IMPACT OF TYPESCRIPTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SECRETARIES IN AKANU IBIAM FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC UNWANA

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In the past centuries, secretaries kept important documents or mails in their files or drawers. These files were kept in the filing cabinet or the storage facility which was in use for years. Some of these documents became too old and torn, could get lost, or the cabinet could not contain them any longer, thereby leading to misfiling. Also, some other workers in the organization could take away important documents without the secretary's knowledge.

Furthermore, stones and sticks were initially used as counting tools or machines before the industrial revolution. Charles Babbage, who invented the first calculating machine, foresaw the ineffectiveness of using the Abacus method of calculation. The computer came into existence with the help of Harvard University coupled with the ideas of Babbage and the experience gained from the use of the punched-card machine. The first electronic computer was built in 1944 and was called the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC).

Over the years (during the 19th and 20th centuries), business offices have been undergoing a process of computerization in terms of installing computers and other modern equipment in place of old and obsolete ones. This computerization process started in Europe after the industrial revolution and has since gone round the world, including Nigeria; Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana is no exception.

Secretaries are often the facilitators of numerous aspects of communication throughout a workplace environment. They will often act as a liaison for management and will manage calls like a receptionist. They are also usually tasked with the circulation of memos, agendas and other types of reports concerning the organization. During meetings, secretaries often keep track of the chairman's and other people's schedules and will many times be tasked with taking notes for the convenience of other people at the meeting. When resolutions are made, secretaries are sometimes tasked with ensuring that certain commitments and agreed actions are followed up. It is imperative to note that there are several impacts of typescripts (word-processing and computer skills) on modern secretaries, which include speed and accuracy, neatness, ease of editing, formatting and the safe storage of documents, to mention a few.

The last two decades have witnessed a much faster pace of change than earlier writers on office technology could have anticipated. Studies conducted in Nigerian tertiary institutions between 2020 and 2025 have continued to confirm that computer and information and communication technology (ICT) competence remains central to how secretaries and administrative staff are evaluated. For instance, Edun and Soyebi (2022) established a significant relationship between secretaries' ICT literacy and competencies and their overall job performance in public universities, noting that secretaries who were more proficient in ICT applications recorded higher productivity and were rated more favourably by their supervisors. In a related study, Ocholi et al. (2022) argued that twenty-first century digital skills, such as the secure use of email, cloud-based document handling, and online collaboration tools, have become a survival requirement rather than an optional extra for the modern secretary, since employers increasingly expect secretarial staff to move seamlessly between traditional clerical duties and digital platforms. Similarly, Olatunde (2022), in a study of public universities in South-west Nigeria, found that skills in word processing, database management, computer-assisted retrieval and electronic records management were consistently rated by supervisors as "highly needed" for effective secretarial job performance, reinforcing the idea that the typewriter-based competences of an earlier generation of secretaries have simply migrated onto the keyboard and screen of the computer.

This trend is not peculiar to Nigeria. Kabakuş, Bahçekapılı and Ayaz (2023), in a study of administrative staff in Turkish higher education institutions, found that digital literacy had a strong positive influence on staff members' willingness and ability to adopt new digital technologies at work, underscoring that the challenge of computer adoption among office staff is a global rather than a purely local phenomenon. In the same vein, Abdulkareem et al. (2024), studying local government employees in Kwara State, Nigeria, reported that digital literacy had a significant positive effect on employee productivity, and that access to ICT infrastructure strengthened this relationship even further. These recent findings collectively suggest that the ability to use computer applications competently, once regarded as a specialised or optional skill, has become an ordinary and expected part of clerical and secretarial competence across both developed and developing economies.

Closer to the context of this study, Adenekan and Jimoh (2024) examined administrative staff of federal tertiary institutions in South-west Nigeria and found that structured ICT training made a significant contribution to staff members' electronic information-processing skills, virtual communication ability, and adaptive use of new technology. They recommended that such training be made a regular and domain-specific exercise rather than a one-off induction activity, a recommendation that speaks directly to the situation of secretarial staff in polytechnics such as Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana, where administrative work increasingly depends on computer-based systems for admissions, records, correspondence and reporting.

Knowing fully well that one of the major concerns of secretaries in this modern age is the fear that the computer has come to replace them, it is worth noting that this fear is not unfounded, but neither is it the full picture. On one hand, projections from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reviewed by Pennathur, Boksa, Pennathur, Kusiak and Livingston (2024) in their bibliometric analysis of office and administrative work in the era of artificial intelligence, indicate that secretarial and administrative support roles are among the occupations expected to experience workforce decline as automation, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence tools take over more routine clerical tasks. On the other hand, the same body of research emphasises that the roles most at risk are those built around narrow, repetitive, purely clerical tasks, while secretaries and administrative professionals who develop stronger digital, analytical and communication competences are better positioned to remain relevant, take on higher-value coordinating and decision-support functions, and adapt as office technology continues to evolve. This reinforces, rather than weakens, the argument that computer and typescript competence is essential for the modern secretary: it is not simply a tool for doing the old job faster, but increasingly the basis on which the secretary's continued relevance in the office is judged.

It is also noticed that students in secretarial and office technology management programmes are not always taught word processing and related computer applications as a serious, practice-oriented course, and this has contributed to the difficulty some graduates face in performing confidently once employed. Considering the aforementioned and the demands of the modern office, secretaries have no option but to acquire computer knowledge. Moreover, the duties of modern secretaries and the use of computers revolve around the secretariat for the achievement of organizational goals, because a modern office without computer-competent staff may not achieve its goals effectively. A modern secretary is a person who possesses a mastery of office skills, who demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without supervision, who exercises initiative and judgment, and who makes decisions within the scope of assigned authority, underpinned by a working knowledge of computers.

Today, most offices have been computerized, and it is secretaries who operate this equipment in the course of discharging their duties effectively. The question then becomes: "To what extent does the use of computers affect the job performance of modern secretaries in terms of efficiency?" Quality of work reduces mistakes in circulation and gives offices an efficient basis for cost and impact analysis that would be nearly impossible with manual operations. The impact of computer literacy on modern secretaries therefore becomes an important subject of investigation.

Computerized technology is more powerful, more versatile and more flexible than the mechanical technology that the world has now outgrown. In a rapidly changing world where information technology and the electronic office are fast becoming the norm, secretaries can no longer rely solely on their basic office skills or traditional secretarial training. Although discipline and interpersonal skill remain necessary, the ability to work confidently with word processors, computers, desktop-publishing software and evolving computer applications is now an essential requirement. The introduction of computer technology improves secretarial skill and experience: office work is one of the areas of business most influenced by the computer and the microprocessor. Secretarial work requires the use of word processors, printers and monitors to manage information, and computers are equally vital to accountants, engineers, scientists and artists in their respective fields. Computers are therefore central to the way secretaries manage systems and store information.

In spite of this computer age, some secretaries still carry out their duties manually, without the aid of computers, largely because they remain unfamiliar with the usefulness and operation of the technology. This research is therefore carried out in order to carefully identify how much typescripts (word-processing and computer competence) can help modern secretaries and how such competence affects the performance of their duties, using secretaries and administrative staff at Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana as a case study.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Since the introduction of computers into the business world, secretaries have found it increasingly difficult to keep pace with developments in the micro-computer age, largely because of the range of problems associated with computer use. According to Terry (1970), one of the problems associated with the use of computers is the high cost of maintenance. The cost of repairing and maintaining computers is often so high that some machines are left idle in the office, leaving secretaries who depend on them handicapped in carrying out their duties. Recurrent expenses in the form of stationery, ink, staff training and special remuneration for computer-competent staff are further problems associated with computer procurement (Onasanya, 1990). Onasanya further noted that although computers reduce inefficiency on the part of the secretary, problems such as delay in production due to machine breakdown still arise.

More recent studies confirm that these are not merely historical concerns. Adenekan and Jimoh (2024) found that many administrative staff in federal tertiary institutions in Nigeria still exhibit gaps in digital competence, despite the near-universal presence of computers in their offices, and attributed this partly to irregular or poorly targeted ICT training. In a related finding, a study of secretaries in public polytechnics across South-west Nigeria reported that the general level of information-management practice among secretaries, though present, remained only moderate rather than strong, suggesting that computer adoption in polytechnic secretariats has not yet translated fully into consistently high performance. These findings are directly relevant to a Federal Polytechnic such as Unwana, where the effectiveness of computerization depends not only on the availability of hardware but on the depth of typescript competence among the secretarial staff who use it daily.

Also, modern secretaries who lack computer literacy find it difficult to cope with or perform their duties well in a modern office. Many modern offices no longer employ secretaries without demonstrable typescript competence. Again, the old system of manual filing or storage has largely been phased out since the introduction of computers into the business world. Some secretaries continue to rely on manual methods, not out of preference, but because of limited exposure to, or ignorance of, the usefulness of computer applications. It is against this background that the researcher developed an interest in identifying the impacts of typescripts on modern secretaries, using Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana as a case study.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The objectives of this study are to examine the impacts of typescripts on modern secretaries, using Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana as the case study.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

i. Identify the impacts of typescripts on the job performance of modern secretaries. ii. Find out whether modern secretaries who are not computer literate can be conveniently employed in a modern office. iii. Identify whether the knowledge of computers facilitates the work of modern secretaries. iv. Find out the importance of computers to modern secretaries. v. Find out whether the introduction of computers has come to replace the work of secretaries.

1.4 Research Questions

To achieve the above objectives, the following five research questions were formulated to guide the study:

i. Does the knowledge of computers facilitate the work of secretaries? ii. What is the relevance of computers to modern secretaries? iii. Can modern secretaries who are not computer literate be conveniently employed in a modern office? iv. What are the impacts of computer literacy on the job performance of modern secretaries? v. Has the introduction of computers come to replace the work of secretaries?

1.5 Hypotheses of the Study

Arising from the research questions, the following hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

Ho1: There is no significant impact of computer/typescript literacy on the job performance of secretaries in Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana.

Ho2: There is no significant difference in the job performance of secretaries who are computer literate and those who are not computer literate.

Ho3: Computer knowledge does not significantly facilitate the work of modern secretaries in Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This research is focused on identifying the impacts of computer literacy on modern secretaries in Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana. The study covers secretaries and relevant administrative staff of the institution and examines the extent to which typescript/computer competence (word processing, formatting, editing, storage and retrieval of documents, and related digital skills) affects their day-to-day job performance, drawing on both the researcher's field survey and recent (2020–2025) literature on ICT and digital literacy among secretarial and administrative staff.

1.7 Significance of the Study

This study on the impact of computers on the job performance of modern secretaries would be of benefit to businessmen, organizations, and the Nigerian economy in particular.

The study is significant in that it will help modern secretaries determine whether computer literacy is important to the performance of their jobs. This is to minimize, and where possible eliminate, computer ignorance on the part of secretaries and other office workers. Evidence from recent studies, such as Abdulkareem et al. (2024), which found a significant positive relationship between digital literacy and employee productivity in the Nigerian public sector, and Kabakuş et al. (2023), which linked digital literacy directly to administrative staff's willingness to adopt new technology, lends empirical weight to the practical significance of this line of enquiry.

The study will also help to clarify the ongoing debate about whether the introduction of computers will render modern secretaries jobless. Many secretaries still fear that the primary purpose of introducing computers into business is to displace them from their positions in the office. By drawing on both local field data and recent scholarship, including work on artificial intelligence and the future of office occupations (Pennathur et al., 2024), this study offers a more balanced view: rather than eliminating the secretarial profession outright, computerization is reshaping the skills that determine who remains employable within it.

On the side of employers, the study's significance lies in informing employers about the category of secretaries best suited to their organizations, thereby helping them to know, choose, or recruit qualified secretarial staff.

Secretaries are widely regarded as the life-wire of any organization or business. When secretaries and their employers are satisfied with the tools and competences available to them, the organization as a whole benefits. The position of the secretary in office affairs reflects a broader trend in office work worldwide; therefore, the findings of this study have relevance beyond the immediate case-study institution.

Finally, this study is significant in that it constitutes a major requirement for the conferment of the National Diploma in Office Technology and Management (OTM) on the researcher. The study will also be of benefit to directors, managers, secretaries, researchers, and others who require information for the enrichment of the literature on secretarial studies, particularly given the rapid pace of change in office technology between 2020 and 2025.

1.8 Definition of Terms

i. Identification: An act of determining the properties of something, usually through research. ii. Impact: A change that somebody or something causes in somebody or something else; a change that results from an action or other cause. iii. Computer: An electronic device or machine that can store information and process it according to a set of instructions. iv. Typescripts: In the context of this study, typescripts refer to typewritten or word-processed documents and, by extension, the typing and word-processing competences (speed, accuracy, formatting, editing and document management) required to produce them using a computer. v. Literacy: The ability to read and write; in this study, computer/ICT literacy refers to the ability to use computer hardware and software confidently to perform office tasks. vi. Digital Literacy: The awareness, attitude and ability of an individual to use digital tools and facilities appropriately to access, manage, evaluate and communicate information in the course of carrying out work-related tasks (adapted from Kabakuş et al., 2023). vii. Modern Secretary: An officer of a society or organization who deals with correspondence, organizes official meetings and events, and possesses skills and knowledge of modern office equipment, including computers.

References

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Adenekan, T. E., & Jimoh, T. A. (2024). Assessing the role of ICT training in bridging digital competence gap among administrative staff of federal tertiary institutions in South-West Nigeria. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(1), 1–10.

Edun, H. J., & Soyebi, G. A. (2022). Relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) literacy and competencies and public universities' professional secretaries' job performance.

Kabakuş, A. K., Bahçekapılı, E., & Ayaz, A. (2023). The effect of digital literacy on technology acceptance: An evaluation on administrative staff in higher education. Journal of Information Science, 51(4), 930–941. https://doi.org/10.1177/01655515231160028

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Olatunde, A. M. (2022). Electronic records management skills needed by secretaries for effective job performance in public universities in Southwest Nigeria. KWASU International Journal of Education (KIJE), 5(1).

Pennathur, P. R., Boksa, V., Pennathur, A., Kusiak, A., & Livingston, B. (2024). The future of office and administrative support occupations in the era of artificial intelligence: A bibliometric analysis. arXiv preprint, arXiv:2405.03808.