THE INFLUENCE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS STRATEGIES ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF TANZANIA REVENUE AUTHORITY (TRA), KINONDONI TAX REGION

This study assessed the contribution of disaster preparedness strategies to the sustainability of records management systems in public sector institutions, using the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Kinondoni Tax Region, as a case study. Specifically, the study sought to identify the disaster preparedness strategies currently implemented for physical and electronic records, examine the staff, technological, infrastructural, managerial and financial factors affecting their implementation, and assess their contribution to records accessibility, integrity, continuity of operations and long-term preservation. The study targeted 40 respondent questionnaire participants and 5 interview participants. Of the 40 questionnaires distributed, 36 were returned, giving a questionnaire response rate of 90%. All five interviews were completed, giving an overall actual participation of 40 out of 40 participants (100%). Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while interview data were analyzed thematically. The findings showed that although TRA had established certain disaster preparedness strategies, their implementation was not fully effective due to gaps in staff training and awareness, ageing storage infrastructure, weaknesses in disaster-recovery arrangements and limited financial resources. The study concludes that disaster preparedness is central to sustaining records management in public sector institutions and recommends regular staff training, modernization of storage infrastructure, adoption of reliab1le digital backup and recovery systems, increased financial allocation for disaster preparedness, periodic simulation exercises, and the integration of disaster preparedness into institutional policy frameworks. The findings offer practical guidance to TRA and comparable public institutions seeking to strengthen the resilience of their records management systems.

Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Peer review

Not peer-reviewed

Licence

All rights reserved