SECRETARIAL PROFESSION AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION

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Abstract

This study is on secretarial profession and public perception. The total population for the study is 200 staff of state secretariat, Uyo, Akwa state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made secretaries, administrative staff, senior staff and junior staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

  • Background of the study

Action and reaction are both governed by the society or public. Many are societal animals, who live and relate with the public as a whole. Sociologists have put it that “Man is not an island” that is, he cannot live in isolation. He cannot live in isolation. He must interact and relate with other people. With the above sociological perception, It is directly pertinent to state that man’s choice of career. His attitude to it and ultimately his performance are influenced by the public opinion or perception of his profession. Secretaries are indispensable in every organizational setup be it large or small, no organization can function effectively in the absence of an effective secretary. In the past the secretary was taken to be an employee usually a lady who sits behind a typewriter, where as this is not so. A secretary is in special position of trust and responsibility. Apart from taking diction dictation and transcribing the same on the typewriter, he handles administrative duties connect with processing, keeping and preservation of information to the more complex process of computerization and microfilming towards effective control of information for the accomplishment of the organizational. The secretaries are important officers in establishment; you hardly find an organization without a secretary. The work of the secretaries is of great importance to the organizations and the nation at large. The secretaries are found in every type of business organizations where personal services such as insurance, accounting, banking, advertising e.t.c are carried out, services to the general public, the secretaries have vital roles to play in organization like the local government, hospital, universities, colleges, social and welfare establishments and so on, the secretaries role cannot be over stressed. The secretaries operate and link the executives and the society even the other employees. Secretaries relieve their bosses of a great task of routine works and enquire by attending to callers. This is done by taking their messages, giving them the necessary information and allowing them to o about their businesses without disturbing their bosses. This may be through personal calls, telephone or through letters composed and mailed by secretaries. Having passed basic training in shorthand, good command of English and type mail able letters of a routine instructions, the secretaries arrange meetings, concisely compile minutes, record reports and logically arrange them. The secretaries are the bed rock in must executives. Their contributions and effectiveness enhance the efficiency of any organization. The secretarial profession   is absolutely essential to the nation because it promotes the nation more than any other profession. It therefore means that secretaries must be people of high responsibilities, competence, dedication, morals and experience those vital duties perfectly. The society outlook regarding secretaries’ profession is diversified depending on individuals and the organisation. There are few people who have positive views regarding the profession having known the effective role played by the secretaries, the qualities entailed and the attributes (business and personal) exhibited by them. Notwithstanding, there are so many people with negative perception towards the profession, they are frustrated persons, some group of people that are good for typing and shorthand alone. And so many others any employee who sits behinds a typewriter is a secretary.Gone are those days when the profession was looked down upon, when people regard it as a profession for the less fortunes, prostitutes, copy-typist and unrecognized people, a profession for medioevers, female folk and the unsuccessful.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Secretarial profession is absolutely essential and contributes immensely to humanity. But from time immemorial, the profession had encountered a lot of allegation from the society despite its indispensability and its responsibilities to the nation, people tend to have different perceptions towards the profession. Some people feel that the secretarial profession entails some rigid skills that cannot be coped with especially shorthand. Some other thinks that is dominated by dullards, the unfortunate and the unsuccessful. A lot of people believe that secretarial have an indecent affair with their bosses due to intimacy established between the secretaries and their bosses. The researcher intends to investigate some of the above allegation as well as to verify how the secretaries interact with the public to attract positive or negative attitude towards the secretarial profession.

  • OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study are;

  1. To find out the kind of relationship that exists between the secretaries and their bosses as well as the public.
  2. To know whether the secretaries actually meet up with the required roles and qualities.
  3. For the secretaries to detect and correct their areas of deficiency, if any, in the performance of their duties keep the society aware of the secretaries’ responsibilities as well to acquaint the readers with the qualification required for the profession.
  4. For the executives to know the importance of both female and male secretaries in an organisation  and the need to train and equip them with modern machine so as to meet today’s challenges especially in administrative responsibilities, office system and technology and even more managerial skills which profession outstanding.
  • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H0:  there is no importance of a female secretaries influence the public perception

H1: there is importance of a female secretaries influence the public perception

H02: There is no relationship between secretaries and their bosses

H2: There is relationship between secretaries and their bosses

SECRETARIAL PROFESSION AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION