Appraisal Of The Contributions Of Modern Communication Equipment To Job Performance Of Secretaries In Selected Business Organizations

Appraisal Of The Contributions Of Modern Communication Equipment To Job Performance Of Secretaries In Selected Business Organizations
Abstract
The rapid growth in information technology and the recognition of the modern world gave rise to the introduction of modern communication equipment. Office work is becoming more complex and businesses have become too demanding in nature. As inventions of new sophisticated devices are coming out every day and new business opportunities are being generated everyday for the secretary who has a vital role to play in both managerial and administrative aspect of the organization, there arises the need for the secretary to be versatile in using the different office equipment being invented to aid business operations.
Financial institutions such as banks require modern communication equipment to aid their operations and overcome the activities of fraudsters. There is hardly any business that does not deal with information/correspondences which need to be processed and transmitted through modern communication equipment to those who has need of it, before it can be meaningful. It therefore, becomes necessary and important for the secretary to possess the skills and knowledge needed to use these equipments profitably.
This research work is necessary in the above mentioned areas and also in other areas as the findings would bring to limelight the contributions and challenges, problems and benefits that the society, organizations, and individuals stand to gain by using this equipment in carrying out their operations. This study also examines how organizations, individuals and the society is affected by modern communication equipment as well as the various skills needed by the secretary to operate them and to cope with the challenges, and the also proffer possible ways to alleviate the problems.
Chapter One
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
The speed at which modern office situation or work environment is changing has led to sustained radical shift from manual secretarial operations towards the use of information and communication technology equipment, in order to ease secretary’s work and enhance their performance; thereby leading to their greater performance in place of work. On this basis, Nwogwugwu, (2008) said: “a revolutionary attempt is being made by educational authority, policy makers etc to inject into the teaching and learning processes in Nigeria skills, orientation and awareness of the very crucial information and communication Technology (ICT) which is now seen as the backbone and information super highway of the modern life”.
However, there are certain ICT skills required by secretaries. They include skills and knowledge of computer hardware and software. Skills on computer hardware includes; knowledge of keyboard, visual Display Unit (VDU), Central Processing Unit (CPU), knowledge of benefits of computer, knowledge on application of computer to secretarial profession etc. while software skills encompasses knowledge of operating system, utilities software and services programme. Besides this, Nwogwugwu, (2008), stressed that there are certain ICT skills required by secretaries from employers of labor. They includes; skill for creating e-mail message, address, username, password, skill for replying and sending e-mails, accessing attached file, skill for sourcing and reading daily news on the internet, skill for doing business online and delivering information online, skill for creating, saving, printing and publishing web pages, skill for using search engines to get diverse information on the websites etc. It is believed that if secretaries acquired these skills, they will meet the demand of changing work environment and expectation of employers.
In the process of using ICT equipment by secretaries to perform their day to day assigned duties, they are faced with certain problems, which includes challenge of computer illiteracy, i.e. poor or no knowledge of computer, and its uses; challenges of changing work environment, i.e. changes in modern office situations seems to alter the skills already acquired by secretaries. In this case, when new technologies are introduced into the office, they are expected to up-date their skills regarding such equipment. In the same vein, paucity, of ICT equipment and lack of ICT technical personnel in an organization, levels of ICT skills of secretaries, that is the present knowledge of secretaries in ICT usage. When these problems are not minimized, it makes it difficult for secretaries to handle ICT equipment in their place of work. In the same line of thought, ICT has led to under-utilization of secretaries’ skill kin the sense that it does not allow them to utilize their mental capabilities in solving problems, but are glued to internet. Also, network breakdown, ratio of people to computer, system contamination, communication barriers passed by internet, poor training background of secretaries on ICT uses, seduction and immoral behavior/information found in the internet, poor failure etc. These are problems facing secretaries on the uses of ICT equipment.
Moreover, if the above problems are not controlled, corrected or minimized, it will disrupt work process, and this will lead to poor job performance. This was supported by Okagbare, (2005), when she stated that “effective performance of secretaries may be disrupted if there is lack of necessary equipment and skills to operate them”, if available. The speed, accuracy efficiency of work production will be disrupted, and thus affect organizational productivities, growth and development.
Meanwhile, application of ICT to secretary’s job will no doubt have a positive effect on their performance. It enhances communication, productivities, eliminates time wastage on routine jobs such as record management, enhance effective maintenance, up dating and manipulating of records. In addition, secretaries can now perform their functions from different locations including house, motorcars, or even airplanes. This is a proof that ICT has made the world a global village. With ICT in place, the retraining of traditional secretaries by organization is now guarantee, thereby widening their scope of knowledge of ICT usage.
1.2 Statement of Problems
Before the introduction of modern office equipment, secretaries depended largely on manual skills in the performance of their functions. That was the period when secretaries had little or no knowledge of modern office equipment in the business circles. As a result, the output of secretaries fell beyond expectation because of lack of modern office equipment especially communication equipments. This made people loose interest in studying secretaries’ studies in our higher institutions.
Recently secretarial studies taught to be one of the professions that have benefited from technological development. Since the introduction of modern office equipment in organization the problems of fatigue, lack of respect for secretaries still persist in spite of these innovation. It is most possible that the acquisition of modern office equipment have negative effects such as displacement of workers and other cost implications. Secretaries are often denied of useful training that could help them acquire skills to operate this equipment.
The important roles secretaries play in any office and organization, necessitates them to use ICT equipment to simply, their work. In essence, since secretary’s work is centered and embedded in information processing, they are thereby required to use ICT equipment. However, poor background of secretaries in the use of ICT equipment, challenge of computer illiteracy, changing work environment, paucity of ICT equipment in an organization, poor levels of ICT skills of secretaries, network breakdown, and system contamination are some of the problems likely confronting or facing secretaries in the use of ICT equipment. This was supported by Njoku (2008), Adigwe, (2006) Ojukwe and Ojukwu (2006), and Ohakwe (2001), when they said “Computer illiteracy, changes in work environment, lack of ICT equipment in an organization, poor training background, level of ICT skills of secretaries, under-utilization of secretaries’ skill, network breakdown, system contamination are some of the problems facing ICT users (including secretaries) in organization and in Nigeria economy.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The major purpose of this study is to examine the contributions of modern communication to job performance of secretaries.
Specifically, the study will attempts to:
- Ascertain the effect of these modern communication equipments on the job performance of secretaries.
- Identify the modern communication facilities used by secretaries to enhance their performance.
- Identify communication skills required by secretaries in operating these modern office communication equipments.
- Identify if secretaries encounter problems in using modern communication equipments.
1.4 Research Question
The research will attempt to answer the following questions;
- What is the impact of modern communication equipment on the job performance of secretaries?
- What are the communication skills required by secretaries in operating these modern office communication equipment?
- what are the modern communication facilities used by secretaries to enhance there performance?
- Do secretaries encounter challenges in using ICT equipment in the selected organization?
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
The following hypothesis was developed to achieve the objectives of the study:
Hypothesis One
Ho: Modern office communication equipments has no relationship with secretaries job performance
H1: Modern office communication equipments has a relationship with secretaries job performance.
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is hoped that this research project on “The contributions of modern communication equipment on secretary’s job performance” will be of great importance to secretaries, various organizations and institutions.
The findings will benefit secretaries in the sense that they will be acquainted with ICT skills required by them, and get themselves trained on such areas.
The problems and the effects of the problems that will be identified will reveal to them the challenges they are to face in handling ICT equipment, and then prepare ahead. Meanwhile, when apply ICT to their work the impact, the positive effects and benefits that will be identified will give them the urge to go for training outside the one offer by their institutions and place of work.
The findings will motivate organizations to send their secretaries to training having known the problems faced by secretaries and its affects on their performance. Their ultimate goal in doing this is to build more ICT skills on their secretaries and enhance their performance towards greater productivities.
The findings of the study will also reveal to the various institutions and department of secretarial Administration the ICT skills required by secretaries from their employer. That will enable them to review their curriculum, and directs their teaching and learning to such areas.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study is limited in scope. The study is limited on “The contributions of modern communication equipment on secretary’s job performance with special reference to G.T Banks headquarters in Lagos State.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
Finance, time and availability of materials were the major constraints the researcher encountered while carrying out this study.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Secretary:
A secretary, administrative professional, or personal assistant is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication, or organizational skills.
ICT:
Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications[1] and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage and audiovisual, that enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.
Chapter Five
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:
5.1 Introduction
This chapter summarizes the findings into the appraisal of the contributions of modern communication equipment to job performance of secretaries using GT Bank headquarters Lagos State Nigeria as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.
5.2 Summary of the Study
In this study, our focus was to examining the contributions of modern communication equipment to job performance of secretaries using GT Bank headquaters Lagos State Nigeria as case study. The study specifically was aimed at ascertaining the effect of these modern communication equipments on the job performance of secretaries; Identify the modern communication equipment used by secretaries to enhance their performance; Identify communication skills required by secretaries in operating these modern office communication equipments; Identify if secreteries encount problems in using modern communication equipments.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 50 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are active secretaries of the selected organization,
5.3 Conclusions
Based on the finding of this study, the following conclusions were made:
- Modern communication equipment has a positive impact on the job performance of secretaries.
- Email Management and Setup; Social Media Management; Online Collaboration and Smartphones and Tablets kills are the basic skills required by secretaries in operating these modern office communication facilities.
- There modern technology facilities used by secretaries to enhance their performance include; Telephones – mobile and land; Fax Machine; Internet (www, e-mail, search engine, etc.); Teleconferencing and Video Conferencing.
- And lastly, secretaries ecounter problems in the use of modern technology facilities.
5.4 Recommendations
Based on the responses obtained, the researcher therefore recommended that organizations should constantly organize retraining for secretaries on modern ICT tools and how to use them. This will help them to improve the quality of secretaries services they render in the organization.
5.5 Suggestion for Further Study
This study is limited to the contribution of modern technology equipment on the secretary performance. Hence the researcher recommends that further studies should be carried out on the challenges encountered by secretaries in the use of ICT facilities.


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