1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Technological advancement has ushered in drastic changes in record keeping through the introduction of new office technologies and new methods of communication. Man is an embodiment of charge, his life circle is marked with different stags of metamorphosis which when it finally actualizes, adulthood is made. Secretarial profession, an inseparable bed fellow of management no exception.
The secretary has been defined as one entrusted with secrets or confidences of a superior, or employed to handle correspondence and manage routine and detailed work for a superior. Also Orisananya (1981) put it that, a secretary is a skilled and specializes type of employee in an establishment or part of it who is charged with some aspects of organizational functions in the unit including dealing with people's correspondence and other business matters. With the above definitions, it can be deduced that the secretary is an important officer in any establishment and that the contributions and effectiveness of a secretary enhances the efficiency of an organization. This is the more reasons the secretary needs a proper training to be able to carry out her functions. The training of an efficient and effective secretary should cover not only skills in shorthand and typewriting but also in other managerial skills. These skills should be backed up by appropriate demeanour and etiquette at all times. Evans (1980) noted that the secretary's role will be supporting, but with the added requirements of technological knowledge will encompass data administration and information management, allowing the secretary to analyse complex situations and submit practical recommendations.
With the introduction of these new machines, people are trained to acquire new skills for operating them. It is therefore, noted that proper record keeping makes it easier for information to be retrieved for use with a lot of ease. This, of course, had tended to reduce the work load of a secretary.
Even though a lot of charges have begun in technology, the question now is have some establishments in Enugu State acquired these new office technologies for record keeping? The advantages such establishments may derive from the use of these new office technologies need not to be over-emphasised. Therefore, their presence and effective utilization is essential.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The technological changes that are taking place in different disciplines are also being witnessed in some offices today. New technologies or machines have been developed to make secretaries more efficient or improve working conditions. But certain questions need to be raised,
- Have these new office machines been acquire for office duties in Enugu?
- What are the factors that influence the availability or non-availability of these new office machines in every working environment or office?
- In what ways have these new office machines, where available, affected the productivity and efficiency of such organization?
However, the answers to these questions are readily available, and seeking answers to them constituted the major problem of this study.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to;
- Find out the availability of new office machines in the working environment of some selected establishments in Enugu State.
- Identify the factors that are responsible for availability or lack of these new office machines.
- Examine the effects of these new office machines on record keeping.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study will be of great benefits to establishments.
- It will help them to know the advantages and disadvantages if any, they are likely to experience with the installation of these machines.
- It will also be beneficial to the practicing secretaries to know how far these office machines have contributed to their efficiency and also whether or not to encourage the use of these new machines in various offices.
- Finally, the study will serve as a reference point to intending researchers and could form basis for future researches.
1.5 Research Questions
In other to elicit information on these problems and to achieve the objectives of this study, the following research questions were formulated:
- Does every establishment possess these new office equipment? Are the available new office equipment being put into effective use?
- What factors influence the availability or non-availability of these new office equipment?
- How is job performance affected by these new office machines?
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study
The researcher has narrowed the scope of this study to some selected establishments in Enugu State. They are as follows:
- Central Bank of Nigeria, Enugu
- Governor's office, Enugu
- Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu.
1.7 Definition of Terms
For the proper understanding of this study, the following definitions of terms had been made:
1. Secretary:
A secretary is an assistant who possesses the mastering of files, skills on how to manipulate these new office machines in her place of work.
2. Records:
Writing information down for reference purposes or in other ways like on a disc, magnetic tape, etc.
3. Technology:
Technology in this case means the modern way or technique for making and doing things. It is those activities directed to satisfy human needs which produce alternative as in the material world.
4. Etiquette:
A polite social behaviour among people in a class of society or a profession.
5. Metamorphosis:
changes in form or character that occur in a person.
6. Skill:
Ability to do something expertly and well.
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