THE EFFECTS OF MODERN COMMUNICATION
EQUIPMENT ON THE SECRETARIAL PERFORMANCE.
(A
CASE STUDY OF NB PLC-ENUGU)
ABSTRACT
The core objective of
this study is to identify the effect of modern communication equipment on
secretarial performances in some manufacturing firms especially NB Plc-Enugu. This study comprises of fire chapter and each chapter is elaborate and explicit on the
subject matter. However, nine research questions were formulated in the study and
the researcher made use of percentages to analyse the data collected.
The data for this study
was gathered through the use of interview guide, questionnaire few books on the
topic, and past studies directly related to the study.
It is inferred from the study that a secretary
cannot really perform effectively and efficiently without the use of modern
communication equipment and as the case may be, office equipment has been
developing since seventeenth century until now.
This study is intended
to find out the modern office communication equipment in use in manufacturing
firms, the job efficiency on the part of the secretary with the use of these
equipment, the job satisfaction they give to secretaries, the challenges they
pose, the problem encountered by secretaries on the usage and how far they have
helped in enhancing the secretaries efficiency in the organization.
Finally, five manufacturing firms based in Enugu State
of Nigeria
were selected for this study, while the population of this study comprises 60
secretaries and 40 Boss making it a total of 100 respondents used in this
study.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of contents
Abstract
Chapter one
1.0
Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 The objective or purpose
of the study
1.4 Delimitation of the study
1.5 Research questions
1.6 Significance of the study
Chapter
two
2.0 Review of related
literature
2.1 Introduction of office
automation
2.2 The reasons for moderns
communication
Office equipment
2.3 Modern communication equipments
compared
With the old equipment in secretarial field
2.4 Problems secretaries
encounter in the use of these
Modern communication office equipmen
2.5
Summaries
Chapter
three
3.0 Methodologie
3.1
Research Design
3.2
Area of Study
3.3
Population of
the study
3.4
Sample and
Sampling Procedure
3.5
Instrument for
the Data Collection
3.6
Validation of
the Research Instrument
3.7
Method of
Administration of the Research Instrument
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.0 Data Presentation and Results
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Analysis of Data
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.0 Discussion, Implication; Recommendation
5.1 Discussion of Results
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Implications of the result
5.4 Recommendation
5.5
Suggestion for
further research
Bibliography
Appendix
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1 In discussing the impact of modern
communication equipment on the secretarial performance in organizations; two
factors are to be recognized. Technological growth and organizational
structure. Organisation here does not
mean only structure but includes aspects of interactions between people and
machines in achieving set organizational goals.
It is said that successes of any
person or organisation depends largely on information available to a human
person and the constant modification of modern communication equipment that is
fully up-dated with modern information.
This ascertain brings us to the
purpose of an office which includes the following: Administration, clerical work, money handling
information communication systems which is an embodiment of secretarial
operations. Office as a mini-social
system according to farber and Barr 1979 plays important roles in defining
responsibilities. For the aforementioned
reasons the secretary must be available to organize and run the office
completely. Here the secretary is seen
as an executive assistant who has a mastery of
office/organizational
skills. She has to be familiar with the
manipulation of the modern communication equipment which is made to enhance
his/her performance.
Office automation provides increased
productivity through improved access to data, faster responses to customer
demands and faster decision makings. The
invention of modern office equipment were necessitated as a result of the
growth in large scale enterprises and also as a technological break
through. The office therefore relies
much on sophisticated office equipment in order to cope with the
ever-increasing activities in the organizations.
Like in Nigeria Breweries Plc. Which
is one of the largest quoted company in Nigeria stock market has successive secretarial functions. This company started in Nigeria in 1946
producing star larger and has witnessed a lot of human and technological
transformations. In their policies to
keep a healthy work force in personnel
and machines they have taken their secretarial operations to greater
heights. This they were able to achieve
through the introduction of any
equipment that will enhance the job of their secretaries and also customer
service satisfaction. Nigeria Breweries believe in breaking into new
areas. They contend so much with the
tomorrow of their business.
Strategically, actions, planning and implementation to ensure that
tomorrow is achieved. Nigerian breweries
plc. is futuristic in their business approach made possible by the able and
vision driven leadership of their past and immediate Directors/ Chief executives that pilots the affairs of the business in
conjunction with Heineken international.
Recently a multi-billion Naira ultra modern brewery has been cited in Enugu state with the
slogan that it is a world class investment that can complete with another
out-fit in any part of the world is modern communication and production and
delivery equipment. The introduction of
modern office equipment in Nigerian Breweries plc mainly the computer in every
office of the company also shows that the secretarial performance goes with the
acquisition of these modern equipments.
It seems however, that although the
higher levels of management might not make much direct use of modern office
technology the secretary will. This
office automation for the secretarial is in providing the secretary with a
system that meets the real need identified as being important rather than the
ones of typing and stenography that are thoughts to be important. As against the traditional office the modern
office has a lot of activities to perform with the aid of modern equipment.
Nowadays, un-countable manufacturing
industries have installed these equipments and the secretaries are present to
manipulate them in discharging their duties efficiently and effectively.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The
importance of efficiency in job performance can not be over- emphasized. A case for the pursuit of increased
efficiency/productivity can be made simply by looking at the categories of
office work, the size of the size of the office work force and the impact of
mechanization.
The
secretarial profession have witnessed a tremendous change in terms of
technological advancement. Modern office
equipment has taken the toll of events with the growing rate of scientific and
technology which are used in manufacturing industries to facilitate office work
and reduce labour costs. They include: electronic typewriters, fax machines,
telephone, computers, dictating machines and recording machines etc.
1.3
THE OBJECTIVE OR PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Therefore
the purpose of this study is to identify the impact of modern office equipment
on the job performances of secretaries in NB Plc – Enugu.
1.
The extent the modern office equipment
enhances or has enhanced the job performance of secretaries in the discharge of
her duties in NB-P Enugu.
2.
The accuracy of work done using these
equipments.
3.
The quantity of time spent or needed to
perform a task using these equipments.
4.
The reduction of cost brought about by the
installation of these equipment
5.
The job satisfaction the secretary derives
from the use of these equipment in performing her duties.
6.
The job security of secretaries with the
acquisition of these modern office communication equipment
1:4 DELIMITATION
OF THE STUDY
This study is limited only to NB Plc – Enugu
and other manufacturing industries in Enugu
state and seek to find out the effect of modern office equipment on the job
performances of secretaries in manufacturing industries. The category of people to be studies in NB
plc Enugu are:
1.
Designated employed secretaries
2.
Clerks whose function has been enveloped
by modern office equipment
3.
Managers
4.
Operatives.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following questions were designed by the researcher to enable her reach
conclusions such as:
i. How far as the modern office equipment
enhanced efficiency in secretarial duties in manufacturing industries
especially in NB plc-Enugu?
ii. To what extent has the use of these
equipment assisted the secretary in the discharge of her duties?
iii. How accurate and qualitative is the work
done using these equipment in manufacturing industries.
iv. What are the problems the secretaries
encounters in the use of these modern office equipment.
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of great value to the
professional secretaries and society in general as well as manufacturing firms
like NB Plc – Enugu. The knowledge exerted from the study will be
beneficial to secretaries in the discharge of their duties and will definitely
encourage new innovations in office automation and information technology on
the part of the implementer