| The primary purpose of the study was to describe an emerging situation pertaining to the role of records management professionals in optical disk-based document imaging systems in the petroleum industry. The study used both the survey and case study methods. First, a survey was conducted of records management professionals who were members of a special interest group in a professional records management association. Then, interviews were conducted with employees of two petroleum companies with prototypical applications of optical disk-based document image processing technology.; Analyses of the data indicated that nearly one third of the 83 companies in the study had implemented one or more document imaging systems. Companies with imaging systems mostly were large (more than 1,001 employees), and mostly were international in scope. Although records management professionals traditionally were delegated responsibility for acquiring, designing, implementing, and maintaining paper-based information systems and the records therein, when records were converted to optical disks, responsibility for acquiring, designing, implementing, and maintaining optical disk-based information systems and the records therein, was delegated more frequently to end user departments and IS/MIS/DP professionals than to records professionals.; Records management professionals assert that the need of an organization for a comprehensive records management program is not served best when individuals who are not professional records managers are responsible for the records stored in optical disk-based information systems. Lacking practical experience in the identification and protection of vital records, the creation of retention schedules, and other conventional records management practices, technology managers and end users could leave their organizations unnecessarily exposed to risk from natural and human-made disasters, costly litigation, and unnecessary intervention by regulatory agencies. |
