Information audit at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat

This article relates to an information audit that was carried out at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat headquarters in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. The broad objective of the study was to identify the information needs, information flows and processes and information resources within SADC Secretariat in order to improve the management of information in the organization. The study was motivated by the fact that information audits are important tools for identification of information resources, information needs, information flows and processes. The information audit enabled the identification of Secretariat's users' needs and the information services available within the institution that needed to be developed in order to match information services and resources to users” needs. The study concludes that t for these information services to have a strategic role within the organization, it is necessary for the organization itself to recognize the value of information and its vital role in effective management and operations of the organization. The study makes recommendations for improving the services available at the Secretariat.