Publication Information
Journal: NAU Journal of Technology and Vocational Education
Volume: 3 (2018)
OFFICE COMPETENCIES REQUIRED OF BUSINESS EDUCATION GRADUATES FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE IN MODERN OFFICES IN IMO STATE
Chukwukelu, Ebere Patience
pinkrosescakes@gmail.com Department of Technology and Vocational Education
Ile, C. M.
Department of Technology and Vocational Education
This study was carried out to ascertain the office competencies required of business
education graduates for effective performance in modern offices in Imo State. Two
research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level
of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The
population of the study consisted of 201 managers in private and public organizations
in Imo State. There was no sampling. A structured questionnaire containing 17 items
was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts in the field of
business education in the Department of Technology and Vocational Education and
measurement and evaluation unit of the Department of Educational Foundation. Pilot
test was used to establish the reliability of the instrument and Cronbach alpha was
used to obtain the reliability coefficients of 0.97 and 0.94 for clusters B1 to B2
respectively with an overall coefficient of 0.96. One hundred and eighty nine duly
completed copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and used for data analysis. Mean
and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and to determine
the homogeneity of the respondents’ ratings while the z-test was used to test the null
hypotheses. Findings revealed that respondents agreed that electronic publishing and
electronic collaborative competencies were required of business education graduates
for effective performance in modern offices. The findings also showed that ownership
of organizations was not a significant factor on managers’ ratings of competencies
required of business education graduates for effective performance in modern offices.
The researchers concluded that equipping business education students with these
competencies will help them to performance office tasks effectively when employed
in business organizations upon graduation. It was recommended among others that
business education lecturers should lay more emphasis on equipping their students
with electronic publishing and electronic collaborative competencies identified by
respondents as required by business education graduates for effective performance in
modern offices
education graduates for effective performance in modern offices in Imo State. Two
research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level
of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The
population of the study consisted of 201 managers in private and public organizations
in Imo State. There was no sampling. A structured questionnaire containing 17 items
was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts in the field of
business education in the Department of Technology and Vocational Education and
measurement and evaluation unit of the Department of Educational Foundation. Pilot
test was used to establish the reliability of the instrument and Cronbach alpha was
used to obtain the reliability coefficients of 0.97 and 0.94 for clusters B1 to B2
respectively with an overall coefficient of 0.96. One hundred and eighty nine duly
completed copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and used for data analysis. Mean
and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and to determine
the homogeneity of the respondents’ ratings while the z-test was used to test the null
hypotheses. Findings revealed that respondents agreed that electronic publishing and
electronic collaborative competencies were required of business education graduates
for effective performance in modern offices. The findings also showed that ownership
of organizations was not a significant factor on managers’ ratings of competencies
required of business education graduates for effective performance in modern offices.
The researchers concluded that equipping business education students with these
competencies will help them to performance office tasks effectively when employed
in business organizations upon graduation. It was recommended among others that
business education lecturers should lay more emphasis on equipping their students
with electronic publishing and electronic collaborative competencies identified by
respondents as required by business education graduates for effective performance in
modern offices
Abuokwen, G. U. (2010). Electronic office skills required by business education
students in universities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. (Published
masters degree thesis), Department of Vocational Teacher Education,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Akpomi, M. & Ordu, P. (2009).Modern office technology and the secretary’s
productivity in private business organizations.African Journal of Business
Management, 3(8), 333-339.
Aliata, M. I. & Hawa, S. A. (2014). Modern office technology and the performance
of the professional secretary in contemporary organizations in
Ghana.Information and Knowledge Management, 3(4), 52-57.
Amoor, J. S. (2009). An evaluation of challenges of secretarial education programme
in Nigeria universities between 2000-2009. The information managers.
Azike, C. O. (2012). Job competencies employers of labour consider necessary for
business education graduates in Anambra State. (Published masters degree
thesis). Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Brain, K.W. & Stacey, S. (2010). Using information technology: A practical
introduction to computers and communication (8th Ed.), New York:McGrawH ill.
Cassidy, S. (2013).Developing employability skills: peer assessment in higher
education. Directorate of Psychology, University of Salford, Salford, UK.
Retrieved from:https://www.emeraldinsight.com/
Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013).National Policy on Education (6th Ed.). Lagos:
NERDC Press.
Jackson, D. (2013). Student perceptions of the importance of employability skill
provision in business undergraduate programs.Edith Cowan University
Research Online, 3, 1-21.
Jafari, M. M., Ahmed, S., Dawal, S. Z. M. & Zayandehroodi, H. (2010). The effects
of electronic collaboration in reducing production time: Product design
process in SMES. Proceedings of the International Multi-Conference of
Engineers and Computer Scientists.Hong Kong.
Nwazor, J. C. & Onokpaunu, M. O. (2016). Strategies considered effective for
transforming business education programmes to the needs of 21st century
workplace in Delta State, Nigeria. African Journal of Education and Practice,
1(2), 74- 82.
Odunaike, K. O. & Amoda, M. B. (2013)Examination of the Relevance of Business
Education in the Development of Entrepreneurship in Nigerian Universities. A
Case Study of Tai Solarin University of Education, International Journal of
Humanities and Social Science, 3(12), 124- 127.
Okoro, J. (2012). Assessment of competencies possessed by university postgraduate
business education students to handle entrepreneurship business challenges in
Nigeria.(Unpublished M. Sc. Thesis), Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
Olayanju, T. K. & Asogwa, A. N. (2010). Competency-improvement needs of
secretaries of higher institutions in ICT for effective office work performance.
Multidisciplinary Journal of Research Development, 15(3), 1-9.
Onasanya, S. A., Shehu, R. A., Ogunlade, O. O. & Adefuye, A. L. (2011). Teacher’s
awareness and extent of utilisation of information and communication
technologies for effective Science and Health Education in Nigeria.Singapore
J. Sci. Res., 1(1), 49-58.
Onojeta, S. (2012). Challenges in implementing business education programme
through ICT. ABEN Book of Reading, 2(1), 156-162.
Onoyovwi, D. A. (2009).Office work skills required of NCE office Education
graduates in a modern office as Perceived by employers in selected
Organizations in Delta State. (Published masters degree thesis), Department
of Vocational Teacher Education (Business Education), University of Nigeria,
Nsukka.
Roy, S. R. (2012). Virtual collaboration: The skills needed to collaborate in a virtual
environment. Journal of Internet Social Networking & Virtual Communities,
2(8), 20-31.
Vincent, L. (2008).Morphological transformations of binary images with arbitrary
structuring elements.Signal Processing, 22(1), 3-23.
Wallar, L. E. & Papadopoulos, A. (2015). Collaboration, competencies and the
classroom: a public health approach. The Canadian Journal for the
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(1), 1-18. DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2015.1.6
students in universities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. (Published
masters degree thesis), Department of Vocational Teacher Education,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Akpomi, M. & Ordu, P. (2009).Modern office technology and the secretary’s
productivity in private business organizations.African Journal of Business
Management, 3(8), 333-339.
Aliata, M. I. & Hawa, S. A. (2014). Modern office technology and the performance
of the professional secretary in contemporary organizations in
Ghana.Information and Knowledge Management, 3(4), 52-57.
Amoor, J. S. (2009). An evaluation of challenges of secretarial education programme
in Nigeria universities between 2000-2009. The information managers.
Azike, C. O. (2012). Job competencies employers of labour consider necessary for
business education graduates in Anambra State. (Published masters degree
thesis). Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Brain, K.W. & Stacey, S. (2010). Using information technology: A practical
introduction to computers and communication (8th Ed.), New York:McGrawH ill.
Cassidy, S. (2013).Developing employability skills: peer assessment in higher
education. Directorate of Psychology, University of Salford, Salford, UK.
Retrieved from:https://www.emeraldinsight.com/
Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013).National Policy on Education (6th Ed.). Lagos:
NERDC Press.
Jackson, D. (2013). Student perceptions of the importance of employability skill
provision in business undergraduate programs.Edith Cowan University
Research Online, 3, 1-21.
Jafari, M. M., Ahmed, S., Dawal, S. Z. M. & Zayandehroodi, H. (2010). The effects
of electronic collaboration in reducing production time: Product design
process in SMES. Proceedings of the International Multi-Conference of
Engineers and Computer Scientists.Hong Kong.
Nwazor, J. C. & Onokpaunu, M. O. (2016). Strategies considered effective for
transforming business education programmes to the needs of 21st century
workplace in Delta State, Nigeria. African Journal of Education and Practice,
1(2), 74- 82.
Odunaike, K. O. & Amoda, M. B. (2013)Examination of the Relevance of Business
Education in the Development of Entrepreneurship in Nigerian Universities. A
Case Study of Tai Solarin University of Education, International Journal of
Humanities and Social Science, 3(12), 124- 127.
Okoro, J. (2012). Assessment of competencies possessed by university postgraduate
business education students to handle entrepreneurship business challenges in
Nigeria.(Unpublished M. Sc. Thesis), Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
Olayanju, T. K. & Asogwa, A. N. (2010). Competency-improvement needs of
secretaries of higher institutions in ICT for effective office work performance.
Multidisciplinary Journal of Research Development, 15(3), 1-9.
Onasanya, S. A., Shehu, R. A., Ogunlade, O. O. & Adefuye, A. L. (2011). Teacher’s
awareness and extent of utilisation of information and communication
technologies for effective Science and Health Education in Nigeria.Singapore
J. Sci. Res., 1(1), 49-58.
Onojeta, S. (2012). Challenges in implementing business education programme
through ICT. ABEN Book of Reading, 2(1), 156-162.
Onoyovwi, D. A. (2009).Office work skills required of NCE office Education
graduates in a modern office as Perceived by employers in selected
Organizations in Delta State. (Published masters degree thesis), Department
of Vocational Teacher Education (Business Education), University of Nigeria,
Nsukka.
Roy, S. R. (2012). Virtual collaboration: The skills needed to collaborate in a virtual
environment. Journal of Internet Social Networking & Virtual Communities,
2(8), 20-31.
Vincent, L. (2008).Morphological transformations of binary images with arbitrary
structuring elements.Signal Processing, 22(1), 3-23.
Wallar, L. E. & Papadopoulos, A. (2015). Collaboration, competencies and the
classroom: a public health approach. The Canadian Journal for the
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(1), 1-18. DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2015.1.6