ABSTRACT
This study is
aimed at the job prospects of secretaries in some selected business
organizations in Enugu State, these organizations are Nigeria
Breweries Company,
ANAMMCO Enugu and Unilever Nigeria Plc. A proper research was
carried out to identify employment opportunities
available to secretaries in those selected business organizations in Enugu
metropolis, to identify the job prospects open to secretaries in terms of
promotion, welfare, job training etc., to identify these facts responsible,
where necessary militating against their job prospects and to offer suggestions
for the improvement of secretarial profession. Thus,
this study was carried out among secretaries and business executives who have secretaries
working with Nigeria Breweries Company, ANAMMCO Enugu and Unilever
Nigeria Plc
In order to provide
theoretical framework and background for the study, the researcher reviewed
various literatures such as textbooks, journals, magazines and unpublished
materials, which directly relate the topic of study. Being guided by the
review, a structured questionnaire was designed to collect data.
Having collected the
data, the researcher adopted the use of simple percentage, which is Likert’s 5
point summated rating scale to analyze the data. Major findings of the study
revealed
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
TITLE
PAGE
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
1.2 STATEMENT
OF PROBLEM
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
1.4 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
1.5 DELIMITATIONS
OF THE STUDY
1.6 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHAPTER
TWO
REVIEW
OF LITERATURE
2.1 SECRETARY:
ITS ORIGIN, QUALITIES AND FUNCTIONS
2.2 SECRETARIAL FUNCTIONS IN AN ORGANIZATION
2.3 BUSINESS ATTRIBUTES OF A SECRETARY
2.4 THE PROFESSIONAL SECRETARY IN
ANY BUSINESS ORGANISATION
2.5 PROFESSIONALISM IN SECRETARIAL PRACTICE
2.6 SECRETARIAL PROFESSION IN NIGERIA TODAY
2.7
THE CHALLENGES OF SECRETARIAL PROFESSION IN NIGERIA TODAY
2.8 THE ADVANTAGES OF TODAY’S
SECRETARIES OVER YESTERDAY’S ONES
2.9 THE EFFECTS OF MODERN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON
YESTERDAY’S SECRETARIES
2.10 REDUCTION IN REPETITIVE WORK
2.11 THE EFFECTS OF MODERN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON SECRETARIAL PROFESSION
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH PROCEDURE / METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
3.3 AREA OF STUDY
3.4 POPULATION OF THE STUDY
3.5 INSTRUMENT FOR DATA
COLLECTION
3.6 VALIDITY OF THE RESEARCH
INSTRUMENT
3.7 METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
3.8 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 PERCENTAGE ANALYSIS OF DATA
COLLECTED
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
5.2 CONCLUSION
5.3 RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES
QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In order to carry out a meaningful research into the job prospects of
secretaries, it may be necessary to attempt a definition of a secretary and the
functions he/she is expected to perform. A secretary is someone who assists a
top executive in the office by performing his/her secretarial duties,
skillfully and who possesses the ability to relieve the executive of certain
administrative tasks.
Also, Marshal (1973:2) defined secretary as an Assistant to the executive
secretary as an assistant to the executive possessing mastery of office skills
and ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision who displays
initiative, exercises judgment and makes decision within the scope of her
authority.
In the business organization, the secretary is a great asset to her boss, she
is his personal organizer. She uses different typewriters, computers which are
her tools in the office. She takes shorthand dictations and transcribes them to
produce mail able letters. The secretary is generally the life-wire of any
organization.
The secretary also performs the duties of using different filing systems to
file documents,, arrangement and preparation of Board/Management meetings and
prepare notices and Agenda of meetings. She also takes speeches in shorthand at
conference, seminars and low courts. She also books appointments for the boss
and takes care of his itinerary. The duties of the secretary is so enormous and
vast that listing them will be inexhaustible.
These are various categories of secretaries in Business organization before the
civil service reform of 1988 namely:
1. Confidential Secretary IV
2. Confidential Secretary III
3. Confidential Secretary II
4. Confidential Secretary I
5. Personal Secretary
(Principal Secretary Assistant Grades)
6. Personal Secretary Grade
(Principal Secretary 2)
7. Senior Personal Secretary
(Principal Secretary Assistant I)
8. Principal Personal Secretary
(Chief Secretary)
9. Bilingual Secretary
10. Verbation/Official Reports
However, the guidelines on the civil service reform of 1988 changed the titles
as follows:
Old Titles New Titles
1. Principal Personal Secretary Chief Secretarial Assistant
2. Senior Personal Secretary Principal Secretariat Assistant I
3. Personal Secretary I Principal Secretarial Assistant I
4. Personal Secretary II Principal Secretarial Assistant III
5. Confidential Secretary I Principal Secretarial Assistant IV
6. Confidential Secretary II Senior Secretarial Assistant
7. Confidential Secretary III Secretarial Assistant I
8. Confidential Secretary IV Secretarial Assistant II
Though secretaries job titles have been harmononized, they do not reach the
same position in rank with their bosses because they are subordinates to their
bosses.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The secretary is faced with numerous problems, one of which is uncertainty of
advancement in her job in terms of promotion, job training and lack of
welfarism.
Some business organizations exploit the secretaries by not making the jobs they
schedule.
In addition, she is not given the necessary incentives thus frustrated in her
job.
Moreover, secretaries in some business organizations are made to stagnate or
“mark time” in a grade level due to lack of promotion given to them.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is expected to bring out the job prospects of secretaries in area
like job remuneration, promotion, welfare and more job training in today’s
business organizations.
When these prospects are known they will motivate new entrants into the
secretarial profession.
Recommendations will be made to business organizations on how to motivate
secretaries. This will also make secretaries not to change their profession or
be forced out of their jobs.
Moreover, this study can also serve as a future reference in the library. It
can serve as future reference to both the student and the lecturer.
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
1. To identify employment opportunities available to secretaries in those
selected business organizations in Enugu metropolis.
2. To identify the job prospects open to secretaries in terms of promotion,
welfare, job training etc.
3. To identify these facts responsible, where necessary militating against
their job prospects.
4. To offer suggestions for the improvement of secretarial profession.
1.5 DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study was limited to some selected business organizations in Enugu State.
The following business organizations were selected.
1. Nigeria Breweries Company
2. ANAMMCO Enugu
3. Unilever Nigeria Plc.
These three organizations have been selected as to determine the job prospects
of secretaries.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Do secretaries receive their promotion when other workers are being promoted
in your organization?
2. What is the highest position a secretary can attain in your organization?
3. What are the secretaries other employment opportunities apart from office
work?
4. what are the
suggestions for the improvement of secretarial profession?
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Career prospects: the probability or
chance for future success in a profession.
SECRETARY:
is a person employed by an individual or in an office
to assist with correspondence, make appointments, and carry out administrative
tasks.
A
business organization is an individual or group of people that
collaborate to achieve certain commercial goals. Some businessorganizations are formed to earn income for
owners. Other businessorganizations,
called nonprofits, are formed for public purposes.