THE EFFICIENCY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON SECRETARIAT PROFESSION. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON OFFICE TECHNOLOGY
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Since the beginning of writing language, societies have performed the administrative functions that today are called office work. Business transaction have been recorded, there has been writing oral communication, information has been stored and retrieved, calculations have performed, decisions have been made.
The arrival of new technology changed the way these were performed. The invention of paper link and movable typewriter, a variety of mechanical and electrical devices had an impact. The typewriter and photocopying machine change written communication, and the early business computer changed how certain high-volume transactions were handled.
Despite the change they brought, none of these technologies fundamentally altered labour intensive character of office procedures and improved productivity yet typing continued to be highly labour intensive until automation typewriters and later, word processor were introduced.
Most offices now have an amazing array of electronic equipment, fax machine, mobile telephone and all manners of advanced telecommunication method combine to make communication very fast and very simple. Technology advances at an incredible speed, challenging the traditional roles in an organization.
In many ways the job is much easier. There is no pains tricking, retyping of letter and documents, when the boss changes his mind over a word; the word processor has provided the means of work to be changed quickly. It is far quicker to send a fax or an electronic message halfway across the world, knowing that it will arrive instantaneously without subjection to the vagaries of the mail.
These advanced technologies require set of skills and different secretaries have to understand computers, how they functions and how to make the best of them for efficiency and job satisfaction. The role of the secretary has expanded dramatically over the past twenty years as the technological evolution has made its impacts on the office and environment. With the advent of the electronic office and the changes it brings, today’s Secretary needs to be a centre on technology. Traditional duties have been enhance, the job has developed into a key role in the organization and the secretary now holds valuable position.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The researcher realized that the office work and efficiency profession will continue to lose its vitality in producing famous and contemporizes professionals in the labour market if the training of modern secretaries does not met up with the challenges ahead.
In other words, the secretary cannot perform effectively, if not expose to the increasing technological advancement in Nigeria as follow: Performance may be impacted by vague expectations, barriers to access, medical conditions personal circumstances or job dissatisfaction. Determining the origins of unacceptable performance is the first step toward making necessary improvement.