Algoritmos para la optimización de los parámetros de la red

A prerequisite of all the above resources is adequate funding. It is imperative that provision be made in the annual estimates of capital and running costs for sufficient funds to enable the records and archives institution and its departmental units to perform their functions properly. Ideally, each records management unit in an agency should have its own budget or, at least, an adequate allowance within the department of which it forms a part. Similarly, the archival institution should be able to manage its own budget.

Within government agencies (and businesses as well), financial resources should be managed prudently and in accordance with established priorities. Value for money should be achieved through a plan for expenditure on staff, accommodation, equipment and materials that matches the requirements for the delivery of an efficient and economical records management programme.

Within the archival facility, it should be recognised that basic services should be provided free of charge to all users. Income generation from peripheral or non-essential services should not compromise this central principle. But, like all other cultural institutions, the archival institution has a duty to maximise the generation of income from its programmes and activities, provided that doing so supports and does

Income generation is useful if it supports agreed goals and does not detract from the central principle of access to

information.

Income generation is good only if it furthers programmes directed towards the achievement of agreed aims. It is not appropriate for income generation to be regarded as an end in itself.

Activities that can legitimately be regarded as suitable for income generation include • the provision of research services on behalf of the public

• the publication of texts of primary sources or facsimiles of attractive documents • participating in marketing and publicity programmes

• the provision of specialist research under contract.

Activity 20

Describe or draw a floor plan of the archival institution, records centre or records office in your organisation, depending on where you presently work. (If you are not working in any of these offices, contact an appropriate archival institution, records centre or records office and use that as an example.) Is there adequate space for all necessary activities? What types of equipment are available? Is there adequate equipment?

Next, describe briefly at least three changes to the accommodation you would suggest in order to improve records care. Then suggest at least three type of equipment you might wish to acquire to enhance the work of the organisation. How might you fund the accommodation changes or the purchase of additional equipment?

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN

Once the national and organisational policy requirements have been considered and the available resources assessed, it is necessary to restructure existing systems and plan for current and future activities. The best mechanism for implementing change is to create a strategic plan.

A strategic plan identifies the goals and objectives of the organisation and determines the best mechanisms for achieving those goals. Whatever the existing nature of the organisation, a strategic plan helps move the organisation toward its short- and long-term aims. It puts into action the information gleaned from the review of existing systems.

Strategic planning: The process of identifying an organisation’s mission, aims and objectives, determining its needs, capabilities and resources, and then developing strategies to achieve those goals.

This brief overview of the strategic planning process is intended to show how it can be a valuable tool in restructuring records services in a government. However, it does not offer a complete discussion of the process of strategic planning or strategic management; see the appropriate module in this study programme for more guidance. The key steps in developing and implementing a strategic plan include

• identifying the organisation’s mission, goals and objectives • determining opportunities and threats in the external environment • determining the organisation’s needs, capabilities and resources

• determining the organisation’s goals and objectives within the time frame provided.

Strategic plans are intended to be developed, executed and evaluated according to a specific time frame, be it two years, five years, longer or shorter. They are not intended to be permanent documents; they only work effectively if they are considered action documents, to be updated and extended regularly. Further, they are not business plans, which are detailed, short-term (one year) applications of the strategic plan.

Strategic plans are not intended to be permanent documents but should keep being revised as circumstances change;

A sample strategic plan for a records and archives institution follows. This strategic plan could serve as the basis for changing the organisational placement and focus of the archival institution; it would be used in conjunction with other planning tools needed to establish the records and archives institution, such as revised legislation, policy statements and procedural documents.

Activity 21

The fictitious strategic plan includes two specific objectives, as follows.

1. Train two professional staff members per year for four years in records and archives management.

2. Develop a plan to expand the professional resources and library of archival and records management literature to support training.

Write a proposal for how you would accomplish these objectives. What resources would you need? Where would you begin? How would you evaluate your work?