A qualitative analysis of the Irish archival institutions, their functions, challenges and anticipated changes
Authors
Taylor, Chris
Issue Date
2020
Degree
MSc Information and Library Management
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
Abstract
The objective of this research was to address the gap of Irish context in archival theory, gain insight into the functions of Irish archival institutions and discover their prospects for the future. This dissertation was qualitative in its research design and followed an interpretivist philosophy. The research population for this project consisted of professional archivists who work or have worked in Irish archival institutions. Exploratory sampling was used, and the research followed an inductive approach. A grounded theory research strategy was implemented for this research and semi-structured research interviews were employed for data collection. Data was then analysed using coding and thematic analysis. The results concurred with some of the existing literature written from an international perspective but also shed light on issues and points that were not present in the literature. Some of these may be unique to Irish archival institutions and warrant further investigation.