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PROBLEMS OF SECRETARIES IN OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

ABSTRACT

There are four basic elements of office management which include purpose environment means and personnel of these personnel which includes the secretary is the most essential. It is the personal that blend other categories towards achieving the organizational goals. The secretaries shows leadership as far as office work is concerned. According to Taylor (1992) the smooth and efficient working of any organization depends on her ability as she is the hub from which the purpose of conducting correspondence keeping business records and transacting other business within and outside the organization. Inspite of the roles they play in the administration and management they are neglected in such a way that they are deprived of their right of place in the management set-up. This study will identify the duties secretaries perform in office administration and management and will also x-ray the problems they encounter in the discharge of their duties. The study will also find solution to these problems and make necessary recommendation. It is the hope of this study that secretaries will be in a position to understand their problems in the discharge of their duties the solution and recommendation will also go a long way in helping the serving secretaries in business organization and government institutions to find solution to their problems. To carry out this study, research instruments like questionnaire oral interviews and personal observation were administered to the target population which are the serving secretaries in some selected zones of Enugu north local government area which is the case study. Data collected from the research instruments will be analyzed and presented with the use of hypothesis in a tabular from and followed with the summary of the findings. It is also hoped that if suggestion and recommendations made at the end of this study are looked into, it will help the society to have more knowledge in the significance of secretarial profession and at the same time expose the problems they encounter in the business world and probably provide solution that will help to put a stop to using the secretarial  profession as a stepping stone to other professions.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Before the 9th century secretarial profession and office work were generally occupied by males. Women joined office work in early 19th century only as secretarial personnel. In those days secretarial personnel were referred to as “typewriter” rather than machine they used but typist is the actual name suppose to be given to secretarial personnel. But then the profession basically meant the ability to operate typewriter and write shorthand. Inevitably the secretary employee hired and fired at random. That is why in the case of Barret Hares and company is south London tramways (1887) the learned judge lord Esther held that “a secretary is a mere servant, her position is that she is to do what she is told to do and no person can ensure that she has any authority to represent anything at all”.

Psychoanalyst in their own study suggested that women are perceived as lacking what it takes to be a man. Likewise, secretaries are described as lacking the qualities that makes a successful boss. This impression humiliates the value of secretarial work and makes it reluctant to acknowledge secretarial profession as part of management.

The job of the secretary has been that of struggling to gain steady improvement and recognition. This was proved in landmark case of 1971 in Paranoma development limited us. Fidelis furnishing fabrics where lord Denning held that “timer has changes” A secretary in much more important person today than she was in 1887, she in an administrative officer of the company in matter concerning administrative officers of the company. In judgment, the secretary has extensible authority to sign contracts on behalf of the company.

The importance of a secretary in an organization was further revealed in many write ups. According to Azuka (1990) the word “secretary” is coined form the Latine word “Secretes” perhaps it is in fact that aspect of the work of a secretary that involves keeping secrets that is why secretaries are been regarded as the person who maintains a high standard of confidentiality and serves as a repository information.

The national secretaries association (united state of America) defines a secretary as an assistant to an executive possessing mastery of office skills and ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who displays initiative exercise judgment and takes decision within the scope of her authority. There is therefore no doubt in the fact that the secretary is a wheel on which the executive activities revolve. She if often referred to as executive alter ego. Her effectiveness can either enhance or reduce the efficiency of the organization. The Nigerian Association of Business Education (NABE) sees the secretary as a person who is skillful in office administration office information management reception stenographic duties and in the management of human resources of the office towards the achievement of organizational goal.

Spectrum English Dictionary defines secretary as a person who writers letters files documents and deals with correspondence arranges meeting in a club office or society. According to oxford advanced learner’s dictionary secretary is defined as a person employed in an office to work for another person, who also deals with letters typing keeping records and making appointments and arrangements.

Secretarial profession is aims to playing important roles in the life of organization such that they are looked upon as the center around which office administration and management decisions are through the secretary’s efforts. In cognizance of the role of secretaries, they have been called several names like KEEPER of SECRETS, THE PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION “WORK HOLK” THE EVE OF AN ORGANIZATION “THE HUB” from which the various activities radiate and a person who “PORTRAYS A POSITIVE IMAGE” of the organizations and generates good human relation to employee and the general public. Consequently the initial aim of initiating the secretarial profession was misused.

Hannah (1968) confirms that the job classification of a secretary is probably the most misunderstood term in the entire celeriac/executive field. Almost everybody who works in the office refers to herself as secretary or precisely and employer may speak of “my secretary” in describing his or her general clerk or typist. It is here that before one becomes a confidential secretary she must be trained in a special way to suit the profession. According to Oyekwelu. A.O (1989) she is groomed academically and professionally to control an organization. A secretary is always pleasant, courteous and give visitor prompt services and accurate information. She disposes her duties with abundant common sense. Secretaries adapt to any changing situation very obedient and accommodative. According to Dr. E.N Ukpabi, a celebrated philosopher “you are a man only when you learn to hold yourself when everybody else around you is loosing his hand blaming it on you”. They plan for the day work. During their training, they have many subjects to their advantages, shorthand particularly inculcates a lot disciplines unto them

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS 

This study is aimed at identifying the problems of secretary in office administration and management. A case study of Enugu North local government Area of Enugu state. The problems of this study include the following:

1. To know if there is general apathy against secretaries in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu state.

2. To know if there is general apathy against secretaries in other local government area of Enugu state

3. To know to what extent the serving secretaries in Enugu north are qualified for the job of secretary.

4. To know how lack of equipment is affecting the efficiency of secretaries in the changing technology.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study intends to investigate the job satisfaction of secretarial personnel in Nigeria personnel in Nigeria with particular interest to Enugu north local government area of Enugu state; the study tends to;

1. Find out if there is general apathy against secretaries in Enugu north local government area of Enugu state.

2. Find out if there is general apathy against secretarial profession in other local government area of Enugu state.

3. Find out to what extent the serving secretaries in Enugu north are qualified for the job of secretary.

4. Access how lack of equipment is affecting the efficiency of secretaries in the changing technology of today in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu state.

1.4 SCOPE THE STUDY

The researcher would have preferred to made a comprehensive study as many local government as possible on the problems of secretaries but time space and finance has restricted her to Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State. Enugu North is at the center of Enugu Urban it is bound in the East by Nkanu East in the West by Udi, in the south by Enugu South and in the North by Enugu East. The headquarters of Enugu North is situated at No7 Okpara Avenue Enugu.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the causes of general apathy against secretarial profession in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State?

2. What are the causes of general apathy against secretarial profession in other local government area of Enugu state?

3. To what extent does serving secretaries in Enugu North qualify for the job of secretary?

4. How is lack of equipment affecting the efficiency of secretaries in the changing technology of today in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1.6 HYPOTHESIS 

In testing of hypothesis the following rules were applied:

Ho1: There will be no significant different (P<:05) on the causes of general  apathy against the secretarial profession in Enugu and how it is affecting them.

Ho2: There will be no significant different (P<:05) on the causes of general 
apathy against the secretarial profession in other local government and how it affects the state.

Ho3: There will be no significant different (P<:05) on the serving secretaries of Enugu North are qualifies for the job of secretary.

Ho4: There will be no significant different (P<:05) on the changing technology of today in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State on how lack of equipment is affecting the efficiency of secretaries

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The people that will benefit from this study are Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, institute of management and technology Enugu and Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1. The result of this work will help young people to understand the implications in secretarial profession so that most of them will realize the good prospects of taking the profession. They will also realize that as it is in other area of specialization such as accounting medicine education computer science public administration pharmacy etc the sky will be their limit in secretarial profession. 

2. The suggestion from this study will make the general masses to acknowledge what secretarial profession is all about understands that the nature and scope of secretarial administration as discipline are diverse and that a secretarial administrator performs a wide variety of function as an administrator and supervisor of materials and human resources. They will understand that secretaries assists in implementation of management polices performing office machines keeping organization’s impress account. The masses will also come to know that the secretary acts as the public relation officer of the organization.

3. This study will as well foster economic growth and development in the organizations in Enugu North Local Government Area in particular and the society in general. This is so because this study will reveals to the management’s of the organizations the motivational ways that will foster job satisfaction to the secretaries which will later be crowned with more and efficient productivity.

4. This work is also going to X-ray more facts to the heads or organization and establishment to visualize that a high talented secretary is professional rather than storage of appendage to the management profession. This will then foster and improve relationship between the boss and the secretary and they will recognize their interdependent on one another thus form a formidable management team for management efficiency.

5. This study will also nullify the misconception of inferiority view entertained by professional secretaries to enable them take up the pride in the profession maintain the work and dignity they deserve. It will enhance a continues struggle for the universal professionalization of the secretaries.
Future researcher may find it useful because it will serve as one of the literature review.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS 

1. Keeper of secrets: This implies the ability of a secretary to live up to the norms of her profession and her constant readiness to put on her ethical regalia. A professional secretary keeps sealed lips about what she sees or knows about the organization since by the implications of the profession she know the organizations confidential matters.

2. public relations representative: The secretary is the representative of the public relation office (PRR)). Her work is based to a very large extent on human relations. Nearly every task the secretary performs involves around her people at bone stage. Her boss her colleagues junior staff her employer’s colleagues, the organizations customer or the general public. She receives almost all the telephone calls during the critical office hours. For many people this is the only contact they have with the organization. This makes the secretary the information officer as well as the image maker of the organization.

3. Workaholic: This shows the ability of the secretary to work continuously and tirelessly. By virtue of her work the secretary come to work earlier than every other workers to supervise the arrival time of other workers to supervise. Inspite of this she is always the last person to leave the office so long as her boss is still in the office. She carries urgent home to ensure that the organization aims is net.

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