THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON SECRETARIAL FUNCTIONS IN AN ORGANIZATION

THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON SECRETARIAL FUNCTIONS IN AN ORGANIZATION

ABSTRACT

 The office is a place of function. From basic information management and administrative duties to complex business activities, the office serves as a platform for operation. ICT is affecting vastly all spheres of economic activities, hence; this thesis expounds the extent to which ICT has influenced the development of the office system. Forty six (46) Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as major offices including banks, educational outfits, government ministries and parastatals, Law firms, telecommunications service centers, vehicle maintenance outlets, medical and industrial facilities etc. Were visited in different areas around Abuja and Port-Harcourt Metropolis in Nigeria. The office setup and activities were accessed for a period of 30 minutes and in each office, at least a staff was interviewed to ascertain the level of ICT impact in their official functions. From results gathered, more established firms with offices undertaking a broader scope of activities were observed to maintain better ICT equipped offices than SMEs, SMEs that have adapted more of ICT in service delivery were also observed to be thriving better than others with lower level of ICT adaptation, and due to the nature of job/services delivered, SMEs tend to require ICT infrastructure for office functions just as much as the more established organizations. This research thesis expatiates on the impact of ICT in office development, outline ways to adapt ICT in the office system for better efficiency and lastly, proffer that SMEs implement more of ICT infrastructure in office and business activities.

 CHAPTER ONE

1.1            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Accomplishment or achievement of goals is the target of every organization and in order to achieve set goals, efforts are usually intensified and by doing this certain function must be carried out.

Hornby, Cowie and Gimson (1974), refer to function as a special activity, or purpose of a person or things. The concept of function is a relative term as it varies from one discipline to another. Therefore, when we talk about secretarial functions, it refer to the functions that are performed by confidential secretaries whose major activity is to manage information in order to accomplish a purpose it is in the light of this context that Obarah and Obi (2000), describes secretaries as “information managers”.

The importance of information is any organization cannot be over emphasized. Information, which is used for decision making is generally perceived as data that have been processed into a meaningful, useful and usable context. It involves the transmission and reception of intelligence or knowledge. Popyky (1985) defined information and communication technology as any meaningful data or any fact or figure capable of providing knowledge.

According to Etuk (2005) information involves facts that are collected which can be verbal or written through story or by observation.

The function of the office centres on receiving, processing, distribution and communication of information. The rate of flow of information in any organization depends not only on the people and procedures used in performing secretarial functions, but also on the equipment being used in mailing communication, processing and collection of information. The value information depends upon its quality, accuracy and speed of retrieval. In most offices today manual information system in other words electronic equipments have replaced manual ones. This makes information management more efficient and more effective.

Secretarial function has been revolutionaries by the introduction of computer. Thus a secretary in addition to his skills in typewriting and short hand is required to be computer literate and proficient in a number of word processing software’s including sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail) and browsing the world wide subside. The memory of modern computer allows for extensive storage and fast retrieval of information.

This combined with the ease of correction of mistakes and manipulation and modification of text have both enriched the secretarial functions as well as saving the secretary from drudgery. As a result, secretarial roles have been made more elaborate and challenging.

Communication Technology is defined by Lucy (1987) as the acquisition, processing storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numeric information by a micro-electronic based combination of computing and telecommunication.

Impact was defined by Hornby (2000) as a strong impression or effect that one thing has on other communication technology is another factor that has very strong effects on secretarial functions.  

                          

1.2            STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

It has always been said that no condition is permanent. However, the only condition that is permanent is “change”. Change has a revolutionary tendency by which its affect on technological development has enhanced secretarial functions, the situation that has enhanced secretarial functions, the situation that has made the profession attractive to many people.

Following this trend technological development, could there be any impact of modern information and communication technology on secretarial functions in an organization? The above questions have formed the basis of this study.

        

1.3            PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to determine the impact of information  and Communication technology on secretarial functions in an organization. Specifically, the study will:

i.                   Find out how communication systems have affected secretarial roles in an organization.

ii.                Find out how computer systems have affected secretarial functions in organization.

iii.             Find out how microwave systems have affected secretarial functions in an organization.

iv.              Find out how reprographic systems have impacted upon secretarial function.

v.                 Also, find out the training requirements needed by secretaries in order to meet up with the modern trend of information and communication technology.      

1.4            SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study would assist secretaries understand, to what extent has added value to communication system secretarial functions in any organization.

It would also help the secretaries to understand how or the extent to what communication through system computer, reprographic and microwave systems have impacted upon secretarial functions.

Furthermore, it would also help to find out the training requirements needed by secretariats order to meet up with the modern trend of information and communication technology.      

1.5            RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The researchers were guided by the following research questions.

i.                   How has communication system impacted upon secretarial functions in organization?

ii.                How have computer system affected secretarial functions in an organization.

iii.             How have reprographic system impact upon secretarial functions in an organization?

iv.              How have microwave system affected secretarial functions in an organization?

v.                 What are the training requirements needed by secretaries in order to meet up the modern trend of information and communication technology?

1.6            SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work is strictly limited to the impact of information and Communication Technology on Secretarial function in an organization. It covers some of the impacted tremendously upon secretarial functions? By this, the function of secretaries have been revolutionalized through computer systems communication systems, reprographic systems, microwave systems as well as the background training afforded by secretaries. All these form the basis for the effective functions of the secretaries.