Office Technology And The Enhancement On Administrative Work

The study examined the office technology and the enhancement on administrative work. Survey research design was adopted in the study in order to assess the opinions of the selected respondents with the use of 13 item questionnaire. Three research questions and hypothesis were raised to guide the study. Data obtained were analyzed using simple sample techniques, frequency and percentages while hypotheses were tested using Chi Square. The findings of the study showed that office technology application has impacted positively on the administrative work. It was also noted that the adoption of office technology has reduced the employment rate of secretaries and those employed stand the chance of retrenchment. Finally, it was also noted that most secretaries do not encounter problem using office technology but the maintenance and procurement is a problem. Based on the finding, the following recommendations were made that organization should make adequate provision for office technology and necessary infrastructure should be provided so that the secretaries will be efficient and accurate in the performance of their duty, the secretaries should endeavour to update their knowledge as at when due so as to be well abreast of the modern office equipment, Efforts at training students/ pupils on office technology as a course should be intensified in the school curriculum and proper awareness and enlightment programme should be provided.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

A distinct feature of modern economics from the primitive economy is in the area of work. The work is a complex group of organization of some sort, types and size. These organizations exist in form of private sectors, business organizations, public sector corporation e.g. federal, state and local government. For the goals in these organizations to be attained, it is imperative then to have a place called office; where activities of sort, such as production, distribution and exchange of goods and services will be carried out. From forgoing, an office is indispensable in any organizations especially in keeping the routine operations of the organization running smoothly.

What is an office? The original name for the word office was a piece of kindness or service to one"s fellow. Today, every single organization has at its every Centre the office, which gives life to the whole organization. It is in the office that projects are conceived, plans made, prototypes derived and practice run tested out. An office therefore is not a dull or a lifeless place. It is more exciting place and servant of management.

Harding (1989) define office as any place where office work, clerical or secretarial statistical or analytical accounting or technical is performed and whether it be in ultra-modern, landscape buildings belonging to a multi-national cooperation or accounting firms in the office attached to a retail outlet in the spare room of a self-employed.
George [1976] defines an office as a place where work in connection with the preparing and finishing of office information is done.

In defining an office, Denyserand Migridge[1980] looked at the three aspect of an office which are: office premises, office purposes and clerical work. Office premises refer to a building or a part of it used for office purposes. Office purposes includes administration, clerical work, handing, money operating, telephone machine etc.clerical work includes writing, book keeping , sorting papers, typing, filing etc.

The office world of today is far remove from the Dicknesian image of the male clerk sitting in high stool at a high desk using a gull pen to write a laborious manuscript. In those days, there was hardly a machine in or woman in sight unlike now where there are usually more machines than people and more women than man in our typical hi-tech office.

Very early, offices were often in the homes of merchants or in office homes. From the 1700"s onward, more offices began to move into commercial premises of various kinds, during the 1800"s, office began to be more departmentalized and gradually developed in size and complexity to accommodate the growing number of men and women employed in them. Early office has very little resemblance to what we know as office today. Even as late as between the two world wars they were still shabby miserable in which to work.

During the Second World War (1939-1945) many city centers were destroyed and this gave the planners the chance to design new office that really did cater for the people who work in them. Specialized office blocks were constructed unfortunately, many of them in sky scraper building which destroyed the surrounding landscape. As far as planners were concerned, however, many people could be fitted into, for instance a 12-floor office block than a double story building.

The 1963 office, shops and railway act laid down minimum requirement for the welfare and safety of amongst other office workers. There requirement were, in most cases, well met anywhere by the new office blocks, but at least office workers now knew that they would all be working in satisfactory conditions.

Over the last 50years, offices have gradually become more comfortable and pleasant in which to work. The male oriented environment has largely disappeared and men and women work alongside one another, perhaps not always in harmony, but at least respecting each other"s status in the office hierarch. In terms of technological development or advancement or advancement, office haswon a new outwork machines of every size, shape and purpose are in use. Virtually every office uses at least one computer and many offices have networks of machine all linked to a central base. Computerized account can be prepared, charts and diagrams can be produced in seconds and files holding masses of information can be stored, on desk. Fixed massagers, letters and other document can be sent from one office to other in seconds through the see of modern office technology like the computer, emails, fax etc. however, telephones have been increased or improved dramatically and very soon videophones where we can look at the person as we speak to them will no doubt widely in use.

Therefore, the essence of the study is to show the impact of office technology and the enhancement on administrative work. The study seeks to evaluate how technology equipment has influenced the operation of the organization to achieve most of their aims.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

According to Kathleen (1985), office automation refers to the use technological devices or computer to accept and produce information in order for the organization to achieve their goals. Therefore raw data storage electronic transfer and the management of electronic business information comprise the basic activity of office automation system.

Deficiency of the typewriter and the duties of the secretary in the office has affected the organizational framework directly and indirectly, which slows the efficiency of the front office. There has been a lot of research efforts in other to recommend or find a lasting solution to the challenges of the secretaries in the office but their are still lapes. This study examines the effect of information technology on the performance of secretaries in the office.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

To examine the impact of office technology on administrative work.

To examine the problems of office technology to the administrative work.

To identify how the application of office technology has promoted efficiency of the front office.

1.4 Research Questions

To what extents has the use of office technology impacted on the secretarial profession and individual secretary.

What are the problems encountered by administrative workers in their use of office technology.

Can the adoption of office technology in an organization lead to retrenchment of administrative work in an organization.

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Problems encountered by administrative workers will not significantly affect their use of office technology.

The use of office technology has no significant impact on the secretarial profession and the individual secretary.

There is no significant relationship between adoption of office technology and retrenchment of secretaries.

1.6 Significant of the Study

It is intended to study the effect of office technology on the secretaries and indentify factors that do not allow for better performance of the secretaries.

This study will also create awareness to the individual secretary as it will enlighten them on the roles of office technology in the desk office.

The study will identify what lesson need to be learned on how office technology 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 office technology in the office and on the secretaries and profer solutions.

1.7 Scope of the Study

With regards to the project topic in question, the research has been narrowed down to Straco Insurance Company, Zenith Bank, University of Lagos, Yaba Local Government office and Shomolu Local Government office.

1.8 Limitation

There are many difficulties encountered by the researcher in gathering useful information for this study, It is limited by time, material and financial constraints.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Some key concept in the research work is 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.

1.10 Organization of the Study

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows.

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study.

Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature.

Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study.

Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.

Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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