, post disaster survival? Soft versus hard skills. Can poor selection processes be remedied through training and development?

5.0 HR as the last competitive advantage This could be based on simply "If you snooze you lose". This is a strange statement for Human Resources, but there is so much written in contemporary literature that preaches that Human Resource is the final competitive edge for organisations; therefore those that have not introduced this practice are at a disadvantage. This paper could compare two organisations, for example one operating a best practice HR policy and the other with little or no HR policies. This would identify what added value there is in best practice Human Resources, and if this adds the same value to all organisations. The organisations for the study would need to be in similar markets and employ the same number of employees.

Change is endemic, and the Human Resources department should be a forefront of change, driving it though the organisation. Suggested topics within this area for your human resources management dissertation could include:

If you snooze you lose. Keeping up with change, how do organisations cope with change? HR replaced personnel, what can replace HR? Value, how do you assess the HR value? Why bother, I will catch the next fad. A study on an organisation to advise them of their options. A study of change in an organisation. Change for change sake (is new always best?). Benefits of HR.

6.0 Performance ManagementReward systems that are implemented under the umbrella of Human Resources are frequently a tool used to raise commitment, competence and equivalence, and these instruments are extremely cost effective when executed correctly. Today the individualism of contract gives employees more control on their reward. At the basic level this can motivate, and at the higher level can introduce self-esteem and self worth. Performance reward or incentive pay is a tool that can be used to set targets and then reward when theses targets are met. Performance management consists of a cycle, consisting of five parts (1) setting of performance objectives (2) measuring the outcomes (3) feedback of results (4) reward linked to the outcomes and (5) amendments to objectives and activities. There are many companies that use performance management strategies, and use them in different ways, giving you different topics to research and companies to compare and contrast. Some ideas are listed below.

Is performance management effective? Can skills be increased through performance management? Is it possible to manage all? Can wages be capped through performance management? Do individuals have control over their reward?

Upskilling. Reviewing and reacting on results.

7.0 AppraisalsA topic area could be the subjectivity of the appraiser. Performance management is widely used to assess employees' capabilities and to set targets for the next year. The main contentious issues with performance management are the appraisals; they are conducted with the subjectivity of the appraiser, who will often enter the appraisal interview with pre-conceived conclusions of both the appraisee and the interview. The gravity of this is immense as it forms the foundations of performance management. If they are not conducted fairly, there are no beneficial outcomes to either the appraisee or the organisation.

A paper on the "Subjectivity of the Appraiser" could be based on the theory from psychology and management practice, and reviews methods and techniques to reduce bias from the appraisal interview. If you are interested on basing your human resources management dissertation on appraisals, there are some suggested dissertation topics below.

Can subjectivity be removed? Halo, what Halo? Was that fair? A comparison. Can I have a pay rise? Are they honest? 360 degree appraisals. Public sector appraisals and the spinal pay reward.

8.0 MotivationIn theory a motivated worker is a productive worker. Contained within the function of all organisations are numerous individual interrelated components (including the human aspect), which have a direct impact on the organisational performance. It is widely recognised that the "human resource" is regarded as the most valuable resource an organisation has. However, this resource does not always receive the attention, respect and the financial recognition to develop, to allow the employees' full potential to be realised.

The complex relationship between employee and employer has been studied from both a psychological and sociological aspect. The findings from both these fields of research have identified four main categories of theories on employees' motivation. (1) Economic needs of man, money is the motivator for example: Taylorism (2) Social man from the Hawthorne studies: (3) Self actualisation - this extended the results from the Hawthorne studies to include psychological issues: (4) The contingency approach - this identifies that individual motivation is influenced by a number of variables. If you are keen to discuss motivation within your human resources management dissertation, here are some ideas to get you started.

Contemporary versus traditional theory. HR and motivation. Motivation and job satisfaction. Cross organisation comparison, who gets it right? HRM is a motivator. Link between motivation and performance. Motivation and retention levels. Does motivated work force increase productivity? Motivation versus total reward.

9.0 Strategic HR

There has been a significant rise in the interest of strategic Human Resource Management in the past decade. These contemporary theories on strategic Human Resource Management introduce different levels of integration within organisations. Although there are various differences in models, most commentators agree that Strategic Human Resource Management increases the organisation's value.

With the global economy and the increase in competition this brings, the human resource is viewed as the last competitive edge. It is how this resource is managed and the value that is place on it, that makes a difference between organisations. When the organisational strategy has not considered the implications to the human resource i.e. are there enough trained employees or do we need to employ more, the strategy runs a high risk of failure. Therefore it is vital to align the human resource with the organisation's strategy. A human resources management dissertation on strategic HR lends some interesting topics for you to discuss.

Does HR sit and fit on the board? Future planning or fire fighting? Reactive or proactive? Future planning or justifying role? Can HR be strategic? SHRM, another new fad? HR driving the organisation. Operations or planning the HR function?

10.0 CultureThe underlying assumption is the way "things get done" in the organisation and that individuals know how to behave. When an assumption is broken, it is questioned by members of the organisation. This helps to maintain the culture (Phelan 2005). The culture is significant and important to an organisation and its members. For the individual and group member, culture is the "social glue that helps hold the organisation together by providing appropriate standards for what employees should say and do". Consequently, the culture will reduce an employee's uncertainty and anxiety about expected behaviour.

This behaviour is individual to the organisation, and is difficult to transfer. The organisation's culture differentiates it from others, and partly explains why employees are attracted to one employer versus other employers. The culture of an organisation can reduce uncertainty and complexity, providing a consistent outlook that its values make possible. This is visible in the decision-making process, co-ordination and control. Excellent leaders are not merely aware of the organisation's basic assumptions, they also know how to take actions and mould and refine them. To discuss culture as a human resources management dissertation, some topics are suggested below.

Gatekeeper or owner? Placing values in the organisation. Culture is the organisation. It's the way we do it around here. Inducting new employees into the culture. Recruiting to change the culture. Managing cultural change. Training and culture. Change agent.

11.0 DiversityOver the past few decades the nature and the composition of the work force has been changing. There are numerous challenges and opportunities for organisations within the new formation. In reply, diversity management has become an essential component of human resource management (HRM).

Diversity management is a relatively new, but significant area of HRM.

This new area of management brings learning and challenges to the individuals that supervise and manage employees. Diversity management does assume different forms and models in practice, but is defined as an organisation's active investment in the integration, development, and advancement of individuals who collectively represent the work force. When developing an organisational strategy, diversity is placed in the culture, policies, and practices which support respect and communication, as well as individual, team and organisational performance in a diverse environment. Possible topics on diversity for your human resources management dissertation are:

Differences between diversity and discrimination. Managing the new workforce. Cross national diversity. Can discrimination be removed? Managing diversity and cultural differences. Training for diversity. The line and diversity. Diverse and cosmopolitan. The global village.

HR Topics..1.T&D2.Performance Management System3.Employee Welfare Measure4.360 degree Appraisal5.Quality of Work life6.HRD Practices7.Factors determining Job Satisfaction of Employees8.Stress Management9.Employee retention Techniques10.Settlement of Grievance11.Workers Participation in Management.12.Effectiveness of Training(Do it as Research Project) 13.Job evaluation14.Employee satisfaction15.compensation review.. 16.application of new motivational approach for employee17.requirement program18.360 degree feedback19.CRM20.Recruitment Process21.General evaluation 22.Mapping training need of employees23.Succession planning in Senior management24.Retention strategy in a manufacturing set up25.Change Management (26.Organizational Development

If you want to do some thing related to SAP then1.Role of HRM Department in ERP (SAP/People soft)2. Role of HRM Department in Growing Organization.

SAP HR is highly intigrated system. Search for further information.

1. HR IN HEALTH SECTOR

2. PATIENT SATISFACTION IN HOSPITALS ON FOOD, SERVICE ETC

3. MOTIVATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS TO WORK FOR SOCIETY

4. AGONIES AND ECSTASIES OF A TRAINING PROFESSIONAL

5. JOB STRESS OF DOCTORS OR NURSES IN MENTAL HOSPITALS

Thesis Topics for Students of Management

Posted by mbalectures | Posted in Advance Research Methods | 13,577 views | Posted on 10-12-2010 |

Tagged Under : list of research topics in management, list of thesis topics in management, management research topics list, management thesis topics, Thesis or Research topics for Management Students, Thesis topics list for management, topics of management research

It is important to note that the selection of research topic entirely depends upon the interest of researcher but the researcher must know the sources of data collection and the type of statistical technique used in the analysis. If the researcher does not know about these two important issues (data collection and statistical technique) then he/she should not submit the final research topic before addressing the problem. Following is the list of different research/thesis topics to help the students understand the various types of research topics in the field of management.

Thesis or Research Topics for Management Students

1. A study on the perceptual relationship between overtime and output2. A study on the effect of locus of control on academic performance of the students at tertiary

level3. Research on the effect on non-monetary factors on employee retention in the banking sector of

(country name)4. To investigate the effect of board composition on firm performance: Evidence from corporate

boards in (country name)5. To study the perception of employees about performance appraisal effectiveness and its impact

on the employee motivation6. The effect of supervisory behavior on sales force satisfaction & turnover intention in

pharmaceutical companies7. Effect of communication during an acquisition on employees behavioral outcomes8. Impact of mentoring on career success9. Factors considered by individuals when selecting an organization to give charity

10. Employees fairness perception and its effect on their motivational level and turnover retention

11. Participation decision making and job satisfaction12. The impact of human resource management practices on employee commitment and

turnover intent13. The organization’s perceived awareness and importance of procurement and its impact

on procurement implementation.14. Employee awareness with HR policy and its impact on job satisfaction15. Effectiveness of managerial function on the level of satisfaction of employees16. How organizational image effect employees attitude17. The effect of job characteristics on job satisfaction and organizational commitment18. Awareness of employees about their actual compensation and its impact on their

motivation19. The effect of succession planning on employee retention20. Transparent reward system and its impact on motivation: A study of employees of

private sector university hospitals. 21. Comparison between the performance of professionally developed and undeveloped

teachers: A study of public sector secondary schools 22. Job related ambiguity and their consequences upon job satisfaction and performance on

national organizations of (country name)23. Study of relationships between self-regulations and intrinsic motivations on street level24. Determining the effect of organization ownership and level of employees on stress level.25. Relationship between organizational structure and employee’s work content in the

private sector26. Impact of organization evolution tools on business performance27. Impact of organizational climate on job satisfaction28. Impact of diversity and conflict on performance29. Impact of work values on organizational commitment of older professionals30. Gender discrimination in delegating task by managers31. Impact of non-monetary compensations on employees performance32. The impact of E-recruitment in HRM effectiveness33. Perception of employees regarding formal and informal training and their impact on

potential performance/growth in banking sector34. Academic background of managers and their effectiveness: services, roles and

contributions35. Job satisfaction causes the organizational commitment-An econometrical analysis36. Labor market hypothesis “Impact of wage rate on quit rate”37. Sexual harassment against women at workplaces and its impact on their motivation38. Impact of gender on supervisor-supervisor relationship39. To study the impact of self worth on student academic performance at university level40. Organization culture change and its effect on employee motivation 41. Assessing the impact of information technology on firm performance with respect to

organizational structure as an intervening variable: A study of pharmaceutical industry42. To analyze the effect of organizational response to employee acceptability of change on

the employee motivation

43. Comparison of perception of employees and supervisors on the outcomes of counseling on employee’s performance

44. To study the effects of managerial developments strategies of star-sales-persons on their performance as a sales supervisor

45. Impact of law and order on domestic tourism of (country name)46. Organizational job rotation practices47. To study the effect of organizational team building efforts on employees morale, job

retention and work environment48. Effect of training the trainer on training outcome49. Employees adaptability towards new job positions with knowledge management

strategies50. Impact of employee performance recognition techniques on customer satisfaction in

restaurant industry51. To study the similarity in training outcomes expectation of employee and employer and

its impact on employees post training satisfaction52. The impact of flexible of flexible working hours on employee performance, work life

conflict and work pressure53. To study the effects of reinstating of employees in organization54. Effects of fun at workplace and employee morale and productivity and job satisfaction

Challenges Facing Human Resource Management in Kenya Today

Human Resource Management in Kenya is an arising component of Business Training that needs to be embraced by all cooperate associations and organizations for the success of their businesses. In the course of my normal work in Business Training in Kenya I  came across this information.

Human Resource Management in Kenya Challenges

Human Resource Management in Kenya has been faced with many challenges that hinder its development. They include;

Change Management, Leadership Development, Compensation, Bureaucracy, Managing Diversity and Organizational Effectiveness

Change Management

As mentioned above change management is one of the challenges affecting Human Resource Management today. This represents a particular challenge for personnel management staff, as this expertise has generally not been a consistent area of focus for training and development of Human Resource professionals. An intensified focus on training may be needed to develop added competencies to deal with change management.

Leadership Development

A second challenge affecting Human Resource Management in Kenya today is leadership development.

Human Resource professionals continue to wrestle with understanding the best ways to keep people in the pipeline and develop leaders for future succession planning. They are required to provide the essential frameworks, processes, tools, and points of view needed for the selection and development of future leaders, and that managers they produce in the long run are equipped to take on leadership roles of the future so that the organization is viable in the long term.

Compensation

Human Resource Management in Kenya faces a third challenge referred to as compensation. Compensation is one of the key issues since it involves outsourcing and cost of retirement benefits which can be very expensive, the invention of new systems for human capital management and global competition in which attracting and retaining key employees became increasingly important

Bureaucracy

A fourth challenge facing Human Resource Management in Kenya is bureaucracy. Bureaucracy can also be a problem, presenting “the need to consider doing things differently in order to eliminate bottlenecks and red tape.

Managing Diversity

Managing diversity comes as a sixth challenge. In the local context there is an enormous challenge in a fast-changing technological and economically liberalised environment.

Organizational Effectiveness

Last but not least is organizational effectiveness. This entails being expert in the way work is organized and executed, delivering administrative efficiency to ensure that costs are reduced while quality is maintained. This can prove to be a challenge especially to inexperienced managers.

Conclusion and Recommendations on Human Resource Management in Kenya

Due to the combination of a large proportion of the work force ailing and the introduction of new industries and businesses which require local talent who are currently not trained to meet those needs, there is a vacuum for HR professionals to fill.

HR professionals need to focus on developing supervisors into ‘people managers,’ not just technical specialists.”

Transforming the business from a product focus to a customer interface focus.

Engaging senior management in leadership development philosophy and practice.

Retaining knowledge held by retiring workers, and ensuring sufficient time to train successors.”

And thus the challenges of Human Resource Management in Kenya

Introduction

The Faculty of External Studies wishes to offer a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. This course will be offered in the Department of Extra-Mural Studies at all the Regional Centres and at times convenient to the learners as well as through distance learning. The main attraction of this programme is its flexible nature which makes it suitable for individuals already working as well as others who would wish to further their career goals. The main objectives of the programme are to enable the students to:

to develop human resource base needed for industrialization. to give skill and knowledge to the candidate to manage human resource activities in an

organization. to equip candidate with analytical tools, principles and concepts to enable them manage human

resource of an organization.

Entry Requirements

2.1 Common regulations governing Post-Graduate diploma in the University of Nairobi shall be applicable.

2.2 The following shall be eligible for admission.

a) Holders of a first degree from the University of Nairobi or from any other Institution recognized by the University of Nairobi Senate .

b) Holders of an equivalent qualification recognized by Senate from any other Institution.

Course Structure and Duration

3.1 The course shall be offered in a minimum of 3 semesters and a maximum of 10 semesters each lasting 15 weeks.

3.2 A student shall take a total of 18 units of which 14 are compulsory, 2 elective and 2 for the practicum.

3.3 A minimum of 3 units and a maximum of 6 units shall be taken within a semester.

3.4 Each unit shall be covered in 45 contact hours of study.

3.5  There shall be a compulsory attachment for one semester after completion of the course work during which time a student will study an aspect of the organization in which he/she is attached and prepare a written report. The field attachment will account for 2 units.

3.6 No candidate shall be allowed to be registered in this course for more than 10 semesters.

Credit Transfers & Exemptions

Applicants who have undertaken equivalent courses at other universities recognized by Senate may on the recommendation of the Faculty and approval of Senate be allowed to transfer credits up to a maximum of one-third of courses offered in the programme. Students desiring to receive credit for any prior course work will need to m ake a formal request giving the following information:

A list of the University of Nairobi courses for which the student is interested in getting credit, official transcripts indicating courses that may be equivalent;

Description and syllabi/outlines for the courses which the applicant seeks transfer of credit. The decision regarding the number of credits to be transferred rests with the Faculty.

Practicum

5.2.1 The pass mark for the practicum shall be 50%.

5.2.2 Candidates shall be allowed up to 2 re-submissions of the practicum report.

5.2.3 Candidates who fail in the 2 nd re-submission of the practicum report shall be discontinued.

Award of Postgraduate Diploma

The final award of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management shall be based on an aggregate mark of all the prescribed units and shall be classified as follows

Pass with Distinction - 70% and above Pass with Credit - 65% to 74% Ordinary Pass - 50% to 64% Fail - 49% and below

Course Structure

SEMESTER I

A student will take a minimum of 3 units and a maximum of 6 in each academic semester. In semester 1 a students will take (7) compulsory units and one elective -a total of 8 units.

Core courses

CODE TITLE HOURS

PDM 501 FUNDAMENTALS OF MANAGEMENT

PDHRM 503 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

DPM 511 STATISTICAL METHODS

PDHRM 507 RESEARCH METHODS

PDM 517 MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PDHRM 511 LABOUR ECONOMICS

PDHRM 513 ELEMENTS OF LAW

ELECTIVE COURSES

PDHRM 515 GENDER ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT

PDM .....513 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

SEMESTERS II

Student will take seven (7) compulsory units and one elective a total of 8 units.

Core courses

PDHRM 502 PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT

PDHRM 504 INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY

PDHRM 506 INDUSTRIAL AND LABOUR LAWS

PDHRM 508 PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

PDHRM 510 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

PDHRM 512 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

PDHRM 514 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR AND

COMMUNICATION

ELECTIVES

PDHIRM 516 ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PDM ......514 MARKETING MANAGEMENT

SEMESTER III

PDM ,,,,,,519 PRACTICUM

FeesITEM AMOUNT (KSHS)

TUITION FEE   5,000 PER UNIT

PROJECT FEE   20,000 ONCE

OTHER CHARGES

COMPUTER 5000 PER ANNUM

CAUTION MONEY(Refundable)     5,000 ONCE

EXAMINATION 5000 PER ANNUM

MEDICAL 5000 PER ANNUM

ACTIVITY 2000 PER ANNUM

REGISTRATION 500 PER ANNUM

STUDENT UNION 1000 PER ANNUM

ID CARD 500 PER ANNUM

Application for Admission

Application forms can be obtains form the  University of Nairobi—Main Campus,Gandhi Wing Room G3, upon payment of a non refundable application fee of Kshs. 3,000. ( Note: Non-Kenyans pay 25% more on all charges). The application fee may be paid by Direct Deposit into the UNES/UON  Account Barclays Bank, Westlands Branch A/C No: 03-073-1023948. Bankers Cheques will also be accpeted. CASH PAYMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Completed Application Forms should be returned to the BOARD OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, NOT LATER THAN the deadline set in the advertisments.

Pgd In Human Resource Management

Degree Code: L41

Duration: 1

Faculty/School/Institute offered: SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION

Course Description

PDM 501 FUNDAMENTALS OF MANAGEMENT

Nature of Management. Schools of management thought; Function Management, planning, organizing, leadership behaviour and styles, motivation, organization and group dynamics; organizational change and development, staffing, control systems and techniques. Fundamental of Human Resource Management; functions of HRM; human resource objectives and policies; organizational structure and effectiveness of the HRM department; job design; methods improvement; method study procedures; organizational effectiveness; evaluating the performance of the HRM function; emerging trends and the future of HRM.

PD HRM 503 ELEMENTS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.

Fundamental of Financial Management; objectives and principles of financial management; analysis of the current position; long-run investment decisions; short-run decision making; sources of finance; budgets; planning and control; analysis and interpretation of accounts; managing working capital; financial variance analysis; controlling the outcome of management activities.

DPM 511 STATISTICAL METHODS

Fundamentals of mathematics and statistics; data collection and presentation; fundamental statistical measures; index numbers; time series; correlation and regression analysis; elements of probability; sampling; estimation of and test of hypothesis; quantitative models and qualitative models; network analysis; inventory control models; linear programming models: graphical model, simplex model, assignment model, transportation model.

PD HRM 507 RESEARCH METHODS

Fundamental of research methodology; project proposal; types of research proposal; factors to consider when selecting a project; formulation and statement of research problem in management; research problem in management; research design; procedures of carrying out a project; instrumentation of data collection; sampling of the project; database processing and analysis; research report writing; presentation and dissemination procedures.

PD HRM 509 MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEM

Elements of MIS; data communication; overview of the basic components of processing systems;. the environment, software, hardware, people bevaviour, tasks, and connectivity; review of the various applications programmes, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphics and an operating system. System theory and organization; information systems, management of information system, system development process, use of management tool and equipment and a case study of a project management information system.

PD HRM 511 LABOUR ECONOMICS

The meaning, origin and scope of labour economics; the population; size, structure ,growth and problems related to labour supply; Production; labour productivity; labour markets; wage determination; trade unions and collective bargaining; employment and unemployment; human capital formation; labour and the future trends of labour.

PD HRM 513 ELEMENTS OF LAW

Introduction to common law legal system; definition of law; distinction between civil and criminal justice; the sources of law; administration of law; the basic constitutional principles; law of persons and fundamental concepts; law of succession; the law of contract; law of torts; administrative law.

PD HRM 515 GENDER ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT

The concept of gender; social construction of gender; Special gender issues; gender role in social milieu keeping in mind the African Society; social! cultural problems with respect to cross-gender power and economic relations; the history of the term gender and development” from 1960 to the present; gender integration in development processes; factors! policies that impede gender integration in development: women rights, education, training, leadership and economics services; labour convention on gender issues; emerging gender issues and their implications to HRM

PD HRM 517 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

General principles of psychology; branches of psychology; relevant theories in social psychology; attachment; affiliation, social comparison and the effect of affiliation; social perception, attribution; sources of aggressive behaviour and reducing aggressive behaviour; pro- social behaviour and anti -social behaviour; attitude formation and behaviour prejudice; leadership and group dynamics; personal space and crowding in place of work; crowd behaviour; conformity, coercion; persuasion and obedience.

PD HRM 502 PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT

Theory and practice of Public Relations ( PR) as a profession in the modern organization; Public

Relations department; PR consultants; planning PR programs; the social context of PR and its growing importance; PR strategy and management; the role of PR in communication and the organization's purpose and goals; key publics; goals and objectives and planning for PR; role of research and evaluation in PR; dealing with media; PR ethics; PR tactics' fundraising and donor relations; PR as practiced in NGOs, government and other organizations; publics of public relations.

PD HRM 504 INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY

The development and scope of industrial psychology; the methods of industrial psychology; the psychology of individual differences; vocational selection; psychological testing in industry; the motivational techniques; work design; interviewing techniques; work methods, morale and job satisfaction; training; incentives; physical conditions of work and working condition.

PD HRM 506 INDUSTRIAL AND LABOUR LAWS

Historical background of industrial and labour laws; International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions; contract of employment; the common law duties of the employee; the nature of employment contract; worksman compensation; the Trade Dispute Act cap. 234 laws of Kenya; insurance; the industrial court; associations and dispute; employee remedies; effects of industrial action on employees rights; wages; industrial safety; Factories Act cap. 154; Company law; Industrial training Act cap. 237; Services Commission Act Cap 185.

PD HRM 508 PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Job analysis and evaluation; human resource planning; recruitment and selection; training and development; developing the organization's training and development strategies and policies; developing and implementing a training programme; the psychology of adult learning; career management; management development; reward management; performance management; renumeration policy; rewarding policy; establishing competitive market rates; job evaluation; pay structures; wage payment system; benefits; salary and pension administration; occupational health and safety; staff appraisal.

PD HRM 510 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Nature, scope and theories of strategic management; FIR strategic planning; HR strategic alternatives; HR strategy formulation; I-HR strategy implementation and control; HR strategy evaluation and control; HR global strategic issues.

PD HRM 512 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

A systems approach to training; developing corporate training policies in organizations; conducting training needs analysis; course design; target population analysis; goal analysis; task analysis; developing training objectives; selecting training methods; evaluation against objectives; managing the training function; planning and scheduling of training; preparation of training budgets; special training issues in Kenya; evaluation of training objectives and results.

PD HRM 514 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR AND COMMUNICATION

The development of management thoughts and approaches; the nature of management; the planning function of management; organizing, con trolling; learning and learning theories; motivation and motivation theories; leaderships and theories of leadership; attitudes; perception; personality; communication in organizations; stress management; groups in organizational; technology in organization; organization structure; conflict management and solutions; organization effectiveness. Theories of communication; benefits of effective communication; channels of communication; principles of effective communication; forms of communication; the place of the personnel department in business communication; principles and practice of mass communication.

The role of change in organizational development; change in organizations; the process of organization development; organization development techniques; change and management of change; stress management; conflict management; organizational structure; organizational design; organizational techniques.

PD HRM 518 MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Overview of Marketing Management; marketing philosophies; analyzing buyer behavior; selecting and evaluating target markets; developing a marketing strategy; product decisions; distribution decisions; pricing decisions; promotion decisions; the marketing environment; marketing research and information systems; international marketing; non-profit marketing; agricultural marketing; marketing of services; marketing planning.

PD HRM 520 PRATICUM.

A student is expected to take a compulsory attachment for one semester after completion of the course work, during which time a student will study an aspect of the organization in which he or she is attached and prepare a written report. The students will be under the supervision of a lecturer during the attachment period. The written project should be handed in to the supervisor five weeks before the end of the final semester.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

PROBLEMS FACED IN ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT IN KENYA

INTRODUCTIONArchives and records management practice, like many other disciplines and practices in Kenya, was born of the onset of British colonialism during the early periods of the 20th century. Records are any recorded information in a reproducible form created, maintained and used by an individual, or organization. They act as a source of evidence of activities, transactions or decisions being made by their owners in the course of their day-to–day activities and operations. Certain kinds of records bear an enduring value either to their creators, holders or even the general public at large. For this reason, they may be passed on from ordinary record centers or registries to an archival facility. Thus, archives apart from being a physical housing units, they are also those special records of enduring value that are deemed fit for permanent preservation. This is for the purposes of research, referencing and for their enduring value.The historical development of archives and records management practices in Kenya has however, faced

numerous challenges that we can analyze in two distinct phases that include the colonial era and the post colonial era. In as much as the two phases may be distinct, some of those challenges experienced during the colonial era remained persistent and poured into the post colonial era alike.

THE COLONIAL ERA.

1. The problem of oral traditions .

As mentioned earlier on, the concept and practice of archives and records management in Kenya is as recent as the period around 1900. Kenyans of the pre-colonial period mainly relied on oral traditions and for that reason, most of their transactions were conducted in a similar way. This posed a challenge to early records management practitioners in the sense that major activities conducted by Africans were not documented. Memory of such major events and occurrences were kept through naming of children, associating events with seasons, holding ceremonies and planting of trees among other objects and practices. These practices did not give a detailed account of an activity as a record would. Even a story told by the finest of all story tellers would still lack the precision, detail and authenticity that a record would provide. Absence of documented information in colonial Kenya was made worse by the fact that the colonial secretariat offices in Nairobi were consumed in a fire in 1939 thus, virtually destroying all the central government’s records (Mnjama, 2003).

2. Absence of an archival institution

For a very long period of time, Kenya did not have either a public records office or an archival institution. Very low priority was accorded to the practice of proper records management. This was also the case not only in Kenya but also in many other African countries at the time. For instance in Nigeria, the colonial secretary in England in 1914 sent a circular to the colony expressing his concern for records preservation. The circular requested for a brief report as to the existing arrangements for the preservation and custody of the older government records and also advised that appropriate steps be taken to ensure safe keeping and preservation of the records in question (Ukwu,1995). The same was replicated in here in Kenya whereby in 1929, all administrators were asked through  a circular to protect records from being destroyed by insects, rats, dust and loses through theft. Responses returned did not indicate any positive interest or attitude towards records management and we may therefore deduce that those in the political class accorded very low priority to matters pertaining to records and archives management. For this reason, many would-be archives were lost or destroyed. At this time, despite the great value attached to those early records, most administrators and people of the political class did not feel the need for any records and archives administration policies and programs.

3. Inadequate skills and high staff turn-over.

The early practitioners in the field of archives and records management did not have any basic skills pertaining to records and archives preservation. Their practice was done through trial and error efforts before the senior administrators began to feel the need for proper records and archives management and preservation. This condition was made worse by the fact that there were no colleges and institutions and if there were, they did not the capacity to train professional record managers and archivists. East Africa’s first institution to train professional librarians, archivists and other information management professionals was Makerere University in Uganda. Thus, all trainees before then had to be sent abroad and for an alternative, foreigners had to be sourced from overseas in their place.However, this did not ease the problem of personnel at all. Once these new professionals came back to Kenya, their skills were considered by many as too unique, special and rare to be merely spent in archives and records management. In a very short while, they would be preyed upon by the more

dynamic and lucrative private sector leaving archives and records management to the junior untrained clerks, again. The problem of high staff turn-over only started to ease in Kenya after Moi University opened up its school of information science in 1985a.

4. Inadequate funding

The problem of high staff turn-over mentioned above can also be partly attributed to the problem of inadequate funding. The archives and records management department may not be as financially intensive as other departments in an organization or government, however, this does not therefore mean that it can do with just any amount of money allocated to it. It too like the other departments requires adequate funding to enable it to efficiently carry out its functions and operations. This is a problem that was not only experienced during the colonial era but was passed on even to today’s Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service. Payment of employee’s salary, purchase of modern preservation equipment and chemicals among other day-to-day activities that facilitate records and archives preservation are vital activities that call for proper adequate funding to enable the institution to achieve its objectives. Low salaries to the employees especially those who are qualified professionals is demoralizing and easily leads to high rates of brain drain and personnel turn-over in the profession. For this reason, the public archives and records management practice is abandoned with unqualified personnel thus suffering from inefficiency and ineffectiveness.

5. Absence of collaborative and cooperative efforts.

During the colonial era the few existing institutions did not have the capacity to engage in regional and international organizations and associations in the field of archives and records management. Such associations include the International Council on Archives (ICA) established in 1950 through a UNESCO initiative as a world body for archival policies and development; the Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers and a more recent one, the Society of African Archivists (SAA) inaugurated in 1994 during the Pan-African Conference on Archival Policies and Programs in Africa held in Nigeria’s Abuja from October 31st to November  5th . Such associations provide a regulatory platform through development of policies, programs and standards that help to check and control practices in such a field as records and archives administration. For this reason, they lagged behind due to lack of up-to-date developments and practices in the field thus slowing down its own growth in Kenya. Associations also offer training seminars and conferences that help to impart skills to participating archivist which could not be easily accessed by the Kenya counterparts during the colonial era. However, the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Centre was privileged in 1978 to host the round-table conference of the International Council on Archives in Nairobi Kenya (Mnjama, 2003).

6. Poor housing and equipment.

The Kenya National Archives were only migrated from the basement of the old Jogoo House “A” to its present location at the old Commercial Bank building along Moi Avenue in Nairobi during the reign of Dr. Maina Kagombe (1978-1981) as director of KNA. Before then, the old Jogoo House basement was widely seen by many as more of a dumping store for non-current records other than a proper archival facility. The equipment used then were also crude in nature and also of inadequate capacity. The archival staff did not have access to modern equipment due to the combined problems of inadequate funding and low technology.These two factors did not in any way help in the preservation of records and archives during this period but rather records and archives were exposed to nearly all the elements of destruction. Such digitization equipment as scanners, cameras, microfilming machines and computers were hard and even too expensive to come by or afford. Records were therefore constantly handled by hand during use and during routine management practices. This exposed them to wear and tear thus reducing their life

spans. Preservation chemicals such as deacidifiers and even binderies and weather conditioned reservatories did not even exist in Kenya at the time.

7. The problematic nature of format.

Most archival materials were and still are of organic nature, most of them being paper based. This means they are capable of ageing, advancing and deteriorating with time. For this reason, they need special and expensive chemicals and equipment to be treated and handled with for purposes of preserving them. For such a country like Kenya which lies within the tropics, such conditions are worsened by high level of humidity in the atmosphere and high temperatures all round the year. All these conditions combined work to hasten the natural chemical process of decaying records and archival materials. Furthermore, the archival facilities in pre-independent Kenya did not have weather controlled reservatories where all weather conditions can be controlled to enhance records and archives preservation thus, making the whole preservation process even more difficult.

8. Absence of an archival law.

Kenya only got her first archival law, the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service Act in 1965 through parliament. Prior to this, the colonial administration had operated a small archives repository in Nairobi (Musembi, 1982a). The few records and archival institutions that existed did not have legal description, backing or definition of their services. Legal backing provides for authenticity, serves to promote and also provides confidence to the public and those practicing in a profession about the service being offered. These are very important elements that this early facilities lacked.

9. High levels of illiteracy .

It is only after the Second World War that a substantial number of Kenyans could read and write. This was also the period when the records management practice in Kenya experienced a “records boom” whereby a large number of records began to be produced in different government agencies and departments and in the private sector. Initially very few people could read and write and therefore very few records were being produced mainly by the colonial administrators. Even those few that were produced were used on a very limited scale and thus their demand did not justify for production of very many records.

10. Poor transport and communication network.

Kenya’s underdeveloped system of transport and communication hampered the development and progress of archives and records management during the colonial era. The poor systems did not encourage movement of materials and people from one place to another including records. Communication between the colonial archives repository in Nairobi and other government administrative regions was difficult and therefore most of the records remained where they were created. Thus, they did not receive proper attention needed for preservation. Most were lost, stolen or even easily got destroyed.

THE POST COLONIAL ERA

11. The problem of migrated archives

On the eve of independence, the imperial government opted to remove certain records from the country arguing that it was an not a common practice for a government to hand over its records to another government (Mnjama, 2003). However the main motive behind the exercise was to conceal far away sensitive information on atrocities perpetrated by colonialist against Kenyans. The Kenyan government embarked on retrieving these records even as early as 1963 from Britain. This process was however not completed until later on in 1990 when the government of Kenya closed down the office it had opened

at its London High Commission in 19980. By then several microfilm copies, photographs, photocopies and even some original manuscripts had been obtained through donations and purchasing.The entire process of retrieving Kenya’s migrated records was a lengthy and time consuming exercise and more so an expensive one. This would have well been avoided if the records had been left intact back here in Kenya during independence.

12. Lack of good working relationship with other government agencies.

The KNA Act of 1965 mandated the KNA institution to be the sole custodian of all public records and archives. However, in Mnjama, 2003, an incident is cited whereby officers from the KNA Records Management Survey team in a 1983 report on the former East African Community records expressed dissatisfaction regarding an instance whereby a Kenya Railways official denied them access to their records.In many other instances, the relationship between KNA and other government agencies is not cordial. For this reason, it becomes very hard if not impossible for the institution to perform its mandated functions. Section 4(2) of the public archives act states; it shall be the  duty of every person responsible for or having custody of any public records to afford to the director or any officer of the service authorized by him reasonable access to such public records and appropriate facilities for the examination and selection thereof and comply without any undue delay with any lawful directions concerning assemblage, safe keeping and preservation of public records or the transfer of such public records to the national archives to form part of the national archives.This, in the case of practices at the KNA is seldom observed in as much as it amounts to a criminal offence.

13. The challenge of information technology

According to the KNA Act of 1965, public records refer to the records of any government department and of any commission, office, board or any other body established by or under an act of parliament. This definition also includes electronic formats of records as public records. Emphasis is now shifting to e-governance, e-learning and many other e-transactions. Most of these transactions are recorded and stored in electronic information storage formats. The problem comes in when the traditional institutions that have for long been used to processing and preserving paper based documents are now being required to acquire process and preserve electronic information. Some of the problems posed by the electronic information formats include:

a. The ease with which they can be permanently altered.

b. Their dependence on software and hardware which are constantly evolving.

c. Their reliance on power without which they are unusable.

d. There need for special computer skills.

14. The problem of unnecessary programs.

Since the time of independence, KNA has been engaged in certain   activities that have been widely criticized as irrelevant towards the attainment of its set objectives and mandate. For instance during the period 1974- 1981, during Dr. Kagombe Maina’s reign, the institution envisaged programs for retrieval of migrated archives, collection of oral traditions, preservation of the freedom tree, establishment of a

documentation center, preservation of sites and monuments and the establishment of an audio-visual archives facility. Most of these were considered non-archival practices and for this reason, the Kenyan government commissioned Ian Maclean, a UNESCO consultant in records management from Australia to evaluate and accordingly advise the government concerning the functions being undertaken by the KNADS. His report concluded that the institution engaged in non-archival practices and for that reason was not able to assist in the development of records management programs for the government.

15. The problem of unassertiveness by KNA.

The KNADS has been criticized for having no strength or fiber in asserting its mandate. For this reason, it has not been accorded its proper role of being the leader in public records management. This is largely due to the reason that the institution had for long only emphasized and concentrated on preservation of archives and records that had passed the appraisal test. Good records management practices during the entire records life cycle is very important for good quality archives. Thus, the institution needs to get involved in records management from the time a record is created to the time it is passed on to the institution for final preservation. There is also need for greater cooperation between the institution and other public agencies if it is to be involved in the entire records life cycle management. If this is achieved then we could say the institution is right on course to achieving it presupposed goals and objectives.

16. The problem of the archival law itself.

The archival law of 1965 has undergone several amendments to make it more up-to-date and more applicable to the ever changing conditions in the field of records and archives management. The act was amended in 1990 and in 2003 yet again. However the act still has got outstanding issues that it does not comprehensively address. These include for instance, the appointment of the Chief executive officer of the institution. It does not clearly define the needed qualifications and above all, no formal training in the field of records and archives administration is required. Furthermore, no mention is made of their training requirement in the field of archives and records management despite having a very well elaborated scheme on their role at the institution.Interestingly, the syllabus for the proficiency for the clerical officers was amended in 1990 making it mandatory for them to have basic knowledge in registry services, filing and classification systems, indexing and records disposal procedures. This is despite having no mention of qualifications or skills to be possessed by the chief executive.

17. Lack of understanding and appreciation .

Kenya’s archival institution is rarely appreciated and its role in provision and management of information understood by only a handful of people. This is also as true as is the culture in many other public and private institutions. Also, very many people in the public and private sectors who generate vital records on a daily basis have no basic understanding of the records life cycle and requirements of the records disposal act. They are also extremely ignorant of the vital role that can be played by the KNA institution to help them properly manage and preserve records both at the current, semi-current and non-current stages. They are totally uninformed about the records act and for this reason it is recommended that the archival institution should engage in programs that will help to educate public officers and those in the private sector on the requirements and contents of the records act. This would

help the institution to have at the end, properly managed non-current records of enduring value and would also facilitate for a smooth transition of the same records to the institution for final preservation.

18. Deterioration of existing infrastructure.

The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Centre is among those government institutions that receive inadequate funding. Thus, facilities and infrastructure at the institution are constantly ageing and deteriorating. Such facilities as weather regulated reservatories, reprographic equipment, microfilming devices, scanners, cameras the bindery and even the building itself need regular and special routine management practices to keep them in form  and efficient. However, this is not possible due to inadequate funding and thus records and archival materials are not well maintained as a result.

19. The problem of records disposal

The procedure for records disposal in Kenya is stipulated in the public archives act (1965, chapter 19) in section 7(1). It requires a public office to seek permission from the director of the KNADS or his authorized representative who shall then seek permission from the minister in charge before the records are destroyed. However, in some offices this procedure is not followed and even if the attention of the KNADS director is sought under such circumstances, it may be difficult for him as it is not easy for one department of a government to prosecute a sister department of the same government. Sections 26 and 27 however, allow financial officers to destroy certain financial records after a certain period of time with the exception of those that are still subject to auditing and those with archival value.  It is also a problematic issue for most personnel departments to destroy employees’ records even when their time is up in the registry especially those needed to process payment of pension money. For this reason many are not willing to dispose of these records despite the problem of taking up a lot of floor space in the registry.

20. The problem of conservative archivists.

The early staff at the KNA has been criticized for being contented and feeling complacent with the little amount of traffic they always receive. They seldom put in their personal effort to woe more users to the institution. For instance, most college and university students rarely visit the institution in the course of writing their theses and dissertations. Only a few know of its importance. It is mainly visited by the same old users a majority being journalist, experienced writers and researchers. Furthermore, they did not keep track of activities and preferences of their patrons and for this reason, they did not record any progress and developments made by their patrons as a result of using these services and their impact on them.

CONCLUSIONIn as much as the archives and records management services have had their better share of problems, this is not to say it has not made any progress at all. For instance, the KNA is a very strong records and archives management facility widely revered in the entire Great Lakes region of Central and Eastern Africa. Many other issues however, herein not discussed, are still posing challenges to the practice of records and archives management and if well addressed by both the government, the archival institution itself and other major stake holders the institution and the larger field of archives and records management can perform even much far better in the provision and preservation of information in Kenya.

REFERENCES1.      Musembi, M.  primitive archival practices in colonial Kenya. Harare: ECARBICA,

1982a.

2.      Mnjama, N. Archives and records management in Kenya: problems and prospects. Http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.html , Records management Journal. Retrieved 19 Mar. 2010.

3.      Kemoni, Henry N [et al]. Obstacles to utilization of information held by archival institution: a review literature. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/281013-0104.htm, Retrieved 19th Mar. 2010.

Insight into manufactured reality

Thursday, 05 July 2012 12:05 The greatest inhibition to imperial dominance is justice. It is impossible to be an imperialist and a just person at the same time. Ironically imperialism is and must be fuelled on the pretext of justice and freedom, these being the only nobilities in whose name territorial expansionism can be carried out today. Up to the 1920s one could openly boast of being a colonialist or an imperialist, but that cannot be done any more. In order to preserve the legacy of imperialism and to sustain its perpetuity, it is absolutely necessary that history is not only favourably manufactured in a biased way, but also that it is completely falsified.When Caroline Elkins presented her dissertation proposal to her University Department at Harvard University in 1997, she had a burning intention to write about what she believed to be the successes of Britain’s civilisation mission in the Kikuyu detention camps of Kenya.

This started with what was an innocent and routine research about the Mau Mau uprising, something Elkins had become “fascinated” with after reading through records of the uprising in London.She had read all about the Mau Mau savagery and how it had destructively interfered with the saintly work of white settlers in the colony of Kenya, unsettling the good-intentioned Royal colonial powers back in Britain.

She had read of how the barbarians that constituted the Mau Mau were so savagely primitive, anti-European, anti-civilisation and above all anti-Christian. She had gathered through her readings that the Mau Mau were primitive monsters whose sole occupation was “reverting to tactics of primitive terror to interrupt the British civilisation mission in Kenya.”

The records that Elkins was reading in London gave her an understanding of a Mau Mau group that attracted world attention in the early 1950s all for the most wrong reasons. She read through pages and pages of “photographic spreads with chilling pictorial evidence of Mau Mau’s savagery that contrasted dramatically with images of the local British settlers,” of course portrayed in the records as well-meaning advocates of philanthropic civilisation.

In these records it is dismissively mentioned that the Mau Mau guerrillas “claimed they were fighting for ithaka na wiyathi, or land and freedom.” But the records show a history written in such a way that

very few people in the West took seriously the need for either land or freedom for the colonial subjects in Kenya.With whites in control the Kenyans were supposed to be freer and happier, just like they needed no land with white settlers doing real farming on their behalf.

What was taken quite seriously was the prevalent assertion that the Mau Mau were “criminal or gangsters bent on terrorising the local European population, and certainly not freedom fighters.”

The records make the atrocious crack down on the Mau Mau and on the generality of the Kikuyu people by twenty thousand British military troopers, backed by the Royal Air Force, appear like a saintly endeavour worth the praises and admiration of history readers. The records give a picture of messianic troopers taming murderous barbaric monsters on the loose.

This was heavy military artillery brought in full force against people with simple homemade weapons for a solid two years, followed by a lengthier period of ruthless persecution of 1.5 million Kikuyus, whose only crime was the suspicion that they had taken the Mau Mau oath and vowed to fight to have their land and freedom back.

Essentially the British troopers and their backing Royal Air Force just turned the whole Kikuyuland into a massive maximum security prison, fencing all the people in what were called “detention camps.”

It is the study of these camps and interaction with those still living who once were detained in the camps that made Caroline Elkins change her mind completely about the history she had read back in London on the Mau Mau uprising.When she began her research on the detention camps in 1995, little did Elkins know that she would, ten years later write an incisive book about the wide-scale atrocities in colonial Kenya and Britain’s vigorous attempts to cover it all up.

The book is called “Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britain’s Gulag in Kenya,” and it is from the preface of this book that all the quotations so far made in this essay were derived.

In presenting lies as manufactured reality it is absolutely necessary to completely falsify history, that way overcoming the burdensome and sickening inhibition of truth, making it look like the West only attacks or destroys primitive and monstrous aggressors who, if left unchecked can easily destroy the whole planet, or egregiously harm the nobility of humanity.

It makes sense that the Vietnam War history is reconstructed and rearranged to bring out the reality that the United States always does the noble and right thing. As Noam Chomsky puts it, the bombing of South Vietnam is portrayed as having been done in defence of South Vietnam “against somebody, namely, the South Vietnamese, since nobody else was there.”

The way the Kennedy administration put it was exceptionally impressive. They simply told the world that the United States was launching on behalf of the South Vietnamese a defence against “internal aggression,” of course by the South Vietnamese themselves, entirely aggressing against themselves.When one has control over the intellectual community and the media it becomes super easy to get any kind of lies passed for reality and truth. This is exactly why it has become fact that Assad’s government in Syria is ruthlessly massacring a peace-loving rebel group whose only role in the conflict has become playing victims to a blood-thirsty regime that thoroughly enjoys killing civilians

for sheer arrogance’s sake.

It was the same with Libya where the Al-Qaeda affiliated Benghazi rebels were nobly called civilians at the mercy of a ruthless Gaddafi, despite vivid television images of the same rebels violently marching while armed to the teeth with Western supplied weapons.The West vehemently insisted that these heavily armed “civilians” were not to be attacked, and when they attacked themselves, were not meant to be resisted, otherwise Nato would be forced to “stop the killing of civilians.”

The blatant lie upon which Iraq was invaded by the West in 2003 was that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and was about to destroy the whole planet in 48 hours, according to the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. After the lie was busted for what it was, a deliberate concoction of an entire untruth, there have been tremendous efforts at blaming Saddam Hussein himself for the blatant lie — with some Western commentators saying the lie was a direct result of Saddam Hussein’s own vacuous claims.

The recorded history on Libya is emphatically silent on the West’s oil interest in that country, bleating so unimpressively about how the West “prevented a pending genocide,” or unashamedly claiming that Nato helped to bring democracy to Libya — a democracy of murderous sectional fighting and endless militia squabbles, as well as a lawless era of vindictive justice and primitive racial profiling.

It is important that Zimbabwe records the history of the country well, especially from the year 2000. Right now the West has done numerous documentaries, films and literature on Zimbabwe’s land reform program. Just about every one of these records vilifies the person of President Robert Mugabe, the liberation war veterans, Zanu-PF and others often called “Mugabe cronies,” whatever that means.The land reform program is not often recorded as the just cause it effectively and indisputably is. Rather it is recorded as a lawless endeavour carried out by unthinking land grabbers who blissfully “destroyed the country’s agricultural system,” in the name of land reclamation. The record portrays white colonial settlers as

“skilled farmers who once made the country the bread basket of Africa,” while the resettled indigenous Zimbabweans are portrayed as “unskilled blacks who have in a short ten years turned the country into a basket case.”The truth is that in a short ten years; the new farmers have surpassed the record tobacco production ever, registering a new record of 122 million kilograms in 2010.

In 2008 Professor Ian Scoones of Sussex University discovered the lies about Zimbabwe’s land reform the same way Caroline Elkins discovered the lies about the Mau Mau uprising in the late nineties.After a thorough study of land reforms in Masvingo Province, Professor Scoones challenged a number of what he called “myths,” in reality lies about the land reform program in Zimbabwe.

He dismissed as untrue five well publicised “myths;” fabrications if one is charitable with words, or lies if one is honest. The first such myth was the assertion that Zimbabwe’s land reform has been a total failure, the second being that the beneficiaries were largely political “cronies,” the third was the claim that there has been no investment in the new settlements, the fourth being that agriculture is in complete ruins, and the fifth asserted that the rural economy has collapsed. None of these assertions could be supported by evidence on the ground, with the contrary almost always the result in Ian Scoones’s study; for example the finding that only about 11 percent of the land

reform beneficiaries could be described as being politically connected.

It also turned out that agricultural production per household had actually increased for the land reform beneficiaries, just like it turned out that the Government had in fact significantly invested in supporting the new farmers. Now the record of the indigenisation policy has already suffered a lot of distortions and deliberate fabrications aimed at slandering its movers and pushers, as well as destroying its merit.

What the Western media report is not an indigenisation policy designed to empower the local Zimbabwean towards controlling the country’s resources and wealth. Rather we are told of an unsound policy designed to unfairly and illegally grab shares of wealth from well-meaning foreign investors.The logic of local ownership of the means of production has been dutifully vilified as an ill-thought policy of “scaring investors,” or “causing capital flight,” if one were to borrow the words of the pro-West Zimbabwean Finance Minister, Tendai Biti.

If indeed Zanu-PF is using the economic indigenisation policy as an electioneering tool, then the party is doing an excellent job of campaigning on real democratic needs of the people.It is far much better than Tsvangirai promising the electorate US$10 billion in aid money from “our friends in the West,” whoever these are. This he did in run up to the March 2008 election, and four years on, no such money has been received despite Tsvangirai being part of the Government.

Advocating an economic takeover by the locals is a lot more sensible than Joyce Banda’s obsession with Western aid in Malawi — a humiliating dependence syndrome that makes Africans look like the sub-humans they are seen to be in the West.When the reality before us is a manufactured reality by those who seek to hide the truth from our people we must wake up and stand not only in defence of the truth, but more importantly in defence of our dignity as a people. Sovereignty is not a bigoted idea entertained by extremist nationalism.

It is a sound economic principle upon which economic freedom is premised and founded.Let us not allow our sovereign initiatives to be recorded as barbaric ideas by those who specialise in manufacturing realities meant to protect their own selfish interests.