ABSTRACT

This research is aimed at providing an objective evaluation of the contributions of technological advancement towards the job satisfaction of secretaries. 

During the course of the study, some related works of many renowned authors and eminent scholars were reviewed.  

The bulk of information required for this study was gathered through various data collection methods. Prominent amongst them was the questionnaire method. Other were personal observations and discussion.

The population comprises of 200 respondents constituted by secretaries, managers head of departments principal consultants in both private and public organizations.

Data collected were analyzed and findings based on the analyses were interpreted therein. The analyses were made according to the research question. There were also a summary of data analyses and discussions n them.

Besides, there were summary and conclusions on the whole work and recommendations based on the findings, some of which were:

–          That since the secretaries productivity ties on the adequacy of office machines, organizations should endeavor to adequately provide them with necessary modern office machines.

–          That in order to reduce the rate of war and tear of machines man these machines. Effectively, employers are advised not to relent in their efforts to sending their secretaries for further training.  This study will be of great benefits to secretaries as it will create tremendous impact on the standard of performance of their duties, to employers who are yet to take decisions as to whether or not to automate their offices, and to the suppliers of office machines and equipment as it will provide them with the much desired feed back to the effectiveness and acceptability of their products. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE

1.0        Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Problems

1.3 The Purpose of the Study

1.4 Scope of the Study

1.5 Research Questions

1.6 Significance of Terms

1.7 Definition of Terms 

CHAPTER TWO

2.0        Review of Related Literature

CHAPTER THREE

3.0        Methodology

3.1  Area of the Study

3.2        Population For the Study

3.3        Sample and Sampling Procedure

3.4        Instrument For data collection

3.5        Validity of the Instrument 

3.6        Reliability of the Instrument

3.7        Method of Administration of the Instrument.

3.8        Method of Data Analysis.

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0        Data Presentation and Results.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0        Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation.

5.1   Discussion of Findings

5.2        Conclusion

5.3        Recommendations

5.4        Suggestion for Further Study

5.5        Limitation of the Study.

References

Appendix 

LIST OF TABLES

1.   Population/sample distribution

2.   Administration and retrieval of questionnaire

3.   Level at which offices are equipped.

4.   Plans for the provisions of the modern machines

5.   Nature of urgency of the plans to provide the modern machines.

6.   The mean score of the efforts of some modern office machines on the productivity of secretaries.

7.   Some contribution of HI-tech machines.

8.   Modern machines and the skill secretaries.

9.   The interference of modern machine and job satisfaction of secretaries.

10.        Mean score of the level of job dissatisfaction of some secretaries as a result of the interference of some Hi-tech.

11.        Consultation of secretaries by boss before purchases.

12.        Level of acceptability of modern machines among secretaries.

13.        Adequacy of the orientation and training of secretaries.

14.        Training and retraining of secretaries.

15.        Maintenance structure commonly used.

16.        Maintenance period.

17.        Maintenance services and job performance of secretaries.

18.        Automation and the secretary’s office.

19.        Modern machines and job opportunities of secretaries.

20.        Adequacy of the remuneration of secretary.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          It is a well known fact that the modern society is characterized by change. Shortly after the initial stride at technological advancement, many scientists delved deeper into the various strata of technologing, thus arousing a conscious investigation of the consequences of the trend.

          The introduction of machines becomes the second development in man’s need to increase productivity and job performance.

          However, the urge to introduce these machines is as old as man. It started with the pre-historic man, the tool maker, who used stored tools to represent a conscious extension of man’s physical effort under the control of man’s intelligence to the time when Christopher shoes presented the world with the first practical typewriter in 1973.  

          Henceforward, technological advances in office machines and related equipment have continued to progress with amazing speed.

According to Gratside (1976).

          Efficiency in the office is just as important as efficiency in the factory, and efforts to improve productivity in the office have never been greater than now.

          This shows therefore, that the technological advancements in the present day offices did not come by chance but the necessity in the office to increase the job performance of office workers.

          Generally, the pre-modern office was characterized and powered by human muscle. Technological advancement therefore saw t the introduction of more mechanized or modern office machines particularly, the present day ‘automated office.’ Encyclopaedia Britannica (1980: 509) defined ‘automation’ as these processes in which mechanism are used to perform tasks the previously required the attention of control of human beings. It went further to say that the manufacturer of such machines and appliances had become a major world industry in which new product were constantly under development.

          The computer, as a consequence of the advance in technology, has greatly revolutionized the concept of secretarial work in the office. The complexities and tediousness involved in the job of secretaries are drastically reduced. Certain anomalies ranging from monitory (job boredom) loss of record transportation cost, expensive bottlenecks to records, storage, etc which a common phenomena in the pre-modern office which used to lead to job dissatisfaction of secretaries are fast phasing out.

          Nowadays, owing to the advancement, particularly, in information technology, data communication systems and automatic retrieval of information, sophisticated IBN electric typewriters, automatic typewriters, word processors and host of others are now in vogue. Infact, the office has taken urgent step towards a more advanced stage of mechanized and computerized environment.

          One should therefore, not be astounded when aspect of secretarial work is found to be automated with great momentum.  This is because the modern office is information based and the secretary is the private on which the wheel of information rotates, therefore, the fact that information is of cardinal importance in an industry is undoubtedly, the rationale behind the creation of awareness of technology in office function.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

This study is concerned with finding out the “contributions of technological advancement towards the job satisfaction of secretaries. 

The study will inter-alia, reveal the rate at which the use of high sophisticated office machines affected the accuracy and productivity of secretaries.

1.3 THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY  

Technology has a broader meaning than mere equipment/machines. It involves new way to value our work force to configure our organization to assess productivity and manage the ever more complex cycle of change in the job, meanwhile, the purpose are:

1.      To find out some of the automated machines and equipment that are manned by secretaries.

2.      To find out whether secretaries are happy using these machines or whether they view it as a burden.

3.      To find whether these machines actually improved their productivity and ensure accuracy in their job performance.

4.      To find out whether the period and methods of training received at schools by secretaries are enough for them to acquire the skills necessary to face the challenges of manning these modern office machines effectively.

5.      To offer suggestions and recommendations based on the findings.

1.4       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research was limited to secretaries and their bosses in twenty-two organizations made up of both public and private co-operations and government ministries in the research town, Enugu.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTION

For the purpose of this study, the following research questions were formulated by the researcher: 

1.    Are there special modern or mechanized machines in the office for secretaries to increase their product?

2.    How does the introduction of modern office machines which seem to turn secretaries into mere machines operators result in job dissatisfaction on the part of secretaries? 

3.    To what extent are secretaries exposed to proper orientation and training in school to enable them operate the modern machines effectively and efficiently?

4.    How adversely do machines that lack adequate maintenance affect the job performance of secretaries?

5.    Do you think that secretaries are paid amount commensurate with the training received and the type of job performed?

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 

This rise in office work, the trends in use of automation and the growing urge of people everywhere to know and experience, to enjoy and endure the distance features of a technological society have investigated the researcher to have vested interested in this topic.

The researcher is of the opinion that the out come of his study will be beneficial:- 

1.    To the suppliers of office machines and equipment as the will provide them with the much desired feed back as to the effectiveness and acceptability of their products.

2.    To secretaries as they will become aware of the extent of satisfaction devisable from the use of modern office machines.

3.    To secretaries because it will create tremendous impact on their standard of performance on their duties. 

4.    To both private and public sector employers who are yet to take decisions as to whether or not to automate their offices.

5.    To prospective secretaries who are yet to join the world of work to become aware of the importance of possessing a mastery on how these hi-tech machines are manned.

6.    To the public as they will now be able to identify secretaries from other tied staff and their actual roles.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.   Modern Office Machines:- this are the more mechanized that are in use in the office in our present day e.g, word processors computers and other electronic office gadgets that are capable of operating automatically or at least with minimum human intervention.

2.   Robot:- Machines made to act like man, machines that does the work in place of human.

3.   Hi-Tech Machines:- Machines that are virtually on the verge of computer automation.

4.   E.D.P:- Electronic data processing.

IMPACT: The influence or storing effect on impression that hi- tech machines have on the duties of secretaries.

5.    OFFICE AUTOMATION:- this office machines used to perform tasks that are previously performed manually.

6.   JOB PERFORMANCE:- the act or process of carrying out duties by secretaries. USA refers to work in which details are to added or one reduces the smallest possible numbers.