CHAPTER ONE

1.      INTRODUCTION

1.1     In discussing the impact of modern communication equipment on the secretarial performance in organizations; two factors are to be recognized. Technological growth and organizational structure.  Organisation here does not mean only structure but includes aspects of interactions between people and machines in achieving set organizational goals.

          It is said that successes of any person or organisation depends largely on information available to a human person and the constant modification of modern communication equipment that is fully up-dated with modern information.

          This ascertain brings us to the purpose of an office which includes the following:  Administration, clerical work, money handling information communication systems which is an embodiment of secretarial operations.  Office as a mini-social system according to farber and Barr 1979 plays important roles in defining responsibilities.  For the aforementioned reasons the secretary must be available to organize and run the office completely.  Here the secretary is seen as an executive assistant who has a mastery of

office/organizational skills.  She has to be familiar with the manipulation of the modern communication equipment which is made to enhance his/her performance.

          Office automation provides increased productivity through improved access to data, faster responses to customer demands and faster decision makings.  The invention of modern office equipment were necessitated as a result of the growth in large scale enterprises and also as a technological break through.  The office therefore relies much on sophisticated office equipment in order to cope with the ever-increasing activities in the organizations.

          Like in Nigeria Breweries Plc. Which is one of the largest quoted company in Nigeria  stock market has successive  secretarial functions.  This company started in Nigeria in 1946 producing star larger and has witnessed a lot of human and technological transformations.  In their policies to keep a  healthy work force in personnel and machines they have taken their secretarial operations to greater heights.  This they were able to achieve through the  introduction of any equipment that will enhance the job of their secretaries and also customer service satisfaction.  Nigeria  Breweries believe in breaking into new areas.  They contend so much with the tomorrow of their business.  Strategically, actions, planning and implementation to ensure that tomorrow is achieved.  Nigerian breweries plc. is futuristic in their business approach made possible by the able and vision driven leadership of their past and immediate Directors/  Chief executives  that pilots the affairs of the business in conjunction with Heineken international.  Recently a multi-billion Naira ultra modern brewery has been cited in Enugu state with the slogan that it is a world class investment that can complete with another out-fit in any part of the world is modern communication and production and delivery equipment.  The introduction of modern office equipment in Nigerian Breweries plc mainly the computer in every office of the company also shows that the secretarial performance goes with the acquisition of these modern equipments.

          It seems however, that although the higher levels of management might not make much direct use of modern office technology the secretary will.  This office automation for the secretarial is in providing the secretary with a system that meets the real need identified as being important rather than the ones of typing and stenography that are thoughts to be important.  As against the traditional office the modern office has a lot of activities to perform with the aid of modern equipment.

          Nowadays, un-countable manufacturing industries have installed these equipments and the secretaries are present to manipulate them in discharging their duties efficiently and effectively.

1.      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The importance of efficiency in job performance can not be over- emphasized.  A case for the pursuit of increased efficiency/productivity can be made simply by looking at the categories of office work, the size of the size of the office work force and the impact of mechanization.

The secretarial profession have witnessed a tremendous change in terms of technological advancement.   Modern office equipment has taken the toll of events with the growing rate of scientific and technology which are used in manufacturing industries to facilitate office work and reduce labour costs.  They include:  electronic typewriters, fax machines, telephone, computers, dictating machines and recording machines etc.

1.      THE OBJECTIVE OR PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Therefore the purpose of this study is to identify the impact of modern office equipment on the job performances of secretaries in NB Plc – Enugu.

1.      The extent the modern office equipment enhances or has enhanced the job performance of secretaries in the discharge of her duties in NB-P Enugu.

2.      The accuracy of work done using these equipments.

3.      The quantity of time spent or needed to perform a task using these equipments.

4.      The reduction of cost brought about by the installation of these equipment

5.      The job satisfaction the secretary derives from the use of these equipment in performing her duties.

6.      The job security of secretaries with the acquisition of these modern office communication equipment

1:4    DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          This  study is limited only to NB Plc  - Enugu and other manufacturing industries in Enugu state and seek to find out the effect of modern office equipment on the job performances of secretaries in manufacturing industries.  The category of people to be studies in NB plc Enugu are:

1.      Designated employed secretaries

2.      Clerks whose function has been enveloped by modern office equipment

3.      Managers

4.      Operatives.

5.      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions were designed by the researcher to enable her reach conclusions such as:

i.        How far as the modern office equipment enhanced efficiency in secretarial duties in manufacturing industries especially in NB plc-Enugu?

ii.       To what extent has the use of these equipment assisted the secretary in the discharge of her duties?

iii.      How accurate and qualitative is the work done using these equipment in manufacturing industries.

iv.      What are the problems the secretaries encounters in the use of these modern office equipment.

1.      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of great value to the professional secretaries and society in general as well as manufacturing firms like NB Plc – Enugu.  The knowledge exerted from the study will be beneficial to secretaries in the discharge of their duties and will definitely encourage new innovations in office automation and information technology on the part of the implementers.