A SURVEY OF WORD PROCESSING COMPETENCIES REQUIRED BY MODERN SECRETARIES IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY ( A CASE STUDY OF BROAD BANK AND CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, ENUGU OFFICE)
ABSTRACT
    The impact of word processing on the performance of modern secretaries cannot be over emphasized. The number of electronic machines in use in the office have risen so quickly particularly with regards to word processor and computers. It is the purpose on this project to study the performance of the secretary.
    From the data collected, is revealed that word processing act as a check on in-efficiency and profits are boosted when the word processes. System are efficiently used. It would be correct to conclude that word processing secretaries see word processing as welcome relief from the drudgery of office work.
    From the finding and recommendations the research revealed that word processing save both time and labor. It also make job easier and giver general knowledge of secretaries are better due to word processing. And that most establishments are willing to give adequate training to their staff which is necessary for their mastery of the equipment.
    Finally, it was recommended that management should consider more deeply the concept of training so that their will be improvement in performance and increase productivity.
LIST OF TABLES
1    Return of instrument
2    Types of modern office equipment
3    Formal training on device
4    Formal training given by the device
5    Usefulness or improvement notice your company
6    If the organization have a word processor
7    If the word processor act as aid to the company secretary
8    Rating performance of the secretary
9    Secretaries who have not used word processor
10    If the organization is willing to train them
11    Benefits which the secretary will achieved.
 TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the study
1.2    Statement of the study
1.3    Purpose of the study
1.4    Significance of the study
1.5    Research questions
1.6    Scope of the study
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1    Definition of computer
2.2    Types and features of a computer
2.3    Advantages or word processing
2.4    History of word processing
2.5    Functions and types of word processing
2.6    Benefits of word processing system
2.7    Impact of word processing on secretary
2.8    Training secretaries on word processing system
2.9    Summary of literature review.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1    Research design
3.2    Population of the study
3.3    Sample and sampling techniques
3.4    Description of the research instrument
3.5    Methods of data collection
3.6    Methods of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
5.1    Summary of findings
5.2    Recommendations
5.3    Conclusion
References
Appendixes
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
    In the banking industry secretaries occupy a very important place in Nigerian and the world economy. Because the imagination of many people has been captured by the concept of the electronic office and the media has given the topic considerable coverage in both general and business terms. Secretaries have a lot of problems to contend with and solve in the office because of the modern and sophisticated offices. For these and other reasons, the researcher is to look into the survey of word processing competencies required by modern secretaries in the banking industry.
    The engagement, maintenance and the retention of qualified secretaries to cope with the ever increasing demands of corporate activities seems to be of interest to every organization. However, machines and the harnessing of natural resources is progressing relieving humanity from the distress of an oppressively heavy physical toil and is affording improved opportunity for the development of the mind and spirit. This is a challenging opportunity which in a null-shell can be referred to as an office automation which word processing is an integral part of.
     The researcher therefore, examines the importance of some major equipment found in offices and how they helped the secretary in the day to day running of her duties., no doubt the following questions must readily come to ones mind.
What is word processing? Who is a secretary and the importance of word processing to a secretary.
    The importance of word processing to a secretary cannot be over emphasized. Word processing had helped the secretary perform her duties with such ease and confidence as never before. It allows her to carry out such routine duties as filing, typing of form letters making copies, correcting errors etc. with each done quickly and neatly, thus giving her enough time to do other duties, like attending to her boss’s personal affairs, attending to visitors, answering telephone calls and carrying out other administrative duties on behalf of her boss.
    Organization can now competently handle the increase volume of paper work despite rising costs. Work can be easily measured, to enable them justify investment on equipment and effectively utilize their most expensive resources, staff, as well as achieving cost saving organization will produce a better, faster service and present highly professional image to this corporate competitors and the public.
    The manager benefits from the rapid turnover of paper work and indirectly from the traditional support available for them. If the managers should wish to use it, the secretary will freed from so much typing. Word processing helps executives make more effective use of their time and relieve  them of a lot of checking and relieve them of a lot of checking and proof reading. They would also be in a better position to consider delegating some of their work in that they now have secretaries and administrative support more readily available.
    According to Harding 1985 “the use of word processor has the following advantages:
a.    General sped in most operations
b.    Relief from most of the drudgery
c.    Improvement in the final quality of the product
d.    There is also improvement in managerial secretarial and administrative capabilities.
Word processor is not new in the corporate activities, but its introduction into the market and its uses by the secretary in such a large scale is of effect in the current development. The word processor is a logical progression of the automatic typewriters which was first introduced in the United State in 1974. Anderson and Crame 1974 defines word processor as “the storage and organization of language by electronic means, especially for business purposes”. A word processor is therefore, a computer specially programmed to handle text rather than numerical data.
    To operate a word processor, the secretary (who has got knowledge of typewriting) keys – in, not type on a familiar QWERTY BOARD, that text appears on the screen instead of a paper. If mistake is made, instead of going to great deal of trouble to correct it, the secretary only has either to over write the correction or to delete the mistakes first, them replace it with the correct word, all at a touch of a key. The margins cab automatically be changed when the secretary is satisfied with the piece of job, prints or required copies can be made.
    The word processor machine has helped the secretary immensely in her duty. It increases productivity in the office. Hostings (1987) agrees with this in itself has increased the productivity of a secretary. Harding   (1985) said that “secretaries gain in that they have at their disposal a sophisticated tool capable of taking a drudgery and boredom of routine, repetitive work, enabling them to be more creative. Word processing not only increases productivity but also reduces cost and removes much of the tedious work of the secretary.
There seems to be different definitions to the terms. “secretary” Pitman 1977 stated that “a secretary is one who acts as the confidential assistant to another or who conducts the communications and private aspects of an executive’s work. Hornby Gatenby and Wakefield (1973), looks at the secretary “as a person who is employed by another to help in various ways. A secretary writes letters, makes appointments for those who wish to interview her employer, keeps records etc. and is often called “a private secretary”
    The definition of a secretary adopted by the National Secretaries Association stated that “ a secretary can be defined as executive who possesses a mastery or office skills, who demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision who exercises initiative and judgment and who makes decisions within the scope of assigned authority”
    In general concept, a secretary can be termed as a person who has acquired professional training in typewriting, secretarial duties/administration, accounts or economics and business communication in addition to sufficient knowledge and practical experience of office work.
    The type of training received by a secretary affords her the opportunity to become knowledgeable of the secretarial profession as well as being exposed to some aspects of administration in management organization. She is very important member of her office team, and will be responsible for organizing the juniors. She must be capable of organizing the work load. “A good secretary is the back bone of the office any where, any time, she must be prepared to hold her company in high esteem, and protect and project its good name. She has to dispatch the integrity of a worthy representative of the organization whenever she has to act on its behalf. The success of her company is her own success even if this entails personal sacrifice .
Other duties of a secretary include typing of materials from dictation or drafts, arranging meetings and taking down minutes of such meetings. She makes arrangement to book hotel accommodation, receives visitors and answers telephone calls. In addition, she may have to make arrangements to prepare tea or coffee for her employer and visitors to the office. She has to supervise junior secretarial staff and attend to daily routine works in the office, for example opening and sorting of mails, filing of documents. It is part of the secretary’s duty to take a keen interest in her employer’s work to see that he is received of minor routine business, so that he can concentrate on more important matters and in general, to do every thing possible to contribute to his success.
A good secretary is not a time watcher. In an emergency, she must be prepared to put in extra hours. She has to study her superior carefully and influence all his likes and dislikes. The foregoing necessitated this study since the competencies of the secretary in word processing is uncertain
1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
    The general notion has been that adequate training is not given to modern secretaries so as to be able to make effective use of the modern office machines and equipment, this has made her job more stressed and hereby decreased productivity.
    This general notion is a driving force which led into this research. The problem now may include but not limited to the fact that
1.    The secretaries may not possess word processing competencies
2.    They may not posses the ability to operate and or manipulate modern office equipment and machines
3.    The lecturers may not be trained well and as such cannot impart non-existing knowledge hence one gives out what he has
4.    The curriculum may be defective. The above among others are the deriving force to this research.
1.3    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
    The major purpose of this research is to examine the word processing competencies required by modern secretaries in the banking industry specially, the study will
1.    Ascertain the word processing competencies required by the secretary
2.    Find out the relevance of the word processing competencies to the secretaries job performances in organization or companies.
3.    Find out if these word processing competences can improve efficiency of the secretary
4.    Find out if word processing system acts as an aid to the secretary.
1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
    This study will be tremendous significance to different financial institution in Nigeria to impart desired word processing and other office equipment skills on their staff.
    This study will be useful to secretaries in the banking industry and undergraduate secretaries who are preparing to face the labor markets. To be familiar with the tools.
    This study is significant because it would unveil the importance of word processing in the banking industry and other organizations thereby improve productivity, quality of services, general efficiency and improve on the quality of secretaries.
1.5    RESEARCH QUESTIONS
    This research study will provide answers to the following research questions.
1.    What are the word processing competencies required by the secretary
2.    What are the relevance of the word processing competencies to the secretaries job performance in organization/companies.
3.    To what extent can word processing competencies improve the efficiency of the secretary
4.    To what extent can word processing systems act as an aid to the secretary
1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY
    As a result of lack of money and time, which are usually the greatest constraint, this research is therefore delimited to only Broad bank and Central Bank of Nigeria, all in Enugu state.