Description
ABSTRACT
The major purpose of this study was to determine the competencies needed by secretaries in Modern Business Organization in Ibeku Umuahia Metropolis of Abia State. The population of the study consisted 160 Executives and Secretaries from Government Organization in Ibeku Abia State. The sample for the study was 135 executives and secretaries out of 130, which were drawn using sample random sampling. For research questions were formulated which guided the study. A 30 items structured questionnaire was developed, validated and tested.
The frequency percentages were used to answer the research questions. The major findings of the study were (1) Secretaries in government organizations in Ibeku Umuahia see themselves as acquiring the skill competencies. (2)Bosses as well as the secretaries as having such skills. Consequently, the secretaries in some of the establishments were not adequately motivated therefore; they could not put in their best in the job. It was recommended that (1) motivation and encouragement of secretaries in business organization. (2)Training for the secretaries. (3)Acquisition of office equipment by the organizations. Suggestions for further studies were also made.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – — – – – -i
Certification- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -ii
Dedication- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – -iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – iv
Table of Table – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – vi
Abstract- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -vii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – 1-2
1.1 Overview of the study- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -2
1.2 Statement of the study – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – 3
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Hypotheses Formulation
1.6 Significance of the study
1.7 Scope and Limitation of the study
1.8 Operational Definition of terms is Reference
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review 13
2.1 Skills Competencies Needed of Secretaries 13
2.2 Expectations of Offices from their Secretaries 17
2.3 General Duties Performed by Secretaries 19
2.4 Categories of Secretaries and their Qualification 22
2.5 Summary of Literature Review 24
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research Methodology 27
3.1 Introduction 27
3.2 Design of the Study 27
3.3 Areas of the Study 27
3.4 Population of the Study 28
3.5 Sample and Sampling Techniques 28
3.6 Instrument for Data Collection 28
3.7 Method of Data Collection 29
3.8 Method of Data Analysis 30
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Presentation and Analysis of Data 31
4.1 Introduction 31
4.2 Major Discussion of Findings 37
CHAPTER FIVE
- Summary of Findings, Conclusion and
Recommendation 41
5.1 Restatement of the Problem 41
5.2 Summary of Findings 42
5.3 Recommendations 43
5.4 Suggestion for Further Studies 44
5.5 Conclusions 45
References 46
Appendix 48
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The secretarial profession as far back as the industrial revolution of the 14th to 16th centuries. This was the era when mechanical labour stood in place of manual labour. This period record keeping and the inventions of manuscript were first developed, a period when secretaries are only expected to take shorthand record of what is been said by the boss and develop it into printed by the user of (Typewriter).
In glance of the constant state of technological and economic flux, Business centers and office under-go climatic metamorphoses, Technological advancement, new business procedures, international movements and automation, all appear to pose great challenges to the office secretary today.
Inspite of the rapid scientific and technological changes. The office seems to be uncomfortable for the secretary who can just type and write shorthand. Here secretaries with obsolete knowledge and attitude are afraid of parting away with their jobs in the present settings.
As a result of these changes, transformation in the offices, the fear of office automation replacing the secretary is apparently more real than imagined simply because the business environment has become increasingly dynamic and sophisticated that much more is expected from the office of the secretary.
According to “Shella may 1990” who stressed that secretarial competencies is the ability of the secretary to perform roles, activities to the standard required in employment, it embodies the ability to transfer skills and knowledge to new situations within the occupational area. The secretary is expected to exhibit her essence of effectiveness required in the work place to deal with co-workers, management and customers.
According to Angela 2002, knowing the office skill being able to assume responsibilities, roles and executes her work without much supervision. This means that much is expected of a competent secretary.
Professor J.C Efuribe a great secretary of 1960’s who sees a secretary as one who acquire all mastery, ethics, responsibilities in the organization representing the good image of the organization. Infact he summaries a secretary as the assets, bread winner in all office expectation believing that behind every successive executive there must be a very good secretary. Stressing that the secretary ought to be equipped with modern technology like word processing and official ethics”
As a result of the above ethics needed from a secretary, her roles, responsibilities, function are thus diverse, complex and challenging. Consequently, she ought to posses the ability to keep secrets, operate the copier, the duplicating machine, the telex equipment and fax machine, as well as to be a sound computer literate, infact she ought to develop her skill as office equipment develops.
Okoye (1992), 44 to cope with these myriad of and varied functions. She ought to have a positive knowledge and be flexible in adjusting to changes / developments.
Anyaduba (1991, 87). Things changes quickly. Techniques and Technology may becomes out of fashion and create a vacuum for new ones. Trainers of secretaries can effect these changes in their methodologies and strategies to prevent producing inefficient/ quick secretaries.
The guard against producing secretaries who may parade certificate that cannot fit in, in a vast automate business environment is to provide those skill competencies which employers required. The point being illustrated is that unless the leaving environment is made a complete replicate of the work is made in the environment; the in-put-out put flow would suffer serious disequilibrium. This will be a disgrace to the trained secretary and a disappointment to the employer.
It is then necessary for secretaries to acquire office skills and general knowledge that will enable them act efficiently and effectively in the modern business organizations. The modern secretaries need to be very competent and versatile in order to gain recognition/ dignity and admiration of age and Sunday in the organization.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is not certain whether the skill possessed by office secretaries meet employer’s expectations. Since the work of a secretary requires high level performance, she acts as a public relation expert, staff assistance and the boss office memory. It has also been assented and totally so, because behind a successive executive there must be a very good secretaries. She is responsible for much of detailed work of the office and expected to carry out her poise and personality effectively. The secretary is also expected generate good human relations in working with all employers in the organization. A good secretary should know how to gain the goodwill and co-operate with her supervisor, co-ordinates subordinates by applying the best principle of human relation at all levels.
The ideal secretary is dutiful highly efficient, creative and sound not finding when to use initiative, when to consult her employer. The secretaries adjust easily to changes, situation, recognizes and meet the deadline.
According to Norma Davis Blackburn “The secretary is one entrusted with the secret or confidence of an organization. One employed to handle correspondence and manager routine and details of work for a supervisor.
Therefore, the emergency of modern office automation with its attendant challenges seems to make this fear more real than assumed. In reference to Okoye (1992, 8) found a significant difference between secretaries skills and employers requirements. Arukwe (1991, 112), stressed the need for a continues follow-up studies in the relationships. Therefore, it is the mission of the researcher to find out whether secretary’s skills, competencies meet employer’s exception, with a view to proffering useful suggestion.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study includes
- To identify appropriate qualifications for secretary’s with view of modern technologies.
- To ascertain if secretaries see themselves as possessing the efficient competencies needed by the organization.
- Find out whether employers see their secretaries as meeting the modern secretarial work.
- Identify the limitation to secretarial competencies.
- To proffer suggestions for the improvement of secretarial competency.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The need for undertaking this study originated from the following perspectives.
It will also show what training and retaining activities that are provided for the effective performance of the secretary.
It will also assist education institutions in preparing secretaries that can meet the modern challenges, through curriculum evaluation and effectiveness i.e. introducing the secretaries to the technology replacement in business organization, such as computer taking the place of typewriting while typewriting is used to equip the competency of the secretary.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- Do secretaries possess the competencies needed by modern business organization.
- Do employers of labour see secretaries as meeting their modern employment expection?
- Do secretaries see themselves as meeting up with the challenges of modern business organization and proud of their competencies.
- Do the secretaries need to be volatile in consideration to the modern changes?
- How can the secretaries meet up the present technological and environmental changes?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is so wide to be covered in a research of this nature. However, the study may not as exhaustive as it ought to, owing to the relative shortness of time for its completion and researcher limited the scope to some selected government and private organization in umuahia Abia State Metropolis, the study which is focused on determine whether secretaries posse the requisite competencies required in modern business organization.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
SECRETARY: Employee in an office, who deals with correspondence, keep record i.e storing of fact with the word perfect of computer according to modern changes of facts information storage, arrange and appoint a member of staff.
BUSINESS: Any activities managed by an individual for the purpose of earning a living.
MANAGEMENT: Effective use and co-ordination of resources such as capital, plant material, labour to achieve, meet the defined aim with maximum efficiency.
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: One who specialize in working with chief executive and other top personal of any organization.
OFFICE: The place that controls the flow of all inwards and out-wards correspondence And communication.
ORGANIZATION: Act of seeing that plans and wishes are carried out successfully.
COMPETENCE: Possessing required ability, power, authority, skills knowledge.
PRODUCTIVITY: Yielding fruitful results.
AUTOMATIONS: Method and machine to save human labour e.g modern office equipment like “computer” for word perfection.
TECHNOLOGY: A study, mastery and utilization of manufacturing and industrial method. It may also be described as a systematic application of knowledge to practical tasks in industry.
VERSATILE: Somebody who is interested in, and clever at many things having various uses.
QUESTIONNAIRE: List of questions drawn to be answered by people for the purpose of collecting information.
RESPONDENTS: People who responded by given some answers to the questionnaire.
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Restatement of the Problem
The information technology has created several changes in office methodology. Secretaries in the present – day- business are required to possess office skills competencies to adapt to changes created by the changing of work environment, introduction of modern technologies and duties performed by secretaries in employed offices. Typewriting skill and shorthand knowledge are no longer enough to determine the position and effectives of office secretaries. Feedback from employers about the performance of secretaries has not been favorable or encouraging. It has been identified that secretaries no longer utilize their office skills efficiently thereby resulting to low productivity. This has been attributed to the unpolished instructions received by secretarial trainees while others relate the inefficiency as a result of unfavorable condition of services for secretaries. This research work adopted a survey method through which questionnaires were administered to generate concrete data from respondents.
4 Research question were postulated in – line with the purposes of the study.
The population used for the study was 16 office secretaries from Ibeku Local Government Umuahia Abia State. Due to the population was fairly small, it was used as the sample size. The method of data analysis used was mean score calculation with frequency tables 4 points likert scale was used to rate the collected data and a mean score of 2.5 and above was considered significant and accepted while a mean score below 2.5 was considered not significant and therefore rejected.
5.2 SUMMARY OF FINDING
From the analysis of data, the following findings were made.
- the skill competencies required of working office secretaries are as follows; sense of judgment, ability of having general knowledge of office work, ability of having communication skill, concentration on the job, ability to locate documents, ability to be punctuality and regularity, ability to work under pressure.
- It was also discovered that employers are in high demand of secretaries having the following skills competencies. Courtesy, motivational skill. Enthusiasm, ability to learn, ability of having initiative and attractive.
- It was observed that secretaries performs the following functions in the organization such as: taking dictations and transcribing them on the typewriter, read sort mails, answer the telephone, open new files and do filing, compose letters and reports, act as memory aid to the boss etc
5.3 Conclusions
From the findings the following conclusions were made.
- Secretaries are required to possess certain office skills competencies to perform their functions and handles varies of tasks effectively.
- Secretaries are required to employ the needed office skills and competencies into their routine functions in order to enhance their level of productivity.
- Secretaries need periodic training to improve in their skills for effective job performance.
- Office secretaries should be motivated through conducive working environment and good pay packages.
5.4 Recommendations.
The following recommendations were made by the researcher based on the conclusions,
- Secretary is expected to possess certain skills competencies in their office functions.
- Organizations should always provide their secretaries with adequate and comprehensive training programmers to enhance their level of performance and productivity.
- Organizations are expected to motivate their secretaries by creating conducive working environment for them.
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies
It is suggested that further study should be conducted on;
- Computer skills required of secretaries in a computer – aged environment.
- Similar topic should be conducted using higher institutions, banking sectors or in other states.
- I C T skills required of secretaries in the world of work and business.
It was discovered that secretaries needs to be motivated, exposed to training, participate in seminar programmers, and allows the chance for further education. This will help to make her more efficient in her performance.
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