THE ROLES OF OFFICE MANAGERS IN RECORD MANAGEMENT (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI AND FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE OWERRI) CHINEDU J.

TITLE PAGE THE ROLES OF OFFICE MANAGERS IN RECORD MANAGEMENT (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI AND FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE OWERRI) BY ONYINYECHI UKACHI 2006/1176/SA TO THE DEPARTMENT OF OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE OWERRI, IMO STATE. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF NATIONAL DIPLOMA (ND) IN OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT. AUGUST 2008. APPROVAL PAGE This is to certify that this research work on “the role of office managers in record management, a case study of first bank Plc owerri was carried out by Okpani Onyinyechi Gift of the department of office technology and management. ………………………. …………… Mrs. P. C. Nwaogwugwu Date Project Supervisor ………………………. …………… Dr (Mrs.) C. C. Iwuoha Date HOD ………………………… …………… External Supervisor Date. DEDICATION This project is dedicated firstly to the Almighty God, the owner, the giver of wisdom, understanding and knowledge. And also seeing me through in all my endeavors and to my lovely parents; brothers and sisters and also to my friends. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to give God Glory, and to express my profound gratitude an appreciation to those whom God has used to contribute tremendously in different ways to the success of this research work. My unreserved thanks go to my lovely brother and his wife Mr. and Mrs. Okpani Olu for supporting me in the area of finance. And to my parents Mr. and Mrs. olu Okpani and my sisters and brothers, favour, Christy, , Miracle, Venus, Asiegbu Opkani and my elder sisters Mrs. Nnenna Okpani, they backed me up with their prayers. I also give appreciation to my friends Mr. Job Onyemere, Nwafor Onyinyechi, Mrs. Nwoke Cynthia, Okeoma Obioma, Obioha Ijeoma and so many others for supporting me in my studies. I am also grateful to my head of Department Dr (Mrs.) C.C Iwuoha and also to my good supervisor Mrs. P. C. Nwaogwugwu for her contributions in this work. ABTRACT The study examined the impact of records keeping on office managers in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study.The study was carried out in Ebonyi and Enugu States of Nigeria. The entire population comprising of 100 office managers was studied. A four point response item questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. Two experts in the department of business education and one expert in educational measurement and evaluation were given the drafted copies of the questionnaire for face and content validity. Cronbach Alpha was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test statistics. The findings of the study showed that records’ keeping is very important for effective planning of the office. Despite the importance of records keeping on office management, it has been constrained by lack of funds, insufficient skills, poor storage, and lack of infrastructure etc. Furthermore, the null hypotheses were accepted. Based on these findings, the researcher recommended that government and school authorities should provide adequate funds and sufficient skills for the effective management of office records, there should be adequate training and retraining of office managers, also there should be adequate infrastructure in the school. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page Approval page Dedication Acknowledgement Abstract Table of contents CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study-------------------- 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem-------------------- 5 1.3 Objectives of the study-------------------------- 8 1.4 Research Question---------------------------- 9 1.5 Significance of the Study--------------------- 9 1.6 Scope & Limitation of the study--------------- 10 1.7 Definition of terms - - - - - 11 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 introduction other literature relevant to the topic CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research design--------------------------- 22 3.2 Area of the study------------------------------ 23 3.3 Population and sample size------------------------ 23 3.4 sampling Techniques------------ 23 3.5 Description of Instrument--------------------- 24 3.6 Method of data collection---------------------- 25 3.7 reliability and validity of measuring instrument 3.8 Method of data Analysis----------------------- 25 CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 4.1 Research Question 1--------------------------- 26 4.2 Research Question 2--------------------------- 28 4.3 Research Question 3-------------------------- 29 4.4 Research Question 4-------------------------- 32 4.5 Research Question 5-------------------------- 33 4.6 Discussions of Findings----------------------- 34 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION REFERENCE 5.1 Summary of Findings----------------------------- 37 5.2 Conclusion------------------------------------- 38 5.3 Recommendations----------------------------- 39 5.4 Area of further Research---------------------- 41 Appendix 1 Letter------------------------------------------------ 44 Appendix 2 Questionnaire--------------------------------- 45 CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION As you know in every office, a large volume of information in form of letters, circulars, and telegrams are sent to outsiders or received from them. Inside the organization also written materials are exchanged between different departments. All this items when received need to be documented by an office manager for future reference. A planned and efficient handling of these records is essential for the success of any business organization. It is described as the backbone and an integral part of an office. Hicks (1964) described that In the course of doing business, records are created through a variety of government activities such as vehicle registration, professional licensing, procurement contract transactions, general correspondence, and other external and internal business processes. Records may be created and transmitted in a variety of ways: • Handwritten. • Typewritten. • Audio/video recording. • Computer generated (including e-mail and databases). These records support, document, and provide evidence of a variety of organizations activities including: • Business processes. • Program evaluation. • Information policy making processes. • Accountability ensurance. • Facilities planning. This paper addresses the role of office managers in re4cord management, real world dilemmas of what a record is and the task of its lifecycle management by proposing a working definition of a record, discussing the challenges of managing records by office managers, and identifying a set of best practice recommendations. 1.1 Background of the Study Due to continuous technological changes in all facets of human endeavour, there have been drastic changes in the methods of records-keeping in Nigerian Universities. Records keeping is essential in all organized offices. This is because all organizations, including the Universities and polytechnics depend on information for their decision making and service delivery. The records of an organization such as the university and poltechnics system constitutes her corporate memory which supplement human memory as well as guide the effective planning, and decision making (Fasasi, 2004). Accurate and good records keeping are the bedrock of planning in the University setting (Popoola, 2000). According to him, if there is no information, the office management will be crippled in its ability to plan and make decision. Furthermore, Durosaro (2002) noted that records keeping helps in the effective planning and administration of a university. This is because records keeping plays an important role in effective and efficient management of universities and polytechnics. It helps in the planning and implementation of appropriate course of actions, allowing proper monitoring of activities or tasks. Akube (1991) in his contribution noted that records keeping is meant to enhance the performance of tertiary institutions’ administration. Adequate records management coordinates and protects institutions records, sharpens the effectiveness of the records and helps to simplify intra organizational and communication problems. Asogwa (2004) opined that records of data generated in the course of execution of legitimate function of an intsitution should be kept and managed properly. Despite the importance record keeping in office management, it has been observed that these records as noted by Ugwunze (1992) to be poorly kept and managed by office managers, hence, he opined that school records should be properly kept and managed for proper utilization and retrieval when needed. A well organized records keeping saves a lot of money for the management. It helps to control the quality and quantity of information that is created. This is important because information can be maintained in way that effectively serves the need of the organization and any information that are no longer necessary can be disposed of efficiently. Furthermore, Egwunyenga (2005) noted that proper record keeping by office managers are constrained due to insufficient skills by office managers, lack of infrastructure, problem of storage, poor supervision and poor records management programme in Nigerian Universities. Thus, management of school records becomes an issue of great concern to stakeholders in education. Thus, in the face of the aforementioned challenges it is pertinent to determine 1.2 Statement of the Problems Although the main purpose of managing office records properly is to keep information safe and readily available to the office managers and the organizations as when needed. Improper handling of records can pose or may involve an element of risk to the office managers and the entire organization as well as affecting her performance. The office managers has to be aware and prepared for these. Ahukannah (2000) stated that the cause of the problems militating against handling of office records properly by the secretaries are lack of training, inadequate knowledge of the computer in storing information in the company’s database, lack of office record and filing equipments, management attitude, lack of technical know-how by the office managers in storing these records, etc.. Inadequate training and skills requirement is another problem associated with bad record management. 1.3 Objective of the Study The main objective of this study is to identify the various roles of office managers in record management using federal polytechnic nekede and federal university of technology owerri as a reference or case study. Specifically, the study attempt to: 1 ) The role of records keeping on effective planning of the office by office managers in Nigerian Universities and polytechnics. 2) The impact of record keeping on efficient control of information in the office in Nigerian Universities. 3) Identify the various kinds of office records available in the organization. 4) Determine the skills needed by office managers in handling these office records. 5) Evaluate the extent to which the office managers can operate some record processing or storage equipments such as computer system. 6) Identify the problems which the office managers encounters in the handling of these office records. 7) To make suggestions on how these problems can be resolved. 1.4 Research Questions The following research questions guided the study: 1. What is the role of record keeping on effective planning of the office by office managers? 2. What is the impact of records keeping on efficient control of information in the office in Nigerian Universities?1. What are the various kinds of office records office managers handled? 3. What are the skills that office managers need to handle all these records? 4. What are the adequacies of these skills? 5. what are the benefits of handling office records properly? 6) What are the problems encountered by office managers in handling office records? 1.5 Significance of the Study The result of this study will help office managers to identify some problems facing them in handling records. It will also explain how important office managers are in an organization or the universities and polytechnics and to know many unique things about office managers (i.e.) their strong ability to handle records effectively. It is strongly believe that after going through this study, it will serve as a useful tools as it will be informative and educative to prospective student’s secretaries who wants to carry on further research on the subject matter. 1.6 Scope and limitations of the Study The scope of this study is limited to look at the “Roles of office managers in record management. This work is limited to universities and polytechnics Owerri alone. In the course of the research work, the researcher encountered some constraints, which affected the final output of the study. There limitations amongst others include: a. Time: The time available for the completion of the research study was not adequate. This was because the researcher was mandated to report her findings within a fixed time limit during the academic session. b. Cost: For a maximum fulfillment of the objective of this study, the researcher needed to visit all the office of university and polytechnic secretaries to obtain first-hand information. This, she could not achieve due to the huge expenses that would be incurred in the process. c. Attitudes of Respondents: The negative attitude of some respondents to the researcher’s request for audience in answering questions or filling the questionnaires also constituted a constraint to the assignment. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter reviews literature that is related to the role of office managers in record management. Books, Journal, magazines and other materials used to determine the views of authorities on topic of this study. The information was organized and is arranged under the following subheadings: 1) Meaning of records and record management 2) Record content, context and structure 3) The importance of records management in an organization. 4) The skill required by Office managers in handling office records. 5) The role of office managers in record management 5) Problems encountered by Office managers in handling these records., etc 2.2 MEANING OF DOCUMENT, RECORD AND RECORD MANAGEMENT According to Ahukannah (2002), In records management it is important to be clear about the difference between a document and a record. According to him, A document is any piece of written information in any form, produced or received by an organisation or person. It can include databases, website, email messages, word and excel files, letters, and memos. Some of these documents will be ephemeral or of very short-term value and should never end up in a records management system (such as invitations to lunch). Some documents will need to be kept as evidence of business transactions, routine activities or as a result of legal obligations, such as policy documents. These should be placed into an official filing system and at this point, they become official records. In other words, all records start off as documents, but not all documents will ultimately become records. (Azuka, 1991). What is a record? According to Denyer (1978), By law, records are any papers, books, photographs, tapes, films, recordings, or other documentary materials, or any copies thereof, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made, produced, executed, or received by any department or office of the University or by any academic or administrative staff member in connection with the transaction of University business, and retained by that agency or its successor as evidence of its activities or functions because of the information contained therein. Elendu (1983) stated that records include the data generated via automated information systems. If your office has developed a computer application to manage some particular facet of its operations, the information in that system is considered a University record, whether or not you generate any actual paper or hard copy from it. You are not, however, responsible for information systems such as the accounting information system for which your office does not bear major responsibility. Although your office may access and/or input data into the accounting system, the responsibility for the system and its contents belongs to the business services-accounting office. According to Fries (1974), certain categories of materials are not considered records: • Stocks of printed or reproduced documents kept for supply purposes when file copies have been retained for records purposes; for example, handbooks or manuals prepared for the instruction of a particular course. • Books, periodicals, newspapers, and other library and museum materials made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes. • Duplicate microfilm. • Preliminary drafts of letters, memoranda, reports, worksheets, and informal notes which do not represent significant basic steps in the preparation of the record document. • Convenience copies of reports, memoranda, etc., for which your office was not the originator or the office of record, and which have not been annotated by your office. • Materials not filed as evidence for department operations that have no informational value, such as telephone call slips, letters of transmittal, route slips, etc. What is records management? According to Ohakwe et al (2002), Records management is a "field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records". He stated that the goals of records management are to: • Comply with Federal and State laws and regulations • Develop and implement sound record keeping practices • Identify, appraise, locate, and manage organiztaion information resources during a record's lifecycle • Maintain consistent record keeping practices • Generate fewer records but better records According to Nwosu (1997), Records management is a globally recognized requirement. In 2001, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued ISO 15489, a standard for developing a records management program. Requirements for records management programs are also outlined in both Wisconsin Statutes and the Board of Regents Policies. Records management is the systematic control of an organisation's records, throughout their life cycle, in order to meet operational business needs, statutory and fiscal requirements, and community expectations. Effective management of corporate information allows fast, accurate and reliable access to records, ensuring the timely destruction of redundant information and the identification and protection of vital and historically important records. (Ohakwe, et al 2002). 2.3 RECORD CONTENT, CONTEXT AND STRUCTURE Record Content According to Hamson (1977), Content is the text, data, metadata, symbols, numerals, images, and sound that make up the substance of the record. A record’s ability to fix information so that it can be repeated, recited, or recalled at a later date functions as an extension of memory and is at the heart of the concept of record. A record may be created specifically to preserve information over time or to prevent future misinterpretation of that information, although a record cannot be presumed to be reliable without authentication. However, any item – no matter how ephemeral it was intended to be – may serve as a record if it is later used as evidence of the thing to which it refers. Record Structure Hicks (2002), Structure refers to a record's physical characteristics and internal organization of the contents. A record’s structure is the form that makes the content tangible and intelligible. Physical characteristics include components and methods of assembly, such as paper, ink, seals, and font families, or character sets, encoding, and formats. Structure also includes the intellectual organization of a document. A record’s structure may be very simple, such as plain text on a page; it may be organized into an outline or sections with headings; or it may be highly complex, including a preamble, the body, and the signatures of witnesses. Ibekwe (1994) stated that a document’s structure is contained within boundaries, which define the record as a unit and give it identity by distinguishing it from other information and may be identified/outlined in the records metadata. A record may consist of many physically or logically discrete parts that function together as unit, such as several pages or data values from many tables. However, those parts must be bound together in some fashion. Record Context According to Ahukannah (2002), Context is the organizational, functional, and operational circumstances surrounding a record’s creation, receipt, storage, or use. Context includes a record’s date and place of creation, compilation, or issue, and its relationship to other records. Context explains the “why” of the record and may be contained within the record’s metadata. A single record derives its trustworthiness and usefulness from its association with other records that collectively tell the story of an event or activity. A letter from a constituent, for example, may be filed with the letter of response so that anyone viewing the response in the future can see it in the context of the request. Without the request, the response may be taken out of context and misconstrued. Record context is very important for agency accountability as it establishes the chain of events, business activities, information gathered, etc. that led to a business decisions or outcome. 2.4 The Importance of Records Management in an organization According to Azuka (1991), Records management is a highly important part of a business. It may not be as glamorous or exciting as many of the other facets, but depending on the type of information a business deals in, the loss of records held by the business could mean a potential data protection breach, which could end up very financially damaging to a business. Therefore records management is important in the smooth-running of a company. According to Elendu (1983) Records management can present a number of problems; should a business move all records on to computers to be stored? But what if the computers are destroyed in an accident such as a fire? Many companies offer online records management for situations like this, this means if anything goes wrong at your end; your networks fall foul of a virus, or the premises suffers fire damage or something similar, everything will be backed up and safe. This kind of service you will need to pay a fee for. Another kind of service for records management is that if you already have information and data recorded onto tapes or video, or any other kind of media, yet have limited space in which to store these, or are not confident in the security of the premises you have, you can employ the services of a records management company which will store these records for you. (Nwosu (1997). According to OIhakwe et al (12002), This is beneficial in circumstances such as if there were to be a disaster which damaged your premises and all of your records were destroyed. A records management company can take all of your highly important recordings and secure them somewhere for you. According to Hamson (1977), A good, secure company will typically have all of the latest security technology in place including secure vaults that are fire and heat resistant for a number of hours, early smoke-detection systems, full CCTV monitoring, good alarm systems as well as gas suppression systems which protect against fire. Most firms will let businesses access their records within the same day of them requesting to do so, and ease of access importance will of course be dependent on the nature of the business you run. It's possible to employ the services of such a company for managing your paper records too. Many businesses have literally decades' worth of paper documents which take up valuable space within a business premises, and a lot of the time it is economically viable to have these kept safe elsewhere, freeing up space for other use, and protected from any damage that could occur in your own building Good records management is essential for any corporate body to function effectively. The National Archives of Scotland (NAS) is regularly asked for advice on records management by all sorts of bodies. (Frontman ,1979). 2.5 The principles of good records management According to Elendu (2002), The guiding principle of records management is to ensure that information is available when and where it is needed, in an organized and efficient manner, and in a well maintained environment. Organizations must ensure that their records are: Authentic It must be possible to prove that records are what they purport to be and who created them, by keeping a record of their management through time. Where information is later added to an existing document within a record, the added information must be signed and dated. With electronic records, changes and additions must be identifiable through audit trails. Accurate Records must accurately reflect the transactions that they document. Accessible Records must be readily available when needed. Complete Records must be sufficient in content, context and structure to reconstruct the relevant activities and transactions that they document. Comprehensive Records must document the complete range of an organisation's business. Compliant Records must comply with any record keeping requirements resulting from legislation, audit rules and other relevant regulations. Effective Records must be maintained for specific purposes and the information contained in them must meet those purposes. Records will be identified and linked to the business process to which they are related. Secure Records must be securely maintained to prevent unauthorised access, alteration, damage or removal. They must be stored in a secure environment, the degree of security reflecting the sensitivity and importance of the contents. Where records are migrated across changes in technology, the evidence preserved must remain authentic and accurate. 2.6 Role of office manager in record management in an organization According to Fries (2000), Office managers organise and supervise all of the administrative activities including record management to facilitate the smooth running of an office. An office manager carries out a range of record administrative and IT-related tasks, depending on the employing organization, and the work may vary from running the record administrative side of a small employer’s business as a record keeper to overseeing the office work of numerous staff records and office duties. Nwosu (2000). Although the work of an office manager differs greatly across organizations, they all have the responsibility for ensuring that their office records runs efficiently. Job titles vary and office managers are often called office administrators, especially at more junior levels. Azuka (1991) stated that The role varies according to the type of employer, the size of the organisation and the management structure, but activities typically include: • using a range of office software, including email, spreadsheets and databases ; • managing filing systems; • developing and implementing new administrative systems, such as record management; • recording office expenditure and managing the budget via keeping appropriate records; • organising the office records and maintaining supplies of stationery and equipment; • maintaining the condition of the office and arranging for necessary repairs; • overseeing the documents for recruitment of new staff, sometimes including training and induction; • keeping records of staff appraisals, managing performance and disciplining staff; • recording and storing customer enquiries and complaints; 2.7 Management of physical records According to Denyer (1983),Managing physical records involves different disciplines and may draw on a variety of forms of expertise. Records must be identified and authenticated. This is usually a matter of filing and retrieval; in some circumstances, more careful handling is required. Identifying records If an item is presented as an office record, it needs to be authenticated. Forensic experts may need to examine a document or artifact to determine that it is not a forgery, and that any damage, alteration, or missing content is documented. In extreme cases, items may be subjected to a microscope, x-ray, radiocarbon dating or chemical analysis. This level of authentication is rare, but requires that special care be taken in the creation and retention of the records of an organization. Storing records Records must be stored in such a way that they are accessible and safeguarded against environmental damage. A typical paper document may be stored in a filing cabinet in an office. However, some organisations employ file rooms with specialized environmental controls including temperature and humidity. Vital records may need to be stored in a disaster-resistant safe or vault to protect against fire, flood, earthquakes and conflict. In extreme cases, the item may require both disaster-proofing and public access, such as the original, signed Nigeria Constitution. Civil engineers may need to be consulted to determine that the file room can effectively withstand the weight of shelves and file cabinets filled with paper; historically, some military vessels were designed to take into account the weight of their operating procedures on paper as part of their ballast equation (modern record-keeping technologies have transferred much of that information to electronic storage). In addition to on-site storage of records, many organizations operate their own off-site records centers or contract with commercial records centres. Circulating records Tracking the record while it is away from the normal storage area is referred to as circulation. Often this is handled by simple written recording procedures. However, many modern records environments use a computerized system involving bar code scanners, or radio-frequency identification technology (RFID) to track movement of the records. These can also be used for periodic auditing to identify unauthorized movement of the record. Disposal of records Disposal of records does not always mean destruction. It can also include transfer to a historical archive, museum, or private individual. Destruction of records ought to be authorized by law, statute, regulation, or operating procedure, and the records should be disposed of with care to avoid inadvertent disclosure of information. The process needs to be well-documented, starting with a records retention schedule and policies and procedures that have been approved at the highest level. An inventory of the records disposed of should be maintained, including certification that they have been destroyed. Records should never simply be discarded as refuse. Most organizations use processes including pulverization, paper shredding or incineration. Nwosu (1997), said that Commercially available products can manage records through all processes active, inactive, archival, retention scheduling and disposal. Some also utilizes RFID technology for the tracking of the physical file. 2.8 Management of electronic records According to Ohakwe et al (2002), The general principles of records management apply to records in any format. Digital records (almost always referred to as electronic records), however, raise specific issues. It is more difficult to ensure that the content, context and structure of records is preserved and protected when the records do not have a physical existence. This has important implications for the authenticity, reliability, and trustworthiness of records. According to Elendu (2000), Much research is being conducted on the management of electronic records. The International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES) Project is one example of such an initiative. Based at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the InterPARES Project is a collaborative project between researchers all across the world committed to developing theories and methodologies to ensure the reliability, accuracy, and authenticity of electronic records. Frontman (1979) stated that Functional requirements for computer systems to manage electronic records have been produced by the US Department of Defense, the National Archives of England & Wales and the European Commission,] whose MoReq (Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records) specification has been translated into at least twelve languages and is used beyond the borders of Europe. Development of MoReq was initiated by the DLM Forum, funded by the European Commission. According to Denyer (1978), Particular concerns exist about the ability to access and read electronic records over time, since the rapid pace of change in technology can make the software used to create the records obsolete, leaving the records unreadable. A considerable amount of research is being undertaken to address this, under the heading of digital preservation. The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) located in Melbourne, Australia published the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS) which includes a standard for the preservation, long-term storage and access to permanent electronic records. The VERS standard has been adopted by all Victorian Government departments. A digital archive has been established by PROV to enable the general public to access permanent records. Archives New Zealand is also setting up a digital archive. (Hamson ,1977). 2.9 Impact of good record management to office managers According to Nwosu (2002), Good record management is important to both office managers and the organization at large. Systematic management of records allows organization and office managers to: • know what records they have, and locate them easily • increase efficiency and effectiveness • make savings in administration costs, both in staff time and storage • support decision making • be accountable • achieve business objectives and targets • provide continuity in the event of a disaster • meet legislative and regulatory requirements, particularly as laid down by the Freedom of Information Act. • protect the interests of employees, clients and stakeholders Ohakwe (2000) stated that Records management offers tangible benefits to organizations and office managers, from economic good practice in reducing storage costs of documents, to enabling legislative requirements to be met. An unmanaged record system makes the performance of duties more difficult, costs organisations time, money and resources, and makes them vulnerable to security breaches, prosecution and embarrassment. In an unmanaged records environment, up to 10% of staff time is spent looking for information. according to him, The dangers of corrupted records management have been illustrated in recent years through scandal, which involved the destruction of vital records. Poor records management, with the unintentional loss of documents, has caused embarrassment to organisations from government departments to small businesses. 2.10 Common Problems Faced by office managers in Record Management According to Hamson (1999), The office managers encountered so many problems in the handling office emails. she encounters problems in: i) Getting used to different kind of records in an office and ways to handle them. ii) Sorting and marking the records with appropriate notations iii) They also encounter some problems in having the knowledge of controlling some of insects that attacks records. iv) Preserving the records v) Retrieving the records very fast vi) Using computer programs in record keeping in the company’s data base In the other hand, Ibwkwe (1994) opined that Record-keeping or management is an essential part of many business types today. Whether you work in a medical office, university, legal firm or other institution, managing the forms that keep these businesses running is often a full-time job in itself. At times, the amount of paperwork generated by the organization can appear overwhelming. Common problems faced by office managers in record management may be alleviated by having systems in place to handle them. 1. Lost Records o Lost records can range from a minor inconvenience for businesses to an enormous hassle that takes months, or even years, to resolve. For instance, if clients request documents from the company on a regular basis and you are unable to provide them in a timely manner (or at all), you risk the loss of their business in the future. If important records are needed for a legal matter, such as defending the company against a lawsuit, not supplying the appropriate documents can cost huge sums of money, or even mean the dissolution of the business entirely. One way to avoid losing records is to have a detailed organization and storage process. Record Organization o Proper file organization is one of the cornerstones of good record management. Typically, companies organize files chronologically by year and then alphabetically by name of client. In addition to hard copies of your company's records, electronic storage is a viable option that saves both space and time that your business can put to other uses. However, even if you elect to save the majority of valuable files on your organization's computers, hard copies have their place in record storage and organization. Original documents, such as those with notarized signatures, often need to be kept for a certain number of years or, sometimes, indefinitely. o Record Storage o Depending upon the type of business for which you keep records, as well as how long the company has operated, you may find yourself running out of space for all of the file cabinets worth of forms you must keep. A potential solution to this problem is not to keep any extraneous records. Consider how long your business really needs to have these forms on hand. For federal tax purposes, the majority of documents can be disposed of after a specified period of time, as directed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), depending on the type of return filed (see the Resources section). Different businesses, such as legal and medical offices, are required to keep client information for only a set number of years, depending upon the state in which they operate. Another solution is to store records at a separate facility, such as a rental storage unit. This way, they do not take up valuable space on the premises of your business that you could use to run the organization. Keep in mind, however, that such units can be costly depending upon the number of records you need to store. (Ahukannah (2002). CHAPTER THREE 3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter dealt with the procedure the research adopted in carrying out the study. This comprised: 1) Research Design 2) Area of the study 3) Population of the study 4) Sample and sampling techniques 5) Description of instrument 6) Validity and reliability of measuring instrument 7) Method of data analysis. 3.1 Research Design The survey method was used as it involves studying a variety of items in the field by selecting samples from them. The survey method is very effective where the opinion of a group of persons are been sought. 3.2 Area of the Study This study was carried out in first bank Plc Owerri 3.3 Population of the Study The population of the study comprised of all office managers under first bank Plc Owerri metropolis. In general the total number of the office managers is 50. 3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques The sample size was made up of forty office managers from the above mentioned bank. To arrive at the sample size, the simple random sampling techniques by balloting without replacement were use. 3.5 Description of the Instrument The data for the study was collected through the use of questionnaire. A total number of 50 questionnaires were sent to the respondents in federal university of technology owerri and federal polytechnic nekede Owerri. The questionnaire was framed in a way that will enable the respondents to give the required information or data. The questionnaire was divided into five (5) sections, which ranged from section A-E Section A: The various kinds of office records Section B: The benefits of good record keeping. SectionC: The skills required by office managers in handling the office records. Section D: The role of office managers in record management. Section E: Problems encountered by secretaries in handling various office records. 3.6 Method of data Collection The data was collected through the use of questionnaires and oral interview. This was so because the subjects are literates, hence they are able to read, understand and supply the required information that are relevance for the study. 3.7 Method of data Analysis The researcher used tables, percentages and figures to analyze the data collected from section A-C Using X x 100 N 1 Where x is the number of respondents for each category. N is the total number of respondents. While data collected from section D and E were ranked. CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 PRESENTATION AND ANLYZISING OF DATA 4.1 INTRODUCTION this chapter dealt with the presentation and analysis of data collected with the aid of questionnaire. A total number of 40 questionnaires was administered at the organization and was collected. For each question in section A-C any category of response that is up to 55% and above is significant while the response that is below 55% is non significant. And questions D and E any category of response that is up to 50% and above are ranked according to the position. 4.1 RESEARCH QUESTION 1 What are the various kinds of records you keep? The respondent was asked to indicate the various kinds of office records. TABLE 1 LIST OF VARIOUS KINDS OF MAILS mails No of Respondents Percentages letter 35 87 e-mail 22 55 repositional note 30 75 postcard 28 70 postal card 25 62 hybrid mail 20 50 newspapers & magazines 27 67 circulars 23 57 journals 26 65 other documents 30 75 The result of the table showed the list of various kinds of office records used by the respondents. Letter rated 35 representing 87% followed by e-mail which rated 22 representing 55%, repositional note and postcard rated 30 representing 75%, postal card rated 28 representing 70, hybrid mail rated 25 representing 62% followed by newspapers which rated 20 representing 50%, shredding machines rated 27 representing 67%, circulars rated 23 representing 57% and journals rated 26 representing 65%, respectively. 4.2 RESEARCH QUESTION 2 What is the functionality of the office records? To answer this question the respondents were asked to state the functions of the records. TABLE II THE FUNCTIONS OF THE RECORD HANDLING EQUIPEMENT IN THE ORGANIZATION No. of Functions Respondent Percentage Remark It stores information 30 75 S It is used to access information 25 62 S It is used processed data 24 60 S For typing of documents 23 57 S For controlling financial Problems 28 70 S For up keeping of documents 35 87 S The result of the above table showed that record functions very well in the organization. 4.3 RESEARCH QUESTION 3 What are the adequacies of these record handling process? To answer this question the respondents were asked to tick on their opinion if these records are adequate in their organization. TABLE III Respondents No of Opinion Respondents Percentage Remark Very Adequate (VA) 4 18 45 NS Adequate (A) 3 20 50 NS Fairly Adequate 2 25 62 S Not Adequate 1 30 75 S The result above showed that these records handling process are available but are not adequate for the respondents. If not adequate what are the reasons (s)? Reason(s) No of respondent Percentage Remarks Lack of fund 35 87 S Ignorance of executives 30 75 S Lack of space 15 37 NS If adequate what is the total Number of each from a -j. From the result in Table III, it showed that these handling records are not adequate. The inadequacy of these office records. Does adequate and good record keeping has any effect on you? To answer this question the respondents were asked to state whether or not the inadequacy of these records management affect them and the ways it affect them. TABLE IV Effect No of Respondents Percentage Remark Yes 35 87 S No 15 37 NS Delays work 22 55 S Demoralizes one 23 57 S Calls for movement 25 62 S Give room for leakages 30 75 s Makes one ineffective 20 50 Ns Causes conflict 33 82 s The result above showed that the inadequacy of the records hanlding affects the respondents by delaying of works that should be done. 4.4 RESEARCH QUESTION 4 What are the skills required by secretaries in handling office records? TABLE V No of Skills Required Respondents Percentage Remark Preservation skill 30 75 s computer skill 27 67 s Organizing skills 32 80 s Ethics 28 70 s The result of the above table showed that there is enough skills required by secretary. Does the secretary require any skills in record management? TABLE VI No of Skills required Respondent Percentage Remark Yes 35 87 s No 15 37 Ns Booting of computer 23 57 s Editing of text 30 75 s The above result showed that there is much skills required by secretary. 4.5 RESEARCH QUESTION 5 What are the problems encountered by secretaries in handling office records? TABLE VII PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY SECRETARIES IN HANDLING THE MAILS. No of Problems Respondents Percentage Remarks Lack of the Required Skills 20 50 Ns Lack of ability 27 67 s Inadequate of SKILLS 30 75 s Not well enlightened 28 70 s The result of the above table showed that most of the respondents find it difficult to handle records. 4.6 DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS Various kinds of office mails keeps by office managers. The result of table 1 showed the various kinds of office records are kept by office managers. The major records includes, letter which is 87%, email 55%,repositional note and postcard 75%, post card 67%, circulars 57% and newspapers which rated 65% respectively. The functions of the good record keeping in the organization. The result of table II showed that effective record keeping promote and functions very well in the organization. The adequate of the record handling processes in the organization. The result of table III showed that the record handling techniques are available but they are not adequate enough. The inadequacy of the record handling process The result of table IV showed that the inadequacy of the record management affects the organization. Skills required by secretaries in record management The result of table V. showed that enough skills are being required by secretary for proper managements of records. Does the secretary require any skills in handling the records? The result in table VI showed that there is much skills that the secretary required in carrying out their record handling job. Problems encountered by secretaries in handling the records. The result of table VII showed that most of the respondents finds it difficult in handling these records. CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION INTRODUCTION This chapter showed the summary, conclusion and recommendations. It also looked at the areas of further research. 5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS The aim of this study was to carefully, analyzed; the role of office managers in record management with reference to federal university of technology and federal polytechnic nekede Owerri. Based on the analysis of responses on research questions the following find were drawn. It was observed that there are various kinds of office records managed by an office manager. Although the mails were available to the office managers but they are not properly handled or managed which causes inefficiency, delay at work, movement from one place to another. 5.2 CONCLUSIONS Based on the above findings on the impact of records keeping on office manager in tertiary institutions, it clear that records’ are meant to enhance the performance of management. When records are kept and utilized appropriately, execution of management functions is likely to be easy and effective. Records keeping also enables office managers and administrators to be alive to their responsibilities and work conscientiously towards the achievement of educational objectives. Furthermore, the researcher concludes that there exist no significant differences in the effective management of records by office managers with regards to experiences. Based on the analysis drawn, the following conclusions were made. There are many difficulties encountered by secretaries in handling office records which includes lack of training and retraining of secretaries, inadequate working equipments, and inadequate record handling techniques. These problems made office managers to be unable to handle office records and made them to be inefficient in their job. It is also educative as it reveals some difficulties that the secretary experience in managing records in an organizations. 5.3 RECOMMENDATION Considering the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made: -Office managers should develop a positive attitude towards records keeping. -There should be adequate fund by the management and government to maintain records in tertiary institutions. -School authorities should employ office managers who possess adequate skills for records keeping. 1) From the conclusions drawn, the following recommendations are therefore made: The secretaries should be trained on how to handle some of these records effectively and efficiently. The training could take form of on-the-job. The – job training or through the grant of study leave. Also Seminars and workshops should be organized for secretaries. This would go a long way boast the skill of the works and the enhancement of productivity. 2) It is also recommended that private and public establishments should commit fund for the acquisition of the necessary techniques needed for handling records. 3) Trained and experienced secretaries should be employed to handle these records. 4) The office machines should be maintained to avoid frequent breakdown because thus necessitate delay in record processing. 5) These are the need to provide modern machine in processing records regularly for greater efficiency of the secretaries. 6) Lastly, more experienced secretaries should be employed and inexperienced secretaries should be sent back to well equipped industries to acquire knowledge and skill on how to handle office records. REFERENCE Ahukannah L.I (2002), office practice Today, Polytechnic Publishers Ltd. Azuka E.B. (1991), Office Practice for Tertiary Institution, Onitsha, fortune printing Industrial Ltd. Denyer J.C (1978) O and M and Management services Buying suffolk Richard clay (the chancier press Ltd). Elendu E.O (1983) Office practice for colleges Owerri, Luton press Ltd. Fries A.C (1974) Applied Secretarial Procedures, New York McGraw-Hill book Company. Front man K.M (1979) Modern Secretarial procedures, England, McGraw – Hill Inc. Nwosu, B.O. (1997) Secretarial Duties, Owerri Cannon Publishers Nigeria Ltd. Ohakwe S.N, Oguoma O.D.N and Chukwumezie F.U. (2002), Contemporary office practice. Owerri, centre for research and manpower development. Hamson J. (1977) Secretarial Duties, London Pitman publishing Ltd. Hicks. S. (1964), College secretarial Administration, Great main the pitman. Ibekwe U.O (1994) Modern Business management Owerri New African publishing country (Nig) Ltd. Achilike, A. N & Okwuanaso, S.I (2001). Competencies expected of National Diploma Accounting Graduates of Polytechnics as Perceived by employers of labour. Journal of Business and Office Education, (1) 44 – 48. Akube, A.U (1991) . Classroom Organization and Management: A.5 point strategy. Ibadan: Wisdom Publishers Ltd. Asogwa, G.E (2004), Library records and Maintenance. Journal of Library Information Science, (2): 88 – 98. Durosaro, F. O (2002) Management of Schools Records. Ilorin: Indemac Publisher. Egwunyenga, E.J (2005). Essentials of School Administration. Benin City: Jestice Jeco Publishers. Fasasi, Y.A (2004). Management Concepts and application . Lagos. Concept Publishions Ltd. Popoola, S.O (2000). A cost model approach to records management system. Ibadan: University of Ibadan Ugwunze, V.I (1992). An Examination of records management in the University of Lagos Registry. Lagos; University of Lagos Press APPENDIX Department of Secretarial Administration Federal Polytechnic Nekede P.M.B. 1036 Owerri. 29th Juky, 2008. Dear Respondent. QUESTIONNAIRE I am a final year student of the above mentioned institution undertaking a research on the topic the roles of office managers in recpord management ( A case study of first bank nigeria plc, Owerri). The questionnaire is therefore designed to help in gathering relevant data for the research study. Kindly supply the information below. Your responses will assist the researcher and I assure you that your response shall be treated with the utmost confidentiality it deserves. Thanks Your faithfully ukachu . Researcher. QUESTIONNAIRE SECTION A. PERSONAL DATA 1. What sex are you? (a) (b) 2. How old are you? (a) 18-25 (b) 25-35 (c) 35-45 (d) 45-55 (e) 55-above 3. Religions background? (a) Christianity (b) Traditional religion (c) Muslim (d) Non 4. What is your educational qualification? (a) SSCE/GCE (b) BSC (c) HND 5. Marital status? (a) Single (b) Married (c) Divorced (d) Widower (e) Separated 6. Year of services? (a) 1-5 years (b) 6-10 years (c) 11 years above SECTION B 1) What are the various kinds of records you keep? mails letter ( ) e-mail ( ) repositional note ( ) postcard ( ) postal card ( ) hybrid mail ( ) newspapers & magazines ( ) circulars ( ) journals ( ) other documents ( ) 2) Please state the functionality of these office records.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Which Are The Most Functions Of The Record Handling Equipement In The Organization a) It stores information b) It is used to access information c) It is used processed data d) typing of documents e) controlling financial Problems f) up keeping of documents 4) what are the adequacies of these record handling process? Very Adequate Adequate Fairly Adequate Not Adequate 5) If not adequate what are the reasons (s)? Lack of fund Ignorance of executives Lack of space 6) Does adequate and good record keeping has any effect on you? Yes No 7) which of the skills listed below are the most skills required by secretaries in handling office records? Preservation skill computer skill Organizing skills Ethics 8) Do the secretary require any skills in record management? Yes ( ) No ( ) 9) What are the problems encountered by secretaries in handling office records? Lack of the Required Skills Lack of ability Inadequate of SKILLS Not well enlightened