CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          The effect of bureaucratic administration on secretarial function:

Bureaucracy in Government Administration

A bureaucratic Administration can said to be a system of administration which provide routine and uninterrupted service especially in government circle such as ministries, parastatals or government establishment to ensure that government policies are carried out effectively and diligently.

          Therefore it is a step by step way in which official duties are carried out from the executive down to the lowest staff. 

          The Nigeria Government got this idea from British who during their stay in Nigeria have been practicing bureaucracy in their governmental system, through “fixed authority and official jurisdiction” where the authority of all individual is based upon specific grant of power to an office.

Modern Practice of Bureaucracy in Government Establishments

The practice of bureaucracy in government establishments has changed. The early practice requires the office holder to possess some traditional virtue such as age, skill and knowledge which becomes the basis of his or her authority.

However, in today’s practice, bureaucracy has caused a negative effect in civil service as well as secretarial functions.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

Delay in File Movement

Files are used in filing written communications like – letters, memos, reports, circulars, agreements, newspapers etc. the aim of filing these documents is for reference purposes. However, these files pass through many personnel before getting to the secretary who needs them to carry out her duties thereby causing delay and poor achievement in the performance of secretarial functions.

Payment of salaries and benefits are very important to every civil servant but the long delay in forwarding the necessary information required for the preparation of the salaries has resulted to the late payment of these salaries and benefits. Therefore bureaucracy in the administration of office work affects the job of the secretary, in that what ought to get to the secretary quickly for quick passage to the end-use is delayed by the bureaucratic process.

None Confidential of Information

Some information are meant to be confidential and ought to get to who should us it unhampered. More so, a confidential secretary is handicapped in carrying out her functions due to bureaucratic processes; in as much as these information passes through many people before getting to whom such information is meant for; As a result the confidentially remains eroded.

1.3     OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of bureaucratic administration on secretarial functions, which among other things includes:

1.        i.            To identify leadership style by the executive (manager)
2.      ii.            To find out the factors responsible for secretary’s failure in the performance of her duties effectively
3.   iii.            To determine whether other people like co-staff manager and the public contributed in the failure of a good bureaucratic in our administrations.
4.   iv.            To proffer suggestions based on the findings of the study.

1.4     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will cover the following arrears: the various leadership styles adopted by the executive towards their subordinates and their effects on the secretary’s productivity.

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research study would highlight the various ways by which bureaucracy breaded red-tape in civil service administration.

1.6     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.        i.            What are the leadership styles adopted by executive / managers?
2.      ii.            What are the factors responsible for poor performance in secretarial functions?
3.   iii.            Is bureaucracy system good to our civil service administration?