IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON SECRETARIAL PROFESSION IN NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
OF STUDY
By
the mid 20th Century, humans had achieved a mastery of technology
sufficient to leave the atmosphere of the earth for the first time and explore
space. According to Merriam-Webster (2007) technology is making usage and
knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of
organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. The
word technology comes from Greek, the term can either be applied generally or
to specific areas: example include construction technology and information technology.
Technology
has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many
societies, technology h as helped develop more advanced economies (including
today’s global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many
technological processes product unwanted by-products: known as pollution and
deplete natural resources, the determinants of the earth and its environment.
Various implementations of technologies influences the value of a society and
news technology often rises new ethical questions examples include the rise of
efficiency interm of human productivity, a term originally approved to machines
and the challenge of traditional norms.
According
to Franklin Ursula (1952) Traditionally, new technology has been concerned with
the construction of machines, structures, and tools on a relatively large
scale. The development of materials for building bridges or sky scrapers is an
example of this, as is the development of the internal construction engine and the nuclear reactor.
While such activities involve all the sciences, from chemistry to nuclear
physics, the overding goal has been the same to improve the human condition by
finding better ways to deal with the macroscopic world.
Jaulius
Adama’s (1999) in his views says: Since world War II, the focus of
technological activities has undergone a major change while the old activities
are still pursued, they have largely superseded by applications of technology
at the microscopic level instead of building large-scale structures and
machines modern-day technology tends to concentrate on finding improved ways to
transfer information and to develop new materials by studying the way atoms
come together. The silicon clip and micro electronics typing the new
technological trend, as does the blossoming of genetic engineering. The trend
can be expected to continue into the fore seeable future.
With
the changing world of technology this day, it is important to say that modern
technology has come to stay, and it plays significant role in the improvement
of the secretary’s job which in turns enhances productivity in all aspect.
However
Eric Schalzbery (2004) in his views says that with the high rate of
technological development in this “global village” era, the secretary has come
to terms with the reality of having her job greatly enriched and complete
business activities going on in modern office. The secretary plays important
role in ensuring the proper utilization of these machines for greater
productivity.
In
the past, most office work had been carried out manually although them the
volume of office work had been small and there was less sophistication in the
industrial art, hence there was no significant demand for modern technology.
But today, when one looks at the basic tasks. In an office, whether it be
writing, calculating, filling, sorting or analysis, it is found that office
machines cam be used to dot he job better and faster which leads to great
achievements and professionalism in the field. There has never been grater need
for efficiency in business than there is today. All kinds of businesses. Must
employ modern methods in their offices. The raw material of an office is
information, and the responsibility of an office is lit that of a clearing
house, receiving and sending out information, processing storing facts in
various forms. Therefore, the ever increasing size of business organizations
has increased the development of new techniques in office management. Unlike in
the past, where the secretary made use of old model manual typewriter that does
not enhance efficient. Since the secretary is a medium through which the
organization actions and policies are conveyed to the public. In readable and
disenable form, it is wise that she is exposed to office machines and
understand their proper usage so that she can efficiently carryout the routine
job of the office. By so doing the organization concern can benefit highly form
the services of the secretary.
The
secretary is part of the management team since she is completely involved in
the affairs of the office and in making and implementation of business plans.
She deals with letter drafting and typing, filing processing and storing of
information as well as disseminating information. With the office automation
such as electronic typewriter Word process, computer, telephone, fax machine,
internet, e-mail, photocopier and calculating machines at her disposal, her job
is sure to progress swiftly and a boost to attaining productivity in the
organization where she works.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF PROBLEM
Even
though modern technology is regarded as important and of high value in ensuring
quality work output in an office, as well as bringing about productivity. It is
equally believed that these machines can cause job. Displacement. This is the
fear that many employees suffer from when new machines are being purchased for
use by their organization. The machines are cost effective. Some organizations
do not really apply the use of some of the modern machines and this lead to
poor performance, this is because they seem not to attach great importance to
these machines and most secretaries are ignorant of their uses.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The
study intend to achieve the following:
a. To
examine the concept of modern technology and its effect on the secretary’s
profession.
b. To
examine whether modern technology causes job displacement of secretaries in
organizations.
c. To
determine whether the secretaries utilize the office machines for productivity
in every aspect.
d. To
determine whether the modern machines enhances the secretary’s efficiency.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
Based
on the topic, the effect of modern technology on the secretarial profession in
government parastatals, this study has drawn up the following research
questions:
a. What
effect do modern technology have on the secretary’s job in an organization.?
b. How
has these modern machines caused job displacement of secretaries in
organization’s today?
c. How
well do secretaries utilize the office machines for productivity in their
places of work?
d. Does
modern machine enhance the secretary’s efficiency, performance and
productivity.
1.5 SCOPE
OF STUDY
The
study covers all aspect relating to the effect of modern technology on
secretarial profession such as the concept of modern technology, functions of
modern office, secretarial function in government parastals, types of modern
technologies used by secretaries in their profession, effect of modern
technology on secretary performance.
This
also talks on how this variables can be put together to enhance productivity in
all aspect most significantly in secretarial profession.
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The
research believes that this study will be of immense benefit to the following
categories of people.
a. Secretaries: This study will be useful
to practicing secretaries. It will help broaden their knowledge about modern
machines because they are the people who actually make most use of these
machines in the offices, it will help motivate them in wanting to make use of
the modern machines.
b. Employers of labour: This study will
enable employers of labour to have more knowledge about the modern machines and
will give them a focus in acquiring these machines for use by their secretaries
for grater productivity in their business activities..
c. Future Researchers: This study will
serve as a guide to the future researchers who will need to study and expand on
the same topic. It will serve as data or source of information.
d. Employees: This study will enable the
employees to make use of the modern machines to communicate smoothly. Two
people can chat via a computer when they are both connected. It brings
secretaries all over the world into contact with each other.
1.7 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
Modern machines:
These refers to the usage and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts,
systems or methods of organizing in order to solve a problem or perform a
specific function.
Productivity:
This is the ability to produce things of economic value. The art of being
fruitful.
Manually:
Work done with high degree of human labour
Efficiency: The
ability to perform duties well to produce the desired or satisfactory result.
Sophistication:
Having to do things with latest improvement and refinements e.g modern
machines.
Implementation: To
carry out a plan into action.
Displacement: To
put a person out of his usual position and be replaced by a machine.
Policies:
Plan of action made by business company to meet aims and objectives.
Secretary: An
individual employed to keep the records of the meetings of an organizations and
to write or answer letters on this behalf.
Professional secretary: A
person employed to be in charge of the clerical, organizational and
administrative functions of the organization
Government: A
political authority who have the power to make and enforce laws for a country
or area.
Government Parastatals: A
group of people established to perform a function usually associated with a
government and under its direct control.