1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
Every aspect of human life, including the workplace, has seen rapid change over the past few decades. Technological advancement is the reason for this. Accurate and factual information is essential for prompt decision-making in any office in today's business world, whether it be government, industry, or other human endeavors. Employees in offices, such as secretaries, anticipate specific assistance from the company they work for. Both human and technical support; including tools and machinery are possible with this. Memoranda and letters were dictated by managers to secretaries who typed them in earlier offices. Most recently, in an attempt to reduce the need for secretarial support and increase the productivity of employee secretaries, businesses have built word processing centers and depended on personal computers and even electronic mail (Ezoem, 1995; Osuala, 2004).
The typewriting and shorthand dictation, phone answering, and mail processing functions that secretaries once performed have become obsolete due to technological advancements. Modern secretaries have access to office technology, such as the internet, which greatly simplifies work and increases data accessibility (Edwin, 2008). Sending messages via telex, e-mail, fax, and phone is now more convenient. The secretary also has access to photocopiers, duplicators, dictation devices, printers, and other office supplies. In the current era of computers and information technology, better data storage for later use and increased convenience are made possible. Three of the most widely used categories of computer software are word processing (which facilitates the creation and editing of memos, letters, and reports), data management (also known as databases), and spreadsheet (which manipulates tables and numbers) programs (Dulek and Fielden, 1999).
Over the past few decades, there has been a rapid change in every aspect of human life, including the workplace. This is due to advancements in technology. Whether in government, business, or other human endeavors, timely decision-making in any office nowadays depends on accurate and factual information. Secretaries and other office workers expect personalized support from their employer. This makes it possible to support both technical and human needs, including those for tools and machinery. Managers would dictate memos and letters to secretaries, who would type them in earlier offices. Most recently, businesses have built word processing centers and relied on electronic mail (e-mail) and personal computers in an effort to decrease the need for secretarial support and increase the productivity of employee secretaries.
Nevertheless, these new advancements brought about by technological difficulties call for even more expertise and abilities than those of a professional secretary. In order to meet organizational objectives, especially with regard to data preservation for future use, the secretary must be up to date on current training requirements. Only then can the secretary successfully navigate challenges, overcome outdated methods, and adapt to changing times. In recent times, information technology has had an impact on numerous professions. Technology has changed the roles that secretarial professionals play. According to Appah and Emeh (2011), it has given secretaries the means to transition from information recorders to business strategists. Several other authors are of the view that the secretary has to be well equipped to meet the present challenges of a modern office.
This study seeks to examine the level of productivity of the secretaries in commercial banks in the context of modern office technologies used for data preservation.
1.2 Statement of The Research Problem
An automated office, undoubtedly, offers new roles and responsibilities for the secretary. Such new roles presuppose that additional training and qualifications are required from the secretaries. The relevance of automation in business was identified by Aromolaran (2003) as follows:
- Creating a distinct career path for the secretary.
- Automation creates a prominent place for the secretary on the organization chart.
- It creates routine and assigned roles for the secretary.
- With automation the secretary now spends less time in correcting, revising, proof-reading and reproducing documents.
Duniya (2011) also observed that due to the introduction of sophisticated technological (electronic) office equipment into today’s office and the role secretaries need to play in ensuring accuracy and efficiency in their jobs especially in the process of access and preserving data, the secretaries need to meet the challenges by acquiring new skills and competencies for efficient operations in the electronic office. There is continuous advancement in technology which has affected the secretarial profession in terms of the quality, speed and accuracy of works performed as storing and accessing of data has become easier.
This study is therefore undertaken in order to gain understanding about the impact of modern office technologies used in data preservation on secretaries’ productivity at the Commercial Banks in Aguata North Local Governemnent Area of Anambra State.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The main aim of the study is to examine impact of modern office technologies used in data preservation on secretaries’ productivity at the Commercial Banks in Aguata North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Specifically, the research aims at achieving the following objectives:
- To ascertain the range of new office technologies existent at the Aguata North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
- To investigate the level of usage of these new office technologies in Data Preservation.
- To identify the level of productivity of the secretaries at the Aguata North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
1.4 Research Questions
In order to achieve the objectives of this study a number of questions would be explored. Consistent with the topic and objectives the following questions will guide the study:
- What are the range of new office technologies existent at the Aguata North Local Government Area of Anambra State?
- What is the level of usage of these new office technologies in Data Preservation?
- What is the level of productivity of the secretaries in commercial banks at the Aguata North Local Government Area of Anambra State with new technologies for data preservation?
1.5 Significance of the Study
Few research on the relationship between secretaries' productivity and contemporary office technology in African countries; specifically, Nigeria have been published to date. The goal of this study is to advance understanding of the topic.
From the standpoint of a practitioner, the study's findings will offer a standard that can be applied to determine important productivity factors and evaluate how well new office technologies are implemented in a workplace.
Finally, this study will provide a foundation for future researches as this will serve as a motivation for many researchers to further examine other aspects of the subject matter.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Role of Data Preservation in Enhancing the Efficiency of Secretarial Function in the Banking Sector using Aguata North Local Government Area of Anambra State as a case study. Contextually, the study focuses modern office technologies and their impact on secretaries’ productivity.
1.7 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.
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