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Function, competence and the external structure of provenance: a case study of a municipal corporation

University of British Columbia

The characterization of function and authority relations of an entity provides the basis for representing what has been termed the "external structure of provenance." Such a representation enables an understanding of the administrative context in which an organizational entity and its agents conduct their activities and, in turn, illuminates the manner in which the records of an entity are created and maintained. The study applies a methodology enabling the mapping of the characterizable elements of function and competence of an entity over time and through the administrative hierarchy of its structure. Terms of analysis relating to the application of the concept of function are established, as are those relating to the structure of the entity. These provide a consistent means to identify the role and status of juridical persons comprising the organizational entity and to illustrate the nature of their activities in processes established to satisfy the entity's functional requisites. The municipal corporation of Richmond, British Columbia, is the subject of a case study serving to confirm the validity of terms in which external structure can be analyzed. The study first examines the purposeful nature of the entity's activities through their functional characterization. It then examines the nature of authority relations inherent in the entity's organizational design and manifest through organizational process and role defining the nature of its structure. The study then demonstrates how the resulting authority relationships, along with the competences of the entity, can be identified in processes of activity fulfilment as components of a system of purposive activity representing the entity as a unitary, organic whole. The functional-structural analysis of system provides the context for understanding activity manifest through observable processes by elements comprising the entity's organizational structure. The conceptual framework which results establishes the basis upon which the whole of the records of a municipal corporation can be viewed as constituting a fonds. The thesis concludes by examining some of the implications of the analysis for various aspects of archival practice.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-01-19

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3791

Archival Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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