A SURVEY OF THE ROLE OF MODERN OFFICE EQUIPMENT IN MODERN OFFICES

A SURVEY OF THE ROLE OF MODERN OFFICE EQUIPMENT IN MODERN OFFICES

ABSTRACT

The topic for this research is a survey of the role of modern office equipment in modern offices in Enugu urban. The study was restricted to Nigerian Breweries Plc near 9th mile Enugu Urban. Questionnaires were structured in two phases and were used for collecting data and the instrument was validated by our supervisor Mrs. Agu Ruphina. The population consisted of all the secretaries in Nigeria Breweries Plc. They are 100 in number out of population sample of 50 secretaries were randomly selected. After the analysis the following findings were made. The secretaries in Nigeria Breweries Plc use modern office equipment like computer, tele-printer and telephone answering machine and e-mail etc. then the following recommendation were made that modern office equipment should replace the old ones since the modern ones enhance efficiency of secretaries.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

It is said that the successes of any person or organization depends largely on equipment available to a human person and the constant modification of modern office equipment that is fully up-dated with modern office equipment. This ascertain beings us to the purpose of an office which includes the following: Administration, clerical work, money handling, information communication system which is an embodiment of secretarial operations. Office as a mini-social system according to Farber and Barr 1979 plays important roles in defining responsibilities.

For the aforementioned reasons, the secretary must be available to organize and run the office completely. Here the secretary is seen as an executive assistant who has a mastery of office/organizational skills. He/she has to be familiar with the manipulation of the modern office equipment which is made to enhance his/her performance. Office automation provides increased productivity through improved access to data, faster responses to customer demands and faster, decision making. The invention of modern office equipment were necessitated as a result of the growth in large scale enterprises and also as a technological break through. The office therefore relies much on sophisticated office equipment in order to cope with the ever-increasing activities in the organization. Like-in Nigeria Breweries Plc. Which is one of the largest quoted company in Nigeria stick market has successive secretarial functions. This company started in Nigeria in 1946 producing starlarger and has witnessed a lot of human and technological transformations. In their polices to keep a healthy workforce in personnel and machines have taken their secretarial operations to grater heights.

With this, they were able to achieve their aim through the introduction of any equipment that will enhance the job of their secretaries and also customers services satisfaction. Nigeria Breweries believes in breaking into new areas. They contend so much with the tomorrows of their business. Strategically, actions, planning and implementation to ensure that tomorrow is achieved. Nigeria Breweries Plc is futuristic in their business approach made possible by the above and vision driven leadership of their past and immediate directors/chief executives that pilots the affairs of the business in conjunction with Heineken international. Recently, a multi-billion naira ultra modern brewery has been cited in Enugu State with the slogan that it is a world class investment that can complete with other out fit in any part of the world is modern office equipment and production etc. the introduction of modern office equipment in Nigeria Breweries Plc mainly the computer in every office of the Company also shows that the secretarial performance goes with the acquisition of these modern equipments.

It seems however, that although the higher levels of management might not make much direct use of modern office technology the secretary will. This office automation for the secretarial is in providing the secretary with a system that meets the real need identified as being important rather than the ones of typing and stenographic that is thought to be important. As against the traditional office, the modern office has a lot of activities to perform with the aid of modern equipment.

Nowadays, un-countable manufacturing industries have installed these equipments and the secretaries are presented to manipulate them in discharging their duties efficiently and effectively.