By Anikwe, Sunday Obinna
Information management has always been an organization’s central resource. Without it, the modern organization simply could not function. It has economic, legal, fiscal, risk-management, and competitive values. Information management is, however, much more than just technology. Information management therefore encompasses the effective management of people, process, technology and content towards achieving organisational effectiveness through effective development of employees. Despite the application of information technologies, the mounting rise of “paperwork” requirements that relates to employee development continues to accelerate in today’s corporate volatile environment. Apparently, it is against this background that this study tried to ascertain the role of information management in human resource development in Enugu State civil service from 2000-2010. The major objective of this study was to ascertain the role of information management on human resource development in Enugu State civil service. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to: (i) examine the relationship between information management and human resource development in Enugu State civil service, (ii) ascertain the extent to which training and orientation contribute to information management in Enugu State civil service, and (iii) determine the relationship between information organisation/storage and human resource development in Enugu State civil service. Survey research design was utilised for this study and it sampled 400 respondents out of 5,266 staff of the selected ministries, using multi stage sampling method. The primary data was spawned using a simple worded and well-structured questionnaire. Simple percentages and chi-square methods were utilized to analyze the primary generated data. Text books, journals, government publications/ documents, newspapers and magazines, periodicals and workshop papers constituted the sources of secondary data and it was critically analyzed alongside the primary data using content analysis. From the findings of the study, the results generated signified that there is a positive correlation between information resources acquisition and utilization, and human resource development in Enugu State Civil service. Information resources acquisition and utilization was ascertained to drive innovation and organizational adaptability, thus creating a sustained and continuous process for knowledge acquisition, which is fundamental to improved organizational performance and effectiveness, through human resource training and development in Enugu State Civil service. The study also observed that lack of training of the ministries’ employees on information management processes and techniques negatively influences information management in Enugu State civil service, thus facilitating the delay in information access and use in the studied ministries. The study recommended that Enugu State Government should invest on modern information management technologies so to enhance and facilitate information resources acquisition and ensure proper utilization of information resources and techniques in Enugu State civil service.