بررسی سیستم ارزیابی ظرفیت مدیریت سوابق(RMCAS) به عنوان یک ابزار برای توسعه برنامه در هلال احمر ترکیه

The evaluation of institutional condition is regarded as a crucial factor in creating effective and efficient records management systems. In addition, as part of program development studies, national and international programs’ best practices and guidelines need to be investigated. In this study, the Records Management Capacity Assessment System (RMCAS) is evaluated and some practical examples that could be used for developing records management programs are examined. The basic aim of this study is to identify records management practices and to provide an example to institutions that are in the stage of program development. The results of an RMCAS analysis of practices of the Turkish Red Crescent Society (TRCS) are also presented in this study.

Records managers are required to assess the extent to which their studies satisfy the needs of an institution. These assessments are based not only on institutional requirements, but also on national and international standards. The first stage of the assessment is comprised of defining the institutional structure and operation. Identification of the internal and external conditions that have an effect on the institution's work and operations is then necessary. Subsequent to this identification, the current records system should be evaluated by taking all of these conditions into consideration. The appropriate techniques for each records management function are expected to be used or developed in the evaluation of the records management system (Information Management Planning, 2005 and Shepherd and Geoffrey, 2003). The field surveys may be conducted either in accordance with preliminary studies of the institution or by making use of previously developed techniques. The development of records management programs in line with institutional requirements, national and international regulations, and the expectations of parties involved with the institution's services are considered to be highly significant. Within this framework, multifaceted approaches should be adopted in program development for the records that are used for official communication within the institution and that have the function of verification, and, if need be, previous examples of the developed applications and analyses should be used (Williams, 2002). Records management programs are considered to be able to satisfy the institution's internal and external needs by means of surveys to be conducted through both the examples of applications. Program development in records management rests substantially on institutional analyses. The administrative and legal conditions of every work process affecting the records procedures in the institution should be evaluated in the analyses to be conducted. The assessment of the international standards and the application samples that are developed is considered to be feasible through analyzation of the administrative and legal processes that have an effect on the institutional records procedures and through the development of institutional records management programs (Pember, 2006, p. 22; Shepherd & Geoffrey, 2003, pp. 30–31; Spratt, 2004, p. 8; Zawiyah & Chell, 2002, p. 55).

A general evaluation of the data demonstrates that the staff members dealing with the records procedures are distributed evenly throughout the institution; however, serious training problems are encountered. While there are fewer problems in the central units, problems in records management applications are more prevalent in the blood centers and the branch offices. Likewise, more problems are encountered in the branch offices in terms of communication and coordination of records procedures than are encountered in the central units. Even though the TRCS published a manual to describe the methods to follow for the in-house records procedures, the rate of referral to this document is below 50%. This shows that certain practices of in-house records procedures, namely seminars, certificate programs, and so on, should be generalized. Problems are observed in the transmission of the administrative and legal regulations developed within the TRCS to the related units, as well. This finding shows that the potential for in-house communication should be further developed. Another source of the problems encountered in the records procedures is the non-use of electronic environment, as stated by the staff members of the institution themselves. The lack of redundant records destruction on time is also among the significant records problems in the institution. According to the results of the analysis carried out in the TRCS's Directorate of Communications and Archives, the lack of defining the access restrictions to records clearly; the lack of using electronic access tools; the lack of defining the conditions of records retention and access restrictions individually in current, partially current, and noncurrent periods; and the lack of taking the required measures sufficiently so as to prevent unauthorized people's access to the records in the said unit should all be regarded as significant problems. The increased use of electronic environment in the records procedures is considered to be among the priority areas. The results of the analysis conducted in the TRCS's Directorate of Human Resources reveal that all staff members should have access to the documentation within the scope of records procedures and that performance assessment guides should be documented and kept up-to-date and accessible in this unit. It is necessary to keep the forms guiding the records creation process in locations that are accessible for the related staff members. Supervisory mechanisms should be operated for records procedures within the unit. Problems are also encountered in the provision of the access of related staff members to the administrative and legal documents on time during the practices of the unit. There are malfunctions in the unit's management information system. As per the findings of the analysis carried out within the TRCS and based on RMCAS, the following suggestions should be taken into consideration: 1. It would be beneficial to define the institutional information and records management system, in terms of the development of the current records and archive system, in line with national and international conditions by taking institutional needs into consideration. 2. The results of the RMCAS analysis show that there is a need for more systematic and intensive training activities for the staff members who run the records procedures of the TRCS. 3. Due effort should be exerted to eliminate the problems that arise from running similar procedures in units with different applications. 4. The lack of records disposition on time within the institution is considered to be a serious problem. 5. The electronic records management programs should be suitable for modular use, versatile and structured to enable access at defined levels for meeting future needs. It is important to transfer all of the information and records procedures within the institution to the electronic environment, and in this respect, to meet the requirements for the necessary digital certificates and signatures. 6. It is necessary to define the staff members who shall access the records and the authority with which they shall be provided the access within the TRCS more clearly in the regulations. 7. The retention plans developed for the records in the current, partially current, and noncurrent periods should be put into practice with due attention, as well. International standards, namely TWAIN and ISIS, and PDF and TIFF formats should be used for the transfer of the records procedures into the electronic environment within the institution. 8. In the selection of electronic systems, flexible models that are suitable for multithreading, compatible with HTML and XML standards, and convenient for add-ons should be preferred. 9. Distribution of authority and tasks for the records procedures should be set on a legal basis in the institution. Mechanisms for supervising the regular operation of the records and archive system should be defined and operated periodically. 10. The possibility of storage should be provided where easy access to the records is a primary concern and where preservation and security conditions are satisfied. 11. Disaster preparedness plans for the records procedures should be reviewed and the records to be primarily recovered, defined at various levels, should be listed. It is expected that the RMCAS applications carried out in the TRCS will serve as a guide for other institutions aspiring to develop records management programs, identify the existing problems of records procedures and their sources, and search for the solutions to these problems.