Abstract
To continue to remain the backbone in research-intensive universities and centre for educational excellence, academic libraries must have the capacity to renew library competences to respond rapidly and promptly towards the new global health crisis, and effectively adapt, integrate, and reconfigure the internal and external organizational repertoire to match the needs of users. During COVID-19 pandemic, academic libraries need to be innovative and operate more virtual than traditional. The dynamic capability framework assists library managers and policymakers in recognizing aspects of enhancement capacity that require improvement. In conclusion, the dynamic capability framework is an optimal decision-making alternative for library management and academic libraries in the context of isolation, quarantine, and physical distance during the COVID-19 era.
TopIntroduction
In 2020 and beyond, innovations in archives, museums, information centres and libraries have become quite prominent during the global health crisis. The need to better articulate re-positioning has therefore led to more extensive studies and ongoing discussions among researchers, policymakers, and academia (Isen 2012:1; Sameer 2012: 1). Arumuru (2020) reiterates the need for libraries to re-position themselves by ensuring the philosophy of Quality, Service, and Value (QS&V) as the guiding force to meeting the dynamic needs of clients. In any dynamic environment, an organization must possess the ability to foresee the need for changes and a willingness to change direction. This process is referred to as re-positioning (Ellickson, Misra & Nair, 2012). Zahid and Raja (2014: 59), iterates that re-positioning occurs in the mind of library users through improved product/service offerings. With re-positioning, the brand is not changed however actual offerings of the library are altered to the changing environment. When there is a change in user demand, then re-positioning is the best strategy to position academic libraries.
The world is now in a new environment with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health crises have severely manifested not only on the banking, insurance, information technology etc also in the information and library services. In the opinion of Koplan et al. (2009) and Beaglehole & Bonita, (2010), any global health crisis is also an information crisis, and this required attention by the information scientists. The authors do agree with this assertion; as the global crisis also poses significant challenges to the users of library services in higher learning institutions. Thus, continuous improvement and developing virtual services by organizations is necessary for this new development. Stoffle (2011) posits that change is a continuous process and as such, the organizations must change as well. Re-positioning is highly driven by the gap existing between a market and organizational capabilities, thus, hoping to find a match to user needs and expectations (Turner, 2003:251). For instance, Ogunsola (2011) argued that the world has gradually experienced changes in all sectors as information communication technology (ICT) has significantly improved virtual services. To sustain relevance, organizations amidst the global health crisis, have transitioned from manual systems to semi/full technologically-driven. Sharma and Singh (2015) posit that virtual services have become more manifest in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with no exception to educational institutions and libraries.
In the past, libraries were stocked with print collections (books, manuscripts, journals, and other sources of recorded information), which could not be accessed remotely. Information was often in print necessitating users to be present in the library to access information resources (Ogunsola, 2011:1). The situation in libraries is different now in most countries in SSA. Besides, the global health crisis has allowed libraries to be more dynamic in information processing, transmission, and storage with the aid of digital technologies (Abovyan, 2013:7). Consequently, many libraries across the African continent have established virtual library services to support academic curricula in terms of teaching, research, and learning. Indeed, the digital era has created an unprecedented and continuous shift in libraries and universities, as a whole and is compelled to add value to library and academic services. Today, academic libraries are welcomed by the digital revolution (Clough, 2013: 3).
The spread of coronavirus has put to a halt, countries including Ghana under lockdown. Conferences have been canceled, schools have closed and libraries around the world are facing difficult decisions on which services to be offered. Likewise, the Government of Ghana closed all institutions (primary to the academic level), including business organizations. Specifically, academic library systems, as well as school libraries, were closed. Not only that, but the National Libraries have closed down also. Throughout these closures, libraries must continue to provide library and information services virtually to users during these challenging times. For the sake of technology, essential library services would be discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Information and Communication Technology (ICT): According to Owusu-Ansah (2014: 56) ICT refers to all forms of technologies that are used to create, store, share or transmit, and exchange information. This broad definition of ICT includes such technologies as radio, television, video, DVD, telephone (both fixed-line and mobile phones), satellite systems, computer, and network hardware and software; as well as the equipment and services associated with these technologies, such as video conferencing and electronic mail. The working definition of ICT for the current study focuses on the tools used by the selected academic libraries to enhance library services consisting of hardware, software, networks, and media for collection, storage, processing, transmission, and presentation of information (voice, data, text, images).
Re-Positioning: To Zahid and Raja (2014: 59), if clients consider a brand boring (lack of interest in that brand even though there are different integrated marketing communications), then, re-positioning needs to be performed to find a new and improved identity in the market. Putting the concept in context, re-positioning can be the strategy to improve the library brand.In this study, re-positioning refers to identifying the right markets and the right positioning within the selected academic, determining the right strategies (marketing vehicles and brand differentiation) to establish academic libraries as a market leader. Beyond that, aligning library staff, brand, and library services to digital library services are another means of re-positioning academic libraries (Zahid and Raja, 2014).
Dynamic: According to Soong and Chan (2010), 'dynamic' is the capacity to renew competencies using innovative responses to achieve congruence with the changing business environment (technological change, market needs).
Academic Libraries: Academic libraries are libraries central in supporting teaching, learning, and research in all subjects and disciplines within their host universities (The Research Information Network and the Consortium of Research Libraries 2007). Ani and Edem (2012:34) asserted that academic libraries also referred to as academic libraries are usually among the most advanced in terms of developing electronic-based services. In this study, a working definition for an academic library is a library that is within the selected academic to support teaching, learning, and research.
Digital Library Services: Embedding new technology into library services is considered a digital library service. Digital libraries offer library services in real-time via technology. Stakeholders of universities are now able to have access to information that previously could not be accessed easily (Clough 2013:3). Also, Undoubtedly, the digital environment enables library users to access the stored digital collections online via the internet for teaching, learning, and research (ChihMing and ChiaChi 2010:6).
Strategic Re-Positioning: The concept of strategic re-positioning posits that organizations must re-align between its internal and external context for changes occurring within the environment (Kwamboka 2011:2). Turner (2003) defines strategic re-positioning as a conscious act undertaken by enterprises as they adapt to a changing business environment. Similarly, Kaplan (2005) views strategic re-positioning as a sequence of noticing and interpreting a change and translating those perspectives into a strategic choice and action. Such a strategic choice and action often involves a significant shift in the value proposition of a firm as it seeks to change its targeted market segments and its basis of differential advantage (Turner 2003). It is essentially driven by a growing gap between the needs of the market and the capabilities of the enterprise.
Realignment: The concept of realignment is central to strategic management processes. In formulating a corporate strategy for an organization, it is imperative to fit or align the organizational strategy with internal assessment and external assessment of the environment. Strategic alignment is a “method for understanding the nature of a business through the correlation of business processes and strategies. The use of strategic alignment allows an organization to contemplate/visualize its longevity and to find out how achievable its visions for the future are” (Morrison, Ghose, Dam, Hinge, and Hoesch-Klohe 2012:1). Realignment helps decision-makers to gather meaningful insights based on its present processes.
Capability: 'Capabilities' do emphasize the key role of strategic management in appropriating adaptation, integration, and reconfiguration of internal and external organizational skills, resources, and functional competencies to match the requirements of a changing environment (Soong and Chan (2010). Hence, achieving competitive advantage or value creation in the wake of high-technology is 'dynamic capabilities'.
Digital Age: Abovyan (2013:7) argues that the digital age is “the rise of digital technologies that allow more efficient processing, transmission, storage and review of information.” Digital technologies include telecommunication, broadcasting, computer and software to process and communicate information by increasing the flow of information and the dissemination of knowledge (Abovyan 2013). The digital birth converts analog contents or originals into bits and bytes thereby opening new vistas and extended horizons in every direction, providing access and opportunities for both new and old audiences, enlightenment, entertainment and education in ways unimaginable years ago (Degan and Tanner 2006: 1). The digital age indeed has gradually moved into libraries which are sometimes called digital libraries. Increasingly, digital libraries have a major function to enhance our appreciation of our engagement with knowledge and often led the way in this new digital domain in which higher learning institutions find themselves. In the digital age, it is expected of academic libraries to enhance library services via digital tools. In Europe and even Africa, a vast majority of academic libraries now use digital tools to rapidly serve library patrons better. The effect of the digital age has dramatically changed the education and library environment presenting continuous discussions and research studies. A glance in the literature on the digital age seems to depict greater research in the educational environment than before.