1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
The world's fourth industrial revolution is widely recognized as information technology, or ICT (Asakpa, 2003). Well, information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as the key to the contemporary information skills and orientation (ISO) that define the global order. Applications of digital devices to all facets of secretarial work can be interpreted as ICT in the secretarial field.
According to Oladimeji (2003), information and communication technology (ICT) is defined as the set of tools used in the secretarial profession to gather, store, process, organize files, keep diaries, communicate, and distribute information about secretarial tasks. According to Obanya (2002), the success of secretarial goals depends on the proliferation and effectiveness of ICT. Applying computer, microelectronic, satellite, and communication technology in all of its forms is what is meant by ICT.
Any device used for information acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, control, display, switching, and transmission is considered ICT, according to the national policy on ICT (2001). ICT is defined as communication in any form that is utilized, evaluated, relayed, and transmitted in order to send and receive information in another dimension. By using and applying these devices, digital forms of information, text, messages, sound, and motion are created. Through training and retraining, ICT affects secretarial behavior in an office setting among secretaries. It is essential to the tasks involved in secretarial work. Given that secretaries perform both administrative and managerial duties.
ICT has undeniable potential to be a useful tool for boosting productivity and addressing today's organizational secretarial challenges. Implementation of the national ICT policy in Nigeria commenced in April 2001 after the federal government of the country approved it in March. The federal government realized that private service providers have a huge capacity for ICT services, and established the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to oversee the policy's implementation. The Nigeria National ICT for Development committee was established by the government in order to create a new national road map and to develop ICT4D.
ICT has positively affected the secretarial profession in all ramification such that no nation can escape this transforming movement driven forward by the engines of the internet and the modern day invention like the computer, fax machines, GSM and so on. This implies that secretaries for the survival of their profession now have to put their very destines in ICT. Recent findings, have shown that the introduction and application of ICT into the secretarial profession improved the performance of the secretaries in every organization. Recent studies have shown also that the application of ICT makes the secretary work less and accurately (Ogunsiji and Aregbe 2010). Lasisi (2005) is also of the view that ICT has upgraded the function of a secretary and has removed the boredomness of using a typewriter. The cyber revolution has started to redefine secretarial profession, creating new self Image, creativities and innovation, and an ever expanding technological framework. However, the new challenges of ICT and the excitement they are causing do not seems to permeate the entire society.
In early modern time, numbers of nobles have secretaries who functioned quite similarly to those of the present day. They are men who had good command of several languages including Latin, and were required to have what we could consider today as a broad generalized education. Following the renaissance, men continued to dominate clerical and secretarial roles until late 1880’s when the new writing machine was invented that welcomed the entering of women into the profession.
In 1942, the National Secretaries Association (NSA) was formed (now know as the International Association of Administrative professional).NSA first administered the certificate of professional secretaries examination in 1951. The history of secretarial profession in Nigeria can be traced back to the arrival of the missionaries and the colonial masters.
Information technology have restricted the role of the secretary through the elimination of monotonous aspect of paper holding and filling. As a result, the secretary would likely have more time for work that involve human behavioural aspect. There is no doubt about the fact that ICT has contributed greatly to the secretarial profession. The coverage of this research work is to examine the effect of information technology on the performance of secretaries in the office.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Investigation revealed that the organizational framework has been impacted both directly and indirectly by the typewriter's inefficiency and the secretary's duties in the office, which has slowed the front office's efficiency. Numerous studies have been conducted in an attempt to suggest or identify a long-term solution to the problems faced by office secretaries, but problems still exist. This study looks at how information technology affects secretaries' productivity at work.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the Effect of Information Technology on the Productivity of a Secretary in the chosen Business Organization. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify the problems of information technology to the secretarial profession;
- To examine the impact of information technology on secretaries in offices; and
- To identify how the application of ICT has promoted efficiency of the front office.
1.4 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- To what extents has the use of ICT impacted on the secretarial profession and individual secretary?
- What are the problems encountered by secretaries in their use of ICT?
- Can the adoption of ICT in an organization lead to retrenchment of secretaries in an organization?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H01: Problems encountered by secretaries will not significantly affect their use of ICT.
- H02: The use of ICT has no significant impact on the secretarial profession and the individual secretary.
- H03: There is no significant relationship between adoption of ICT and retrenchment of secretaries.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The outcome of this research will be relevant in the following ways:
- It is intended to study the effect of ICT on the secretaries and indentify factors that do not allow for better performance of the secretaries.
- This study will create awareness to the individual secretary as it will enlighten them on the roles of ICT in the desk office.
- The study will identify what lesson need to be learned on how ICT lessons can be applied in a consistent way in order to help secretaries put up good secretarial attribute in the performance of their duties.
- The study will also assess the effect of ICT in the office and on the secretaries and profer solutions.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Effect of Information Technology on the Productivity of a Secretary in the chosen Business Organization. The study will cover only the Organization stated below:
- Yaba Local Government Office;
- Straco Insurance Company;
- Zenith Bank PLC;
- University of Lagos; and
- Shomolu Local Government office.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint:
The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint:
Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents:
A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Some key concept in the research work are hereby defined for better understanding of the reader.
Information Technology:
It is used to lower the range of information in various forms in particular to computer, digital electronic and telecommunication.
Secretary:
An administrative assistant who has good mastering of office skills and ability to assume responsibilities without direct supervision, displays, initiatives, exercise judgement, makes decision with the scope of his/her ability.
Secretarial Education:
It is an aspect of business course that offer knowledge and training in clerical services.
