The Challenges Facing Married Female Secretaries in Selected Business Organization
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to highlight The Challenges Facing Married Female Secretaries In Selected Business Organization.
This project will also expose the cause of the problems and challenges of female secretaries and the effect on the organization they work for. It will reveal the ideal type of relationship a female secretary should maintain with the public.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This part cover detailed information on impacts of challenges faced by Secretaries on their efficiency at work by making review of different books directly or indirectly explaining topic of the study as per different Authors.
Definition of Terms
A Personal Secretary
A Secretary according to Pitman (1974) Secretary is a person who works in the office and deals with work processing which was transcribed by typing, is a person who works very closes to the executive.
On the other hand Harrison (1992), explain that, the secretary and indeed any office employee must also know the structure of their organization so that they are familiar with functions and relationship of the various levels of management and their departments, most secretaries are employed by the organizations which have engaged them and which pay their salaries directly responsible. Organizations vary not only in size and function, but in their aims and aspirations. For example office Products Ltd (case study) will aim to be internationally competitive to secure the best possible turnover and profits, in order to benefit its shareholders and employees.
Efficiency
Efficiency is the degree of perfection in which one quantity is converted into another. For example a farmer will be interested in the efficiency with which cattle convert grass into beef weight.
Gleeson, (2004) identified new ways to improve efficiency, while cut costs, and more time saving including the following:
- Providing Easy Access to Information, Delivering speedy access to information so employees can make solid decisions is a challenge nearly all offices face. Networks that are slow, frequently down, or unsecured don’t allow employees to move quickly, which could result in lost opportunities and revenues.
- Delivering Anywhere, Anytime Access, Offices today have to provide employees working out of hotel rooms, airport lounges, remote branches, and home offices with anywhere access to information. Without it, mobile and remote workers lose valuable time. Worse, sales personnel may have outdated customer information or miss urgent messages informing them of a critical business matter.
- Creating Effective Business Processes with Partners, Inefficient operations can prevent an otherwise qualified office from doing business with some organizations. Some national retailers require their suppliers to follow certain efficiency-enhancing procedures.
- Ensuring Regulatory Compliance, Government regulations mandating higher levels of customer or patient privacy is another ongoing challenge for companies of all sizes. Public office should established standardized methods for the electronic exchange, security, and confidentiality of healthcare data.
- Enhancing Employee Collaboration, without solid and frequent collaboration among employees, good ideas die and opportunities are missed. The result: Valuable workers, frustrated by the operational inefficiencies that result from poor collaboration, may become disheartened and depart for other jobs.
The challenges facing Personal Secretaries
According to Henderson, (1999) secretary provides administrative support to senior level professionals. Commonly called an executive assistant, this individual performs a variety of clerical, operational and, sometimes, personal tasks aimed at ensuring that his employer’s business and personal lives function as efficiently as possible. Although this has been traditionally viewed as an entry-level occupation, the role of executive secretary is extremely challenging.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
Kothori, (2004) defined research methodology as a way to systematically solve the research problem. Therefore the chapter shows the methodology and the research procedures that were guided research work (study). This includes such aspects as research design, area of the study, population and sample, sampling technique, data collections methods and administrations. Also data analysis and presentation are described.
Research Design
This research study applied a case study design. Research design is the strategy, the plan, and the structure of conducting a research project (Miller, 1977). Researcher select the design as it allows for comprehensive description and analysis of the single situation. Also the case study research design approach provided for deep and thoroughly study of the problem but also saved time and financial cost.
Area of the Study
The area of study for this research was Owerri Metropolis area. Researcher selected the area as is familiar with the area hence unnecessary costs were avoided. Together with mentioned reason, the area is suitable to the title of the study as it provides a range of services done by Personal Secretaries.
Target Population and Sample
The target population for the study included Heads of departments, Personal Secretaries; however the study also involved other cadre available at Owerri Metropolis area, the study expected to comprise of forty (40) respondents whom selected purposely, but only 30 Respondents were obtained.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
Data analysis is the process of putting data into various systematic ways to make them clearly understood. In this respect researcher analyze, present as well as discuss the all findings about impacts of challenges facing female Secretaries on their efficiency at work particularly at Owerri Metropolis area.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
The chapter discusses the general summary of the study, conclusion as well as recommendations
Summary
The purpose of this study was to assess impacts of challenges facing female Secretaries on their efficiency at work a study taken at Owerri Metropolis area. The study was guided by three specific objectives with associate’s research questions.
From the general objective and specific objectives, Researcher found out that female secretaries face different challenges including Negative perception towards personal Secretaries, low promotions and negative perceptions, low level of education and Shortage of office equipments. Impacts of mentioned challenges including Lead to misunderstanding among workers, reduce concentration of work and rise inferiority complex among Secretaries while to reduce and resolve challenges there are some efforts made among of the mentioned were training programmes at working place, equity programmes as well as developing corporate culture.
Conclusion
After data analysis, presentation and discussion of findings, Researcher revealed that Owerri Metropolis area should ensure that the workers are equipped with additional guidance to ensure that Organization is supported by additional resources, training, coaching and monitoring, and invoke disciplinary procedures towards varieties of activities conducted.
Moreover, the importance of Secretarial skills in this modern world is very essential, the office should employ more workers (Secretaries), practice regular training to workers, educating secretaries and attending seminars by secretaries so as they can run office with respect to market and rapid technological development.
Recommendation
As far as the findings and conclusion drawn from the study concerned, here are some recommendations proposed to Owerri Metropolis area in general, and other Organization as well. Secretarial cadre is facing with a lot of challenges in Public offices. In order to eliminate these challenges the following should be done:
Secretaries should raise their hands together and form their organization just like other professional groups to protect for their rights as secretaries in their working places.
Society perceptions towards secretarial professional should be neutralized highly in advance by educating society on real responsibilities and contributions of secretaries to the office performance
References
- Andres, T. (1997) How to Become a Successful Secretary: A manual Volume I-Personal Development. REX Book store, Inc Manila
- France S. (2009) The definitive Personal Assistant and Secretarial Handbook, Library of Congress, Britain
- Gleeson, K. (2004) The Personal Efficiency Program: How to Get Organized to Do More Work in Less Time. John Wiley & Sons, Inc Hoboken New Jersey
- Harrison, J. (1992) Secretarial Duties 9th edition. Longman Group UK limited
- Henderson J.K (1999) Secretaries Administrative Assistants, United States Bureau of Labour Publisher, US
- Kothari C. R (2008) Research Methodology, Methods and Techniques University of Rajasthan, Jaipur (India).
- Miller, Delbert C. (1977) Handbook of Research Design and Social Measurements, 3rd Ed. David Mckay Company, Ink New York:
