Relevancy of the CCM Model to this Study
(Liz Lyon, 2012) explains the CCMF as enabling researchers, institutions, and research funders to build their institutions’ capacity to carry out data-intensive research. With this understanding, the essence of institutional capacities correlates to different data lifecycle levels, which is central in research data management. Variables such as skills and training, openness, legal and policy guidelines, technology and infrastructure, and collaborative partnerships have a defining role in research data management. This framework confers details on the responsibilities and requirements of different capabilities for improved and efficient research data management.
This framework concentrates on technology and infrastructure integration on every institutional capability because of digital research growth, a data-intensive aspect of higher learning entities. The adoption is especially important in producing massive scholarly data considering that data curation handles digital research data. Different scholars have used this model not only to plan and assess data management practices and activities, for example (Crownston, 2012), but also to investigate the needs for research data management support in academic libraries when introducing a new multi-faceted capability tool such as (Lyon, 2014).
3.1.3 Rationale of using the CCMF and the DCC Curation lifestyle model
Despite this model being coherent on building institutional capabilities to address research data management, the subject of data curation activities attracts very minimal attention. This minimal attention is questionable because data curation is an indispensable component of research data management. For this reason, the DCC Curation lifestyle model will complement this framework in the investigation. The choice for the DCC Curation lifestyle model attributes to its focus on data curation activities such as capture, appraisal, preservation, description, access, use, sharing, and reuse.
3.1.4 Other theories used to explain RDM
Several other models can also be used to explain research data management, depending on the intended objectives of the study. One model that has been widely reviewed is the Open Archival Information System (OAIS). The model is discussed below
The Open Archival Information System (OAIS)
The Open Archival Information System (OAIS) is a reference model that offers a conceptual framework and shared terminology for long-term preservation and dissemination of research data. It is characterized by two sub-models (Laughton, 2013). The information model that explains the metadata utilized to facilitate discovery and access of preserved or archived data and the functional model that defines the roles tasks, functions, and research data flows
Despite its suitable design, (Laughton 2013) states that the open archival information system’s main limitation is its ambiguity. It fails to include a phase before the ingest function and pre-ingest function. The pre-ingest stage could have addressed the methods employed in collecting data to warrant quality, comprehension, and discovery of research data. For this reason, this framework falls short of the theoretical basis that can effectively support and guide the objectives of this investigation. Accordingly, the framework could be deemed fitting in records management and archives.