ABSTRACT

Finding out how many female secretaries there are in certain ministries in Imo State and what their marital status is was the primary goal of this research. Forty female secretarial staff members from the participating organisations made up the study’s population. The research included everyone in the population. To direct the investigation, researchers developed research questions. The research topics were addressed using a validated percentage and a 30-item structured questionnaire. Confidential information was handled by the secretaries, who were married females working as personal secretaries for certain business organisations. The married female secretaries on staff have neglected to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and dedication expected of a good secretary, which has had an impact on their performance at work. Their inability to perform up to par is a direct result of the fact that their personal issues have spilt over into their professional lives. In their tone, secretaries should emphasise that they are fully capable of carrying out their tasks and obligations. Lastly, it is the responsibility of employers to provide their secretaries with comprehensive training, sufficient incentive, and true personal relations.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study 

Staff members encounter a wide variety of difficulties in the course of their work in every industry. Every industry has its own unique set of problems that professionals must solve. The difficulties both male and female employees of educational institutions face include lecturers and students who feel slighted and a hierarchical system in which those in charge feel superior to those under them, regardless of their level of education or experience.

Working conditions in banks are often precarious, and some supervisors may even have the view that their subordinates are unqualified for the positions they hold.

Simply said, a secretary is someone who helps the boss with administrative tasks such as taking meeting minutes, writing letters, and processing incoming and outgoing mail.

A secretary’s role is to connect the dots between the office’s operations and the larger company. She should be able to work independently to take the necessary steps when necessary, keep accurate records of proceedings, relieve the executive of various administrative details, establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with superiors, coworkers, subordinates, customers, and suppliers, and coordinate and maintain effective office procedures set by the employer. According to Ohakgwe (2004).

The best efforts of your secretary will not be enough to mend your relationship with your employer, claims Njoku (2006). A secretary’s care for the organization’s employees is an important part of the job, and the secretary’s typewriting and inventory management skills are now necessities.

A competent secretary is an officer whose duties are subordinate to those of every other employee in the company, as stated by Ezinwa and Agumo (2000). This is due to the fact that secretaries have specific training and experience in the field, particularly in the areas of shorthand and typing (Ani 2001).

As he sees it, in the corporate world, the connection between an organization’s many goals and the delivery of goods and services to consumers is a crucial cog in the wheel of multiple duty activities.

The difficulties married female secretaries have on the job might range from discriminatory hiring practices to company policies that limit their opportunities for progress, training, and promotion.

Some employers hold the belief that women are ineffective due to a variety of biological factors, and this belief influences the promotion policies of private and other corporate organisations as well as other minatory factors.

While secretarial workers are required to maintain cordial relationships with their supervisors in order to carry out their official tasks, some have reported experiencing sexual harassment from their supervisors, which has caused them to consider leaving their professions in order to protect their married status and reputation. Nevertheless, there are some bosses who take advantage of their employees by putting them in danger.

A secretary’s unique responsibility in the company’s organisation causes her to be tardy for work every day. The supervisor, lower-level employees, and executives’ reactions to this can have an impact on the married female secretaries. The reason behind this could be that they are required to travel outside of Owerri for official business. However, due to their marital status and biological career, they are unable to experience the full spectrum of gender discrimination inside their respective departments.

This study set out to address the needs of married female secretarial staff in the Owerri municipal local government area by identifying the obstacles they confront.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

Machines and tools used in modern offices: Most secretaries nowadays face constant competition from automated systems. A modern office puts a secretary who learnt to type by hand up against computers and word processors.

To comprehend and work with the boss, this is the biggest obstacle a new secretary will encounter.

Married female secretaries need to learn how to handle office procedures or risk losing their jobs.

Married female secretaries believe they become irritated when they try to approach lower-level employees with questions.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research challenges can be better solved by asking the following questions:

To what extent did certain secretarial tasks in Owerri metropolis present difficulties for married female secretaries working for certain businesses?

What difficulties have married female secretaries in Owerri metropolis faced in developing their human relation competencies?

Is a female secretary’s marital status an influence on her work choices and productivity?

1.4 The Objectives of the Study

The primary objective of this research is to identify the difficulties encountered by married female secretaries working for a sample of businesses in the Owerri metropolitan area. Specifically, the study will look for:

Whether married female secretaries in Owerri metropolis have any issues with their job duties. Find out if certain businesses in Owerri metropolis’ human relation competencies are impacted by marital obligation.

Identify the causes of these difficulties. I aim to address the challenges that married female secretaries in certain industries face and provide them with solutions.

1.5 The Significance of the Study

The significance of this study lies in its endeavour to shed light on the difficulties faced by married female secretaries and in the supplementary data it provides, both of which contribute to expanding the boundaries of knowledge within the secretarial and educational fields.

The married secretaries will learn firsthand how their misconduct impacts both their individual and the company’s productivity. For married female secretaries working for certain companies in Owerri metropolis, this will be a great asset in understanding how to carry out their human relations duties.

Married female secretaries in a sample of Owerri metropolis businesses will have their secretarial skills uncovered by this investigation.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study aims to shed light on the difficulties married female secretaries encounter while carrying out their vital responsibilities in the role. Why men are afraid to propose marriage to single people or follow their wives into secretarial roles. The researcher will look into the problem that married female secretaries are having and provide solutions.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study 

Until the invention of the typewriter in the 15th century, publishing company documents was a tedious and laborious process that required secretaries to write everything by hand.

As a result, modern offices cannot function without modern office equipment. Companies experienced information overload as a result of an increase in the volume of commercial transactions brought about by technological advancements.

Thus, technology is essential for businesses to consistently and effectively produce words. In today’s rapidly evolving labour market, computer-assisted machines are progressively displacing human workers as we trudge towards the turn of the millennium. No one is slacking off in this technological era, what with the degree of sophistication and fierce competition in our society.

There used to be a time when almost every type of worker was required by most businesses. While some arrived as experts, others learnt on the job.

Thousands upon thousands of people worked in the factories, performing a wide variety of tasks. Machines used in production had a long warmup period before they could start cranking out the massive amount of labourers.

Compared to hiring a large number of people and expecting them to produce the same amount of work, most employers and managers believe that implementing technological solutions into the workplace has improved efficiency, cut down on wasted time and money, and increased productivity.

The development of electronic fund transfer is an example of how new technology have relieved businessmen of the burden of constantly carrying around large quantities of money.

The widespread use of electronic communication tools such as the internet, electronic mail, pagers, digital telephone services, mobile phones, and answering machines has simplified the work of executives and top managers and helped to eliminate communication barriers.

These services are perfect for discussing business and transactions. Mounting closed-circuit television to track employees’ whereabouts is a common practice in certain large companies, even on a societal level.

Big time executive additionally employ close circuit television to wade off outsiders and people they don’t like to see, with this, productivity is thus boosted.

BRIEF HISTORY OF NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) ENUGU DEPOT

NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) depot Enugu is located near Emene in Enugu East local government of Enugu state. Commissioned on 25th August, 1979 by the military Administration of the then Anambra state Col. D.S Abubakar. It has a total capacity of 12 million liters of petroleum products. It has only three by products in store which comprise Premium Motor Sprit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automobile Gas Oil (AGO) ago or diesel for onward delivery to her customers the oil marketing organisations. Enugu depot has a total number of six departments namely: Administrative, sales, security, accounting operation and safely divisions with a total workforce of 250 individuals. Each department is governed by the head of such department who equally reports to the depot manager who is the overall boss.

1.2 The Statement Of The Problem

In a developing country like Nigeria, the use of contemporary office equipment in the office is still modest since they lack the technical know how to utilise the one their disposal to good use.

Lack of stilled manpower to update and maintain already acquired machines. Besides, continual power failure from the public electrical supply has not helped conditions in any way.

More over, some office worker notably secretaries sees the technology advancement as a challenge and also as threat to their job. These concerns and anxiety in the thoughts of office workers, is likely to lead to a dramatic loss in production in most office.

Finally, this circumstance requires for severe policies by management dealing with the problem, which psychologically undermines the mental and emotional state of workers.

1.3 The Purpose Of The Study

Reasons must accompany every action, and with that in mind, the goals of this research are:

1. To learn everything there is to know about office equipment.

2. Determine how contemporary office equipment has impacted the achievement of company goals.

3. To assess the level of instruction required to operate these office machines.

4, figure out how to keep them in the workplace.

5. To identify the issues related to the utilisation of these devices.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Can you tell me what office equipment is?

2. The second question is whether or not these high-tech office gadgets help businesses succeed.

3 Is there a curriculum for operating these state-of-the-art machines?

4. Is regular maintenance necessary for these state-of-the-art office machines?

5. Is there a risk in using these contemporary tools?

1.5 The Significance of the Study

In order to raise awareness and provide information on the roles played by modern office equipment in ensuring that NNPC Enugu depot achieves their goals and meets the standard, this study “modern office equipments and their contributions to the success of a business organisation, a case study of NNPC Enugu depot” is significant. Everyone in society and anyone else who wants to be efficient should do sensible.

1.6 The Scope of the Study

The researcher is concerned with the contributions of contemporary office equipments to the success of business organization with particular reference to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Enugu depot in Enugu east local government area in Enugu state.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

v. Office: a location where administrative tasks are performed.

v. Modern: utilising state-of-the-art methods or tools. “Most recent” or “current” might also describe it.

v Equipment: the tools / equipment needed for a certain task. at order terms, it also denotes things that are needed to carry out work / job at the office; it could be electrical or manual.

v. Researcher: the individual responsible for actually conducting the study.

v. Precision: presentation devoid of mistakes.

v Machine: a gadget with an electrical power attached to it utilised in office production.

v Crude/Manual: devices that demand physical expenditure of energy to operate.

Quick completion of tasks is an example of efficiency.

v In the business world, familiarity with purchasing and selling practices is essential.

v Operation: the activity of running a company.

v Production: results, growth in workforce.

v. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 

It is surprising that few institutions have policies to monitor or develop and maximise these beneficial synergies, considering the centrality of staff relationships, the almost universal assumption that institutions benefit management staff, and the importance of scholarship (J.M. consulting 200, p.16).

It is important for academic administrators and leaders to be aware of the factors that either foster connections between an institution’s management and the relationships among its employees or work to separate academic pursuits from one another (Locke, 2004, pp. 108)

Institutional policymakers can find useful information in this paper to help them foster a positive working relationship between faculty and discipline-based research.

On the other hand, a higher education institution’s policies and procedures centre on fostering relationships between staff members and among staff members themselves.

The higher education academy’s stated mission is “assisting institutions in developing strategies to enhance the learning experience for students” (higher education and academy, 2005a.), and they want to make sure that any recommendations they make are grounded in solid research.

The question of “what is distinctive about higher education?” was, in the end, the most important one for national systems and institutions to decide. Higher education stands out because it helps students and society at large comprehend the intricacies of our interconnected world.

Despite this, the importance of relationships to other members of society and the staff’s personal beliefs in this value greatly influence their motivations and feeling of purpose.

While there is clearly a lot of work going into making these principles a reality, it’s important to note that it’s not uniformly distributed, a lot of it is tacit, and many institutional policies aren’t well-developed and even counterproductive to nexus.

The long-term benefits of staff relationships on student learning and motivation to learn have been shown in more recent studies. Furthermore, the facts of mass higher education lead researchers to conclude that the connection is not inherent but rather must be methodically included into course work, as well as departmental, institutional, and national plans.

So, while the connection would have been easier to make in an era of smaller classes, more selective admissions, and teachers who had more time to devote to each student, those days are over.

Abstract

The function of industrial training schemes in fostering the growth of human resources at a subset of Anambra state’s commercial establishments is the subject of this study. As of the project’s inception, the survey’s sample size consisted of five companies: Ibeto Group of Company and Premier Brewery Onitsha, ITF area office Awka, Lento Aluminium Company Awka, and Nigeria Brewery Onitsha. The questionnaire served as the primary data collection tool for this study. The need that new businesses undergo industrial training was imposed. According to the study’s findings, businesses saw an uptick in productivity from employees who have participated in ITF training programs. The study’s author argued that ITF’s training programs should be flexible enough to meet the needs of each contributing business. After looking over the numbers, the researcher came to the conclusion that ITF is making development despite facing some obstacles. The study concluded with a summary and some suggestions for future research.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study 

Training and developing human resources in certain companies was a concept that most of our developing nations had a hazy grasp of a few years ago. According to Dr. Akinku’s statement in his book “Nigeria Today,” we still don’t know if the four M’s are missing from our group.

We have exhausted every possible means of increasing our output. Man, Materials, Machines, and Money were the four pillars upon which his “4m’s” stood.

The issue of staff development and training in many organisations has gained more attention as a result of recent events and heightened awareness in both developed and developing nations.

To kick off the supervisor management training course, he gave his first lecture. According to Layemo, underdeveloped human and labour resources, rather than a lack of natural resources, constitute the fundamental issue facing developing nations.

Also, as Eze demonstrated in his book “sources of management motivation,” the human resources of developing nations are severely lacking. To back this idea, Ashby found that third world countries’ human resource capacities were still evolving in his 1959:58 study.

In 1962, the National Manpower Board was formed in response to Ashby’s suggestion. Following up on this, in 1963 the personnel conducted a thorough survey that brought the following to the attention of the government.

a. Management quality at all levels is a big obstacle to economic growth.

b. The importance of well-coordinated efforts to prevent personnel training initiatives from duplicating one another.

Due to the country’s insufficient manpower development programs, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) highlighted the need for rehabilitations in 1969.

This was because the civil war had rendered Nigeria’s economic development plan useless, necessitating the development of technical and progressive manpower training.

A high degree of ineptitude in our industries was also noted in the second National Manpower Development Plan (1970:74), which attributed this to the following causes:

a. Insufficient training and experience in the field

b. Employees of low quality

c. In insufficient background.

Despite the shortage of qualified personnel, many companies still fail to invest in their employees’ professional development, which is a major contributor to low output. In 1971, the federal government established the industrial training fund through decree No. 47.

The fund’s primary goal was to foster and support skill acquisition in order to produce an indigenous workforce with the necessary level of training to satisfy the country’s growing demands.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

The primary goal of establishing the industrial training fund is to encourage and support the development of skills related to business and industry, as mentioned before. Our primary expectation is that the ITF will supply us with competent individuals to staff our human resource and organisational needs.

In its bulletins, the ITF consistently boasts about how much it has accomplished to address the needs of cooperative workforce development in terms of training.

What their grievance involves

Companies that have contributed fail to pay their dues.

When it comes to their industrial training program, some companies ignore them.

1.3 The Purpose Of The Study

In order to determine how IF’s training program has contributed to the country’s human resource development, this study will examine the organization’s operations. Given the foregoing, the study’s objectives include determining whether or not the ITF’s lack of enthusiasm and severe criticism are warranted.

1. Determine if ITF satisfies the training requirements of the participating businesses.

2. To ascertain the degree to which the instruction provided by ITF impacts the participant’s skill acquisition.

3. To determine the role of industrial training in accomplishing organisational goals.

1.4 Research Hypothesis?

These questions were the focus of the research.

1. How well does ITF address the training requirements of the participating companies?

2. What is the impact of ITF training on skill acquisition for those who participate?

3. In what ways might industrial training contribute to the accomplishment of organisational goals?

1.5 The significance Of The Study

Upon completion, this study will greatly benefit labour employees by providing information about the impact and quality of ITF’s industrial training programs. The government needs to know how the fund is doing so they can make suggestions as needed.

It will also let non-member companies or companies that aren’t contributing to the fund know what the fund’s skill level is and whether it’s meeting expectations. If the analysis is successful, it will pave the way for the fund to fix its operational problems and fill in the gaps that have been identified.

1.6 The Scope of the Study

Industrial training schemes in Anambra State and their effects on the growth of the state’s workforce are the subjects of this research.

1.7 Definition of Terms

To avoid misunderstandings, it is important to explain certain phrases or words used in this context, since the meaning of some words in this type of research can be misunderstood.

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is a government agency in Nigeria that oversees the practical education that college students get.

“Manpower” refers to the employees or contractors that work for a company to carry out routine tasks and provide goods and services to customers in order to generate revenue.

Training is an important component in raising the level of competence and productivity in the workplace.

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING: The Industrial Training Fund has created a mandated program to help students develop the skills and competences needed to be employable by bridging the gap between what is taught in school and what is really done in the industry.

ABSTRACT

Using Nigerian Telecommunication, Enugu (NITEL) as a case study, this research looked at how the socio-economic and technological system of modern business impacts the job of modern-day secretaries in certain commercial organisations. There were 26 secretaries that were part of the study’s population. A questionnaire served as the primary tool. The data analysis utilised simple percentages. Researchers found that secretaries in today’s businesses face both good and bad effects from the interplay of society, economy, and technology. Compared to their more conventional predecessors, secretaries now have more complex secretarial and administrative duties. The majority of secretaries also had a hard time adjusting to the new system, according to the results. Based on the findings, it was suggested that secretaries could be adequately trained and motivated to fix all of these issues. throughout addition, a national organisation should be set up to register and oversee the practice of secretarial services throughout the nation, and students should be taught how to operate modern office equipment.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the Study 

Since running a modern company is no easy feat, secretaries face an increasingly demanding role in the increasingly complicated corporate system. It is the dual goal of every company’s management to maximise profits while also meeting the requirements of their workforce.

Contemporary company has entered a new social, economic, and technological era. Consequently, societal problems may be to blame. Hails and Hubband (1977) concluded that in response to environmental changes, numerous organisations have adjusted their internal systems.

These days, managers in the corporate world use all sorts of tactics to improve the rapport they have with their staff. Good working environment and increased productivity are two things that employees are driven to achieve. A knowledge of human motivation is necessary for the successful management of change, according to Humbly (1975).

Further, Hails and spouse (1977) argued that all nations must have an economic framework that supplies its people with basic necessities. Companies in the contemporary era have responded to these demands in a variety of ways, including the following: implementing performance reviews, bolstering workplace security, educating staff, etc.

Due to the ever-increasing complexity of secretarial tasks, it is critical to provide secretaries with training in both the specific skills and procedures needed for these roles, as well as broader career development opportunities.

The responsibilities of a secretary in modern companies have expanded beyond simple clerical tasks, according to Anyatonwu (N.d.). Additionally, he mentioned that modern secretaries are expected to juggle multiple responsibilities.

A new trend has also emerged in the social structure of corporate organisations. Unlike in the past, today’s businesses care about their workers’ needs. Therefore, flexibility and motivation are no longer considered to be of purely academic interest; rather, they are of practical value to businesses, according to humble (1975).

In addition to stating that computers have brought a new dimension to both commercial and social activities, he also mentioned that social responsibility is a crucial sector of business.

It is possible to think of technological systems as creative. According to Marvin and Mareia (1984), office automation has the potential to boost productivity, cut down on waste, and open up new, more difficult positions for people who are open to learning and adjusting.

1.1 Statement Of The Problem

Because modern corporate organisation is so intricate, the secretary’s role is growing increasingly difficult; as a result, secretaries encounter new challenges such as the ones listed below.

Office automation is supposed to boost productivity, cut down on waste, and open up new, more challenging jobs for people who are up for the challenge of learning the new economic system, all in an effort to maximise profit for business managers who are always looking to maximise their own financial gain.

One way in which technological advancements could impact a secretary’s job is by making certain knowledge and abilities obsolete. The secretary’s role has become increasingly complex due to the new organisational structure of contemporary businesses. To succeed, one must be familiar with the task at hand, the steps involved, and the potential pitfalls.

When it comes to social, economic, and technological aspects of her job, the secretary who isn’t properly taught and equipped could struggle to do her job well. As a result, she can face resistance from those around her, including her supervisor and coworkers, as she carries out her duties.

1.2 The Objectives of the Study

The study’s overarching goals are to

(1) identify the socioeconomic and technological system of modern business and

(2) understand how it impacts the secretary’s job;

(3) identify potential challenges that modern secretaries may encounter;

(4) provide insight into how secretaries can adapt to the changing needs of modern businesses by acquiring the necessary education, training, and skills.

Benefits of the study include:

i know what a secretary does for a contemporary company.

ii. Analyse the current business system’s socioeconomic and technological components.

iv. Research the secretary’s potential obstacles

iii. Determine how amenable the secretary is to this emerging style in contemporary firm.

v. Determine what the issue is and how secretaries can fit into the new system.

1.3 The significance Of The Study

The goal of this project is to teach professional secretaries new skills that will help them adjust to the new system. In order to prepare future secretaries for the challenges they will face, this study will shed light on the new system of modern company organisation.

It will also help them mentally prepare for the challenges they’ll encounter as business professionals. In order for the company to tailor the system to its workers’ needs, this study will raise knowledge of the new system’s effects on productivity and profit.

As a result of this study, the school will have to add new classes to the curriculum to teach students how to utilise modern office equipment, and they will need to hire more teachers and make sure they have all the resources they need to teach these classes.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions will serve as the basis for our investigation:

1. One, are secretaries’ roles now different from their predecessors’?

2. How does the system of social, economic, and technical influences impact secretaries?

3. Thirdly, does the new socioeconomic and technological system present any difficulties for the secretary?

4. Does the secretary face any difficulties as a result of the changing system of socioeconomic and technological factors?

5. Is it conceivable to find a solution that will make the secretary fit in?

1.5.5 Limitations of the Study

Due to time constraints, this study does not cover everything that may be considered. Ideally, more than one company in Enugu State would have been covered. Research in Enugu state was time-limited. Due to pressing academic obligations, time was of the essence during the research.
The researcher also had financial constraints; the country’s economic situation forced her to restrict her study to the areas already mentioned.

1.6 Study Scope/Delimitation

The consequences of the new technical and social system are the primary subject of this research. Since the researcher has decided to focus on just one company in Enugu state, her analysis may not cover all relevant ground.

ABSTRACT

The function, effectiveness, and efficiency of secretaries in contemporary Enugu Urban communication businesses were the focus of this study. Opinions regarding the secretary’ responsibilities vary. They don’t get that the secretary is a key player in any communication industry, and that her work can make or break the sector’s productivity. The study also aims to determine if secretaries’ duties are impacted by a lack of appreciation for communicating machines. It went on to question whether executives do not delegate authority to secretaries to ensure they are well-versed in administrative concepts and whether this knowledge gap could impede secretarial duties. The study was planned to collect data from secretaries in specific communication industries as a representative sample of the community. One hundred persons made up the populations, and the researcher used questionnaires that were handed out to the respondents. Afterwards, was gathered. It was determined that secretaries would benefit from frequent opportunities to learn new skills and expand their knowledge base in the field. Additionally, employers should collaborate closely with secretaries, give them clear responsibilities, and ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs well.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 

The Nigeria Television Authority is abbreviated as NTA. More than 30 more television stations in various regions of Nigeria have been born out of this one. A general manager and five assistant managers assist with the day-to-day operations of the company. As a communication industry, the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) performs a number of functions, much like a large family:

1. keep its dominant position in television broadcasting while informing, entertaining, and enlightening its audience

2. Improve people’s lives in Nigeria by introducing them to a variety of programs that will have a good impact on their social, cultural, economic, political, and technological perspectives.

But it seems that their secretaries aren’t getting the attention they need to do their jobs well due to all the responsibilities they have in the communication sector.

For all their information needs, they indulge in utilising their journalists and reporters. Many in management and staff positions in the communication industries have become proficient in using computers, tapes, and discs to record information and write reports, but they have paid little attention to the importance of competent secretaries in these fields.

Journalism, reporting, and correspondent work makes up the bulk of the communication industry’s workforce. Not to mention newsreaders who rely on a small team of copy clerks. Even when they do show initiative, the few secretaries there aren’t always given the credit they deserve.

Compared to their colleagues in other professions, the secretaries at Nigeria Television Authority are not given the attention they need to motivate themselves and are not promoted when they are due, according to an inquiry into the organisation.

The most frustrating aspect is that secretaries end up reporting to unfinished individuals in leadership roles, while students witness their academically gifted peers rise through the ranks.

The researcher was compelled to conduct a survey of secretaries’ responsibilities, performance, and effectiveness in contemporary Enugu Urban communication businesses due to the prevalence of these norms and challenges.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

Goals are hard to achieve in most workplaces nowadays. These have typically been attributed to secretaries, who serve as executives’ reflections. As a result, they restrict their work to typing documents—which they inevitably make mistakes on—and taking dictations—which they aren’t even good at transcribing.

In some fields of communication, there is a breakdown in communication due to the bad relationships between so-called secretaries. Some secretaries are unable to answer the phone or convey messages effectively, which slows the flow of information. It is crucial for employees to have a good flow of information from management in the organisation.

To a significant degree, the achievement of goals dictates the prosperity of a sector. Actually, this can’t be accomplished without the secretary’s help and efficiency.

Furthermore, a handful of executives are to blame for a slew of problems plaguing the communication sector. One example is that some bosses don’t give their secretaries and workers a voice when it comes to making organisational policies or offering suggestions for how the company might reach its objectives.

In such a situation, the executive or supervisor might not think it’s the secretary’s place to take on such responsibilities. Since there has not been sufficient literature produced to identify these issues and how to control them, this research project seeks to discover about the roles and performance efficiency and effectiveness of secretaries in communication sectors. The researcher thinks it’s important to look into these issues and provide suitable solutions after researching them.

1.3.3 The Purpose Of The Study

1. The primary objective of this research is to identify the functions and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of secretaries in contemporary Enugu Urban communication businesses. The study’s specific objectives are:

2. Determine whether secretaries are competent and efficient in their work.

3. Identifying the issues that arise when carrying out such tasks.

4. Finding out whether these positions improve the communication industries’ operational success.

5. Offering additional suggestions for enhancing the proficiency and effectiveness of secretaries in the aforementioned communication sectors.

1.4 The Limitations of the Study

The function, effectiveness, and efficiency of secretaries in contemporary Enugu Urban’s communication sectors are the exclusive focus of this research.

1.5 The significance Of The Study

Secretaries may not always know what they’re responsible for in a certain organisational structure. Because of this, the researcher decided to conduct a study to learn more about secretaries’ responsibilities in the communication sector. Finding these issues would allow the research to contribute to an encouraging, inspiring, and cooperative workplace for the secretary and other workers.

The executive team will be able to see how empowering their secretaries to carry out their responsibilities and apply certain principles contributes to the organization’s overall goals.

This will send the message to secretaries that they are representing the company in a positive light, which in turn encourages them to be efficient and diligent in all aspects of their work.A mutual understanding between the boss and secretaries will help the organisation achieve its goals more effectively as a whole.

1.6 Assumptions of the study

If this study turns out as expected, executives will have less paperwork to worry about since they will be able to trust their secretaries with more responsibility. Qualified secretaries’ educational backgrounds necessitate their unique value and necessity in the communication industry and in workplaces generally.

Qualified secretaries’ educational backgrounds will also be revealed to some extent. This highlights the need of their communication skills, diligence, and prudence in carrying out their tasks, as any divergence from this will reflect poorly on the organisation in the business world.

No matter how much technology advances, secretaries will remain an essential and irreplaceable asset to the communication sectors, as this research will demonstrate.

Regardless of how far technology advances, the research will demonstrate to the communication industries that secretaries are an essential and irreplaceable asset.

Instead of constraining secretaries to merely type documents, the research will also raise their egos among their professional peers. The student secretaries will take their training seriously because it will also discuss the tasks they will face in the future.

17.7 Research Questions

In order to direct the investigation, we developed the following research questions:

1. How do secretaries in Enugu Urban’s modern communication industries contribute?

2. How well-equipped and efficient are the secretaries to carry out their duties?

3. What challenges do they have when carrying out that responsibility?

4. To what extent do the responsibilities in certain communication industries boost productivity?

5. How may secretaries in Enugu Urban’s modern communication businesses improve their performance?

1.8 Definition of Terms

ROLES: Responsibilities to which individuals are held fully responsible. Responsibility, action, or power are all synonyms for the word. When we talk about the mental and physical processes that are necessary to complete a job or assignment, we’re talking about roles.

EFFICIENCY: The capacity to accomplish a goal with little effort.

A secretary is a person that is very competent in administrative tasks, shows initiative and good judgement, can work alone with little oversight, and makes decisions within their area of duty.

ABSTRACT

The research team behind this project hopes to learn more about the implications of secretaries’ use of electronic office device equipment on productivity in today’s businesses. Office secretaries in the state of Imo make up the population. All forty questionnaires that were sent out were returned. The researcher determined the many sorts of equipment that secretaries can use in doing their jobs by analysing the acquired data using frequency distributions, tables, percentages, and ranking methodologies. There were a number of reasons why the secretary did not have access to suitable current office equipment, including a lack of funding and an unsupportive attitude from the executives. An increase in work productivity will be the outcome of the suggestions given to fix the situation and make the secretary more efficient.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the Study

In the context of an office, “electronic office equipment” means any device that can be used to perform administrative tasks. Secretarial and office tasks rely on the yearly or mechanical usage of various office instruments and machines.

There are many different kinds, and they come in all forms and sizes. Ohakwe (2005) states that the remarkable advancements in office equipment over the past few decades have resulted in machines and equipments that are self-sufficient, self-propelled, and work with minimal human intervention.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. The Background of the Study 

The workplace is only one area where rapid change has been occurring for decades. This is because technology has progressed. To make swift decisions, any office in today’s business world—whether it’s the government, industry, or any other human endeavor—requires facts and correct information.

The secretary and other office workers have certain expectations of the company they work for. Machines and equipment, as well as humans, can provide this assistance.

Secretaries used to type up memos and letters dictated by managers in the past. To cut down on secretarial support and increase staff productivity, several companies have turned to word processing centres, personal computers, and email (Ezoem, 1995; Osuala, 2004).

The traditional functions of secretaries in corporate settings, such as transcribing spoken instructions into text, answering phones, and processing mail, have undergone significant transformations due to technological advancements.

The internet and other forms of modern office technology have greatly improved the efficiency and accessibility of secretarial tasks and information (Edwin, 2008).

Telex, e-mail, fax, and phone messages are now more convenient than ever. The secretary also has access to a variety of office equipment, including printers, photocopiers, duplicators, and dictation machines.

Nowadays, more and more things are becoming easier to do thanks to advancements in computer and information technology. Word processors—which allow users to create and modify documents including memos, letters, and reports—are among the three most widely used kinds of computer software.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 

All the surrounding conditions that impact growth and development are defined as the environment in a modern dictionary. The internal and external factors influencing a secretary’s work environment are also considered part of the environment.

Clerical labour, including receiving, conveying, recording, processing, and safeguarding information, is done at an office, according to Rwuaan (2010).

The term “office” has two meanings: first, as a room or other location where people do their work; second, as a job title with associated responsibilities; and third, as an older usage of the word referring to a person’s actual place of employment.

Whether it’s a tiny office on a bench in the corner of a “mom and pop shop” or a large building devoted entirely to one company, offices are a common occurrence in architecture, design, and society. Nowadays, when people talk about an office, they usually mean the place where white-collar workers are employed. One common definition of productivity is the ratio of production to the total or partial amount of resources utilised in producing an output.

This allows for the comparison of one or more output measurements with one or more input measures. A Total Productivity Measure is an effort to incorporate all inputs and outputs into a system.

In his work, Palik (2006) lays out the relationship between the inputs and outputs of a process, which might include things like the quantity and quality of raw materials, the number of hours of labour, and units of capital.

The origins of the modern concept of office professional can be traced to the time when what are now known as secretaries laboured inside the rudimentary confines of an office.

However, it was only when the necessity for storing, retrieving, and protecting private matters became apparent that the early office professionals’ significance became apparent.

Back then, office workers’ happiness on the job was directly related to the importance of their tasks and responsibilities. Processing, documenting, and disseminating information are all part of an office professional’s job description (Smith, 2008).

In today’s business world, office professionals play an essential role that is essential to any company’s success. The federal government’s poorly thought-out plan to right-size and downsize this class of workers caused significant delays in the execution of office functions, making it vital to recall all impacted office professionals to their tasks (BPSR, 2008).

One of the primary functions outlined in the literature is that of office professionals in organisations. Keeping with the previous points of view. According to Omotosho (1990), a well-oiled office machine is essential to the success of any enterprise.

The office professional handles all the pressures and demands of the job by taking charge of any crises that may arise from the management of records, people, communication, information, and other resources that are intrinsic to running an office.

Nowadays, most offices distinguish between two kinds of office professionals: confidential and personal. According to MTU in Madelyn and Urwin (1980), office professionals are responsible for typesetting, recording, and keeping important or confidential company documents.

They also help top-level executives with routine tasks and make sure executives don’t have access to sensitive information. On the other hand, private office professionals are employed to run the office.

Office professionals are responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing delicious for the organization’s day-to-day operations, according to Ceik and Forti (2009).

Executives in most companies, according to Azuonge (2007), don’t realise how important office professionals are to the success of the company; as a result, these workers are treated disrespectfully and treated as postal carriers and clerks.

In the workplace, the whole efforts of a team are necessary to accomplish any goal that an organisation has. Any organisation, regardless of the services it provides to the public, relies on the office professional who is a part of this team to achieve its goals.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of office professionals’ responsibilities and functions in this era of globalisation, defined by computer and other office technologies and the complex nature of office interactions (Jeffrey and Kevin, 2001).

According to Njoku (2003), office professionals’ responsibilities are diverse and frequently vague. However, the tasks and function of office professionals and the expectations of an employer.

Clerical work includes responding to correspondence, filling out operations, managing records, and other unspecified functions like booking flights and accommodations, running specialised errands, and taking notes from the boss’s speech and making a mailable copy of it are all part of the job description.

The roles of office professionals, he continues, are growing at a dizzying rate. On the other hand, the image-making profiles that office professionals work with rely on their trustworthy performance of duties. With this goal in mind, we are conducting research to catalogue the functions performed by office workers at Kaduna Polytechnic.

Statement Of The Problem

Modern offices have failed to reach this goal due to issues such as a lack of investment in state-of-the-art equipment, poor human relations, physical environmental factors, and low compensation for office professionals. The usage of manual typewriters by office professionals is still used by some organisations.

Productivity is sure to suffer when office professionals are not given high-quality, efficient equipment to work with. It is also acknowledged that certain office professionals experience difficulties in collaborating due to an unproductive work atmosphere.

This leads to other issues, such as her lack of authority over her subordinates or her failure to adequately attend to office guests.There is a strong correlation between an office professional’s efficiency and the degree to which their workplace is clean and free of clutter.

Objectives of the Study

The primary goal of this research was to find out how different types of office settings affect the efficiency of office workers. However, the study was conducted with the express aim of:

1. learn what kinds of contemporary office equipment are necessary for the efficiency of office workers.

2. ascertain the contributing elements of the physical environment that enable the organisation to achieve its goals

3. learn how a company’s office productivity gains from paying its professionals a fair wage.

4. to learn how effective communication and teamwork boost efficiency in the workplace.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study set out to answer the following questions and test the following hypotheses:

i. In order to be productive, what kinds of office equipment do professionals need?

ii. What are the external physical elements that contribute to the accomplishment of organisational goals?

iii) How does an organization’s professionalism in the workplace relate to the effectiveness of its human relations professionals?

iv) How does pay affect the efficiency of an organization’s office staff?

The significance Of The Study

The importance of this research is immeasurable. The study’s findings will be extremely useful for the following, even though its sole purpose is to determine the impact of the office setting on office occupations:

Office Professional: An office professional is someone who manages the day-to-day operations of a firm, including setting goals, creating a strategy, and ensuring that all employees are following it.

In order to provide future researchers with important knowledge on the office profession, this work will serve as a reference.

Companies: To teach companies how to make their workplaces more friendly to secretaries.

Scope of the Study

To ascertain its extent of impact on office performance, the study zeroed in on the profession’s internal components. Office jobs and executives are also under the purview of this research.

Limitations of the Study 

The researcher had hoped to present an abundance of information pertinent to the study’s subject, but numerous constraints made that impossible. The execution of this research subject was severely constrained by time constraints.

Consolidating class attendance with data collection for the project was a major headache. Another issue with data collecting during survey research was a lack of funding, which prevented researchers from contacting respondents to request their information.

Terms Explanation

A change that an action or cause produces, whether positive or bad, is called an impact.

Any location where information is received, organised, recorded, rearranged, retrieved, and stored for later use might be considered an office.

Setting: This pertains to the physical state of the secretary’s workplace.

By dividing up the work between members of a group, an organisation is able to rationally coordinate the efforts of its members to accomplish a predetermined objective.

The term “secretary” refers to a someone who is engaged by another person, society, enterprise, organisation, or cooperation to handle letters, maintain records, and execute other business-related tasks.

A corporate executive is someone who possesses strong managerial or administrative abilities.

Workers: Those with whom one shares a workplace or organisation