A Survey Of Roles And Performance Effectivity Of Secretaries In Modern Communication Industries In Enugu Urban

Project and Seminar Material for Business Administration and Management BAM

Abstract

This study examined roles and performance efficiency and effectively of secretaries in modern communication industries in Enugu Urban.

People hold different opinions about the secretaries roles. they fail to understand that the secretary is an important officer in every communication industry and her contributions and effectiveness can either enhance or diminish the efficiency of an industry.

The study also seek to find out whether lack of appreciate communicating machine affect the roles of secretaries. It went further to stress whether lack of knowledge of the administrative principles may hinder secretarial roles, whether executives do not give the secretaries free-hand to implement the necessary administrative principles.

In collecting data, the study was designed to cover selected communication industries as the population through sampling of the secretaries. The population were made up of 100 people and the researcher made use of questionnaire which was distributed to the respondent. Was later collected.

It was concluded that regular seminars, workshops and conferences should be organized for the secretaries in order to up-date their knowledge and experience on the secretarial profession and that the employers should work hand-in-hand with their secretaries, be able to delegate duties to them and provide enough working equipment for carrying out their duties.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The name NTA means Nigeria Television Authority. The station has brought forth over thirty other television stations in different parts of Nigeria. It is headed by a general manager and six other managers who help in day to day running of business. Nigeria Television Authority being a very big family has some roles they play as a communication Industry and these include:

To inform, entertain and enlighten their audience, maintaining its leadership position in Television broadcasting
Enrich the life of Nigerians by influencing positively his social, cultural, economic, political and technological thinking through a wide choice of programmes; to mention but a few.

Nevertheless, the roles they play in communication Industry seem to be carrying them away from giving their secretaries chana to contribute our play their roles effectively in the communication industry. They indulge in using their journalists and reporters for any information they need. Managers and staff in the communication industries have equally acquired the knowledge of the use of modern office equipments like computers, tapes, and disc for information recording and report writing thereby neglecting the roles of efficient and effective secretaries especially when it comes to profession and effective secretaries especially when it comes to profession.

Most of the employees in communication industries are mainly journalists, reporters/correspondent. And news casters with just a few copy typists. The few secretaries there are not always recognized let alone giving them ample opportunity to exhibit their initiatives. An investigation into Nigeria Television Authority proves that the secretaries there are not receiving adequate attention needed to motivate them and that when it comes to promotion, they are not promoted as and at when due; compared with their counterparts in other professions. The bitter part of it all is that they see people whom they academically occupying higher positions and secretaries find themselves subordinate to incompleted ones as their boss.

All these norm and problems faced by secretaries pushed the researcher into carrying out a survey of the roles and performance efficiency and effectively of secretaries in modern communication industries in Enugu Urban.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In most offices today, objectives are difficult to realize. These in most cases have been blamed on the secretaries who are the mirror of the executives.

To a large extent of their responsibility and thus limits the scope of their job to only typing documents which is always full of errors and taking dictations which they cannot even transcribe accurately.

In some communication industries, there exist communication break-down which results from poor relationship of the so-called secretaries some secretaries do not know how to answer, call, some do not know how to deliver messages and this hinders effective communication. The importance of adequate information management flow to employees in organization cannot be over emphasized.

The success of an industry to a large extent is determined by how objective are effectively realized. This in actual sense has to be done with the co-operation and efficiency of secretary.

In addition, some executive, also contribute to a number of pitfalls in communication industry. For instance, some of them do not allow their secretaries and employees to share in the organizational policies nor express their opinion on what they feel would help to achieve the industrial goals. In this case, the boss or executive may not see it as the right of secretary to play such roles.

The problem of this research project therefore is aimed at finding about the roles and performance efficiency and effectively of secretaries in communication industries since there has not been adequate literature written towards identifying these problems and how to curb them. The researcher views it pertinent to sought and investigate these problems and make proper recommendations and suggestions towards solving them.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to determine the roles and performance efficiency and effectively of secretaries in modern communication industries in Enugu Urban. Specifically the study is aimed at:
Finding out if secretaries are efficient and effective in performing the roles.
Finding out the problems they encounter performing those functions.
Determining if such roles enhances the operational success of the communication industries.
Recommending other ways improving operational efficiency and effectively of secretaries in those communication industries.

1.4 Delimitation of the Study

This study is delimited to the roles and performance efficiency and effectivity of secretaries in modern communication industries in Enugu Urban.

1.5 Significance of the Study

It is a fact that in some organizational setup, secretaries are confused as to what exactly constitute their roles. This made the researcher to undertake the survey into the roles of secretaries in communication industries.

By identifying these problems, the study would help in creating and motivating, co-operation and encouraging work environment for the secretary and other employees.

On the part of executive, it will enable them understand that there are benefits accruing to allowing their secretaries prform their duties and implement certain principles which will help in achieving organizational goal.

It will also portray to secretaries that they are the mirror image of the organization which calls for all round diligency and efficiency i.e approach, modesty in dressing and occupational excellence.

It will enable the organization appreciate a mutual understanding between the secretaries and the boss as this will enhance collective pursue of organizational goal.

1.6 Assumption of the Study

If this research is successfully carried out it will relieve the executives of certain administrative responsibilities as they will delegate duties to their secretaries appropriately. Educational background of qualified secretaries which calls for their special need and importance in communication industries and offices at large.

It will also reveal to an extent the educational background of qualified secretaries which calls for their special need and importance in communication industrious and exercise caution in executing their duties as any deviation will mar the image of the organization in the business word.

This research will also show the communication industries that secretaries are indispensable and irreplaceable tool in the industry no matte the extent of technology evolution.

The research will also show the communication industries that secretaries are indispensable and irreplaceable tool in the industry no matter the extent of technology evolution.

The research will also boost the ego of secretaries among their professional counterparts instead of limiting them to only typing documents.

It will also explore the task ahead to the student secretaries, which make them serious in their training.

1.7 Research Question

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:

What roles do secretaries perform in modern communication industries in Enugu Urban?
How far are the secretaries efficient and effective in performing those function?
What problems do they encounter in performing those role?
How far do the roles increase productivity in those communication industries?
What recommendations are necessary for improved performance of secretaries in modern communication industries in Enugu Urban?

1.8 Definition of Terms

Roles

Duties for which persons are accountable for. The term can be equated with duty, activities or authorities. Roles refer to the mental and physical activities which must be performed to carry out a task or duty.

Efficiency:

This is the ability to produce the desired result.

Secretary

An employee who posses a mastery of office skills, who demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who exercises initiative and judgment and who make decision within the scope of assigned authority.

Chapter Five

Summary of Finding, Conclusion and Recommendation.

Discussion of Findings.

The finding shows that secretary’s roles in the communication industry involve planning, organizing, directing, staffing, controlling and budgeting. This was shows in table 4.1

The finding also indicated that secretarial function is not limited to writing shorthand and typing document. This was shown in table 2 showing that 70 respondents representing 70% answered No to the question of whether secretarial function is limited to writing shorthand and typing documents.

Table 3 showing the efficiency and effectively of secretaries showed that 80 respondents representing 80% of the population answered that secretaries in the communication industries are efficient and effective while 20 (20%) answered that secretaries in the communication industries are ineffective and inefficient.

From table 4, it was found that 95% of the respondents indicated that lack of appropriate office communication machines affects the roles of secretaries while 5% of the respondent, disagree to the statement.

In table 5, it was found that secretaries output increase productivity. 93 of the respondents representing 93% indicated that secretaries output increase productivity in communication industries while 7 respondent representing 7% said that secretaries output does not increase productivity in communication industries.

In table 6 showing recommendation model for secretaries, 80 (80%) respondents recommended education for secretaries while 20 (20% recommended Human relation

Modern researches on this topic proved that secretaries are vital elements in the achievement of corporate objectives of government in the modern communication industries in Enugu metropolis.

As a result, most secretaries today longer hold the view that their work are only auxiliary to their bosses or typing their manager’s documents, they rather try to mobilize workers under them through motivation and job satisfaction so as to make them give off their best in order to achieve set objectives.

Summary of Finding

Based on the analysis the finding were summarized as follows:

It was found that for a secretary to carry out her work effectively, qualifications and such must at least be at the level of ordinary Diploma Higher national Diploma or first degree in relevant fields of professions
It was also found that lack of effective means of communication hinders secretaries in performing their desired goals.
Secretaries are seen as an indispensable hand in every communication industry as they are said to be the “True image” and “Mirror”, also the right hand of the Executive without them establishment will not stand.
It was also found that secretaries are not allowed by their executives to implement or delegate authority to them. They are usually being degraded by their bosses. A good number of the respondent were of the opinion that secretaries would be allowed to implement and delegate authority to them because the employers cannot cover the duties of a secretary in every establishment.
Due to lack of staff in communication industries, secretaries atimes do the work of reporter or a director of news and programmes.

Conclusion

Based on the research carried out the following conclusions were drawn.

The need for provision of good channels through which secretaries communicate and which will enable them to achieve their goals both within the office and to the public in general.

Secretaries in industries will be motivated and satisfied with their work if the administrative principles due applied by them in their routine work. Also the remunerations of secretaries should be made commensurate with the amount of work them perform so that they can do their work effectively and efficiently.

Secretaries can handle both managerial and administrative posts effectively as a result. They are usually scarce, they do not find it difficult to secure job at which they are needed in the establishments are increasing daily.

Finally, secretarial profession could receive a face-lift if recognition is given to the profession as a professional) body.

Recommendations

It is pertinent for researcher of work of this nature to MAKE recommendations to the readers of this work. The essence is because it is geared towards making a meaningful contribution to the system of whatever topic that was studied.

I therefore, recommend as follows:

Employers

Recruitment of secretaries should be carried out with optimum carefulness because the efficiency of an organization depends largely upon the effectiveness and efficiency of secretaries.
They should also delegate duties to the secretaries by allocating authority, assigning personnel to specific tasks and exacting accountability for results.
The working condition in the communication industries should be reprogrammed to commensurate the secretary’s position as well as his status.
The employer should create a good communication channel secretaries in order to gain co-operation from them so that they can achieve organizational ends wile satisfying some of their job-related needs.

Secretaries:

Secretaries should endeavour to add to their general knowledge by going on training, attending workshops, meeting, seminars etc. so that it will improve their experience in their related field.
The secretaries should set a high standard of behaviour and efficiency for the rest of the office staff. They should possess a sense of humor, diligent and decency.
The secretaries must identify themselves with the life work of their employers and be intensely interested and ambitious in all that they do.
They should also co-operate with their bosses, typists and other works as this will not only improve working moral but also improve their working conditions and environments and equally consolidate their relationship

Limitation of Study

Financial and time constraints limited the scope of the researcher. Other constraints are the scarcity of textbooks and journals from where the researcher could gather enough information for the literature review.

Suggestion for Further Studies

A study should be carried out on the problems and difficulties secretaries encounter in their place of works.
There should also be a survey to determine the difference between secretary and typist.

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