Influence Of Modern Office Technology On Secretaries’ Performance In Government Organization In Asaba, Delta State

Abstract

The study examined the influence of modern office technology on secretaries’ performance in government organization in Asaba, Delta State. To achieve this, the study was divided into five chapters. Four research questions were raise and answered in the study, related literature were reviewed in the study. The study used a descriptive survey. The population for this study consists of all secretaries working in government organizations in Asaba in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State. A simple random sampling technique was used to select fourteen (14) offices out of all the government offices in Asaba. In each of the offices, two (2) secretaries were selected making it a total of twenty eight (28) secretaries as the sample of the study.  The instrument for data collection was questionnaire which was validated by two lecturers from the school of business education and a lecturer in measurement and evaluation. The method of data collection was mean statistics to answer the research questions. The findings revealed that cloud computing/storage platform influences the performance of secretaries, cyber security influence the performance of secretaries, internet package influence the performance of secretaries and word processing package influences the performance of secretaries in government organization. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that secretaries should acquire these computer skills to enable them function effectively in an organization.

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Organizations, be it public or private, large or small, are set up to achieve specific organizational goals and objectives. These goals and objectives include profit maximization of socio-economic well-being of members (Rubee 2016).

The world is presently witnessing an increase in technological changes in every sphere of human endeavour including the office environment. Many organizations make use of new technologies to handle people, coordinate activities and evaluate performance directed towards organizational goals and objectives. The type of machines and gadgets that were used to produce, duplicate and store information has also undergone a great transformation in order to cope with the fast growing world of technology (Umameie and Bolaji, 2015).

Hornby (2014), stated that the word “secretary” is derived from a latin word “secretaries” meaning something known only to one or few and kept secret or hidden from the views of things. In line with this, Nzenagu (2017) stated that the word “secretary” means an employee engaged in an office that deals with correspondence and keeps records of such organizations. He also makes arrangements and appointments for a particular member of the staff. Secretaries are needed in every type of office, be it advertising and public education, law and medicine, manufacturing industries, publishing and schools, insurance and bank etc they also work for politicians, writers and judges (Orah 2016). It is an unarguable fact that the secretary is stronghold of any organization. Many achievements have been made by the management of the workforce of which the secretary is no exception (Nwaokolo 2014).

Performance, on the other hand, denotes the carrying out of a task. It could therefore be said of secretaries been influenced or motivated with some factors for high job performance as the more occurrence of those factors may lead to incredible work in return (Nzenagu, 2017).

However, Modern technology is the advancement of old technology with new additions and modifications. In the world today, people cannot live without technologies such as televisions, mobile phones, computers and others. These technologies have slowly taken an essential part in people’s day-to-day lives and being without them would be unimaginable for some of us.

Cloud computing/storage platforms are used for data protection and give authorized personnel access to these data. This technological innovation has helped employees to work conveniently and collaboratively from anywhere(Duniya, 2015).

Cyber security is the act where by a company/organizations try to protect their valuable information that are already in the cloud, there will always be a necessity for an effective cyber security as more companies are aware of the cyber threats hovering around the internet. With so much companies storing valuable information online, the need to delve into a strong security is therefore unavoidable even for every workplace (Ejeka, 2017).

According to Emeh (2015) internet is the computer network which allows computer users to connect with computers all over the world, and which carries email. The Internet (or internet) is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide.

Word processing is the use of computer for manipulating text-based documents; the electronic equivalent of paper, pen typewriter, eraser, and most likely, dictionary and thesaurus (Encarta, 2014).

The effectiveness of the secretary in achieving these organizational goals and objectives depends largely on the availability of modern office technology. In today’s world of work, one of the things that make organization unique is the use of modern office technological gadgets such as computer, power point presentation, word processor, projectors the internet, automated teller machines, reprographic machines, micrographic machines, accounting machines, modern telephonic system including handset and multimedia, among other (Duniya, 2016) thus, the roles of secretaries have been turned around by these modern office technologies. It has provided the tools that shift the role of secretaries from that of information recorders to business strategists. As a result, there is need for secretaries to possess various computer-based software technology competences for effective work performance. It is therefore against this background that this study sought to investigate on the influence of modern office technology on secretaries performance in Government Organization in Asaba, Delta State.

Statement of the Problem

Development and innovations in modern technology have brought about tremendous changes in today’s office and business environments. These innovations demand greater responsibilities and improved performance on the part of the secretary in view of their vital roles in processing of office information. The secretary’s employed by business organizations are fundamentally responsible for the processing, storage, retrieval and reporting of information. These important office functions were previously performed manually by secretaries but now to be performed through modern office technologies. These modern office technologies were introduced to enhance the performance of secretaries as well as increased organizational efficiency.

Irrespective of the importance of modern technology to the performance of secretary functions in an office, the researcher seeks to know the problem militating against the use of those modern technologies by most secretaries by raising some question to know if they are the cause, such as; inadequate/lack of modern facilities and equipment, constant power failure, lack of fund, lack of training and retraining poor knowledge of new technology among others. It was based on the above problem that made the researcher to investigate on the influence of modern office technology on secretaries performance in Government Organizations in Asaba, Delta State.

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of modern office technology on secretaries performance in government organization in Asaba, Delta State.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Determine how cloud computing/storage platform influences the performance of secretaries in government organizations in Asaba.
2. Determine how cyber security influences the performance of secretaries in government organizations in Asaba.
3. Determine how internet package influence the performance of secretaries in government organizations in Asaba.
4. Determine how word processing package influence the performance of secretaries in government organizations in Asaba.

Research Question

1. How does cloud computing/storage platform influences the performance of secretaries in government organization in Asaba?
2. How does cyber security influences the performance of secretaries in government organization in Asaba?
3. How does internet package influence the performance of secretaries in government organization in Asaba?
4. How extent does word processing package influence the performance of secretaries in government organization in Asaba?

Significance of the Study

The result of this study could be of immense benefit to the students in Office Technology and Management Education (OTME), as well as Secretaries already employed in the relevant field, business organizations, industries, researchers, government and non-government parastatals.

This study could be of immense benefit to students in Office Technology and Management Education as it could enhance their learning and improve their knowledge of modern office technologies such as computer related applications used in the office. It could also equip them with the basic essential skills needed to be better prepared for jobs in automated offices.

Secretaries already employed could also benefit as it could help them see the need for them to get vast in their profession by acquiring computer training and acquainting themselves with ICT facilities. Also, it could acquaint them the recent development in modern office technologies and how it could enhance their career and could also be a source of added knowledge to them.

This study could help to enlighten business organization on the  need of training their secretaries in the area of modern office technology to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in their duties. Industries on their part could also benefit from this study as it could indicate to them that the presence of modern office technology brings about higher growth in productivity and profitability. Furthermore, the internet has brought new opportunities to organizations; this study could therefore be of immense benefit to them in the sense that it could expose them on the need to employ the use of modern office technologies such as the internet in their various office so as to increase productivity. The employers/entrepreneurs of public and private large scale business could benefit, as qualified personnel could help them set up and manage their investment wisely and keep them in business.

The study could also benefit non-government parastatals because presently private sector is gradually taking over the running of previously public organizations. Thus there is the need for them to embrace modern technology and its relevance especially how it concern a modern day secretary.

Above all, the study will be of immense benefit to the management board of Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba would not be left out from this research work, because it could serve as an eye opener for them to make conscious effort to ensure that Office Technology and Management Education Depart in the institution are well equipped with micro-computers and other peripherals to help produce educated graduates skilled in the use of modern technology.

Scope of the Study

The scope of the study will be delimitated to the influence of modern office technology on secretary’s performance in government organization in Asaba. Specifically, the study will be focused on modern office equipments such as computer, cloud computing, cyber security, internet package and word processing package. The participants of this study will be limited to secretaries in government organizations in Asaba.

Pages:  63

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF               

Chapters: 1-5                                          

Source: Imsuinfo

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.