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The Effects Of Information Technology On The Performance Of The Secretaries In The Front Office
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Information
technology (ICT) is generally regarded as the fourth industrial
revolution in the world (Asakpa, 2003). Indeed ICT has become the
gateway to the modern information skills and orientation (ISO) which
distinguish the world order. ICT in secretarial field can be understood
as the application of digital gadget to all aspects of secretarial
duties. Within the context of secretarial profession, ICT is described
as the combination of technology for collecting, storing, processing,
file management, diary keeping, communicating and delivering of
information relating to secretarial processes (Oladimeji 2003). The
spread and efficiency of ICT is critical to the achievement of
secretarial goal (Obanya 2002). ICT involves the application of all
aspect of the use of computer, micro electronic devices, satellite and
communication technology.
The national policy on ICT (2001), describe
ICT as any equipment that is used in the acquisition, storage,
manipulation management, control, display, switching and transmission of
information. In other dimension, ICT is conceptualized as communication
in whatever forms used, assessed, relayed and transmitted to
communicate, send and receive information. Application and utilization
of these devices converts information, text, messages, sound and motion
to digital form. In an office situation, ICT influences the secretarial
behavior of the secretaries through training and retraining. It is an
integral component of secretarial duties. Since the role of a secretary
involves managerial and clerical function.
The potential of ICT as an
effective tool to promote efficiency and meet present day secretarial
challenges in the organization is not in doubt. The federal government
of Nigeria approved a national ICT policy in March 2001 and
implementation started in April of that same year. With the
establishment of the National Information Technology Development Agency
(NITDA), charged with the implementation of the policy, the federal
government recognized that private service providers have enormous
capacity for ICT services. Accordingly government setup the Nigeria
National ICT for development of ICT4D, strategic action plan committee
to develop a new road map for the nation.
ICT has positively affected
the secretarial profession in all ramification such that no nation
can escape this transforming movement driven forward by the engines of
the internet and the modern day invention like the computer, fax
machines, GSM and so on. This implies that secretaries for the survival
of their profession now have to put their very destines in ICT. Recent
findings, have shown that the introduction and application of ICT into
the secretarial profession improved the performance of the secretaries
in every organization. Recent studies have shown also that the
application of ICT makes the secretary work less and accurately
(Ogunsiji and Aregbe 2010). Lasisi (2005) is also of the view that ICT
has upgraded the function of a secretary and has removed the
boredomness of using a typewriter. The cyber revolution has started to
redefine secretarial profession, creating new self Image, creativities
and innovation, and an ever expanding technological framework. However,
the new challenges of ICT and the excitement they are causing do not
seems to permeate the entire society.
In early modern time, numbers
of nobles have secretaries who functioned quite similarly to those of
the present day. They are men who had good command of several languages
including Latin, and were required to have what we could consider today
as a broad generalized education. Following the renaissance, men
continued to dominate clerical and secretarial roles until late 1880’s
when the new writing machine was invented that welcomed the entering of
women into the profession.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The study examined the effects of information technology on the performance of secretaries in the front office. Survey research design was adopted in the study in order to assess the opinions of the selected respondents with the use of 13 item questionnaire. Three research questions and hypothesis were raised to guide the study. Data obtained were analyzed using simple sample techniques, frequency and percentages while hypotheses were tested using Chi Square. The findings of the study showed tha ... Continue reading---
