1.0. Background of the Study
The dominant socio-economic problem of the present decade in Nigeria is unemployment. It is wide spreading notion that without some special programmes which are indispensable the economy cannot make use of the labour force of her people of her people.
This disturbing fear arises from rapid advancement in technology and wide spread application in offices, factories and firms. Many people now leave their own business. The movement has been response to changing job market and chance in value. Employment opportunities have become the only most important factor that influences the choice of educational programmes.
The changing value system in the society and the new life style are affecting career expectation and behavioural patterns of people. Individual must be flexibly trained to be adoptable to job opportunities. The central advancement in education is to help individuals become more mature, would their critical facilities, develop sensitivity of human value and maintain some personal independence.
Secretary-ship is necessary in the direction of management adjustment to live and not to career disgrace. Skill acquired in business education must be such that prepares the individuals to fit into any form of business of their choice thereby run away from the pangs of unemployment, this high rate of incidence of occupation mobility among secretaries curtailed.
The entry of secretaries into the field of self employment is what arises to the secretarial training, which has achieved the objectives of education thus help individual to become more equipped and mature maintain a personal level of independence.
Obosanya, (1990) maintain that those entrepreneurship programmes of secretaries should not cover only skill in use of various office machine and appliances. These skills should be backed with approrite demand for good social behaviour among people at all time.
Entrepreneurship occurs when an individual develop a new venture, a new approach to an old business or idea a unique way of giving the market to place a product or service by using resources in a new way under condition of risk.
An entrepreneur is define as a person who has the ability to identify and evaluate business opportunities and initiate appropriate action to ensure success.
To quality as an entrepreneur, it is not sufficient to be a business man just managing enterprises rather the entrepreneur has to be an originator of profitable business ideas, willing to risk personal energy and financial recourses to achieve unpredictable result. The entrepreneur is a catalyst of changeable to carry out new contribution instrumental in discovering new opportunities which is the uniqueness of entrepreneurial functions.
An entrepreneur is primary an innovator whose dynamic environmental makes him central to promotion of material growth. He is a person who undertakes the risk of stating a new business venture, he takes decision of what to produce. And formulate strategies to achieving the targeted objectives.
The decisions of the entrepreneur lead to innovation that stimulate pervasive economic change and progress. He alone directs the human and material resources in his business objective; he must be determined to risk his personal energy and he inspire confidence and loyalty among employees and associates. He assumes complete responsibilities for the operation and success of his enterprise, he should perceive order and arrange fundamental issues reacting promptly and accurately when decision are required.
Functions performed by an entrepreneur:
- Searches for and discover new information
- Translate new information into new markets, techniques and goods.
- Marshals the financial resources necessary for the enterprise.
- Provides leadership for the work group.
So this programme is aimed at producing not only job creators in the secretarial field who will be ready to employ others in their profession business concerns.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
It is widely known that the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is over whelming and that without special programme which can encourage entrepreneurship development in Nigeria the economy cannot make use of the labour force of its people.
In view of the increasing changes in technology and environment today's business organization secretaries cannot function on their own without the knowledge of the competencies which act as equipping machinery for their self reliance.
Many cannot operate office machines communicate efficiently with good grammer, relate effectively with people, manage record information effectively and maintain attitudinal competenices, while the leakage of vital record appears to be rule rather than the exception
In view of this situation the problem of the study is therefore to determine the human relation skills, machine skills, communication skills, record / information management, managerial skills required of secretaries to operate private business.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
The major purpose of this study is to find out the entrepreneurial skill necessary for secretaries for self-reliance.
This study specifically sought to identify the following:
- The human relations skills required of secretaries for self- reliance
- The office machine skills required of secretaries for self- reliance
- The business knowledge / managerial skills required of secretaries for self — reliance.
- The attitudinal competencies required secretaries for self-reliance.
1.3 Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study:
- What are the human relation skills required of secretaries for self — reliance?
- What are the office machines skills required of secretaries for self — reliance?
- What are the business knowledge / managerial skills required of secretaries for self — reliance?
- What are the attitudinal competencies required secretaries for self — reliance?
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study is going to be immense benefit to the individuals who have involved themselves in the field of office technology and management (OTM). It will serve as equipping machinery for them.
- The study will help to reveal the inadequacies of some office technology and management training institutions of public, whom the secretary have decided to serve. They will also take cognizance of the changes in offices operation.
- The study will help reduce the strain of unemployment on members of the secretarial body thus, help them in even offering management.
- The study will help the citizens at large to have in their possession, good number of well-trained secretaries in all nooks and crannies of the city.
- Finally, the study will help reveal the human relations skills, office machine skills, attitudinal competencies, business knowledge / management skills required of secretaries for self — employment.
1.5 Delimitation of the Study
Although this is a topic of general concern, which suppose to comprise the contribution of many people. It is limited in scope only to human relations skill, attitudinal competencies also required of secretaries for self- reliance.
1.6 Definition of Terms
Who Is A Secretary:
a secretary is an assistant to an executive, possessing mastery of the office skills and ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision. Who displays initiative, exercises judgment and make decisions with the scope of his / her authority.
Who Is Entrepreneur:
A person who has the ability to identify and evaluate business opportunities in the environment and initiative appropriate action to ensure success.
Who is an Educator: A person whose job is to teach or educates people.
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