: Preconditions and assessment of drivers, obstacles, success factors and approach for the implementation of the Retention process

Implementation of Records Retention

Almås, Reid

4. term

Master of Information Management (Continuing education)

2016

2016-06-08

27

Records Retention er regler og processer for, hvor længe virksomheder skal gemme vigtige dokumenter og data, og hvornår de skal slettes. Det kan indføres for at spare penge, mindske risiko eller overholde lovkrav. For at afklare, hvad begrebet konkret omfatter, har jeg gennemgået retningslinjer fra anerkendte faglige organisationer. Kravlisten viste sig at være omfattende, hvilket kan være en medvirkende årsag til, at mange virksomheder udsætter eller kæmper med at indføre Records Retention. I specialet har jeg interviewet et udvalg af virksomheder, hovedsageligt inden for olie- og gasrelaterede aktiviteter, for at forstå sammenhængen mellem virksomheders modenhed i Information Management (IM) – altså hvordan de styrer data og dokumenter – og hvor langt de er nået med at indføre Records Retention. For at besvare dette har jeg også afdækket forudsætninger, drivkræfter og mål. Undersøgelsen viser, at kun få virksomheder mener, de har etableret velfungerende retention. Et andet fund er, at flere forskellige motiver kan være afgørende for at komme i gang. Mulige juridiske konsekvenser ved manglende efterlevelse af lovgivning ser ikke ud til at være en stærk drivkraft. Der er fortsat store forskelle mellem europæisk og amerikansk lovgivning, især når det gælder størrelsen af mulige erstatningskrav. Derfor har virksomheder, der opererer i Skandinavien, ofte færre incitamenter til at indføre Records Retention. Alt efter motiv kræves forskellige tiltag, og specialet hjælper med at identificere, hvilke krav der skal opfyldes for at nå virksomhedens mål. De fleste virksomheder vurderes at have lav modenhed i Information Management. En vellykket indførelse kræver kvalificerede og dedikerede ressourcer med opbakning fra ledelsen. Det er markant, at IM som funktion ofte ikke har en tydelig organisatorisk placering. Ofte ligger den under IT, hvilket flere eksperter mener er uhensigtsmæssigt. Ledelsen bør forstå, at vejen mod højere IM-modenhed ikke kun handler om teknik, men også om organisering og kultur. Forudsigelige rammer er vigtige. Ifølge Gartner tager indførelse af Enterprise Information Management (EIM) tid og bør gennemføres som et koordineret program – ikke som et enkeltstående projekt.

Records Retention refers to the rules and processes for how long organizations keep important documents and data, and when to dispose of them. It can be implemented to save money, reduce risk, or comply with laws and regulations. To clarify what the concept entails in practice, I reviewed guidelines from recognized professional organizations. The resulting list of requirements was extensive, which may help explain why many companies delay or struggle with implementation. This thesis surveyed a selection of companies, mainly in oil and gas–related activities, to understand the link between an organization’s maturity in Information Management (IM)—how it governs data and documents—and its progress in implementing Records Retention. To answer this, I also examined underlying assumptions, drivers, and desired outcomes. The study found that only a few companies believe they have established effective retention. Another finding is that several different motives can be decisive for getting started. Potential legal consequences for non-compliance do not appear to be a strong driver. There are still major differences between European and American law, especially regarding the size of potential damages. As a result, companies operating in Scandinavia often have fewer incentives to adopt Records Retention. Depending on the motive, different actions are needed, and the thesis helps identify which requirements must be met to achieve company objectives. Most companies score low on IM maturity. Successful implementation requires qualified, dedicated resources with leadership support. It is notable that IM as a function often lacks a clear place in the organization and is frequently placed under IT, which several experts consider suboptimal. Leadership should recognize that moving to a higher IM maturity level involves not only technical, but also organizational and cultural challenges. Predictable framework conditions are important. According to Gartner, introducing Enterprise Information Management (EIM) takes time and should be pursued as a coordinated program, not a one-off project.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Records Retention, Information Management, Information Maturity level, Information Lifecycle

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