Published by
Just-Web Research Institute [4th September, 2019]
EFFECTS
OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OFFICE
MANAGERS
Deedenwii, Bariture Neele
ND, and D.Cl
+2347012543482
and +2349050517580
ABSTRACT
This study tends to investigate
the effect of information communication technology on the productivity of
office managers. In most organizations today, technology has changed the old
working habit thereby resulting in complete job design and acquisition of new
skills. In view of the above statement, information and communication
technology has contributed to managerial efficiency in the work place.
Information technology is the combination of computing, telecommunication and
video techniques for the purpose of acquiring, processing, storing, and
disseminating vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information. Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) refers to technologies that provide access
to information through telecommunication which include the internet, wireless
networks, cell phones, and other communicating media for gathering, recording
and communicating information. Based on the findings, it was discovered that
ICT has great impact on the productivity of office manager in an organization,
and ICT has help to make productivity accurate, faster, and also to reduce the
work load on the organization. It was recommended amongst others that information;
communication technology should be embraced in organizations to the
productivity of office managers.
INTRODUCTION
Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) refers to technologies that provide access to
information through telecommunication which include the internet, wireless
networks, cell phones, and other communicating media for gathering, recording
and communicating information (Osuala, 2014).
Information technology
includes all types of equipment and programs which are used in the processing
of information. This equipment include: computers, fax machines, calculators,
electronic mail, telephones, printers word processors, photocopiers, radio,
message; digital cameras.
Also,
today’s improvement in communication has continued to increase with portable
telephones, fax machines, telephone systems becoming digitized and more
versatile. Information technology is
used in the office today more than ever before. In the recent environment,
people may forget just how unbelievable the notion of a personal computer in
the home would have seemed to the pioneers of computing in the 1940’s, when a
single system with less power than today’s personal computers could be an
entire building.
Furthermore, the ICT
industry appears to be making significant thrust into the Nigeria society.
Prior to 1999, ICT resources and facilities were grossly limited in the
country. It was also noted that only very few wealthy Nigerians had access to
internet facilities and services. Internet facilities and services were rare to
come by and the facsimiles (i.e. Fax) remained for a long time, the only means
available to Nigerians for transmitting and receiving data or documents to
other parts of the world. Public awareness of ICT and its application was low.
On the other hand, a
manager is a person responsible for planning and directing the work of a group
of individuals, monitoring their work and taking corrective action when
necessary (Montgomerie, 2006).
The office managers need to
be computer literate to know how to use office machines, internet facilities
such as email, telex, teleconference, World Wide Web (W.W.W). This is necessary
because new technologies have improved the managerial functions and roles as
the network in which the other workers linked together.
In most organizations
today, technology has changed the old working habit thereby resulting in
complete job design and acquisition of new skills. In view of the above
statement, information and communication technology has contributed to
managerial efficiency in the work place.
Office and communication
technology helps businesses in several ways, organizations use the information
system to analyze and solve technical problems especially for controlling
activities buying quality control, reducing production cost and keeping records
on employees and turnover (Braunstein, 2010).
ICT enhances learning;
mobilize tools for examination, calculation and analysis of information, thus
providing the platform for student inquiry; analysis and construction of new
information. Learners therefore learn as they do most of these things. ICT
enables students to choose what to learn and when they need to learn it.
Collaborative
Learning: ICT supported learning encourages interaction and co-operation among
student apart from modeling real world interactions, it also provides students
the opportunities to work with people from different countries, thereby helping
to enhance learner’s communication skills as well as creating global awareness.
THE NATURE OF INFORMATION
AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Information
technology is the combination of computing, telecommunication and video
techniques for the purpose of acquiring, processing, storing, and disseminating
vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information. Uzoka (2002) defined
information technology as the harnessing of electronic technology in its
various forms to improve the operations and profitability of the business as a
whole.
Brightman
and Dimsdale (1986) traced the root of the high-tech revolution back to 1828
when Charles Babbage produced the first programmable calculating device, the
Analytical Engine. We might look to the more recent past, 1944, and mention
Howard Aiken's Mark I, the first programmable computer.
Information
technology according to Oliver, Chapman and French (1990) is a technology which
supports activities involving the creation, storage, manipulation and
communication of information (principally computing, electronics and electronic
communications) together with their related methods, management and
applications. It has also created countless opportunities and challenges for
millions of individuals. In particular, the challenges of managers’ responsible
for introducing this technology have been exceptionally high. In our
information and knowledge -based society, management must attempt to capture
the advantages offered by information technology, yet they must also avoid the
pitfalls along the way toward increasing automation.
Information
technology (IT) is a general term that describes any technology that helps to
produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and or disseminate information. It
merges computing high speech communication inks carrying data, sound, and
video. Examples of information technology include personal computer appliances
and various hand held devices. Two important parts to information technology
computer and communication technology; Computer and communication technology
(Silver, 2011).
1. Communication Technology:
Also called telecommunication technology consists of electromagnetic devices
and system for communication over long distance. As an example of communication
devices, let’s consider those facilities that seem to be everywhere these days.
2. Computer Technology: A
computer is programmable, machine that accept data raw facts and figures and
produces, it into information we can use, such as summaries totals or reports.
Its purpose is to speed up problem solving and increase productively.
AIMS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY IN OFFICES
According
to Akpomi (2013), the following are basic ICT resources that improve the
productivity of managers:
1. Computer:
Computer are no longer just mathematical tools but essential management
resources, as we all may know, different operations can be handled more
efficiently using computers. With the computer, such activities as information
generation, processing, analyzing storage and communication for sustainable
development could be executed easily. Akpomi (2013), stated that the greatest
assets of the computer are speed, cost-effectiveness and optimal utilization of
available resources, some other computer accessories worthy of mentioning are
CD ROM diskettes, flash drive, etc.
2. The Internet:
This has proven to be the most valuable vehicle for accelerated information
flow. According to Green, Jenkins and Davies (2010), it is a network of
computers that communicate with each other, often over telephone lines. The
potentials of the internet lie in the provision of global platform for
information sharing among organizations and individuals. Information sharing
creates awareness, ensures continuous use of products and services, provides
feedback and support for organization. The contention here is that any
organization or government that has current and useful information is empowered
to enhance productivity and good governance.
SIGNIFICANCE
OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN ORGANIZATIONS
Jaiyeola (2017), inferred
that mechanization in the office refers to a process whereby office machines
and equipment are introduced in the office with a view to aid administrative
process.
Technology has greatly
affected secretarial profession not only in Nigeria but the world-over. Looking
at the contribution of technology to the profession in the present time, one
begins to imagine what would have become of the profession if technology had
not come to its rescue. Technology has completely enveloped secretarial
profession such that it is now safe for one to say that without technology
there would be no secretarial profession. Some of the ways technology has
affected secretarial profession according to Nyone (2013), include:
1. The
use of modern word processing machines starting from electronic typewriter through
memory writer to computer, have brought great relief to the secretary. Enhanced
secretarial functions pleasurable and attractive.
2. The
speed and accuracy with which documents are produced are unraveled in the
history of human skills.
3. Technology
has eliminated wastage of secretary’s time by saving him of the time he spends
on routine job such as creation of files, storage and retrieved of such files,
which are now done by the computer.
4. Technology
has enriched secretarial job and this enrichment has resulted in job
satisfaction for secretaries. A manager now feels happy and satisfied when he
poses behind a computer, which is also found on the tables on top executives
and important officials in important offices. In fact, the computer has become
a status symbol and has made managers activities easier to perform.
5. Technology
has brought secretaries to focus and make them important members of the
organizations as they are now sent on training and retraining on the use of new
office equipment.
6. Technology
has broadened the scope of secretarial profession. It has severed the secretary
from the derogatory appendage status to an independent member of the
organization, information manager and a custodian of organizational information
reservoir.
7. Technology
has brought the whole world to the secretary’s table, he takes organization to
the world and bring the world to the organization. For this reason, every
member of the organization including the managers regards it.
8. Technology
is gradually revising the general misconception and poor perception of
secretaries in Nigeria society. Instead of their downgrading, they are now
being respected. Instead of their being looked down on as in the previous cases
they are now being looked up to.
9. Technology
has increased the secretary’s productivity. A secretary, while attending to a
visitor may as well set a computer on motion to be printing out copies of
needed documents while at the same time answering a telephone call.
10. Technology
has increased the secretary’s job opportunities and expand his areas of
specialization. In addition to the conventional duties of a secretary, a
secretary can now be engaged as an information manger, computer operator or
chief executive.
HOW
ICT AFFECTS THE JOB PERFORMANCE OF OFFICE MANAGERS
New
technology has been introduced into the office manager, however, the following
are how information communication technology affects the job performance of
office managers, they are;
1. Difficulty in Operation:
Some of this new technology equipment requires some skill or knowledge before
one can be able to operate it. So it serves as a challenge to an office worker
who has no skill or knowledge about the new equipment (Goldberg and Nwazor,
2010).
2. Over Work Load:
later the introduction of new technology into the office there will be over
work load in the office e.g with the electronic mail there will be so many
mails in the office inbox which sometimes the office manager will not be able
to go through all because it is numerous. Some new technology equipment also
causes noise in course of operations.
The
purpose of this research was to analyze effects of information communication
technology on the productivity of office managers. This section has shown, us
the view of the office manager interviewed during the research. It is apparent
to say that its effect is rather positive than otherwise. These findings also
show that ICT has great impact on the productivity of office manager in an
organization, and ICT has help to make productivity accurate, faster, and also
to reduce the work load on the organization. Also ICT creates efficiency in
organizations among states or countries. ICT according to findings can also
lead to easy flow of work in an organization.
In other words, it is to investigate
whether information and communication technology affect the productivity of
office managers at work either increasing or decreasing. Information and
communication equipment is very much needed in an organization, it will enable
the organization (especially the office manager) to have high productivity when
they are operated and handled effectively.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings and conclusion of
the study, the following recommendations are made:
1.
Information, communication technology should
be embraced in organizations to the productivity of office managers.
2.
Institutions should provide information and
communication technology e.g. computer, projector, internet facilities etc.
3.
Office workers when on the organizational
process should be given some in-service training both theoretically and
practical for the effectiveness of their functions.
4.
ICT equipments such as computer should be
emphasizes in the learning process in the institution.
5.
Since we are in the computer age,
organizations should strive to provide the necessary ICT equipment’s needed in
the modern office to ease the duties of office workers in this technological
age.
REFERENCES
Akpomi, M. and Ordu,
P. (2013). Modern office technology and the secretary’s productivity in private
business organizations. African Journal of Business Management . Vol. 3 (8),
pp. 333-339.
Braunstein, M. L.
(2010), “ Using Information Technology as
a Strategic Tool for the Prospective
Payment System”. Home health care management and practice. 12(6), 30-37.
Goldberg, S.I. and
Nwazor, J.C. (2010). “Instructional
Strategies in Business Education”. Awka: Ikenga Publishers.
Jaiyeola, R. (2017).
Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool for effective performance
of Chartered Accountants”, The Nigerian
Accountant, 40 (1), 48 -49.
Montgomerie, F. K.
(2006). “The Secretarial Studies and
Office Information Technology”. Kaduna: Euneeks and Associates.
Nonye, A. (2013).
Capacity Building in Modern Office Technology: An Imperative for Effective
Secretarial Productivity. Asian Journal of Business Management 5(2): 193-196.
Osuala E. C. (2014).” Principles and Methods of Business and Computer Education”. Enugu:
Cheston Agency Ltd.
Silver G. Silver J.
B. (2011). “Data Processing for Business”.
New York. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.
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