PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND SECRETARIAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT

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ABSTRACT

This study examined Professional Ethics and Secretarial career Development. Three research questions were formulated for the study. Ex-post facto research design was used for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire titled “Professional Ethics and Secretarial Career Development Questionnaire (PESCDQ)”. Data from 40 completed questionnaire forms were used for analysis. Chi-square statistic was used for data analysis. The major finding shows that Ethic of Dressing, Ethics of Confidentiality and Ethics of Punctuality influence Secretarial Career Development. Based on the findings, recommendations were made that Office managers should see the need of embracing good professional ethics into the job practices of their workers.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

According to Asiegbu (2002), professional Ethics are personal and corporate rules that govern behaviour within the context of a particular profession. Asiegbu further stated that professional ethics are those moral principles that influence the manner in which a professional conduct in his professional process. According to Austen (2009) Every Education is aimed at gaining employment and making a career, which is from growing from one position to the other in the organization until disengagement. Organizations valued employees that worked several years with them, still what to call “Long Service Award’. Every employer wants their workers to attain the maximum job performance feasible. They motivate their workers with security of employment, adequate reward, attractive conditions of service, and interesting nature of works. On the other hand, the workers want to know their prospects for their career development. Ezeoke, (2009) asserted that human beings work in organizations, and they are not dormant. Ezeoke further stated that if people are not developed in an organization they will not be happy. He also added that the reason why people involve themselves in a career is because they want to develop, and development is one of the characteristics of human being. Having a job does not necessarily mean that you will developed in it. Some workers resigned from their jobs when the realized that development prospects are virtually non-existent in the organization they are working for. It therefore necessary for employer to have prospects for career development embedded in the job analysis of their prospective employee. This study was therefore undertaken to determine how professional ethics enhances secretarial career development.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In any organization every workers accepting a job offer expects to develop in that job, and where development is no feasible, the workers may become frustrated and decide to resign. In so doing, several organizations have lost their best workers to other organizations who are willing and ready to employ them. On the other part, the professional ethics of a secretary contributes to the effectiveness and success in the running of any organization. But it has been observed that some secretaries behave unethically to their bosses and co-workers, Some behave in the way that they are not allow to gain their promotion as at when due. This study was therefore undertaken to determine how professional ethics influences secretarial career development.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The major purpose of this study was to determine how professional ethics affects secretarial career development. The specific objectives were to: Determine how ethics of dressing influence secretarial career development. Determine how ethics of confidentiality influence secretarial career development. Determine how ethics of punctuality influence secretarial career development.

1.4 Significance of the Study The finding of this study will enable Office Managers to see the need of embracing professional ethics embedded into the job practices of their workers. Finally, the findings of this study will increase the body of knowledge and thereby serve as reference materials for researchers in the related area of study.

1.5 Research Question The following research questions were formulated for the study: How does an ethic of dressing influence secretarial career development? How does an ethic of confidentiality influence secretarial career development? How does an ethic of punctuality influence secretarial career development?

1.6 Null Hypotheses The following null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 levels of significance. H0 : Ethics of dressing does not significantly influence secretarial career development. H0 : Ethics of confidentiality does not significantly influence secretarial career development H0 : Ethics of punctuality does not significantly enhance secretarial career development.

1.7 Delimitation of the study This study was delimited in Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Ministry of Information and communication, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Land and Town Planning. All in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.

1.7 Limitation of the Study The major constrains and difficulties encountered by the researchers in the course of this research were poor attitude of some respondents in responding to the questionnaire, high cost of transportation and non-availability of materials.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND SECRETARIAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT