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Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers
This study investigated the extent of Research Data Management (RDM) adoption at the University of Namibia (UNAM), viewing it from the researcher’s perspective. The objectives of the study were to investigate the extent to which RDM has been adopted as part of the research process at UNAM, to identi...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC)
2020
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| _version_ | 1867613260596903936 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Samupwa, Astridah Njala |
| author2 | Kahn, Michelle |
| author_browse | Kahn, Michelle Samupwa, Astridah Njala |
| author_facet | Kahn, Michelle Samupwa, Astridah Njala |
| author_sort | Samupwa, Astridah Njala |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This study investigated the extent of Research Data Management (RDM) adoption at the University of Namibia (UNAM), viewing it from the researcher’s perspective. The objectives of the study were to investigate the extent to which RDM has been adopted as part of the research process at UNAM, to identify challenges encountered by researchers attempting to practice RDM and to provide solutions to some of the challenges identified. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory was adopted for the study to place UNAM within an innovation-decision process stage. The study took a quantitative approach of which a survey was used. A stratified sample was drawn from a list of all 948 faculty members (the number of academics taken from the UNAM annual report of 2016). The Raosoft sample size calculator (Raosoft, 2004) states that 274 is the minimum recommended sample size necessary for a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence level from a population of 948, and this was the intended sample size. A questionnaire administered via an online web-based software tool, SurveyMonkey, was used. A series of questions was asked to individuals to obtain statistically useful information on the topic under study. The paid version of SurveyMonkey was used for analysis while graphics and tables were created in Microsoft Excel. The results of the study showed that for the group that responded to the survey, the extent to which they have adopted RDM practices is still very low. Although individuals were found to be managing their research data, this was done out of their own free will; this is to say that there was no policy mandating and guiding their practices. The researcher placed most of the groups that responded to the survey at the first stage of the innovation-decision process, which is the information stage. However, librarians who responded to the survey were found to be more advanced as they were seen to be aware of and engaged in knowledge acquisition regarding RDM practices. Thus, the researcher placed them at the second stage in the innovation-decision process (Persuasion). Recommendations for the study are based on the analysed data. It is recommended, among others, that UNAM should give directives in the form of policies to enhance the adoption of RDM practices and this should be communicated to the entire UNAM community to create awareness regarding the concept of RDM. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31205 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:19.547Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC) |
| publisherStr | Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC) |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31205 Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers Samupwa, Astridah Njala Kahn, Michelle Research data management data practices adoption innovation diffusion knowledge scholarly communications awareness and academic researchers. This study investigated the extent of Research Data Management (RDM) adoption at the University of Namibia (UNAM), viewing it from the researcher’s perspective. The objectives of the study were to investigate the extent to which RDM has been adopted as part of the research process at UNAM, to identify challenges encountered by researchers attempting to practice RDM and to provide solutions to some of the challenges identified. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory was adopted for the study to place UNAM within an innovation-decision process stage. The study took a quantitative approach of which a survey was used. A stratified sample was drawn from a list of all 948 faculty members (the number of academics taken from the UNAM annual report of 2016). The Raosoft sample size calculator (Raosoft, 2004) states that 274 is the minimum recommended sample size necessary for a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence level from a population of 948, and this was the intended sample size. A questionnaire administered via an online web-based software tool, SurveyMonkey, was used. A series of questions was asked to individuals to obtain statistically useful information on the topic under study. The paid version of SurveyMonkey was used for analysis while graphics and tables were created in Microsoft Excel. The results of the study showed that for the group that responded to the survey, the extent to which they have adopted RDM practices is still very low. Although individuals were found to be managing their research data, this was done out of their own free will; this is to say that there was no policy mandating and guiding their practices. The researcher placed most of the groups that responded to the survey at the first stage of the innovation-decision process, which is the information stage. However, librarians who responded to the survey were found to be more advanced as they were seen to be aware of and engaged in knowledge acquisition regarding RDM practices. Thus, the researcher placed them at the second stage in the innovation-decision process (Persuasion). Recommendations for the study are based on the analysed data. It is recommended, among others, that UNAM should give directives in the form of policies to enhance the adoption of RDM practices and this should be communicated to the entire UNAM community to create awareness regarding the concept of RDM. 2020-02-20T12:12:53Z 2020-02-20T12:12:53Z 2019 2020-02-14T12:25:42Z Master Thesis Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31205 eng application/pdf Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC) Faculty of Humanities |
| spellingShingle | Research data management data practices adoption innovation diffusion knowledge scholarly communications awareness and academic researchers. Samupwa, Astridah Njala Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers |
| title_full | Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers |
| title_fullStr | Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers |
| title_short | Adopting research data management (RDM) practices at the University of Namibia (UNAM): a view from researchers |
| title_sort | adopting research data management rdm practices at the university of namibia unam a view from researchers |
| topic | Research data management data practices adoption innovation diffusion knowledge scholarly communications awareness and academic researchers. |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31205 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samupwaastridahnjala adoptingresearchdatamanagementrdmpracticesattheuniversityofnamibiaunamaviewfromresearchers |