ABSTRACT
For the effective discharge of their
duties, professional secretaries must have a mastery of the basic
office skills. These skills include Shorthand, typewriting etc. of all these
skills, shorthand happens to the most important and most challenging of all.
But in
secretarial departments of most tertiary institutions, most students believed
that secretaries no longer write shorthand in business offices with the
invention and installation of such machines e t c.
This nation
has contributed to their poor performance in the course since their interest is
restricted to passing the course only and not in mastering the
skill.
The purpose of the study is to determine
whether secretaries still apply this skill in the discharge of their duties.
In
order to achieve this purpose, the research as reviewed the contributions of
some anthers on the research topic. This made up their literature Review. They
also selected five business organizations in Enugu state for their study. The population
of her study is all the secretaries in the area of the study. They also constructed questionnaires which
were distributed to all the respondents in the area of the study. These
questionnaires were letter collected and the responses analyses.
After the
analysis, the researchers found out that shorthand is still an indispensable
tool to the practicing professional secretary in spite of the modern office
equipments at her disposal. They also
found out that most executives do not give office dictation often never the
less, they take it for granted that the practicing professional secretary is a
wizard in the art of writing shorthand.
Based on their findings, they
reprimanded that students should accept the challenges posed by shorthand, take
measures to master the skill and devote more time to their studies. They also
recommended that lecturers should review their methods of teaching often and on
to ensure adequate supervision and guidance.
Having done justice to the research
topic, the researchers suggested that other project researchers should
investigate those areas
(a)
Factors
responsible for students poor performance in shorthand.
(b) Strategies for effective teaching and learning
of shorthand.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
List of Tables
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
of the study
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Significance of the study
1.5 Scope of the study
1.6 Research limitations
1.7 Research questions
1.8 Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 History of shorthand.
2.2 Development of shorthand
2.3 Usefulness of shorthand
2.4 The vale of the secretary in a business
office
2.5 The secretary and other modern office
equipment and machine
CHAPTER
THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Area of the study
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sources of Date collection
3.5 Method of Date collection
3.6 Analysis of Research instrument
3.7 Description of research instrument
3.8 Validation of Research instrument
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.0 Presentation and analysis of data
4.1 Presentation and analysis of data
4.2 Presentation of respondents by organisation
4.3 Analysis of data
CHAPTER
FIVE
4.0 Finding, Recommendations and Conclusion
5.1 Discussion of the Findings
5.2 Implication of the study
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
References
Appendix 1
LIST OF TABLES
Tables
3.1
Analysis of data
4.1a Presentation of responses by organisatons
4.1b Presentation of responses on test of skill
before appointment
4.2
Presentation of responses on speed administered during
the test.
4.3
Presentation of responses on the importance of the
test to getting the job
4.4
Presentation of responses on the designation of the
secretaries
4.5
Presentation of responses on the applicability of the
skill in the performance of duties
4.6
Presentation the uses of the skill
4.7
Presentation of responses on the availability of
modern office equipment
4.8
Presentation of responses on the type of modern office
equipment available
4.9
Presentation of responses on the possibility of using
machine in place of shorthand skill
4.10
Presentation of responses on the effect of modern
office equipment on the application of the skill
4.11
Presentation of responses on whether bosses give
dictation
4.12
Presentation of responses on the reteat which bosses
give dictations
4.13
Presentation of the speed at which bosses give
dictations
4.14
Presentation of responses on the performance of
secretaries during dictation
4.15
Presentation of responses on the opinion formed of the
secretary by her boss in relation to her performance during dictation
4.16
Presentation of responses on the relationship that
exist between the secretaries and their bosses
4.17
Presentation of responses on typing of manuscript
4.18
Presentation of the reasons why bosses give manuscript
instead of dictation
4.19
Presentation of responses on the attitudes of
secretaries to writing shorthand
4.20
Presentation of responses on the preferability of
typing form shorthand outlines
4.21
Presentation of responses on the relevance of the
skill to effective discharge of duties
4.22
Presentation of response on whether the skill of
shorthand I still relevant in this modern age
4.23
Presentation of reasons why shorthand should be encouraged
4.24
Presentation of responses of the problematic nature of
the skill
4.25
Presentation of kinds of problems pose by shorthand
4.26
Presentation of responses on whether secretaries take
measures to improve on their skill
4.27
Presentation of theses measures
THE STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
In recent times, shorthand writing enjoyed wide
acceptability and applicability due to the benefits inherent in its use. An
advantage of shorthand in its use. An
advantage of shorthand lies in the area of its cost effectiveness. The system also helps in facilitating secrecy
in business transaction and for quick recording and processing of
information. The need for shorthand
writers increased daily with the increase in industrial and business activities. It was expected that in so far as business
organizations exist, speeches being delivered, shorthand shall continue to
enjoy a pride of place in business offices.
But today,
technology is taking the world by surprise.
Modern office machines and equipment are being produced. These machines include the computer, word
processors, tape records, dictating machines etc.
The problem
of this study is to determine;
(a)
Whether technological developments have affected the
application of this skill in business offices.
(b)
Is the practical skill of shorthand (and typewriting)
still a starting point for defining the role of a secretary?
(c)
Do bosses/Executives give office dictations?
(d)
What is the secretary/s attitude to applying this
skill – is it one associated with pride or contempt? Do they feel that the course should be
encouraged or phased out?
CHAPTER ONE
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:
Shorthand,
sometimes called stenography, is a system of writing by sound; that is
phonography. The New Age Encyclopaedia
(1977:455) defined shorthand as “an abbreviated system of writing that utilizes
symbols or short alphabetic combinations to facilitate rapid recording of the
spoken wordâ€. It is thus the system of
using signs and symbols to represent sounds.
This has succeeded in promoting fast writing, labour saving and time-saving
phenomena. As the adage says “time is
businessâ€. Shorthand writing facilities
speed and saves a lot of time when taking down spoken words. It also makes possible a verbation record of
spoken words as much the same time as the speaker speaks. The benefits of shorthand writing have
enhanced its general acceptability and popularity in the world of business.
With the
growing interest in efficient system of business management, he inventors of
shorthand feel it necessary to develop a system that would facilitate speed
writing and help to reduce the problem of communication for management. They made a close study of the phonetic
structure of the English language and this formed the basis of the various
shorthand system in existence.
Many people
are now earning their living through the use of shorthand skill. They have learned it and use it
everyday. The skill would be found in
business offices, courtrooms, government offices, at committee meetings – in
fact wherever it is desirable to have a record of the spoken word. As a result, here are many jobs or careers in
which the study of shorthand is compulsory or important. These careers include; confidential
secretaries, stenographers, shorthand typists, parliamentary reporters,
verbation reporters, court reporters, journalists etc.
Today’s
business office is like a bee-hive with so much work, which consists
principally of the secretarial and clerical activities associated with handling
information. The information is needed
for many decision making and therefore, it (information) needs to reach the
‘right persons’ in the ‘correct form’ at the ‘appropriate time’. Here is where the role of the professional
secretary comes into play. She is
primarily employed to assist the manager/executives in correspondence, literary
work, getting information and other confidential matters. Her duties are categorized into primary and
secondary functions. The primary
functions have to do with the basic secretarial skills such as, typewriting,
taking dictations, answering telephone, handling mail etc. The secretary functions involve knowledge in
other areas like correspondence, communication, human relations, committee
procedures etc.
The mastery
of shorthand as an office skill is ‘sine qua non’ to effective and efficient
discharge of secretarial duties. The
competence of a secretary hinges on her ability to take shorthand notes and
transcribe accurately. In fact, a secretary who cannot take accurate dictations
and transcribe correctly is tantamount to a typist. That is why so much emphasis is laid on the
study of shorthand as a ‘core’ course in secretarial study. It has the highest allocation of credit loads
which students must excel into graduate successfully.
That
notwithstanding, students continue to fail the course fearfully. It seems as if the course is a burden to most
students. Inspite of their love for the
profession, some students desert the secretarial department to other departments
like Mass Communication, Purchasing and Supply, Business Administration and Management
etc. for fear of shorthand. When asked, they would confess, ‘I can’t cope
with shorthand’. True to their words,
most students cannot cope with shorthand, no matter how hard they try to
practice and study the course. They
treat the course with disdain and even hate their lecturers calling them
‘enemies of progress’. It is important
to note that shorthand is the only course (as far as I know) a student stand to
get zero in, simply because he/she missed some lines during transcription. For that, students resort to several means to
pass the course and not to master the skill.
As a result, a great number of students graduate from the department as
bad as they entered as far as shorthand is concerned. They no longer regard shorthand as the secretary’s
stock-in-tradeâ€. Most of them believe
that they only have to deal with shorthand school and nothing more.
The
assertion that shorthand is an indispensable tool to the secretary is to them
but an age-long principle which has lost its credibility because of the advent
of technology into business offices.
Most of the students interviewed (which necessitated my writing on this
topic) maintained that the secretarial department is merely being old fashioned
by giving shorthand a ‘monarch’ position among other course. They believe that shorthand should give way
for such courses as data processing, word processing, office information
system, etc. and other courses that are better suited to this jet age.
The
researchers being so much interested in this issue, intend to investigate the secretarial profession vis-Ã -vis business offices in
order to determine, whether the secretary still apply this skill in performing
her duties ,whether the use of modern office equipments have in any way
displaced this skill
The
result of this research project will go
a long way in determining the importance of the skill to the secretary and its
position, in relation to other courses, in the secretarial department.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In recent times, shorthand writing
enjoyed wide acceptability and applicability due to the benefits inherent in I
its use. An advantage of shorthand lies in the area of its cost effectiveness.
The system also helps in facilitating secrecy in business transaction and for
quick recording and processing of information. The need for shorthand writers
increased daily with the increase industrial and business activities. It was
expected that in so far as business organizations exist; speeches being
delivered; that shorthand shall continue to enjoy a pride of place in business
offices.
But today, technology is taking the
world by surprise. Modern office
machines and equipment are being produced.
These machines include the1.4 computer, word processors. Tape Recorders,
Dictating machines etc.
The problem of this study of
determine;
(a)
Whether technological developments have affected the
application of this skill in business offices.
(b)
Is the practical skill of shorthand (and type writing)
still a starting point for defining the role of a secretary? Is the skill still the secretary’s
stock-in-trade?
(c)
Do bosses/Executives give office dictations?
(d)
What is the secretary’s attitude to applying this
skill is it one associated with pride or contempt? Do they feel that the course should be
encouraged or phased out?
1.3
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:
The purpose of the study is basically to investigate the
secretarial profession in order to determine whether shorthand still maintain
its role as a vocational tool that enables the secretary to obtain and hold
interesting and rewarding position in business. Does the secretary still report
to shorthand as a relief to the burden of writing cumbersome longhand during
note taking? OR has she employed
alternative measures like using Tape Recorders, Dictating Machines, Computer
etc.
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY:
This study
will help to define more clearly the importance of the skill to the
professional secretary, in establishing or destablishing the importance of the
skill in business today. It will also
help to clear some deluding notions already conceived and nurtured by lazy
students and at the same time influence students’ attitudes to this course.
1.5
SCOPE OF
THE STUDY:
This study
is restricted to five business organizations in Enugu state; Nigerian Breweries
PLC 9th mile corner Nsude, Anambra motor manufacturing company,
Emene, EMENITE Ltd, Emene, Union Bank of Nigeria PLC, (Regional Office), okpara
Avenue, Enugu and Nigeria Bottling Company plc, 9th mile corner,
Ngwo,
The researchers intend to construct
questionnaire based on the research questions and distribute to all the
secretaries in these organization.
1.6
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The major
problem encountered by the researchers was that of time constraint. We would have loved to cover many business
organizations for more valid and better investigations.
Secondly,
most organizations refused to admit students for reasons best known to them E.g
ANAMCO, Emene; Also some organizations
hire typists in place of secretaries, Example Union Bank and Nigerian Bottling
Co.
Thirdly,
because of the limited number of secretaries, the researchers got back some
questionnaires blank.
1.7
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS:
The questions below were constructed by the researchers
to enable them collect data for the study.
The data
obtained would be analyzed (using percentages) to arrive at the findings of the
project.
QUESTION
I
Is
the shorthand skill an indispensable tool to the practicing professional
secretary?
QUESTION
11
Has the advent of technology
into modern business offices affected the application of the skill?
QUESTION 111
Do Bosses
(Executives) give office dictations?
QUESTION 1V
Do
secretaries enjoy taking shorthand
1.8
DEFINITION
OF TERMS:
Shorthand: The system of
rapid writing special signs; stenography.
Secretary: Employee in
an office, who deals with correspondence, keeps records, make arrangements and
appointments, for a particular member of staff.
Office: (Rooms)
used as a place of business.
Memorandum: Informal business
communication usually without a personal signature, on paper headed “memoâ€.
Sine qua
non: -
(lat) condition or qualification that cannot be done without, essential.
Condition.
Stenographer: Writer of
shorthand; shorthand typist.
Computer: Electronic
device which stores information on e.g. magnetic tape, analyzes it and produces
information as required from data on tape.
Word
processor: Computer based device that have specialized programs for
creating editing and printing text.
Dictating
machine: – An electronic recording machine used in recording routine
dictations instructions and even minutes of meetings.
Tape
Recorder: Apparatus
for recording sounds on magnetic tape and playing back the recording.
Automation: Use of automatic
equipment and machine to do work previously done by people.
Technology: Scientific
study and use of mechanical arts and applied sciences e.g. engineering,
application of this to practical tasks in industry.
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