AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CHALLENGES OF MODERN

AUTOMATION ON THE JOB PERFORMANCE IN FINANACIAL

HOUSES

GEORGELY C. WILSON

SECRETARIAL SCIENCE

SUPERVISOR: MR. SAMUEL WEAH

TEURD INSTITUTE ACADEMIC VICATIONAL AND TECHNICAL

JUNE , 2024
 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Secretary is an engine room of any existing standard organization in the world of work because of the different skills been
learned in modern machines by secretarial students that are useful for self reliance, organization development,
education organization, public and private sector of the economy. The global technology demand in this new era, the
secretarial profession is becoming so innovative due to new modern machines and technology involved in training the
needed man-power that will effectively utilized the modern machines that will aid the job performance of these
professional secretaries. Secretaries are trained with new office machine, such as computers, electrical type writers, or
electrical electronic typewriters, recording machines, telephone, lap-tops are now used in the technological driven
profession. These tools and equipment have made the profession very interesting for students in educational that
needed the services of the secretary but mainly, my point is for the challenge of modern automation on the job
performance of secretaries in financial houses that needed the services of the secretaries.
The secretary is a trained professional whose main job is to supervise organization Administration works in the
investigation into the challenges of modern automation on the job performance of secretaries in financial houses. The
secretary exercise control over written policies and practice, observed protocol and arranged for appointments with
the outside organization. Frequently, the secretary resolves problems for organization and assesses businesses and
make recommendation for changes of office policy and remedy conventional situations and install administrative
procedure that affect subordinate units.
It is of this interest that the challenges of modern automation on the job performance of secretaries in education brought
a lot of damages into the educational organization, that is why at the end they cannot achieve their goals and
objectives. But solution came through the process of automotive machine which means modern machines.
 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The secretary is the manager of organizational information and utilization of
the information to achieve the organizational driven goals and objective.
Without proper training the secretary cannot succeed in the execution of its
duties, since we are now in 21st century, the world they say is dynamic, so
also the secretarial profession is dynamic, the only thing that is constant in
life is change, and the secretaries are greatly embracing the change with a lot
of challenges. Some of the challenges faced by secretaries in cause of using
these modern office automation, is lack of adequate qualified manpower,
who will use these modern automation, lack of electricity, cost of
maintenance, lack of availability of these equipment and tools in some of
these organization makes the job of the secretary cumbersome.
 GENERAL & SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The major purpose of this study is to identify the relevance of the challenges of modern
automation on the job performance of secretaries in financial houses.
Specific Objective
To find out the various types of modern automation equipment.
To find out the disadvantages of computers and world processors tofinancial organization.
To find out various ways by which the rate of productivity of staff in financial
organization can be affected via the less modern automation equipment.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 RESEARCH SETTING
This research will be conducted Montserrado County, Liberia.

 RESEARCH DESIGN
­A survey research design will be used to conduct the investigation on the importance of
modern automation equipment in financial organization. A survey research is considered
most appropriate for the study because it seeks opinions of respondents through survey
research, identifies present conditions preventing needs as well as to provide information on
which to raise sound decision (Osuala, 2001). Similarly, Mose and Waitan (2002) explain
that when a study centres on individuals and their opinion, the best research design should
be the survey method.
.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CON’T
 RESEARCH POPULATION
The target population will include all financial Organizations in Montserrado
county.

 SAMPLE SIZE
Total of Thirty (30) financial organization operators were selected or sample
size. This method was considered most appropriate. It gives equal
opportunity to every member of the population to be used as sample
elements.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CON’T
 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS & PROCEDURE
The data of this study will be collected using a structured questionnaire which will be coined as a
tallying sheet. The variables on the tallying sheet will be in alignment with the specific objectives of this
research which will be vital to obtaining the aim of this research. Additionally, a computer will be used
to analyze the secondary data that will be collected by the researcher.
 DATA ANALYSIS
The data generated from this study will be cleaned processed and analyzed using Microsoft excel version
2016. The descriptive and inferential analysis will be done with the sum of frequencies tabulated. The
results from the analysis will be presented in tables and charts for a clearer interpretation The
statistical method of analysis that will be use in this study is the simple percentage. The systematic
random sampling technique was also used to collect data due to limited time and finance constraints.
The data obtained will be analyzed using the simple percentage method. The formula below will be used
or adopted in the analysis.
% = Number of Responses X 100
Total number of respondent 1
 RESULTS
S/N Questionnaire items Total Resp. No with % No. of similar % Total Response
similar view view
1. Name four office equipment in your 30 100 - - - 100 Computer, photocopy
organization or firm typing and stencilling
machine
2. Which is the most important equipment in your 30 25 83 5 17 100 Computer
office?
3. Which one is the second and most important to 30 20 67 10 33 100 Photocopying machine,
the first mentioned typing and printing
information

4. What do you use the first equipment for? 30 23 67 10 33 100 Typing and printing
information
5. What are the use of the second equipment? 30 15 50 15 50 100 Recopying document

6. What is the most frequent used of equipment in - - - - - - Computer

your office?
7. Where are the equipment in your office 30 4 70 7 30 100 Overseas
manufactured?
 RESULTS CON’T
8. Do you have import license to enable you 30 22 73 3 27 100 Yes
buy the equipment overseas?

9. Do you have sufficient fund to buy and 30 23 90 7 10 100 Yes

maintain all the necessary equipment in the
office yes or no?

10. Have you ever taken a bank loan to purchase 30 22 73 8 27 100 No

some of the equipment?
11. If yes, do you think you can payback such 30 20 67 10 33 100 Yes
loans?
12. If no, what other means do you have to 30 21 70 7 30 100 Educational organization
acquire the equipment? fund, and through federal
government (post office)

13. Do you have problem associated with the use 30 32 73 3 27 100 Yes
of those equipment?
14. If yes, name some of them 30 24 80 6 20 100 Frequent breakdown, lack
of power supply
 RESULTS CON’T
15. Do these problems affect the job - - - - - - Yes
performance of secretaries in your
organization?

16. If yes, how does it affect the order of job 30 25 73 7 27 100 Delay in mail,
performance in your organisation dispatched accounts,
inability to copy
document

17. Do you have qualified personnel for the 30 21 70 9 30 100 Yes

operation maintenance of these machines
yes or no

18. Is your maintenance cost high? Yes or no 30 24 80 6 20 100 Yes

19. Do these equipment occupy valuable space - - - - - - No

in your office yes or no

20. If yes, where do you store the big office 30 25 33 5 67 100 Office
equipment?
 DISCUSSION
The result presented in the table above indicated the office machines that are important today in our offices. This can
be seen through the first question which requires the name of four machines. The three offices and ministry of
education were able to list four of the modern automation equipment and also first bank because they will borrow
money from it and they have secretary. The modern equipment i.e. computer, telephone, photocopier and stamp
cancelling machine. The second question was about the most important equipment in the office 83% of the
respondents gave the computer that distinction while 67% gave the photocopy machine as the next in importance
because of its daily use for re-copying of documents and letter as can be recalled from chapter two literature
reviews. Some of the advantages of the computer and photocopier are that they save time and help ensure accuracy.
Question seven to twelve deal with the manufacturing of these equipment and all respondents agreed that most of these
machines were made overseas and as the same time have the necessary import paper to bring these equipment into
the country. The answers also indicated they have not taken loans to purchase these machines but have other means
such as education fund and through the federal government sponsorship.
Question thirteen to twenty deal with problems and high cost of purchasing the office machines. The problem of
maintenance was also raised, 73% of the respondents agreed that the machines have problems such as lack of
electric power for operation, spare parts, non unavailability etc. 73% also agreed that these problems affect the
performance of workers or operations. For example mails are no longer dispatched quickly, photocopying cannot
be made etc. They also agreed that the maintenance cost of these machine are quite high. From here, it can be
deduced that high cost of acquisition and maintenance and other associated problems militate against the use of
modern automation equipment in educational organization today in the Warri metropolis.
 DISCUSSION CON’T

The results from the study have shown that modern automation office equipment are very important in financial
organization today.
The equipment enhance efficiency and improve the productivity of the organisation. The study has shown that firms
who use these equipments such as computer, identification screen etc have a higher rate of job performance than those
that still employ crude and manual machines in offices. The study also confirmed that most of these equipments have
one or more problems in the course of operations. This can be due to the fact that most of these machines require
steady and adequate electric supply for operation, improper use and care of machines, no preventive maintenance done
etc.
Results also indicated that high cost of maintenance is another factor militating against the use of modern office
equipment although many big organization can now meet up with the cost of maintenance.
The study confirmed that use of modern automation office equipment as a mode of working in the office facilitate speed
of activities in the office. The operators suggest that workers fatigue is reduce from use of the machines.
 CONCLUSION

From the survey of data collected, the researcher discovered the role of an investigation into challenges of modern
automation on secretary job performance were study, it was discovered that education and constant training will
contribute greatly to secretary efficiency and effectiveness in the execution of her duties thereby increases their skills
and create room for higher rewards and progress within and outside the financial organizations. Training and
development equip the secretary for greater performance in the term of output, quality and general productive job
performance, and also develop the skill and potentials of the executives towards her performance.
Training and education help the secretary to gain the commitment of employee by encouraging the engaging with the
mission and vision of the financial organization, and to manage charges through improve understanding of the reason
for changes of providing people with the knowledge and skill they need to adjust to new innovation and technological
situation of the educational organization.
Finally, it is cleared that secretaries perform virtually all administrative role in the execution of their duties, being it
education.
 RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to address the unpleasant situation seen from the observations above, the following recommendations arising
from the present effort made by the researcher may proved useful.
That secretaries should be given opportunity to hold managerial position in any financial organization.
The secretaries must undergoes training in secretarial colleges and obtained minimum of B.Sc or AA in secretarial
studies before they can be recognize as secretary.
Secretaries should be trained with new modern automation machines and equipments in order to meet up with the 21 st
century world.
The modern automation should be made available to schools and institution where secretaries are trained.
That secretaries should be compensated and motivated for their effort in the organizations. If the above
recommendations are implemented, there will be improvement in the secretaries effectiveness to carry out their
duties.
This project work, workshops, conferences should be organized fork secretaries in educational organizations.
 SUMMARY
The aim of this study is to identify the impact of modern automation equipment or machine in financial organization in
Montserrado county Liberia.
In chapter one, the researcher talked about the increasing number of machines in the office and how a junior office
worker may be expected to operate these machines descending briefly the purpose method of usage and
disadvantages of these machines and factors to be considered when introducing the use of these machines.

Chapter two deals with the review of literature of this project. This concerns what other authors and educationists who
have written about other subject matter. The different types of machines like computers, typewriters, photocopiers
etc. Were also highlighted by discussing the method of operating types or model, advantages of these machines.
Chapter three is about the construction of questionnaire, which the researcher used in eliciting ideas and opinion from
various people in the different financial organization. Finally, chapter four deals with the analysis of the data form.
The analysis suggested the lack of spare and a high maintenance cost are among the factors that work against the use
of modern automation office equipment in educational organization.
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