A CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE GROWTH OF SECRETARIES IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN CAMEROON

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study 

The secretary is responsible for coordinating the operations of an organization's processes and procedures that facilitate the efficient administration of organisational affairs. These encompass, among other things, the process of selecting new directors, facilitating their induction and staff meetings, ensuring effective communication and liaison between the organisation and its other personnel, and producing minutes and organising follow-up actions. However, the function encompasses numerous additional aspects. The secretary may be tasked with the provision of legal and procedural counsel and the submission of organization-required information. Frequently, the position necessitates striking a balance between the managerial imperative and the organisational standards of transparency and accountability (Jeyarai, 2018).

Secretaries are indispensable in all types of organisations, including advertising, public education, law, industry, manufacturing, publishing, schools, insurance, and banking. Additionally, they are employed by legislators, writers, and judges. It is indisputable that the secretary serves as a pillar of support for every organisation. The administration of the staff has accomplished much, and the secretary is not an exception. The term "secretary" originates from the Latin word "secretary," which refers to an information that is restricted to a select few and concealed from public view or understanding. In essence, a secretary is an individual who safeguards confidential information. An individual employed in an office setting, who acts on behalf of another, performs various tasks such as typing, maintaining records, and scheduling meetings with clients. A secretary who is working in substandard conditions cannot achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness (Jeyarai, 2018).

Professional growth, in a general sense, pertains to the advancement of an individual in their professional capacity. To be more precise, it refers to the growth and improvement of a secretary's professional skills and abilities. Secretary development refers to the advancement of a secretary's professional skills and knowledge through the accumulation of experience and the systematic analysis of their job responsibilities (Bashir et al., 2018). Professional development encompasses both structured experiences, such as attending seminars and professional meetings, as well as unstructured experiences, such as reading professional journals and viewing academic documentaries on television (Bashir et al., 2018).

Professional growth consists of two primary stages: initial preparation and ongoing professional development. Typically, initial secretary training consists of full-time residential pre-service programmes offered by colleges or universities. Existing secretaries who lack qualifications may have the opportunity to receive initial training through remote education or 'out of school' programmes during holidays or longer periods of time away from school. Initial secretary training curricula might include professional components that are either consecutive or concurrent with academic subjects (Vijayan, 2019).

However, there are certain aspects that impact secretaries while they are working, and these factors can have either a favourable or bad effect on their professional development and success within an organisation. It occasionally influences their duration of employment within the business. Some of the variables include technological elements related to linguistic structure, sociological issues related to the environment, and economic factors. Currently, there is an increasing demand to familiarise secretaries with the operation of contemporary office technology, as they encounter various difficulties in the modern era. The significance of the language structure training obtained by secretaries at the Institute of Management and Technology cannot be overstated, as the labour market and career opportunities are primarily intended for those with a strong command of language and proficient spoken English.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The contributions and efficacy of a secretary can either augment or lessen the efficiency of a private organisation. It has been noted that secretaries in private organisations often fail to meet their supervisors' expectations, and this underperformance can be related to specific conditions or factors. Their work attitude often demonstrates indicators of inefficiency (Bashir et al., 2018).

Sanghi (2018) proposed that a specific set of elements were accountable for this. The factors contributing to job dissatisfaction encompass low wages, limited interpersonal connections, disinterest in tasks, unfavourable working conditions, insufficient resources, unappealing additional perks, and a lack of job fulfilment. Thus, the responsibilities imitated cannot be completely realised.

In addition, certain secretaries neglected to take advantage of the chances provided to them.  This has resulted in a significant disparity between the majority of executives and their secretaries. According to Sanghi (2018), the productivity of secretaries in public organisations is affected by various issues, including inadequate modern machines, environmental conditions, lack of training, poor interaction with others, and the absence of fringe benefits. Furthermore, the failure of employers in contemporary corporate organisations to adequately compensate and incentivize their secretaries in accordance with the expectations of the evolving work settings is another source of distress or difficulty. Consequently, the secretary's low morale, subpar level of living, frequent lateness, and absenteeism have ensued. 

1.3 Objectives of the Study 

The primary objective of this study is to critically analyse the factors affecting the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon. Specifically the study seeks to:

Find out whether there is need for growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon.

Assess the factors that affects the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon.

Examine the effects of professional growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon.

Examine the measures that could be used to improve the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

Is there any need for growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon?

What are the factors that affects the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon?

What are the effects of professional growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon?

What are the measures that could be used to improve the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will validate this study:

Ho1: There are no factors affecting the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon.

1.6 Significance of the study

This study would help to identify the factors that contribute to low and high productivity of secretaries in public organisations. It will also reveal to prospective secretarial in the career what they should expect from the profession as regards people misconception and misunderstanding of the career. 

This study will help to find out the factors that result to ineffectiveness and inefficiency of secretaries. The research will also enable the organization or the employers of labor  to know how to relate with their secretaries.

Finally, this study will as well serve as a foundation upon which further academic research can be made.

1.7 Scope of the study

The study aims to carry out a critical analysis on the factors affecting the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon. Empirically, this study will find out whether there is need for growth of secretaries in public service, assess the factors that affects the growth of secretaries in public service, examine the effects of professional growth of secretaries in public service and investigate the measures that could be used to improve the growth of secretaries in public service.

This study will be carried out in Cameroon.

1.8 Limitation of the study

The researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that the factors affecting the growth of secretaries in public service in Cameroon discourse is vast thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only residents of Cameroon. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for other regions within Cameroon. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint encountered during the research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.9 Definition of terms

Secretary: A secretary is an administrative professional who provides clerical and administrative support to an individual or an organization. Their duties typically include tasks such as answering phone calls, managing correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing meetings, maintaining records, and performing various administrative tasks to ensure the smooth functioning of an office or department. Secretaries often serve as a primary point of contact between their employer and clients, customers, or other staff members.

Public service: Public service typically refers to the work or activities undertaken by government agencies or organizations that aim to serve the public interest or benefit society as a whole. These services can encompass a wide range of areas, including education, healthcare, infrastructure development, law enforcement, environmental protection, social welfare programs, and more. The primary goal of public service is to promote the well-being and advancement of the community or nation, often by providing essential goods, services, or support to citizens and addressing common needs or challenges.

Factors: Factors refer to elements or variables that can influence a situation, outcome, or decision. These can be diverse and context-dependent, including environmental, social, economic, psychological, or physical components. In any given scenario, identifying and understanding relevant factors is crucial for analysis, planning, and problem-solving. For example, in business, factors affecting profitability might include market demand, competition, production costs, and consumer behavior. Similarly, in health, factors influencing well-being could encompass genetics, lifestyle choices, access to healthcare, and socio-economic status.