Document management practices in SMEs: An information management capability-based approach
ISSN: 0956-5698
Article publication date: 20 September 2019
Issue publication date: 31 March 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This research studied the current document management (DM) practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of a road freight transport sector in a South American city with the aim to determine strengths and challenges for improving information management.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted using a survey approach based on measuring information management capabilities (IMC) through the following main dimensions: perception about DM practices, DM policies and tools, IT usage, organizational climate, and problems related to document management.
Findings
The main results from the work stated the challenges for these companies in adopting electronic document management systems (EDMS) and handling information effectively even though the business experience. Also, the study highlighted the top management commitment in terms of investments for IMC development. Nevertheless, this economic support tends to be not enough to afford the EDMS implementation.
Originality/value
Regarding the importance of information in road freight transport sector, this paper explored DM practices in a field in which no previous studies related to DM had been conducted and set the basis to make decisions to improve information management performance.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Colombian Administrative Department for the Development of Science and Technology (Colciencias) in collaboration with Universidad de la Costa through the Young Researcher Grant No. 702-2014, under the project “Standardization of document processes for merchandise’s storing and transportation through a web platform for improving competitiveness”.
Citation
Macías-Jiménez, M.A., Acosta-Fontalvo, L.C. and Jiménez-Barros, M.A. (2020), "Document management practices in SMEs: An information management capability-based approach", Records Management Journal, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 63-79. https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-10-2018-0042
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited