Journal Articles

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http://hdl.handle.net/10204/11487

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Browsing Journal Articles by browse.metadata.cluster "Business Excellence and Integration"

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    Librarians to the Rescue! An LIS-Associated Workflow Model for the Rescue of Research Data at Risk
    (2025) Patterton, Louise H; Bothma, Theo JD; Van Deventer, Martie J
    This study presents a data rescue workflow model and explores the potential roles and responsibilities of the library and information services (LIS) sector in rescuing at-risk data. The methodology was multifaceted, consisting of three distinct phases of data collection and analysis. First, content analysis was conducted on 15 purposively selected data rescue publications to identify key activities that are integral to the data rescue process. This phase resulted in the creation of an initial data rescue workflow model. Second, feedback was obtained from six experienced researchers at a South African research institute, chosen from a sample of criterion-based researchers, after they reviewed the initial model. This feedback was used to revise the model. Third, additional feedback on both the initial and revised models was gathered during a mini focus group session with three purposively selected LIS experts at the same research institute. This feedback was used to refine the model and develop a final recommended data rescue workflow model, which is presented in this study. The recommended model outlines the crucial stages, activities, and outputs of data rescue in a chronological sequence. The study’s outcomes provide new insights into data rescue and the involvement of LIS professionals, highlighting how various LIS experts can contribute to data rescue projects.
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    Risky business: Data-at-risk in a dynamic and evolving multidisciplinary research environment
    (2024-03) Patterton, Louise H; Bothma, TJD; Van Deventer, MJ
    At-risk data is an unfortunate research reality and can be present in all data formats in a range of research disciplines. This is defined as data that are at risk of loss due to various factors, including deterioration of the media, lack of accompanying documentation and data that exists in non-digital formats, which are often irreplaceable. Continued access to older data has a range of benefits. The factors that place valuable data at risk are therefore a cause for concern. This paper reports on a multi-method case study, comprising a survey and interviews. A web-based questionnaire was distributed to all research group leaders based at a leading South African research institute. This was followed by one-on-one interviews that were held with a sub-section of the same group of researchers. The combined findings of the two methods enabled a picture to be formed regarding factors that jeopardise research data, data rescue obstacles that the researchers encountered and the state of data rescue at the institute.