Impact Of Modern Communication Facilities On The Secretary

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The act of Communication is the most important of all human activities. Is a fact that all human activities are interdependent on one another socially, economically, culturally and politically. No human being can live in isolation, that is to say human being must pass on and also receive information in every activities that must be done. Communication is one of the fundamental functions of the office and process which is essential to all forms of business. It is the means of conveying information from one person to another, which can be through Telephone, post office, Teleprinter, Mobile phone, Messenger services, Computer and many other means. Communication is done in order to pass or receive information, ideas and knowledge from one person to another.

During the past few decades there have been development and improvement in office communication system. This makes the work of today’s trained secretaries to be easier.

Azuka (1990), states that the word Secretary is taken from the Latin word “Secretaries”. This means that the Secretary is the ability to keep information or knowledge away from others. But in your own views a secretary is the keeper of secret.

Little (1976), defines Communication as “the process by which information is passed between individuals and organization by means of previously agree symbols such as words, fiscal grimaces, gestures, postures, pictorial or usual display etc.

Today’s secretaries are exposed to office technology including the internet that make work much easier and knowledge more accessible (Edwin, 2008). It is now easier to send messages by telex, electronic mails (e-mails), fax and telephones. Other office gadgets available to the secretary are photo-copy machines, duplicating machines, dictating machines, printers, among others. Secretaries now have many technologically advanced office gadgets to ease their jobs and enhance proficiency and productivity leading to improved access to goods and services globally (Akpomi, 2003). Technological changes have altered the procedures and techniques for office functions to include the computers, electronic mail, voice mail, and the internet.

Spencer (1981) defined automation as the process of replacing human work with work done by machines or system designed to perform a specific combination of action automatically or repeatedly. However, in recent times, the secretary’s routine work has reached an advanced stage due to the invention of automated office equipment. Most of the traditional and routine tasks are performed by automated office equipment such as computers, telephone, etc.

The efficiency and effectiveness of the secretary in every business organization depends on the availability of office technologies as well as the skills and competencies of the secretary (Ordu&Akpomi 2009). Modern organizations have come to appreciate the role and importance of the secretary as well as the need to provide the requisite and necessary office machines and equipment for the efficiency of the secretarial functions.

It is generally acknowledged that technological advancement has affected many professionals both in the public and private organizations, and the role of the secretary is no exception. The secretary is the pivot of any efficient and dynamic organization and their effective performance depend upon the office equipment, knowledge and skills of the professional secretary (Mumuni& Sam 2014).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The Advent of modern communication facilities has spured up radical changes in the secretarial profession. These changes have been characterized by new methods of doing this, with emphasis on Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

According to Ali and Akinbi (1995), technology is an alteration in the life of an equipment, character, knowledge and method of doing things. The impact of these modern communication facilities this resulted into the acquisition of the needed competencies by secretaries, to effectively and efficiently operates these facilities in order to be relevant in the world of Labour. This is because, prior to this time, the communication facilities obtainable in the office were; Analog, Telephone, the manual typewriter, Teleprinter, Duplicating machine, reprographic machines etc.

Today Modern Communication facilities which include, computer, internet, mobile phones, fax machine, telegram etc. have replaced the persons existing ones. This had also created another impetus on the secretary, as there is an improvement in the way/she discharge his/her duties. However, the impact of modern communication gadget on the organization goals, have not been properly felt for instance the says in some organization are not still efficient even though there gadget. The problems of modern facilities seem to care a problem for instance some says it must undergo many loose of their job.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The overall purpose of this study is to examine the impact of modern communication equipment on the Secretary and the profession. However, the specific objectives of the study are:

To assess the impact of modern office technology on the performance of secretaries in some selected business organizations.

To ascertain the kind of modern office equipment available at these selected business organizations.

To examine the secretary’s knowledge and the usage of technology/equipment.

To assess the contribution of those technological facilities to the performance of secretaries.

1.4 Research Questions

The pertinent questions emanating from those objectives which the study sought answers to included the following:

How does modern technology/equipment impact the performance of secretaries in the organization?

What type of office equipment is available and in use in the organizations concerned?

How does the secretary’s knowledge in the operation of the equipment affect the usage of the equipment concerned?

How does the usage of modern office technology/equipment contribute to the secretary’s performance and productivity?

1.5 Significance of the Study

It is hoped that if the importance and the roles of Secretaries in the usage of modern communication equipment in communication is identified, the secretary will benefit from it, because by providing the modern facilities such as computer, mobile phone, Teleprinter, and Printing machine, photo-copy to improve its skills. Also secretarial students will benefit from this modern communication facilities.

1.6 Scope/Delimitation of Study

The essence of the research work is to find the effects of modern communication facilities on the Secretary. The research work is however, delimited to the following areas: What is communication? Identify the modern communication gadgets in use in organizations, the impact of modern communication facilities on the secretary assess. Communication gadgets on the efficiency of the Secretary and outline the problems which modern communication facilities pose to the secretarial profession.

1.7 Definition of Terms

These are definition of some words which might sound strange to the readers and which will also make the research work comprehensive and readable.

Secretary:

A person employed by an organization to deal with papers and correspondence keep records and assist his/her boss in the day to day running of the organization.

Communication:

The process of passing ideas, information and documents from one person, location etc. to another though usage of a specified channels.

Modern:

This is the present or recent time(s) or things.

Impact:

The effect or the importance.

Equipment:

Tools or machinery use for specific purposes.

Secretarial:

Duties of a secretary

Profession:

Individual areas of specialization or occupation.

Computer:

It is a machine or an electric device which accepts information from an input device, it also performs arithmetical logical operations in accordance with a pre-defined programme and fully transfer the processed data to an output device either for further processing or in final printed form like business document.

1.8 Organization of Study

The study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one deals with the study’s introduction and gives a background to the study. Chapter two reviews related and relevant literature. The chapter three gives the research methodology while the chapter four gives the study’s analysis and interpretation of data. The study concludes with chapter five which deals on the summary, conclusion and recommendation.