Cloud adoption progress to manage records at the selected ombudsman institutions in South Africa

Abstract

Background: The 21st century has brought technological advancements in the form of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The need to adopt cloud computing to manage records and information access at the ombudsman institutions in the public sector has become necessary towards benefiting the citizens and the public servants. Shifting to cloud is gaining momentum because of the great advantages expected to move institutions from traditional computing practices to cloud computing schemes. Cloud computing services such file storage and big data analytics offer cost-effective, secure, flexible and sustainable services to their users.
Aim: This study aimed to investigate the progress made by the selected ombudsman institutions on cloud adoption to manage records and information in South Africa.
Setting: The study focused on the Military Ombudsman and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) in South Africa.
Methods: To gather data that were supported by empirical evidence, this study used a scoping literature review, reviewing literature from 2018 up until 2024.
Results: The study established that cloud computing is an alternative for the organisations that seek to promote access to records and information as well as encourage remote working.
Conclusion: The study concludes the necessity to develop the information technology (IT) infrastructure that complements cloud adoption in the public sector to promote access to records and information.
Contribution: The significance of this study highlights the need for the government to expedite transformation towards the full implementation of emerging technologies so that the citizens can easily interact with the government institutions.