Institutional Memory in Field Administration: Knowledge Gaps and Governance Continuity in Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58718/bigmjpa/2026.3.3Keywords:
Institutional memory, knowledge repository, administrative continuity, field administration, civil service reform, governance efficiency, bureaucracy, knowledge retentionAbstract
This study examines institutional memory loss as a structural constraint on governance continuity within Bangladesh’s field administration. Drawing on Argote’s organizational memory theory and Lipsky’s street-level bureaucracy framework, it empirically assesses the extent, drivers, and operational consequences of knowledge discontinuity during officer transitions. A purposive cross-sectional survey of 77 serving Assistant Commissioners (AC), Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO), Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADC), and equivalent officials was conducted, combining quantitative indicators with qualitative insights from frontline administrators. The findings reveal substantial deficits in institutionalized knowledge transfer: only 13% of respondents reported access to structured archival records upon assuming office, fewer than one-third (32.4%) received any form of formal handover documentation, more than 75% experienced operational inefficiencies such as duplicated initiatives and procedural delays, and 70.20% reported vulnerability to manipulation by subordinate staff due to contextual unfamiliarity. Notably, 93.2% of respondents expressed strong support for formal institutional mechanisms to preserve administrative knowledge. These results highlight the operational and strategic consequences of weak institutional memory, showing how insufficient archival access and fragmented handovers impede policy continuity, reduce administrative efficiency, and increase discretionary variance among frontline staff. The overwhelming endorsement of structured knowledge-preservation mechanisms indicates both practitioner readiness and policy feasibility for interventions such as digital repositories, standardized handover templates, and formal exit reports. By integrating empirical evidence with organizational memory theory, this study provides actionable recommendations for strengthening administrative resilience, ensuring governance continuity, and embedding knowledge stewardship within Bangladesh’s field administration.
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