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Ain't/(930 II4Hflfl'flfljflijizwflfllfliflmflifllmrI LIBRARY Michigan State University This is to certify that the dissertation entitled Pn A'nlysis of the 669131 Office Clerical EntIy-Level Skills, Krml— ectges, and Walk Attitudes as Pexmived by Enployers/Offioe Swen/isms a'fi Incutbent Office Enployees in Greater La‘sing Area Eusinems presented by mmwmes has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Eh.D._ __degree in Wm Major professor Date Ppril 7, 1988 "(Minn-Arr. .I' A ' I" "L ’1' ‘ ' 0.12771 PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record. TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due. ‘ DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE || " l JL___ MSU Is An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution AN ANALYSIS OF THE GENERAL OFFICE CLERICAL ENTRY-LEVEL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGES, AND WORK ATTITUDES AS PERCEIVED BY EMPLOYERS/OFFICE SUPERVISORS AND INCUMBENT OFFICE EMPLOYEES IN GREATER LANSING AREA BUSINESSES BY Gnani Ruth Moses A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Teacher Education 1988 ABSTRACT OFFICE CLERICAL ENTRY-LEVEL AN ANALYSIS OF THE GENERAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGES, AND WORK ATTITUDES AS PERCEIVED BY EMPLOYERS/OFFICE SUPERVISORS AND INCUMBENT OFFICE EMPLOYEES IN GREATER LANSING AREA BUSINESSES BY Gnani Ruth Moses The study was designed to determine if significant differences existed between the perceptions of employers/ office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees with respect to the importance of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area businesses, according to the size of business office and the type of business organiza- tion. The purpose of this study was to supply information for developing innovative and relevant curriculum in the office education field. Participants for this study were randomly selected from the membership lists of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. Two separate questionnaires were developed to obtain data from the employers/office supervisors and Gnani Ruth Moses incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees. Copies of these two questionnaires were mailed to 300 businesses and industries in the greater Lansing area. One hundred and forty-two employers/office supervisors and 92 incumbent, entry-level office employees completed and returned the questionnaires. The six hypotheses identified in this study were tested using the F ratio. The analysis of data revealed significant differences between the perceptions of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees on the importance of skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: keyboarding/ typing, word processing, data processing, computations, and communications. Significant differences were also found between the perceptions of the two groups on the importance of work attitudes. Respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees) among the three sizes of business offices varied on the importance of skills and knowledges for the following areas: keyboarding/typing, data processing, records management, computations, and communications. The respondents also varied on the importance of work attitudes. Gnani Ruth Moses Significant differences were also found in the perceptions of respondents among the five types of business organizations on the importance of skills and knowledges required in all six areas. Significant differences were further found in the perceptions of respondents on the importance of work attitudes. The rank ordering of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes as perceived by respondents revealed significant differences. Some skills, knowledges, and work attitudes were rank ordered and perceived similarly, while others were rank ordered and perceived differently. The rank ordering of seven areas as perceived by respondents revealed the following areas as important: work attitudes, communications, computations, and keyboarding/ typing. DEDICATED to My husband Dr. Y. J. Moses, and children Ken and Juanita, for their patience, understanding, and encouragement ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With great pleasure I want to express my appreciation for the advice, time, and constructive criticism given to me by the members of my guidance committee, Dr. Paul Slocum, Dr. Richard Gardner, Dr. Gloria Kielbaso, and Dr. Rex Ray. A special thanks is owed to Dr. Paul Slocum, my advisor, because his support nurtured and challenged my growth and progress. I would like to thank Mr. Clark E. DeHaven, Director of Executive Programs, for his support and help to obtain a cover letter for my questionnaires from the President of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Jim Jordan. My sincere thanks go to Mr. Jim Jordan for taking the time to write a cover letter to obtain data for this study. I would also like to thank Dr. Don Freeman, Dr. Brad West, and Dr. Betsy Becker for their help with the interpretation of statistical analysis of data. A special note of thanks go to my children Ken and Juanita, for their patience, understanding, and support while working on my dissertation. I would like to thank my husband Dr. Y. J. Moses, for his understanding and financial support while completing my dissertation. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES................ ..... .................. vii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION.................................. 1 Statement of the Problem.................... 4 Purpose of the Study........................ 5 Research Questions.......................... 5 Hypotheses.................................. 8 The Need for the Study...................... 10 Delimitations............................... 14 Limitations................................. 14 Definition of Terms......................... 15 Summary..................................... 18 2. REVIEWOF LITEMWREOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..00... 20 Rationale for Skills and Knowledges Survey.................................... 20 Keyboarding/Typing...................... 23 Word Processing......................... 28 Data Processing......................... 32 Records Management...................... 34 Computations............................ 36 Communications.......................... 40 Rationale for Work Attitudes Survey......... 43 Review of Related Surveys................... 49 Summary..................................... 61 3. THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE PROCEDURES.......... 63 Development of the Questionnaire............ 63 Pilot Study ................................ 67 The Sample.................................. 67 Preparation of Cover Letters................ 70 Collection of Data.......................... 71 Statistical Analysis of Data................ 73 Summary..................................... 76 iv Chapter Page 4. THE ANALYSIS OF DATA.... ......... . ........... . 77 Testing of Hypotheses ...................... 78 Hypothesis 1.............................. 78 Keyboarding/Typing (skills/knowledges).. 78 Word Processing (skills/knowledges)..... 80 Data Processing (skills/knowledges)..... 82 Records Management (skills/knowledges).. 84 Computations (skills/knowledges) ........ 86 Communications (skills/knowledges)...... 88 Hypothesis 2.................. ............ 90 Work Attitudes................ .......... 90 Hypothesis 3.............................. 92 Keyboarding/Typing (skills/knowledges).. 92 Word Processing (skills/knowledges)..... 95 Data Processing (skills/knowledges)..... 95 Records Management (skills/knowledges).. 98 Computations (skills/knowledges) ...... . 100 Communications (skills/knowledges)..... 102 Hypothesis 4 ................. . ..... ...... 104 Work Attitudes......................... 104 Hypothesis 5.................. ........ ... 106 Keyboarding/Typing (skills/knowledges). 107 Word Processing (skills/knowledges).... 109 Data Processing (skills/knowledges).... 111 Records Management (skills/knowledges). 113 Computations (skills/knowledges)....... 115 Communications (skills/knowledges) ..... 118 Hypothesis 6............................. 120 Work Attitudes......................... 120 Rank Ordering of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes in the Seven Areas........ 123 Research Question 7.................... 123 Rank Ordering of the Seven Areas... ........ 135 Research Question 8...................... 135 summarYeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ..... 137 5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.... 140 summarYOOOOOOOOOOOO0.000.000.0000 ..... OD... 140 Testing of Hypotheses... ......... ........ 142 Hypothesis 1.......... ............ ..... 142 Hypothesis 2........................... 144 Hypothesis 3........................... 145 Hypothesis 4........................... 147 Hypothesis 5........................... 148 Hypothesis 6......... ........... ..... 151 Rank Ordering of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes in the Seven Areas...... 152 Research Question 7.................. 152 Chapter 5 (contd.) Rank Ordering of the Seven Areas......... Research Question 8.................... Conclusions................................ Recommendations............................ BIBLIOGRAPHYOOOOOOOOO......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.000... APPENDIX - A EMPLOYER/OFFICE SUPERVISOR APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX B EQMMUO QUESTIONNAIREOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0. ..... 0... FIRST YEAR OFFICE EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIREOCOCOOCCCCOCCO0.0........ COVER LETTERS......................... FOLLOW-UP COVER LETTERS............... SECOND FOLLOW-UP COVER LETTERS........ THE SAMPLE............................ PILOT STUDY SAMPLE.................... SURVEY RESULTS EMPLOYER/OFFICE SUPERVISOR QUESTIONNAIRE......................... SURVEY RESULTS FIRST YEAR OFFICE EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIREOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00.0.0.0... vi Page 158 158 159 162 166 174 180 186 190 194 198 211 213 219 Table LIST OF TABLES Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Keyboarding/Typing.............. Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Word Processing................. Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Data Processing.... .......... ... Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Records Management.............. Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Computations.................... Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Communications.................. Differences Between the Job Title on the Perceived Importance of Work Attitudes Required for Entry-Level Office Employees.... Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Keyboarding/ Typing....................................... Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Word Processing....................... ............ vii Page 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 96 Table A Page 10 Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Data Processing................................... 97 11 Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Records Management.................................... 99 12 Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Computations..... 101 13 Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Communications... 103 14 Differences Between the Size of Business Office on the Perceived Importance of Work Attitudes Required for Entry-Level Office Employees .......... ............. ...... 105 15 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Keyboarding/Typing...................... ..... 108 16 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Word Processing............................. ...... 110 17 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Data Processing................................... 112 18 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Records Management........................... 114 19 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Computations........................ ......... 116 viii Table Page 20 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Skills and Knowledges Required for Communications.......................... ..... 119 21 Differences Between the Type of Business Organization on the Perceived Importance of Work Attitudes Required for Entry-Level Office Employees............................. 121 22 Rank Ordering of Skills and Knowledges in Keyboarding/Typing Required for Entry- Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry- Level Office Employees....................... 124 23 Rank Ordering of Skills and Knowledges in Word Processing Required for Entry- Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry- Level Office Employees ....... . ......... . ..... 126 24 Rank Ordering of Skills and Knowledges in Data Processing Required for Entry- Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry- Level Office Employees................. ...... 128 25 Rank Ordering of Skills and Knowledges in Records Management Required for Entry Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry- Level Office Employees............ ..... ...... 130 26 Rank Ordering of Skills and Knowledges in Computations Required for Entry- Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry- Level Office Employees....... ................ 131 27 Rank Ordering of Skills and Knowledges in Communications Required for Entry- Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry- Level Office Employees................. ...... 133 28 Rank Ordering of Work Attitudes Required for Entry-Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors and Entry-Level Office Employees.... ......... 134 ix Table Page 29 Rank Ordering of the Seven Areas Required for Entry-Level Office Employees as Perceived by Employers/Office Supervisors................................ 136 30 Rank Ordering of the Seven Areas Required for Entry-Level Office Employees as Perceived by Entry-Level Office Employees.. 138 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION In our society a person's work tends to determine his personal and social status. Likewise, his educational achievement also tends to determine the kind or level of work he does. Hence, there is an obvious relationship between the world of work and the world of school. Such a relationship calls for a high degree of cooperation between businesses and schools.1 Johnson2 writes that businessmen are eager to close the gap between schools and businesses and bring a closer working relationship. They want to cooperate with schools to plan programs and course offerings to train students to obtain jobs in the business world. She further states that size of the business also seems to determine to what extent students should be trained. In her article, based on taped sessions of businessmen, she indicates: 1Samuel M. Burt, and Leon M. Lessinger. Volunteer Industry Invglvemept in Public Education, (Lexington, Massachusetts: Heath Lexington Books, 1970), p. 31. 2Beverly B. Johnson, "Conversations with Business and Industry," Amerigan Vggational Journal 46 (1971): 59- 61. Small businesses do not have the staff or facilities to train employees after they get out of schools and go to work. Small companies have to have people who will be able to start performing in their jobs soon after they are employed. Therefore, small companies must often hire their people away from the large companies which have gone to the time and expense to train them.3 Cox4 writes that office educators in rural areas focus office training on skills and knowledges needed for small businesses which tend to lack resources or equipment. But he admonishes that this should not be the case, because students, upon completion of their studies, move to metropolitan areas to look for jobs in large businesses. Therefore, they must be well equipped with appropriate skills and knowledges in office education and be given the advantage to compete for employment in small or large businesses. In medium businesses, the literature indicates that, depending on the number of office employees in its work force and the volume of work, management tends to hire office employees either with specific skills or with general skills. Sometimes, depending on finances, office employees in medium businesses are given opportunities to take seminars or courses to update their skills and knowledges. 31bid., p. 60. 4Jerry R. Cox, "Word Processing Instruction in Small Schools." Business_fidusatisn_£2rum_34 (March. 1980): 14-16. According to the literature, large businesses have various departments and a large volume of work; therefore, large businesses tend to look for office employees with more specific office skills than general skills. Also large businesses have the resources and finances to hire trainers to conduct workshops and in-house seminars to update the skills and knowledges of office employees. Therefore, when training students for office jobs office educators need to focus on skills, knowledges, and work attitudes that are important to any type or any size of business. Cox further declares, "We owe our students the training to obtain employment in any kind of office regardless of the size of the office, the location of the office, or the duties and tasks involved."5 Office automation has brought a revolution to the office. Some of the jobs in existence in the office education field a few years ago are now extinct. Other jobs in existence today may be eliminated in the future and replaced with improved methods of handling by technology. Office educators have an obligation to provide the best possible and up to date instruction to students. For many students in office education, the instruction they receive in schools is terminal. Therefore, it is important that these students be equipped with the best possible skills, knowledges, and work 51bid., p. 16. attitudes to succeed. Students should be taught to be occupationally competent in the business world. One of the ways in which office educators can ascertain whether the skills, knowledges, and work attitudes taught have been developed sufficiently is to determine what office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees say are the degree of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes necessary for initial employment. This study was undertaken to obtain current and accurate data in skills, knowledges, and work attitudes to use as the basis for reviewing and developing curricular offerings for entry-level general office clerical employees in office education. Statement of the Problem The problem of this study was to determine if there were significant differences between the perceptions of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees with respect to the importance of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area businesses, according to the size of business office and the type of business organization. Pu ose o t e Stud The purpose of this study was to supply information for developing relevant curriculum for office education. With this information, office education teachers can teach skills, knowledges, and work attitudes that are meaningful in terms of future employment, improve present programs, buy new equipment for the classroom, and delete areas of training which are becoming obsolete. Emphasis could be made in areas of instruction where employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees felt there is a need. This study was to benefit the most important asset of the community--teachers. Research Questions Answers to the following questions were considered for reaching conclusions in this study. 1. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees differ with respect to the skills and knowledges required for entry- 1evel general office clerical employees in the following areas 3 a. ‘keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications 2. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees differ with respect to the work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. 3. Does the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) differ among small, medium, and large business offices with respect to the skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications 4. Does the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) differ among small, medium, and large business offices with respect to the work attitudes required for entry— level general office clerical employees. 5. Does the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) differ in the types of business organizations with respect to the skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications 6. Does the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) differ in the various types of business organizations with respect to the work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. 7. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees differ in the rank ordering of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes in the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees. 8. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees differ in the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry- 1evel general office clerical employees. W The following hypotheses will be tested as a part of this study: 1. There are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications 2. There are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. 3. There are no significant differences regarding the sizes (small, medium, and large) of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees) in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications 4. There are no significant differences regarding the sizes (small, medium, and large) of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. 5. There are no significant differences regarding the types of business organizations with respect to the 10 perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications 6. There are no significant differences regarding the types of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. The Need for the Study For many years office occupations have been one of the leading opportunities in the job market. One has only to look at the classified section of any large city newspaper to substantiate such a statement. The Michigan Employment Security Commission (MESC) in Lansing indicated 11 that there were no openings in general office clerical field in the winter of 1988, because former openings were already filled. But they did predict that there would be more openings in the middle or late spring of 1988. Other agencies such as: Kelly Services, Manpower Temporary Services, Michigan State University, Davenport College, and others also indicated similar predictions as those of MESC. At the national level, there will be a wide range of job skills needed by 1995.6 "Employment in jobs requiring a college education or specialized post-secondary technical training is expected to increase significantly between 1982 and 1995. However, many jobs that do not require post secondary training are also expected to expand significantly."7 Between 1982 and 1995 the demand for general office clerks will increase by 33 percent.8 "In 1984, secretaries held about 2,797,000 jobs making this one of the largest occupations in the U.S."9 By early 19903, the demand for secretaries is expected to grow more slowly than the average. "Despite the slower 6George T. Silvestri, John M. Lukasiewicz, and Marcus E. Einstein, "Occupational Employment Projections Through 1995, " Mgnrhly Labor Review 106 (November, 1983): 35. 7Ibid. 31bid., p. 37. 9U. S., Department of Labor Bureau of Statistics, Qssunafisn_l_Qutlssk_Eandbsskl (April 1986). p- 282- 12 than average growth predicted, an exceptionally large number of jobs will be available through mid 19903 due to the need to replace experienced secretaries who transfer to other jobs or stop working."10 At the state level, according to the Mighiggg_gggupg; tignal Eo;gcasts(l990)11, the need for office clerical employees in 1980 was for people to fill 646,500 jobs, and by 1990 that number is expected to increase to 718,700. It further states that there will be annual, average openings of 29,510 in office clerical occupations. The Michigan Employment Security Commission (MESC) indicates, "Clerical was the second largest occupational group after operating and maintenance. Clerical made up of 27.5 percent of the regulated industries total employment, about 35,810 individuals."12 At the local level, MESC further states that in the greater Lansing area (covering Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties) there will be a need for 43,125 office clerical workers by 1990, compared to 38,625 in 1980. The MESC continues by indicating that the annual demand will be for 1,781 jobs in greater Lansing area alone. This demand is 1°Ibid., p. 283. 11 ' a 0 ational Fore asts (1990). Michigan Employment Security Commission, Bureau of Research and Statistics, Detroit, MI., p. 22. 12Michigan Employment Security Commission, Michigan Regulated and Trade Industries Occupational Employment Service, Detroit, MI (September, 1985), p. 7. 13 attributted to two main factors: (1) greater Lansing recorded a population growth of 11 percent compared to four percent statewide, and (2) the greater Lansing economy is strongly influenced by auto related manufacturing, the location of the capitol, a major university, and government offices. According to MESC, the greater Lansing economy is expected to perform slightly better than the state. A report by the National Business Education Association Task Force on New Concepts and Strategies for Business Education13 states that the demand for office workers will remain strong throughout the century. Therefore, it is important that the office educators need to train students with appropriate skills, knowledges, and work attitudes to meet that demand. Morris and Kilpatrick14 write that if office education is to continue to provide employees for the growing number of office occupations, teachers must constantly survey local business needs to keep their programs up to date with changing technology. They recommend that teachers should survey skills, knowledges, 13"Future Directions and Recommended Actions for Business Education: A Report by the NBEA Task Force on New Concepts and Strategies for Business Education, " Busins§§_fidusatign_igrum 54 (November, 1983): 3 5- 14Debbie Morris, and Retha H. Kilpatrick, "Skills and Knowledges Needed for Entry-Level Office Occupations." Tbs_fialanss_§nsst (1985): 12-14- 14 and attitudes required in entry-level office occupations to determine if students have developed sufficiently the degree of skill necessary to secure initial employment. Delimitatigns The following are delimitations of the study: 1. The persons responding to the questionnaire may have different job titles and positions, and their responsibilities may differ from one another and this may affect their responses. 2. The respondents might interpret questions differently, which may also affect their responses. 3. A general office clerical employee may be called an office clerk, or a desk clerk. This may affect their responses. Limitations This study was limited to the perceptions of office supervisors and incumbent, first year, general office clerical employees in regard to the skills, knowledges, 'and work attitudes required by entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area, covering Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties. 15 The distribution of the data-gathering instrument used in this study was limited to businesses and industries randomly selected from the two 1987 membership lists of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. Definition 9f Terms Following are some of the terms used and their meanings for this particular study: Business Community. It is a place in which businesses and industries are located and hire large number of employees. It is also a place in which it is expected that the majority of the graduates of a particular school, college, or career center will be employed. anstrggtion Type of Business Organization. For purposes of this study, construction type of business organizations consisted of only those who identified themselves on the questionnaire as construction type of business organizations. Entry-Levei Office Empigyge. For purposes of this study, a person who has been on the job in an office from three months to 15 months is an entry-level office employee. Einance Related Type of Business Organization. For purposes of this study, finance related type of business 16 organizations consisted of insurance companies, accounting firms, CPA consulting firms, advertising specialists, real estate, and those who identified themselves on the questionnaire as finance type of business organizations. W- An employee who writes and/or types bills, statements, letters, and manuscripts is a general office clerical employee. That person might also sort and file documents, receive money from customers and deposit money in a bank, answer telephones and convey messages. Office duties of a general office clerk may vary from day to day. In this study, a general office clerk may be an office clerk, or a desk clerk. ggp_11rigr This category is comprised of employers/ office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry level general office clerical employees. gngylgggg. The understanding of how to perform a task is knowledge. Large Business Office. For purposes of this study, a business with more than ten office workers is termed as a large business office. WWW. For purposes of this study, manufacturing type of business organizations include commercial, metal treating industries, and those who identified themselves on the 17 questionnaire as manufacturing type of business organizations. Magiam_§a§ipa§§_gffiga. For purposes of this study, a business with six to ten office workers is considered to be a medium business office. foiga_§pparyi§prr An employee who supervises the office clerical staff, and evaluates their performance is an office supervisor. This person also coordinates the office work flow and reports to the administrative personnel in the business or industry. Sometimes an office supervisor might perform office tasks, such as: recording financial information, compiling data for typing of financial statements, typing confidential information, filing documents, and doing bookkeeping. In this study, an office supervisor could be an owner, a president, a vice-president, a personnel director, or a business manager. ther Types pf Basinass Orgapiaatiops. For purposes of this study, other types of business organizations include education, communications, federal government, health care, transportation, law, agriculture, and mining, Saryige Type pf Busineas Organization. For purposes of this study, service type of business organizations include retail/sales, wholesale, human services, restaurants, management services, cultural services agency, food services, printing services, data processing 18 services, interior designing services, and those who identified themselves on the questionnaire as service type of business organizations. Skiii. The ability required to perform a task is a skill. Smaii Busipess Office. For purposes of this study, a small business office is one that has five or fewer office workers in its work force. Work Attitude. An employee's actions and behavior that are an indication of his/her commitment or lack of it toward his/her job compose his/her work attitude. Summary The literature indicates that a person's education and work determine his social status in the community. Therefore, there is a relationship between school and work. In office education, such a relationship calls for a cooperative effort between schools and businesses. It is necessary for office educators and school adminis- trators to have current and accurate data to use as the basis for reviewing and developing course offerings for those being trained as office clerical employees. Students should be well trained and should be able to compete for office employment in any size of business office or in any type of business organization. This 19 study was undertaken to gather and analyze data on the perceptions of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry—level general office clerical employees regarding skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in greater Lansing area businesses and industries. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A review of the literature was undertaken to establish a need for the study and to assist in determining appropriate skills, knowledges, and work attitudes needed for entry-level office workers. The review of this literature was divided into three main sections. The first section deals with a rationale for skills and knowledges survey, the second section deals with a rationale for work attitudes survey, and the third section deals with a review of related surveys. Bafippala far Skillg apg Kaowiegges Suryey Modern technology is changing the business world today more rapidly than ever before. Wagoner states: ”The last ten years have brought more changes than the previous one hundred years, and industry experts will generally agree that the next five years will bring even more dramatic changes."15 15Kathleen P. Wagoner, "Now is the Time--," Qournal 2f_Bu§ins§§_Edusatien 56 (May. 1981): 297- 20 21 Ettinger16 emphasizes that office education should prepare students for the present as well as for the future and should provide students with the skills and knowledges of emerging technologies. Hence, it is apparent that there is a need for identification of current specific skills and knowledges in the area of office education. It means that the office educators must take an interest to seek out the changes in order to prepare students to be competent office workers for entry-level positions. To do this, they must regularly conduct research to determine what changes are taking place and what businesses expect of office workers and incorporate these findings into the curriculum of office education. Kaufman and English state: External needs assessment will identify the skills and knowledges which are important outside the school so that this information can be used as the basis for educational design and effort.17 Jorgensen and Campbell also emphasize the importance of research in office education: Business education occupational preparation programs must be representative of the working environments that are actually found in offices. 16Blanche Ettinger, "A Study of the Requirements and Business Training Procedures for Word Processing Personnel with Implications for Word Processing Curriculum Development in Two-Year Post-Secondary Institutions." (Ed.D. dissertation, New York University, 1980), p. 372. 17Roger Kaufman, and Fenwick English. Needs ' (Englewood Cliffs: Educational Technology Publications, 1979), p. 78. 22 Those students who have had the opportunity to develop basic office skills on up to date equip- ment and who have completed occupational programs in which office systems have been emphasized will be in a better position to accept employment.18 Williamson and Houghton add that even office education classroom teachers should be research oriented: All teachers that are in the business of training office workers should know the need of the local business community.... Teachers should take it upon themselves to determine what are the initial job requirements of local area businesses.... This will be a factor in curric- ulum revision. By providing better trained secretaries, we would also be helping the business community.19 Research indicates that the changing of office technologies contributes to the need for periodic review of skills and knowledges in office education. Office educators need to keep in tune with the business community and provide meaningful programs for students. Literature concerning skills and knowledges required by entry-level office employees as related to six commonly required areas was reviewed for this study. The informa- tion gathered through that review is presented in the following six areas: keyboarding/typing, word processing, 18Carl D. Jorgensen, and Melvin E. Campbell, ”Business Classroom and Laboratory Equipment," Business W 36 (1982): 29- 19Davis Williamson, and Edward L. Houghton, ”Shorthand Skills Required by Business Administrators." NABIE_Bayiay. No. 5, 1978, National Business Education Association, Reston, VA, p. 93. 23 data processing, records management, computations, and communications. fiaypgargingzlypipgr Although technology has changed drastically over the past 20 years, and will continue to change in the 1980s, typewriting skills will still be essential in office education.20 'Ivarie further states: "Typewriting will continue to be a corner stone of office preparation."21 to this, Poland adds: With the advent of the high speed typewriters with various types of memory capabilities, new divisions of office functions have resulted.... Each of these require typewriting skills but to varying levels of proficiency.... The basic functions of each of the word processing positions vary but are typewriting related. 2 Typewriting skill is related to word processing as well as to data processing. Therefore, keyboarding skill must be given importance in classroom teaching. Dennee's23 study on the importance and frequency of entry-level competencies revealed that keyboarding from straight copy, 20Theodore W. Ivarie, "Curriculum Concerns About the Changing Office." Busins_§_zdusati___£2rum 35 (November. 1980): 18. lebid. 22Robert Poland, "Typewriting Instruction for 19805," 12nrnal.2f_nu§ine§s_zdusatien 35 (October. 1980): 2. 23Jean M. Dennee. "Importance and Frequency of Entry-Level Competencies as Perceived by Word Processing Supervisors, Correspondence and Administrative Secretaries, and Word Processing Educators in Wisconsin. (Ed.D. dissertation, Utah State University, 1981). 24 statistical copy, and formatting documents rated from ”important" to “critical" for an office worker. Literature indicates that good keyboarding techniques must be developed early and consistently, because of their speed and development in this computer-oriented society. Schuette24 writes that today's concern for accuracy in keyboarding is brought about by the degree of computeri- zation in our society. He also emphasizes that proof- reading is an important skill in keyboarding. Myatt adds: It is more important for equipment operators to be able to produce accurate work than to be able to type at a speed of 60 words per minute. The conclusions may be reached that keyboarding classes which help prepare entry- level equipment operators should stress accuracy more than speed.2 Myatt further states: In the typewriting area, office employees will continue to need keyboarding skills with a great amount of emphasis on accuracy and proofreading.26 Basic keyboarding skills will continue to play an important role in training of office employees. Office 24Oscar H. Schuette, "Error Analysis: An Essential in Typewriting Instruction." Busine§§_ndusatien_zerum 36 (May, 1984): 6-8. 25Sam J. Myatt, "Competencies Common to Word and Data Processing Personnel," Tha_Ba1apga_§haaf 66 (September/ October, 1984): 7. 26Ibid., p. s. 25 educators will need to integrate keyboarding skills into computer classes. To this Lockhead writes: Basic writing skills are as important as ever. In addition, the teaching of typewriting on the computer must become an integral part of typewriting instruction.27 McMullan also writes: Industry continues to reinforce the importance of the keyboarding skillé including the alpha and the 10-key keyboard.2 He further indicates that office educators should use modern terminology in the classrooms like "inputers" for "typists" to keep with the information age. "The need for basic keyboarding skills in the office has not changed and will not change."29 Ownby3° states that office employees are deficient in accuracy in keyboarding and formatting. She further indicates that office educators should give importance to production of letters, memoranda, business forms, tables and reports. She continues by writing that classrooms 27Louise P. Lockhead, "Typewriting on Computers: An Exciting Program.” Busine§§_fidusation_£2rum 38 (May. 1984): 16. 28Linda McMullan, "Keyboarding: A Basic Skill for Everyone." Businss§_fidusation_£2rum 38 (April/May. 1984): 24. 29Ibid., p. 25. 3oArnola C. Ownby, "Typewriting Skills Needed in the Automated Office." Busins§§_zdusation_£orum 36 (April 1982): 9-10. 26 must update their office machines to bridge the gap between office and classroom. Literature indicates that the keyboarding skills are not only important to an office employee, but also to executives and managers for composing at typewriters and computers. Keyboarding skill continues to play an important role in office education. Yacht states: At each phase of keyboard instruction, encourage students to compose at their typewriters.... Mastery of keyboarding and proofreading skills must be reinforced at each stage of learning." Composing at the keyboard is becoming increasingly an important skill because of the text editing features found in computers and in electronic typewriters, and teachers need to teach this skill to the students. Cox and Donin32 also state that composing and accuracy in keyboarding are necessary to function as efficient keyboard operators: The students see a new total picture in which instantaneous communication between offices, between cities, across the nation, and across ocean is possible. They realize the importance of correct communications, their reports, their business letters, their data will form the basis of major decisions by businesses in the information society.33 31Carol Yacht, "Developing Skills in Keyboarding and Proofreading Required for Word Processing," fipaipaaa Edusation_£2rum 37 (March. 1983): 14- 32Rollie Cox, and Donald M. Donin, "The Time Has Come to Teach Composing at the Keyboard," e ca 'o Eprpm 39 (May, 1985): 17. 33Ibid. 27 Electronic typewriters are becoming popular, because of their cost, and for the additional features manufac- turers offer. Literature indicates that the office educators must choose electronic typewriters that are compatible with computers, with additional features such as merge, list, delete, block move/copy, and global search and replace. Manufacturers are also offering electronic typewriters with printing speeds of up to 14 to 30 characters per second, and disks that hold up to 70 pages.34 With advanced electronic typewriters and computers available in today's information age, students need to learn to use these office machines as early as possible in school. Robinson and Johnson write: Individuals at every level of the business - hierarchy--from clerks to executives--are required to use keyboards or electronic terminals to enter and retrieve information that is essential to the successful completion of their work.35 Robinson and Johnson36 further state that office employees who are not exposed to keyboards in classroom are handicapped on the job. They need keyboarding skills 34Sherly Evans, "Electronic Typewriter: An Update," 45 (March, 1984): 52- 54. 35Jerry W. Robinson, and Gary L. Johnson, "Learning Microcomputer Keyboarding, Ina_fia1apga_§paaf 63 (March, 1982): 228-231. 351bid. 28 to operate efficiently on a computer. McMullan and Cox37 advise office educators to train students to be independent and self-directed thinkers. They further state that students should be given freedom to express themselves, to direct their own learning, and to evaluate themselves. In this changing information age, office employees need to be able to teach themselves, and update themselves in all aspects of keyboarding skills. W c s ' . Dartnell Corporation describes word processing as "an automated system designed to cut the cost and time of the originate/dictate, check/type/retype, sign/mail/distribute, and retain cycle of producing business documents."38 Claffey39 found that the function of word processing was to produce quality typewritten copy from handwritten and dictated material in an efficient and timely manner. Maroney4o identified seven skill areas necessary for those who work with word processors. They are typing 37Connie J. McMullan, and David W. Cox, "Advanced Keyboarding: A Humanistic Approach," ppaipa§§_fgaparigp [gram 39 (January, 1985): 19-20. 38Dartnell Corporation. Glossary of Word Terms. Chicago: author, 1977. 39George F. Claffey, "Word Processing: Case Studies of 15 Selected Business Firms." (Ed.D. dissertation, Indiana University, 1979.) 40John W. Maroney, "Word Processing--What Skills Should an Entry-Level Applicant Have?" Qapfpry_zi Bapprrar (Fall. 1979): 5. 29 skills, transcription of dictation, proofreading, grammatical skills, use of resource materials, mathematics, and concepts and theory of word processing. Further more he states: "Every office worker whether administrative/support or progressional, will need to work with word processing in one form or another."41 Baumgardner further confirms: "The office worker of the eighties must be equipped to function in a systems environment."42 Word processing is important in today's office, and office educators must recognize its importance. Office education students need to learn word processing concepts, applications, formatting, and be able to work on word processing equipment. Fry43 in her doctoral dissertation found significant relationships between the size of a business and its use of the following word processing equipment: non-display stand alone stations, one-line display stand alones, stand alones with CRTs, shared logic systems, OCR readers for input, terminals on-line to computers, portable dictation units, desk-top dictation machines, central dictating/recording systems, and 41Ibid., p. 6. 42Mary Baumgardner, "Above and Beyond the Skills," 36 (1981): 10. 43Betty C. Fry, "A Study of Selected Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Businesses to Assess Competencies Needed by Future Employees in Automated Offices." (Ed.D. dissertation, Oklahoma State University, 1984). 30 computer-aided transcription. Anderson44 writes that students also need to familiarize themselves with such equipment as: satellite communications, bubble memory, fiber optic cable transmissions, laser impact printers, plasma displays, voice creation, voice recognition, and portable keyboards. She further states that this equipment is no longer found just in discussion topics, but it is moving to realities in word processing. Bergurud and Gonzalez4s indicate that the use of communicating word/information processors in automated offices will increase in the future. They further indicate that voice reminder systems, voice message systems, teleconferencing mailgram and stored mailgram, electronic computer originated messages, advanced communications service, and satellite business systems will become part of automated office. Myatt46 conducted a study with selected members of the Fortune 500 Directory, business educators, and word/ 44Ruth I. Anderson, "Word Processing," Ina ghangipg . NBEA Yearbook, No. 18, 1980, National Business Education Association, Reston, VA, pp. 55-65. 45Marly Bergerud, and Jean Gonzalez. Wprg Braceasipg Qppcepfa ang Qaraera; A Sfap Ipwarg Office Agfgmafign (3rd Ed.). (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1984), pp. 183-186. 46Sam J. Myatt, ”Competencies Common to Word and Data Processing Personnel," Ina_fiaiapga_§haaf 66 (September/October, 1984): 6-8. 31 data processing equipment manufacturers to determine the skills essential in word and data processing. The findings indicated the following skills were important for word and data processors: performs accurate work, follows written and oral job instructions, exhibits willingness to learn, meets accepted standards, handles confidential information in a professional manner, exhibits willingness to follow organized procedures, manages time to reach maximum productivity, exhibits willingness to do detailed work, works well under pressure, maintains a friendly attitude toward coworkers, meets work deadlines, handles magnetic media, and proofreads and corrects copy before final input of data. Myatt's study further identified competencies that were either essential or important in word processing and data processing: understands office procedures, groups and recovers media, handles source documents, types input data from original source documents, activates machines to produce printed copies of data, proofreads accurately, accepts responsibility, maintains a service center approach to work, logs information pertaining to incoming and completed work, prioritizes duties, and codes and indexes documents on disk for easy retrieval and grouping. 32 Dafa_£rpgaaaipgr The first business-use computers were installed in 19503.47 They further state that the late 19503 and early 19603 saw the development of a more reliable mainframe computer. Drum writes: "By the mid 19603 many of the earlier unit record installations had been replaced by electronic equipment in large businesses."48 He further identifies input media as punched cards, punched tape, disks, optical character readers (OCR), magnetic ink character readers (MICR), direct input keyboards, and audio input: and some of the output media as printed lines, punched cards, punched paper tape, magnetic tape, video (CRT), microfiche, and audio. The central processing unit (CPU) is identified as an electronic filing cabinet that controls the processing routine, performs authentic functions, and maintains a quickly accessible memory. Seymour49 indicates that micro computers are common in most businesses. He advises that office students 47Padmakar M. Sapre, and Roscoe D. Perritt, "A Historical Development of Accounting and Data Processing," Mines—BMW- NBEA Yearbook, No. 14, 1980, National Business Education Association, Reston, VA, p. 46. 48William 0. Drum, "Data Processing," Tha Changing . NBEA Yearbook. No. 14. 1980, National Business Education Association, Reston, VA, p. 46. 49Jim Seymour, "The Micros of 1990," Togay'a Office (July, 1985): 45. 33 should be taught how to use these machines, because their advantages are great and more sophisticated equipment is being placed in the market. He further writes that as these microcomputers are connected to personal computers, their power as office automation tools increases: and then they can be used for intra-office electronic messaging and the sharing of common files. He continues that the graphics-based interfaces are becoming popular, and they are much easier to operate and also easier for the user to remember how programs work. Literature indicates that the computers in the 19903 will be able to remember how an owner likes things done and consult an internal set of rules to analyze and suggest answers. In this advanced technological world, students must be introduced to computers as early as possible. Badler states: ”Perhaps the fastest growing microform usage area involves computer-assisted retrieval (CAR) systems."50 He further indicates that other systems like microfiche magazine systems, microfiche systems, and micrographics are becoming increasingly popular in the business world. The future generation will be using computers as common equipment in schools, offices, and homes. Therefore, it is the duty of office educators to teach these computer skills to the students. 50Mitchell. M. Badler, "Micrographics are in Tune with the Times," foiga_§y§fap§ 3 (April, 1986): 42. 34 Bagprg§_nanaganapf. Goodman defined records management as "the application of efficient management methods to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposable of records."51 He further mentions that Congressman Frank Horton of New York addressed the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, and indicated that "paperwork... is indeed a national problem. It prevents programs from operating properly, and in some cases, it prevents programs from operating at all."52 Willard also states: "Without the important filing function, our offices would be in a constant state of chaos."53 He further states: Twenty years ago records management meant perfecting skills as a file clerk: now it includes assisting in top management policy formation and cost control responsibilities. Today, records management has moved from the file cabinet to the computers making it a viable career choice for the 19803. Echternacht declares: "To be an effective worker in offices today, one must be able to work not only with conventional paper needs, but also with computer records, 51David G. Goodman, "Records Management: An Area Demanding Attention,” Ina_§aianga_§naaf 61 (February, 1980): 205. 521bid., p. 204. 53Benjamin H. Willard, Jr., "Editorial Comments," Tha_fla1anga_§naaf 62 (December 1980/January 1981): 146. 54Ibid. 35 with data transmissions, and with miniaturized records."55 Maedke also states the importance of micrographics in records management: The utilization of micrographics can reduce records storage space requirements by 98 percent and cut labor and distribution costs. It is essential that the records manager understands the procedures involved in making a microfilm feasibility study and selecting an appropriate microform if one is warranted. 5 Maedke further adds: Information regarding microform technology that is important for records management personnel to know includes the basic elements of microform use and technology, the functions of the various types of rotary and flat bed cameras, the differences that exist among the various kinds of microform processing and inspection of equipment, and the process and capabilities of computer output and computer input of microfilm. The literature indicates that in spite of microforms, microfilms, and microfiche usage in records management, paper documents will continue to be important. When training students to be records managers or records employees, teachers should focus more on producing generalists rather than specialists for this information age. Maedke further writes: 55Lonnie Echternacht, "Filing Instruction for Today's Office." l2urnal_of_ausines§_zgusation 56 (October, 1980): 13. 56Wilmer O. Maedke, ”What is Records Management All About " Business.£§usation_£2rum 38 (April/May. 1984):17-23. 57Ibid. 36 The records managers of today who want to work ahead in the future must broaden horizons and perspective. The blindness of narrow specialization must be replaced with the viewpoint of a generalist.... One who is comfortable with diverse technology and acquainted with techniques that range across the entire spectrum of information management. The introduction of computers into the offices has changed records management procedures; therefore, office educators need to take into consideration the changes brought about as a result of this information age and train students to enter work force competently. mepafafippar Roemer59 writes that business math is an important skill in a great many jobs and in every day, personal, usable skills. Schools should stress this skill in classrooms. This is one area where a majority of students are found deficient. Not only is business math important in schools and work places, but also bookkeeping and accounting. Office workers are constantly faced with bookkeeping and simple accounting problems, and they should be taught how to solve such problems. Calculators are used as an aid to solving math and bookkeeping problems in most homes, offices, and schools. Their popularity has increased in the past few years. Harcharik states: .531bid., p. 19. 59Elaine S. Roemer, "Putting Life Into Business Math." Business_zgusatign_flgrls 61 (March/April. 1981): 21. 37 The growth of the electronic calculator market has an impact on many occupations.... and has moved into business offices, homes, and schools. The ten-key keyboard is one of the most important keyboards in business, second to the typewriter. Knowledge of the electronic calculator, applications, and skills in operating the calculators are an essential element of today's business career. Siragusa61 writes that first electronic desk top printing calculators entered the market in the late sixties. She continues by writing that they are faster, sleeker, quieter, and much easier to use. She further states that calculators of the future will use ink-jet print heads, as opposed to tape heads or ribbons, and ink- jet heads are much quieter and produce crisper print. Computers are increasing the use of calculators. Many offices have calculators along with computers to make calculation functions easier. Office educators should train students to use calculators efficiently along with computers. Calculators are used in offices for solving accounting and bookkeeping problems. Accounting and bookkeeping knowledge is important for office clerical employees to obtain jobs, and the office curriculum should include courses in these subjects. Satlow states: 60Kathleen Harcharik, "Teaching the Correct Use of the Electronic Calculators," Jpprpai_gf_§gaipa§§ Egpparipp 56 (February, 1981): 18. 61Gail Siragusa, "Thomas Amazing Desk Top Calculators." Wagon 45 (October, 1984): 51-52, 54, and 58. 38 The pupils who leave our schools before graduation and those who await graduation are entitled to the technical training that will equip them with a reserve of knowledge and skills that will serve them in good stead beyond the period of initial employment.62 The literature also reveals that an office employee needs to have good knowledge of the computer keyboard as well as accounting principles and procedures to function efficiently in an office job. To this Werner writes: Many employers want an accounting employee who can use the touch system on the calculator and on the 10-key pad of a computer.63 Reap describes the importance of accounting in clerical jobs: The need for educators to keep current is just as important in planning programs in clerical accounting as it is in planning programs in professional accounting.... The duties performed depend on the size and type of employing firm and its system of record keeping. The work of the clerical accountant can range from running a machine to keeping complete set of records in a small office. Clerical accountants may type or hand post entries in journals or ledgers, check items on reports, code business papers for computer entry, proofread, and verify a variety of financial papers and forms. Clerical accountants prepare invoices and statements to send to customers, verify and pay bills, calculate payrolls, and 62David Satlow, "Helpful Hints Teaching Bookkeeping and Accounting," Monograph 96. (Cincinnati: South- Western Publishing Co., 1956), p. 5. 63Sheila F. Werner, "What Should be Taught to Today's Accounting Students?" fipaipaa§_zgagafipp [pram 38 (April/May, 1984): 40-44. 39 proof bank accounts. They use typewriters, adding machines, calculators, data processing equipment and telephones extensively. 4 Reap further points out that businesses will continue to install electronic data processing systems to handle routine accounting tasks. Therefore, office clerical employees who have basic knowledge of business machines, computer entry devices, and data processing competencies will be in a favorable position to obtain jobs. According to Herbert, "payroll accounting provides substantial opportunities for the beginning office employee."65 Therefore, office educators should also include federal and state payroll laws in the office curriculum and train students to obtain beginning office jobs. Microcomputers are being used in accounting in most of the businesses. To this Herbert further writes: Microcomputers give both large and small businesses the ability to input data, retrieve related data, and generate information. Through the use of microcomputers and word processors, businesses are to increase the quality for decisign making and expedite the flow of paper work. Office educators should work towards integrating microcomputer technology into the accounting classroom to 64Margaret C. Reap, "Accounting is More than a Balance Sheet.” Business.£§usation_£2rnm 38 (April/May, 1984): 44. 65Bruce Herbert, "Integrated Payroll Skills Pay Big Dividends." Business_E§usation_Eorum 37 (December. 1982): 22—24. “551bid., p. 19. £10 facilitate the preparation of students to work in this information age. gppmppiparigpa. Eskey bemoans the fact that businesses are losing millions of dollars because of the ”lack of English skills among newly hired and older workers."67 He further states: One corporation reported that 70 percent of all outgoing correspondence must be retyped due to errors in grammar and spelling.... More than 40 percent of their secretaries have difficulty reading correspondence.68 The literature indicates that the businesses are not satisfied with the English skills that employees possess. Ettinger writes: "Supervisors and managers complain that secretarial personnel are deficient in spelling, English usage, and punctuation skills that are prerequisite to proofreading ability."69 Moody7o recommends that office educators should also direct improvement toward listening skills, following directions, and in language arts. Teachers need to place more emphasis in this area and train students to be 67K. Eskey, "Young Americans Lacking Skills Survey Finds.” Ths_£iffsbursn_2re§§ (March 9 1983): 8-6 GBIbid. 69Blanche Ettinger, "Are the Language Skills Showing?" §EA_Bu§1ne§s_z_usation_Ne_s (Spring. 1983): 2- 7°Patricia G. Moody. "Identification of Entry-Level Competencies and Locus of Training for Word Processing Secretaries in South Carolina. (Ed. D. dissertation, University of South Carolina, 1978), p. 177. 41 efficient in their jobs. Ettinger summarizes the importance of communications in office education field by stating: Research studies report that employers, managers, and supervisors of secretarial personnel consider language skills and the ability to think as more important than knowing how to operate equipment.... Unfortunately some teachers in their attempt to keep pace with the times, tend to stress technology at the expense of language arts.7 Literature indicates that students are declining in language arts skills, and office educators must turn these deficiencies into proficiencies. Communications through the postal system is an important part of successful functioning of most businesses. More than one-half of business transactions are completed through the mail.72 Depending on the size of the business, secretaries are called upon to handle complete mail functions in the company's mail department. Employers prefer employees to come trained in mail handling so that they can be cost efficient in that area. Mayer states: "Controlling postage cost is a fact of office life today.... Employers are looking for entry- 1evel workers who have been sensitized to the problem and who practice cost—effective communication and mail handling 71Ettinger, p. 2. 72Harry Huffman, Donald Mulkerne, and Allen Russon, "Office Mailing," foiga firpgagpraa apg Administrariop (1965): 202. 42 procedures."73 Business offices expect office employees to be proficient not only in traditional mail handling, but also in electronic mail transmissions. Glagow writes: Electronic mail is the transmission of message contents electronically.... Computers usually play a role in formatting, managing or forwarding an electronic-mail message. The cost performance of computers improves by 25% each year, allowing mail systems to become more powerful, flexible, and inexpensive Glagow further states several advantages of electronic mail systems: Electronic mail can improve productivity and solve business problems. Information from the field can arrive rapidly and exchanged in hours or minutes, rather than days or weeks. Better decisions can be made more quickly, and once made, new instructions can be transmitted at electronic speeds.75 “The integration of voice-mail systems with PBX and other phone systems, as well as soon-to-emerge dispersed voice mail networking capabilities should make voice mail the leading way for businesses to answer phones as well as a way to send, store, and forward messages worldwide."76 73Kenneth R. Mayer, "Teaching Postage Consumerism, " Business_fixshange 3 (1981): 22. 74Steve Glagow, "Getting the Message Across with Electronic Mail Systems," foipa_§y§fam_ 3 (July, 1986): 21. 751bid., p. 24. 75Ibid., p. 74. 43 Besides communicating by phone or other electronic mail systems, businesses are also demanding that the spoken word be transcribed into the written word. This calls for skilled office employees in the area of machine transcription. Maroney writes: Dictation is being used more widely in creating work in the business world because of the stress on time management for professional staff. Shorthand in word processing environments is not fully being utilized, however, machine dictation is very prevalent. Machine transcription capabilities have become an important and integral part of word processing.... Familiarity with machine transcription as a means of creating typed copy has become a must.77 From these comments it is clear that entry-level office employees need to be proficient in skills and knowledges reviewed in this section to be competent in an office. A great number of businessmen state that they are more interested in attitudes than in skills of new employees, because they feel it is the attitudes that determine if employees will be successful or not in their jobs.78 77Maroney, p.5. 78Verner Dotson, "Modern Business Education," NEA Jpnrpai 55: (February, 1966): 44. 44 Hoggatt writes: "Even though there was disagreement between the teachers and employers on the degree of importance, they did agree that the main reason for selecting an entry-level office worker was personality."79 He further writes: Teachers should work on programs to improve the areas indicated by employers as meeting the most improvement in the preparation of entry- level office workers. Specific attention should be given to developing methods of increasing student's concern for productivity, developing their human skills.... Teachers should work with students to improve personal characteri- stics which employers desire most in entry-level workers. Teachers should emphasize attitudes, character integrity, and dependability as the main areas for personal improvement.8 Melick also states: "Office employees possess adequate levels of skills, but it was felt by many business personnel that entry-level office employees lacked traits that are necessary to be successful in a job."81 She further quotes comments of a supervisor on the importance of traits for entry-level office workers: They seem to lack self-discipline and do not realize that it is seven and one—half hours and attend to the details. I recently read that 79Jack P. Hoggatt, "Perceptions of Vocational Business Teachers, Qualifications for Entry-Level Office Workers in Utah." (Ed.D. dissertation, Utah State University, 1979) p. 171. 8°Ibid., p. 178. 81Norma E. Melick, ”Statement by Supervisors of Entry-Level Business Employees," Baiayapga_ip_fpa ' ' NO. 11. 1978, National Business Education Association, Reston, VA. p. 16. 45 most people hear only one-third of what is said to them.... This becomes frustrating.... When you add the fact that they do not want to pay attention to the details, it makes it very, very large problem. Human relations are important and critical to all because there is constant interacting taking place among people. According to Claffey: "The ability to cooperate and interact with others is absolutely essential for nearly all positions in business."83 Servat84 indicates that office educators must put emphasis on students' attitudes as businesses and industries demand employees who want to work, who take pride in their work, and who work well with others. If students do not possess good work attitudes, then Stinespring85 states that it is encouraging to realize that these attitudes can be developed. A positive person who is energetic, motivated, productive and alert contributes to the productivity of others. Dotson86 writes that business teachers must realize that the skills their students are learning today may not 82Ibid. 83Claffey, p. 33. 84Myrtle M. Servat, "Why Should I Care?" o a of ' 56 (November, 1980): 7. 85Vickey Stinespring, "Are Employment Interview Skills 'That' Important?" 1ournal_2f_Bu§inees_Egusafioh 52 (May, 1977): 369. 86Dotson, p. 44. 46 always be in such a great demand. For this reason, many office educators consider skill development only part of their main teaching, and not necessarily the most important part. He further states that the greatest concern of the modern business education teachers should be the development of proper attitudes in their students, because when students take pride in their work, they show willingness to learn new things, and have a pleasing personality which is always needed in the world of business. Wilson87 also emphasizes that attitudes are very important for the success of a career. He further states that initiative, dependability, and integrity will have more to do with success of business than basic proficiencies. He believes that the character traits will reflect readiness to meet change which is the keystone to personal development in today's technological world. In today's automated offices, more routine clerical work is being taken over by machines. However, Arnstein88 states that a greater emphasis should be placed on an applicant's ability to handle work requiring judgment, initiative, specialized training, and facility in dealing with people. 87Joseph C. Wilson, "Comments," NEA_Jparpai 55 (February 1966): 46. 88George E. Arnstein, "The Impact of Automation in Occupational Pattern," c P ' e ve o men s Yearbook, 1964, National Business Education Association, Reston, VA, p. 49. 47 A well known business educator, Tonne,89 declares that it is the duty of office educators to modify the attitudes of their students. To add to Tonne's comments, Campbell states: Our schools must begin producing students who are not only capable of inquiry and problem solving, but who have also developed the emotional stability and interpersonal skills for a humanized existence. Campbell further points out that if a person has no understanding of the mechanics of applying the knowledge gained to help himself and others, then the society is doomed to become more and more materialistic with man becoming less and less significant. Feirer91 indicates that employers do not hire students with an intention to change their personality, but they expect schools to equip them with appropriate skills, knowledges, and work attitudes. Research indicates that good work attitudes are important to be successful in the business world. Burns92 writes that poor personal traits account for employees not 89Herbert A. Tonne. s' Egpgafign 2nd Ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1954), p. 92. 90Lloyd P. Campbell, "Cognitive and Affective: Dual Emphasis," Sontemporarx_figusatien 46 (1974): 113-114. 91John L. Feirer, ”What Do Industry and Business Want from Vocational Education?" nggpfriai_§gagari_p 65 (December, 1976): 4. 92John E. Burns, "Labor and Industrial Relations." Industrialruanassment 15 (April. 1973): 1-6- 48 advancing in their jobs. To this, Wilson93 adds that most people fail or lose their jobs not because of insufficient job skills or inadequate performance, but for poor personal traits. Boynton94 also states that large number of workers discharged or not promoted lacked social or personal traits. He further states that among negative attitudes identified were non-cooperative behavior, dishonesty, and lack of courtesy. From these comments it is clearly evident that office educators must emphasize more than narrow vocational training to develop work attitudes that will have much to do with success enjoyed by persons entering the business world. Many of these work attitudes will have to be desired in the home, and office training institutions will have to modify them. Many positive work attitudes were identified by businessmen and office educators. Some of these are punctuality, loyalty, and ability to progress,95 appearance and attitudes,96 accuracy and dependability, 93H. Wilson, "What is a Good Employee?" ngparriai Mapagapapf 15 (1973): 14-15. 94P.W. Boynton, "So You Want a Better Job?" Mobil Oil Co. 1955. 95William Jolly, "What Industry Expects from the New Employee?” Business.£§usation_£2rum 15 (March 1961): 36- 95 Weston C. Wilsing, "Is Business Education in the Public High Schools Meeting the Need and Desires of Businessmen?" Monograph No. 99. (Cincinnati: Southern Publishing Co., 1960), pp.20—21. 49 willingness to cooperate, self-discipline, initiative, willingness to learn, flexibility, and character skills.97 The following headings of the work attitudes were taken from Gehris'98 study on work attitudes of beginning office employees, and the work attitudes were taken from the literature and other related questionnaires. Employer-employee relationship: has the ability to get along with supervisors understands and observes company policies accepts constructive criticism from supervisors seeks the advice of supervisors follows written/oral instructions Employee-employee relationship: works congenially with coworkers develops the ability to plan and work in groups volunteers to help coworkers to complete rush jobs accepts constructive criticism from coworkers Employee responsibility: can be depended upon to follow a job through to its completion accepts and practices loyalty and honesty works independently without supervision ability to meet deadlines is punctual in all office activities works well under pressure practices care for good personal appearance LBW A review of related surveys in business education may prove useful as a background, since the proposed study is 97 John Ellerback, "Teacher and Employer: A Dialogue on the Jobs in the 'Real' World," ngaarriai Baggafign 66 (April, 1977): 30-31. 98Dennis O. Gehris, "A Study to Determine the Extent to Which Selected Factors can Predict the Work Attitudes of Beginning Office Employees." (Ed.D. dissertation, Temple University, 1980). 50 to deal with a community survey. The review begins with early investigations and continues with presentation of doctorate, masters, and independent studies. According to Meredith99 the earliest business community surveys were made in Massachusetts (1911), and in Richmond, Virginia (1914). Collins100 states that in 1914, the Boston Chamber of Commerce conducted a survey to determine the opinions of Boston employers as to what subjects were most needed to work effectively in office occupations. She further adds that in 1915 the Chamber of Commerce of Rochester, New York, made a study to obtain special information from individual workers, and general information from employers. The literature indicates that before 1933, the best known surveys were city surveys. These surveys were done in Cleveland (1916), New York (1918), Minneapolis (1925), Pasadena (1926), and Chicago (1928).101 Moore further writes that city surveys were completed in Pittsburgh 99Evelyn D. Meredith, "A Review of Certain Aspects of Selected Business Community Surveys." (Ed.D. dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1962). 100Rebecca I. Collins, "Guidelines for Community Occupational Surveys in Vocational Education." (Ed.D. dissertation, University of Tennessee, 1972), p. 23. 101Virginia E. Moore, "The Determination of Those Factors and Understandings Which Should be Secured by Business Community Surveys." (Ed.D. dissertation, New York University, 1953) pp. 17-22. 51 (1948), and Yakima, Washington (1949), and a commercial occupations survey of Virginia was completed in 1942. Malsbary102 reports that in the 19603, three studies financed by government grants were completed. The first study was done in the Detroit metropolitan area for high school graduates, as reported by employers to determine what actually happened to them as they sought to enter labor market in office and retail jobs. The second study was done in selected businesses in Connecticut to determine the effects of technology on the types of office machines used, with implications for business education curriculum. The third study was done by Malsbary, and he describes it as: This study sought to identify the office entry positions in business firms in the state of Connecticut, the nature of the work the beginning workers are assigned to perform, and the knowledges, skills, attitudes, and understandings they need in order to perform the work. A review of literature from early 19003 to 19603 shows that studies were done in local communities. Meredithlo4 in her study found that the majority of the 235 survey-type studies done between 1955 and June 1960 were local. She further writes it is important that local 102Dean R. Malsbary, "Re-evaluation of Business Education Based on SurveY8-" MW (January, 1968) p. 17. 1°3Ibid, p. 29. 104Meredith, p. 29. 52 community surveys should be conducted, and their findings should help to determine more up to date curriculum in office education field. Many excellent surveys were done by individuals as well as organizations in the field of office education. Tomlan,105 for her doctoral study, investigated the relevancy of the secretarial/clerical curriculum in the department of office administration of Boyce Campus of the Community College of Alleghany County. A survey of the needs of business in the service area in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh was conducted. The ultimate purpose of this study was to ensure that students are equipped with pertinent office skills. The data were collected through the use of a questionnaire., The instrument was organized into six major sections which listed 56 selected skills and equipment/systems representing cognitive and psychomotor domains. A random sample of 216 units representing 50% of the population of 433 members of the Monroville Chamber of Commerce was selected for the survey. There was a response rate of 72.2% (153 questionnaires returned). The results of the analysis produced data regarding typing and shorthand rates as well as validated sets of 105Dolores M. Tomlan, "An Identification of the Word Processing Skills and Knowledges Needed by Entry-Level Secretarial/Clerical Employees as Perceived by Members of the Local Business Community.” (Ed.D. dissertation, Nova University, 1983). 53 competencies. Traditional skills are still upheld as valid for clerical jobs. The results also indicated that although word processing and automated office approaches are not yet widespread in the service area, trends seem to suggest that movement is in that direction. Frylo6 conducted a doctoral study to determine the competencies required of future employees performing technical functions in automated offices. The purpose of this study was to supply information to develop relevant curriculum for the automated office field. A sample of 400 businesses was selected from membership lists of Oklahoma City and Tulsa Chapters of the Administrative Management Society (AMS), and the Data Processing Management Association (DPMA). The data were collected through the use of a four- page questionnaire. There was 64.08 percent response rate. The findings indicated that the types of automated functions performed in Tulsa and Oklahoma city were found to be similar. The various types of business organiza- tions were found to vary in the use of certain areas of office automation. The size of the business organization was found to affect the use and function of various areas of office automation. The perceived importance of 1“Betty C. Fry, "A Study of Selected Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Businesses to Assess Competencies Needed by Future Employees in Automated Office." (Ed.D. dissertation, Oklahoma State University, 1984). 54 competencies needed for automated functions according to location and types of business organization was found to be similar. Hoggatt,107 for his doctoral study, compared perceptions of vocational business teachers, entry-level workers, and employers regarding office work requirements for entry-level office workers in Utah. The information was obtained by questionnaires mailed to vocational ,business teachers, entry-level workers, and employers of entry-level office workers. Eighty percent of 95 teachers responded, while 72 percent of 232 businesses surveyed responded. The principal findings were that there is a difference between the perceptions of vocational business teachers, and entry-level office workers, and employers for entry-level office workers in Utah. Teachers indicated greater importance on skills such as shorthand, filing, and running duplicating machines, while employers and employees gave more emphasis to the skills which require some sort of decision making or human relations skill. All three groups agreed that entry-level office workers need to complete high school before securing 107Jack Hoggatt, ”Perceptions of Vocational Business Teachers, Employers, and Entry-Level Office Workers Regarding Employable Qualifications for Entry-Level Office Workers in Utah." (Ed.D. dissertation, Utah State University, 1979). 55 jobs, and that some college training was advisable. Personality was given primary importance for selecting an entry-level office employee. The teachers viewed ability to follow suggestions and instructions, employers showed concern for productivity, and employees viewed the ability to write and speak effectively as the areas in need of improvement for entry-level office workers. Wagley108 conducted a doctoral study with four groups of individuals: group one, teachers (federally funded teachers in cooperative office education or intensive office education): group two, teachers (those teachers of non-federally funded course in Office Practice): group three, employers (those employers concerned with the hiring of beginning office employees): and group four, employees (those employees considered to be beginning office employees). The study determined each group's opinions as to the degree of office skills needed by the beginning office employees. Data were gathered through the use of a questionnaire containing 137 office skill items was mailed and visitations were made to teachers in groups one and two, to selected employers, and to employees in Montgomery County, Ohio. A comparison was made to see if the 108Robert A. Wagley, "A Comparative Study: Skills Needed by Beginning Office Employees as Viewed by Two- Groups of High School Business Education Teachers, Employers, and Beginning Office Employees." (Ed.D. dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 1974). 56 percentage of agreement among groups in the area of typewriting skills, shorthand skills, stenographic skills, office-machine accounting clerk's skills, filing miscellaneous skills would differ from the percentage of agreement among groups on office skills as a whole. The findings indicated that there was no percentage of agreement among group one, teachers: group two, teachers; group three, employers: and group four, employees within the four skill classifications. Gehris109 did a doctoral study to determine the degree to which the following eleven characteristics of business education students can be used to predict their work attitudes as beginning office employees: sex, race, socio-economic status, business education concentration, scholastic achievement, attendance records, tardiness records, size of town or city of residence, participation in office simulations, participation in cooperative office education programs, and participation in business education student organizations. Seventy beginning office employees from seven county regions of Eastern Pennsylvania were selected for this study. The work supervisors were asked to rate a specially prepared work attitude evaluation form 109Dennis O. Gehris, "A Study to Determine the Extent to Which Selected Factors Can Predict the Work Attitudes of Beginning Office Employees. (Ed.D. dissertation, Temple University, 1971). 57 containing 39 attitude considerations. The findings indicated that none of the eleven variables tested in the study can be used individually to predict the work attitudes of beginning office employees. Corrigan,110 for her master's thesis, surveyed skills and competencies needed for entry-level employment in office occupations in the rural mid-Michigan area. A total of 36 employees/supervisors representing six employment grouping: finance, government, health, industrial, legal and retail businesses were selected. Each employer was interviewed personally or by telephone using a prepared interview guide and data recording instrument. Every employer contacted participated in the study. This study identified the following skills as necessary for beginning office workers: typing, reprographics, records management, business machines, office procedures, shorthand, communications, proofreading, and human relations. Chaney and Leggett111 did an independent study with Memphis, Tennessee, businesses. A sample population of 110Rennee C. Corrigan, "Office Skills and Competencies Required for Entry-Level Office Workers in the Rural Mid-Michigan Area." (M.A. Central Michigan University, 1981). 111Lilian A. Chaney, and James C. Leggett, "Survey Area Businesses to Determine Utilization of Office Technology.” Ths_§alanse_§hest (March/April. 1987): 12-14. 58 120 companies was drawn from the Rodney and Company listing of Who's Who in Memphis Business. The data were gathered through the means of a four-page questionnaire. Out of 120 businesses contacted, 92 responded, but only 89 questionnaires were usable. Through the help of the research questionnaire information was gathered on the types of office technology, brand names of equipment, approximate age of computers, types of disks and printers, and different types of information systems and data banks used. The findings indicated that 88% of the firms purchased office machines and systems generally from local distributors. Seventy percent used hard disks and 67% percent used floppy disks. Many of the firms with computer systems reported using more than one type of printer. Most firms (77 percent) used dot matrix printers, and 36 percent used daisy wheel printers. Eighty-seven percent of the firms indicated that some of their employees have their own computer work stations. The following office technologies were found to be used in the businesses surveyed: computers, reprographics, telecommunications, dictation equipment, data processing, word processing, and teleconferencing. The most common method of training employees was with on-site training using current employees as instructors. 59 Porreca and Stallard112 also conducted an independent study to identify common affective domain competencies of students among vocational technical areas and to validate them through the Delhi technique. The competencies identified in this study were to help improve the haphazard teaching of affective domain competencies, provide direction for further inquiry, and to meet various learner needs. The following procedures were used to identify the common affective domain competencies of students among vocational areas: (1) reviewed and solicited common affective domain competencies from publications representing agriculture, business and office, distributive education, home economics, and industrial education: (2) verified the elicited common affective competencies by submitting the identified competencies to groups of employers, employees, home economics and industrial education teachers: and (3) validated the affective domain competencies by state-level directors of vocational education to determine the degree of commonality. Two separate samples were used in this study. Sample one was used to verify the synthesized common affective - domain competencies and consisted of 191 persons randomly 112Anthony G. Porreca, and John J. Stallard, "Common Affective Domain Competencies of Students Among Vocational Areas." (Independent Study, The Tennessee Research Coordinating Unit, 1975). 60 selected from the East Tennessee and South West Virginia. The sample included the following: forty employees in vocational-technical area, 51 employers of vocational- technical graduates, and 100 secondary and area vocational teachers representing five vocational areas: agriculture, business and office, distributive education, home economics, and industrial education. Sample two was used to validate the common affective domain competencies among vocational students and was composed of 48 state-level directors of vocational education. Validation was completed through the Delhi technique using two probes. The conclusions of the study were: (1) state-level directors of vocational education appear to agree that there are common affective domain competencies found among students in agriculture, business and office, distributive education, home economics, and industrial education: (2) the perceptions among employers, employees, and secondary area and vocational education teachers appear to be similar to the perceptions of state- level directors of vocational education: (3) employers, employees, and secondary area and area vocational teachers appear to have similar perceptions concerning what are important affective domain competencies for employment career success of the 111 statements: (4) affective domain competencies appear to provide a commonality of learning which link agriculture, business and office, distributive 61 education, home economics, and industrial education: (5) common affective domain competencies of students among vocational areas appear to be as important as cognitive domain and psychomotor domain competencies in vocational- technical education. Most of the surveys conducted in office education have been done to complete requirements for a doctoral degree, a masters degree, or as independent projects strictly for improving programs. The studies completed at the masters level used smaller samples and were conducted in one geographical location. Studies completed at the doctorate level used larger samples and were done in more than one location. Studies completed at the independent level used varied sample sizes, some were conducted in one single location, and others were conducted in more than one location. §EEE§I¥ The review of literature indicates that the demand for office clerical employees will remain strong throughout this century. It is important that office educators equip students with appropriate skills, knowledges, and work attitudes to meet that demand. In this age of information, office technologies are changing rapidly, and this contributes to the need for periodical 62 review of skills and knowledges required for entry-level office employees. Office educators need to keep in tune with the needs of the business community to provide meaningful programs to the students. In this chapter, literature concerning six commonly required areas for entry-level office employees was reviewed. The information gathered through that review was presented in the following six areas: keyboarding/typing, word processing, data processing, records management, computations, and communications. A great many businessmen state that they are more interested in work attitudes than in office skills of new employees. They feel it is these work attitudes that will determine if new office employees will be successful in their jobs. Therefore, this study also reviewed the work attitudes commonly required of entry—level office employees. CHAPTER 3 THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE PROCEDURES This chapter contains a discussion of methods and procedures used in this study. Specifically, this chapter contains a description of the development of the question- naire, pilot study, the sample, preparation of cover letters, collection of data, and statistical analysis of data. E J ! E !] : !' . Two questionnaires were developed to obtain data to analyze the status and extent of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required in selected businesses and industries in greater Lansing area. To construct a good questionnaire, Belson113 offers seven guidelines: define terms, offer alternatives, use respondent's language, avoid ambiguous words, avoid giving the respondents too difficult a task to perform, minimize effort to respond, and avoid questions that confuse respondents. 113William A. Belson. Ina Qaaigp apg Upaarstandinga pf_§pryay_gaa§figa§. (England: Gower Publishing Co. Ltd., 1981), p. 389. 63 64 Romine114 indicates 12 principles that are important in constructing a questionnaire. They are: give clear directions, use simple and short questions, group similar questions, group questions to give a whole picture, avoid questions that need a high degree of expertness, provide questions that promote uniformity, avoid invalid channeling of responses, word questions to promote ease and accuracy, state questions in such terms as will receive usable concentration of data, put multiple choice questions in random order, and field-test the questionnaire before a final draft is made. Hillestad115 states: 1. visualize the respondents: 2. group together questions dealing with each aspect of the study: 3. arrange questions in either a psychological or logical order: 4. make apparent that the questions are related to the purpose of the study; 5. use an easy-to-answer format: 6. prepare dummy tables of your anticipated responses: 114Stephan Romine, "Criteria for a Better Questionnaire. " W 42 (September, 1948): 69-71. 115Mildred Hillestad. 3 ° P es nd Erpapgf. (St. Peter, Minnesota: Delta Pi Epsilon, 1975). 65 7. design an attractive questionnaire} 8. supply clear, complete directions: 9. try out your questions: and 10. write a good cover letter and follow-up reminders. The recommendations of Belson, Romine, and Hillestad were followed in constructing the questionnaire. The questionnaires for employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees requested the title of the respondent, the company's name, and the number of office employees as part of the information in the study. An identification number was assigned to each questionnaire for use in the follow-up mailing. The identification of specific skills, knowledges, and work attitudes was based on an intensive review of literature. Each item in the sections on skills and knowledges was identified as "essential", "important", "somewhat important", "not important," and "not applicable”. Each item in the section on work attitudes was identified from "most important" to "not important." The questionnaires (Appendices A and B) were designed to yield information in the following areas: - title of office supervisor - title of incumbent, first year, entry-level office employee 66 - type of business or industry - number of individuals employed in the business organization - types of skills, knowledges, and equipment used in the following areas: - keyboarding/typing - word processing - data processing - records management - computations - communications - types of work attitudes used in the following categories: - employer-employee relationship - employee-employee relationship - employee responsibility The survey instruments designed to gather data for this study were two five-page questionnaires (Appendices A and B) based on an extensive review of related literature, similar questionnaires, pilot study, and consultations with business educators at Michigan State University and other office educators. The two questionnaires, cover letters, and the proposal of the research study was approved by the University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects on July 6, 1987. After the approval, the pilot study sample was selected. 67 £112§_§§HQY The pilot study sample (Appendix G) for the research questionnaires included employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees. Two businesses from each (small, medium, and large) size of business offices in the Lansing area were included in this study. Employers/office supervisors were personally contacted for feedback on the questionnaires. Then the employers/office supervisors contacted the incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees in their businesses for feedback on the first year office employee questionnaires. The completed questionnaires from the pilot study sample were carefully reviewed. The responses revealed that the following statement should be added to the question on equipment use under the heading "word processing": "microcomputer as word processor." The revision was made on the questionnaires before mailing them out to the sample (Appendix F). Maple The sample of this study was drawn from two membership lists (Greater Lansing Business, Industry, and Professions, and Greater Lansing Industries) of the 68 Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. To determine the sample size the following formula116 was used: 2 n: NC 2 OPJDID4-0 a e==100==25 “'25 2 2 0 == (25) ==625 (B is found as follows——B is the boundary of error esdhmte) B == 3%):100==5 Uk931cxmfflknme hamfl.istzm£n) 2 2 D == B == 5 == 25 == 6.25 74' ‘74 Navtssedms no. em remostscmsm1 n0m.0 000.H mm.m 00.0 embassma>b oHcoepomHo 003.0 nmm.0 00.N m0.H embassma>b oeubomam 000.0 033.0 0a.: no.3 goofinzma>u Hmscms uucmsafioom so mm: mwa.0 n0m.a mn.a em.a mocmocoommssoo\mosms Hmm.0 nmm.a m0.m 0H.m mucmsmuwum Hmwocmcfie Hmm.0 000.0 no.0 mm.m Acbmcoa mama 0Hnmv musoame peocm mqm.0 00n.0 Hm.m mq.m Acuocma mmwauoa Hm>ov mucmsoooo 0coa "wcoflumowaoam 1000.0 mma.n ne.m mm.m Hmuwusmq>a 020 um mmoasoo 00n.0 Hq0.0 ma.m mm.m >000 couufiszmo>u semen 50:03 soot aim.o Nmo.o Hm.s mm.a >666 cmsssazucmc scat mn~.0 0H0.H q~.m b ease "Amucmssoou mcwa>uv measumsuoe .s>5 .msm gamma .0 cam: :66: mamas mmm>oaosm msomw>smaom non mofieco moweeo 000004302x\maume Hm>muu>eucm \msm>oHasm osz>h\quomwx mom omeDGmm mmoomszozx oz< mJJme no muzqhmomiH om>Hmummm wzh zo MJHHH mom NIH zww3bwm mwozwmmmmHo F mums 80 level office employees as to the perceived importance of 11 skills and knowledges required in keyboarding/typing. The skill/knowledge "compose at the typewriter" was found to be significant at .008 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in keyboarding/typing was rejected. Employers/office supervisors, and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees varied on the importance of skill/knowledge ”compose at the typewriter.” In all other skills and knowledges required in keyboarding/typing, the perceived importance of the two groups was similar. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees for the skill/ knowledge "compose at the typewriter" required in keyboarding/typing. Entry-level office employees perceived "compose at the typewriter" as more important than did employers/office supervisors. Br__flprg_£rpga§§ingr Table 2 illustrates the differences between job titles as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required in word 81 16>ms 06. pm 060600066001 *000.0 300.0 F0.0 00.0 000000000 0003 00 0003030000003 000.0 300.0 0—.3 00.3 000000000 0003 00:: 000000000 0H000000 000.0 000.0 30.0 30.0 000000000 0003 m3000>0 00000 000050 030.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 000000000 0003 00000 00000 >0H0mfiu 0cHano "000300300 0o 00: 0P0.0 300.0 00.0 30.0 00000000000000\00303 0P0.0 000.0 00.0 30.0 0000300000 300000000 300.0 003.0 0F.0 30.0 Acu0c0a 0000 03:00 0000000 00000 F00.0 000.0 03.0 30.0 Acu0cma 0000100 00>ov 000033000 0:0H "000000000000 300.0 303.0 30.0 00.0 000000000 000; 0c» 00 0000300 000.0 003.0 00.0 33.0 >000 :000H3300>u 00000 00:00 3000 100.6 001.6 00.0 16.0 >666 6600303660; 3600 030.0 003.0 00.0 00.0 >000 000000300>u 3000 "Amuc030000 0cfi0>uv 0000003000 .3); .000 60000 0 :60: 666: 0H003 000>oH03m msomfi>00000 000 000000 000000 00000030zx>000Hx0 ~0>0mu>uucm \000>0H03m oszmmoomm 0003 000 omeDGmm mmuoquozx 02¢ mgngm 00 wuzHmomw0 wIH zo wthh mom m1» 2mmzhmm mwozwmmumHo 0 msmqh 82 processing. An F ratio was used to test the hypothesis. The analysis of data revealed one difference between the two groups as to the perceived importance of 12 skills and knowledges required in word processing. The skill/ knowledge "use of microcomputer as a word processor" was found to be significant at .052 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in word processing was rejected. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees for the skill/knowledge "use of microcomputer as a word processor" required for word processing. Employers/office supervisors perceived "use of microcomputer as a word processor” as more important than did entry-level office employees. §r__pafa_£rpga§aing. Table 3 illustrates the differences regarding the job titles as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required in data processing. The analysis of data revealed one difference between the two groups as to the perceived importance of seven skills and knowledges required in data processing. 83 00>60 06. 06 06660006600. 000.0 000.0 00.3 00.3 00000000 00030300 303.0 000.0 30.3 00.3 00030360 0600mzmu0300 *000.0 000.00 00.0 00.0 0003030000003 000.0 000.0 00.0 33.0 00030300 030000003 "000300300 00 003 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.3 >3000o00 0 0~>00c0 000 00003 00 >000000V >0603H0 00030300 003.6 003.6 30.0 03.0 003060 6000006 6060006 60 3000000 0050000000000 0 500: 00030300 0000300003 00 >0000000 >0000000 00030300 030.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00>000000 0000 000 >00c0 0000 "000000000300 .0>3 .600 60006 6 6062 6062 00000 000>0003m 00000>00030 000 000000 000000 00000330zx\0330xm 00>03u>0000 \000>0003m oszmmoomm 4340 000 ommHDGmm mmoommzozx 024 mJJme 0o mozqhmOQZH om>Hwomw0 0:3 20 MJHHP mom NIH zmmz~mm mwozwmmmuHo 0 medh 84 The skill/knowledge ”use of microcomputer“ was found to be significant at .001 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in data processing was rejected. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees for the skill/ knowledge "use of microcomputer" required in data processing. Entry-level office employees perceived "use of microcomputer" as more important than did employers/office supervisors. ‘QL__B§gg:g§_n§ngggmgn§L Table 4 illustrates the differences between the job titles as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for records management. No significant differences were found between the two groups as to the perceived importance of 13 skills and knowledges required for records management. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for 85 m~m.o «No.0 mm.m mm.m muuoomu momuoum mama cwm.o mmq.d qw.m mm.~ muuoomu mamuoum xmflu Nmm.o wmc.~ mn.q mw.q mcowmmuuaa mea.o mHH.N wn.q w~.q mcofimouowe mmn.o NHH.O mm.q m¢.q sawmouofie "acmeafiacm mo mm: aom.o m~o.o mm.n Hm.m cacamumomm mHH.o mom.m No.n mn.m m>Huommozm mmm.o «00.0 Hm.m qm.m magmas: Hmm.o mn~.o mn.m N~.N ofiumomcaam “Amuommmooua mama H0\ocm muommmooua who; co ham caucus» mumu m>mwnumu ucm muoum cu mmwuucm mcHumumcmmauoHcouuumHmv Hmcoaufiomuucoc wa.o mm~.o mm.m mn.m . cacamumomm nmm.o omo.o mn.m mn.m m>Hgomnoam wmw.o mqo.o mo.m H~.N canvas: mma.o Ham.m mm.~ mm.~ ofiumnmcaam "Amucmenoou >Qoo unmcv Hmcofiuwumuu .H>4 .mfim oHumm u cmmz cmmz maufip mmmxmwaew muomw>uma3m non mofimmo mowumo mmoomgzozx\m44me Hm>m4n>uacu \mumxodasm hzmzwo~mumwm mrb zo MJhHh mom th zmwzhmm mmuzmmmumHo a w4m

ma no. hm ucmofltscmflm* Hmm.o mmo.o mm.m om.m AxoOEmE coax mcflcome ocfloum >mxucmuv Houwaaoamo oficoouomam mmm.o 000.0 mm.a om.a Amcwcoma mcHoom xmxncmuv nonmaooamo amcofiuwomuu "acmeaflaom mo mm: qom.o Nwo.o Nn.N nn.m mcHucoooom m~m.o mmo.o mm.m oq.m mcwammxxoon *Noo.o qwm.m om.m oo.m some mmmcflmon .H>4 .mfim ofibmm .u cmmz cmmz mauwp mmmxmadew moomw>nma3m non mofleeo mofieco mwoomnzozx\m44me Hm>m4u>obcm \mom>oaqem monhqhamzoo mom ommHDGmm mmoom43ozx ozq mJJme no mozHmummd wzh ZO wbhHh mom mIH zmw3hmm mwozmmwumHo m womQH 88 E;__§gmmuniga§ign§. Table 6 illustrates the differ- ences between the job titles as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for communications. The analysis of data revealed three differences between the two groups as to the perceived importance of 20 skills and knowledges required in communications. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: "basic writing skills" at .003 level, "original composition" at .000 level, and "telecommunications" at .027 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for entry- level general office clerical employees in communications was rejected. There were statistically significant differences in the mean ratings of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees for the skills and knowledges "basic writing skills," "original composition," and "telecommunications" required in communications. Entry-level office employees perceived the above mentioned three skills and knowledges as more important than did employers/office supervisors. E39 ~m>mH me. ha scmosaocaam. nnm.o .oo.o m<.e nc.q Acoquofiuomcouu mound Hoe moommmme muomoow county umfiaoo sucmmqaamHCH: cm oficouuomfim wmm.o mmm.o sn.n Nw.n Ammammmme omuoum co cadumumoqo Hoe ommov mcocombofio m—c.o mmo.o mn.c N~.< «Haedomme ope.o mmw.o mn.c NN.< xmd .mm.o ooo.o so.c no.< xmqmb "acmeafisom co mm: pmm.o nao.o o<.p Co., mounomoouo mcocomamu mno.o mom.n ew.m mm.n mmocmumecoomdmb tumo.o 5mm.< mw.m .n.m mcouumoucoeeoomdmb omm.o N5..— m<.n p~.n memumxm mmammme ocm Hams oucoubomam owm.o .cm.o .c.F m<.. massage Hacombcm>cou ”ocuumsuoeCu eo Hmuuqemcmuu «mm.o mpo.o m~.— mN.P meacmbmaa mmm.o ooo.o Nn.P cm.. . macauomuqo m>umomu mmo.o oe~.n nc.. oh.— Aamccme masocoo new gauge cue mcodbumufiu m>qm "wouxmmom mi .o B. .o 3 .F 9 . P 9.38: 83 moo.o wwm.~ om.P no.9 >umaobmoo> mpc.o www.o Ne.F um.P coumcmcmuosoo “magnum“ *ooo.o ump.4 .ufim ouuwm m com: com: «dues mmm>odosm muomq>mmmmm non modems moaeeo muoombzozxxmnnuxm ~o>onu>uucu \muosoaasu mzo~hkumwm NIP zc ughmh man mzh zmwthm mwuzummuuuo w m4mms mo. um ocmosaacmsm. mpm.o ppo.o No.9 mw.F mocmumwaam Hmcomuma ooom Hoe memo mmowuomua mmm.o qmm.o Pm.P mm.F muommmuo Hoot: Ham; mxoo: N-.o smo.o mN.F q~._ mmfiofi>sbom mostto Ham CH Hmaoocaa ms mpm.o Ppo.o Nb.. Nw.p mmcfidommo bmme ob >bwdfiom mcu mm: sem.o mm~.o 05.. mm._ cofims>amaam “Docs“: >HocmucmamucH mxao; mm..o mmm.. qq.P mN.F cofibmaaeoo my“ cocoon“ new m zoaaoe 0» con: omocmamo mo cmo ”xbwafiofimcoommo mm>o~asm *Ppo.o Fem.w mm.m mp.m momxuozuoo.eoue smfiowufiuo m>Huoaubmcoo mnemoom ane.o mmm.~ mn.m sn.~ woos cmau mumadeoo ob momxuozuoo dam: on mummbcoao> .moo.o mmh.m mm.m mm.m museum as sac: ucm cmsa ob sandman was maosm>mu Nmm.o mam.o mm.F um.F mumxuozuoo no“: >H~mficmmcoo mxuoz "aficmcofiumamu mm>o~oemumm>oHasm Noa.o won.o Fq.P Pn.P macaboauumcfi Hmuoxcmbufiuz monHoe Nem.o chm.o mm.P Fm.F muomw>umaom some Emwofibfiuo m>fiuoouumcoo muamuom meq.o mum.o mm.P cm.P mmHoHHoa >cmosoo mm>ommbo ocm mocmbmumuc: mem.o mom.o on._ ma.~ maoms>amaam can; macaw “mm on >ofidfiam mcu mm; "dazmcowbmamu mm>o~aemxum>oaoem .H>4 .mHm pomm a cmmz cam: mduwp mmmxoaasm muomfi>umoam . now mofieeo mofieeo mmoatheq xmoz .~m>mnu>ubcm \womsoaasu mmm>04d2m muHuuo 4m>w4|>mhzm mom ommHDGwm muonhmhhd xmoz mo mozqhmOQZH ow>Hmummm mxh zo MJHHF mom mxh zwmzhwm mmuzmmmuuHo h mnmdh 92 and incumbent, entry-level office employees in the following work attitudes: ”develops the ability to plan and work in groups," and "accepts constructive criticism from co-workers." Entry-level office employees perceived the above mentioned work attitudes as more important than did employers/office supervisors. W Hypothesis 3 states that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes (small, medium, and large) of business offices with respect to the perceived importance of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office 'clerical employees) in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications A‘__Kgypga;gingzmyping. Table 8 illustrates the differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges 93 sm>ms no. om bcmomtscmam. 000.0 mwc.0 mw.m m0.m P0.m Hmbwugmosb cacoouomam mmq.0 000.0 m0.p 05.9 00.. Hmuanzma>u owuuomam 0mw.0 Fme.m 0P.q 0N.c 00.: omuwuzma>b Hmscme "acmeafiscm 00 mm: F00.0 q:m.m m0.m N0.P 00.9 mocmucoammsuoo\mosme *0P0.0 00F.e 0m.m 00.0 09.0 mucmemumum Hmwocmcfie 000.0 Pmm.P Fm.m NP.N «0.0 Acumcma mama 0Pumv museums uoocm NOP.0 omm._ qm.m 00.m em.n Acbmcmfl momouor om>ov mucmezooo ocoa "mcofibmofiddam mPP.0 mpm.m 00.n «5.0 nm.m Hmbwugmasb was um mmoasoo nmw.0 nmq.0 Pn.w 0F.N mm.m >000 cmbufluzma>u bewuu canon some m00.0 NFm.m 0_.N .n._ 00., saoo cmbbfluzucmc some m0~.0 000.? qm.m mm.F mm.m saoo cmbbfiazmasb some "Ambcmsooou 00H0>bv 0000005000 .H>4 .mwm 00000 m 0002 0002 cam: moweeo 000000 moweeo mofieeo mmmcwmzm mmmcwmnm mmmcamam mmmchzm co mNHm 00004 Eafiumz Hamem mwoombzozx\mbbmxm qum>h\quomwx mom DmeDGwm mmuoquozx oz: mJJme no mozqhmOQZH om>~womwm th zo onuuo mmwszDm no MNHm MIH zmmzpwm mwuzmmwmuHo m wbmdh 94 required for keyboarding/typing. An F ratio was used to test the hypothesis. The analysis of data revealed one difference among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of 11 skills and knowledges required in keyboarding/typing. The skill/knowledge "typing of financial statements" was found to be significant at .018 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in keyboarding/typing was rejected. Respondents among small, medium, and large business offices varied on the importance of skill/knowledge "typing of financial statements." Regarding all other skills and knowledges required for keyboarding/typing, the perceived importance of respondents was similar among the three sizes of business offices. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of the respondents among the three sizes of business offices for the skill/knowledge "typing of financial statements” required in keyboarding/typing. Respondents in large business offices perceived "typing of financial statements" as less important than did respondents in small and medium business offices. 95 nL__flgrg_£IQ§§§§1ng. Table 9 illustrates the differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for records management. An F ratio was used to test the hypothesis. The analysis of data revealed no significant differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of 12 skills and knowledges required in word processing. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in word processing cannot be rejected. The perceived importance of the respondents among the three sizes of business offices was similar in all 12 skills and knowledges required for word processing. g‘__na§§_£:ggg§§1ng. Table 10 illustrates the differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for data processing. The analysis of data revealed one difference among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of seven skills and knowledges required in data processing. The skill/ knowledge "use of mainframe computer" was found to be significant at .038 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes 96 00>00 00. 00 0000000000m* 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 0m.m 000000000 0003 00 0000050000005 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 000000000 0003 0000 000000000 00000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 000000000 0003 05000>0 00000 000000 000.0 000.0 0m.m 00.0 N0.m 000000000 0003 00000 00000 >000000 0000-00 "000500000 00 000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.N 00000000000000\00505 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000500000 000000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000 0000 00:00 0000000 00000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000 0000-00 00>00 000050000 0000 "000000000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 000000000 0003 000 00 0000500 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 >000 000000300>0 00000 00:00 5000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 >000 00000030000 5000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 >000 000000300>0 5000 “0000050000 0000>00 0000005000 .0>0 .000 00000 0 0002 0002 0002 000000 000000 000000 000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 000000302xxm000xm 00 0~0m 00000 500002 00050 020mmmuom0 omoz mom ammHDGwm mwuow0zozx 024 m000xm no muz<0mOQZO Qw>0momw0 th zo w0000o mmeHMDm 00 wNHm wzh zwwzhmm mmuzmmw000o m w0m<0 97 00>00 00. 00 00000000000* 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00000000 00000500 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00000500 0000000u0500 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000000000 *000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00000000 000000000 "000500000 00 00: 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 05000000 , 0 0~>0000 000 00003 00 >0000000 >000000 00000500 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00x000 0000000 5000000 00 5000000 00000000000000 0 0003 00000500 0000000005 00 >0000000 >0000000 00000500 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.m 00.0 00>000000 0000 000 >0000 0000 "000000000500 .0>0 .000 00000 0 0002 0002 0002 000000 000000 000000 000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 mmoom0302x\m000xm 00 0N0m 00000 500002 00050 020mmwuomm 4000 mom owm0nemm mmoow0zozx oz: W000xm Lo wuzqhmOQZH ow>0wumm0 mzh zo m00000 mmeHmDm 00 wN0m mzh zmmzhwm mmuzwmw000o 00 meqh 98 of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in data processing was rejected. Respondents among the three sizes of business offices perceived differently the skill/knowledge "use of mainframe computer." Regarding all other skills and knowledges required in data processing, the perceived importance of respondents among the three sizes of business offices was similar. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of the respondents among the three sizes of business offices for the skill/knowledge ”use of mainframe computer" required for data processing. Respondents in large business offices perceived "use of mainframe computer" as more important than did respondents in small and medium business offices. ‘QL__nggrd§;ugngggmgn§. Table 11 illustrates the differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for records management. An F ratio was used to test the hypothesis. The analysis of data revealed three differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of 13 skills and knowledges required in records management. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: "microfilm" at 99 00>00 00. 00 000000000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000 00 0000000 0000 000.0 000.0 00.0 mn.m 00.0 0000000 00 0000000 x000 *0qo.o 000.m 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000000 0000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000005 0000.0 mmm.m 00.0 00.0 00.0 500000005 "000500000 00 000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 0000 0000000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0>00000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.N 00.0 000050: 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000000 000000000000 0000 00\000 0000000000 0003 00 000 0000000 0000 0>000000 000 00000 00 0000000 0000000000un00co00000mv 00000000000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0>00000000 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 000050: 000.0 000.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 0000000000 00000050000 >000 00000 00000000000 .0>0 «000 00000 0 0002 c002 0002 000000 000000 000000 000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 mmoom0zozxxm000xm 00 0~00 00000 00050 000002 pzwzmo0mumwm wIH zo m00000 mmMZHmDm 00 MNHm mzb zmm3hmm mwuzmmm000o 00 meqh 100 .000 level, "microfiche" at .033 level, and ”ultrafiche" at .046 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in records management was rejected. There were statistically significant differences in the mean ratings of respondents among the three sizes of business offices for the following skills and knowledges: "microfilm," ”microfiche," and "ultrafiche." Respondents in large business offices perceived the above mentioned three skills and knowledges as more important than did respondents in small and medium business offices. ngpgtgtigng. Table 12 illustrates the differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for computations. The analysis of data revealed one difference among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of five skills and knowledges required in computations. The skill/knowledge "book- keeping" was found to be significant at .007 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of 101 Hm>mH mo. um “cmofimflcofim* mmn.o MQN.O mm.~ mq.p mm.P . A>HOEmE saw: mcfizome mcfiuum xmxucmuv Houmaaoamo oficouuomam mmm.o mwm.o mm.. «F.N .m._ Amcficome mcfiuum >mx-cmuv Houmaaoflmo Hmcofiufiumuu "acmeafiacm Lo mm: nom.o nom.. mm.m mw.m Nw.~ mcflucaooom *noo.o wqo.m mm.m mm.m om.m mcflammxxoon qu.o nqm.P Pm.m Pn.m wo.m cums mmmchzn .H>4 .mHm Caumm u cmmz cmmz cmmz mofiugo mofimmo mofiggo mofigho mmmcfimnm mmmcwmzm mmmcfimam mmmcfimzm mmoomgzozxmeAme mo mNHm mmum4 Eafiumz Hamem monpthQZOU mom ommHDGwm mmoomgzozx 02¢ mJJme no mozapmomza om>Hmomwm NIP ZO onmmO mmeHmDm no wNHm MI? zwwzhwm mmozwmwuuHD N— meqh 102 respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry- level general office clerical employees in computations was rejected. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of respondents among the three sizes of business offices for the skill/knowledge "bookkeeping" required in computations. Respondents in small business offices perceived "bookkeeping” as more important than did respondents in medium and large business offices. QQEEHDIEQEiQDfi- Table 13 illustrates the differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for communications. The analysis of data revealed four differences among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of 20 skills and knowledges required in communications. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: ”electronic mail and message systems” at .029 level, ”telex' at .000 level, ”use of PBX" at .000 level, and "use of dictaphone" at .040 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in communications was rejected. 1E3} ~m>m~ no. on zcwustscasm. mo_.o mmm.. om.q an.< mm.q Acouuofioomcmuo omumq hoe mommmmme muamoom cognac umuooo zbcoouduoHCA: cm oucoouomao .Oqo.o nom.n om.m mm.n mm.n Ammommmms omooum co couumuofio doe ommov mcoccmuouo mmm.o mm..o nq.m Nn.n an.n mqwsmomme .ooo.o «we... oo.m mm.e mn.e xmd .ooo.o wow.n— mm.m om.< mm.< xmdou "ucmsdaoom co mm: wnm.o nmw.o on.— on.— me.. mmuoomoouo economdmu mm—.o mmw.— .m.n m mommmms oco fiume oacoouomHm won.o «mm.o 5a.. mn.p oq.— oc-uoe fimcouuco>coo "couuoEHoLCq co amuuasmcmuu om~.o own.— .N.— em.— cm.p mowcmumua mon.o «No.p On.. em.— nn.p mcouuomoao m>~momo cow.o mme.o Nm.— oo.P no.P Auoccms mmfiocoo com omm~o ouv mcouuomuao o>~o "wouxmoom moo.o Npm.o mn._ on.— «a.— mc—ommueoooo map.o mmm.— mq.— mm.— mw.. >omqooooo> onm.o pme.p mn.— an.p nn._ coumcmcmuosoo “ocfiommu mmm.o wmp.o n_.m o—.~ .N.m coquqmoosoo dmcdmaoo nmo.o spo.o wc.— pm._ pm.— m-«xm Gauge“: oummn nwm.o mm_.o oc.— mm.. on.p mo-~oom non.o nem.o nn.— m<.. on.p omssmum "magma“: .~>4 .mqm omumm u cam: cam: com: moqeco momeeo moqeeo ooqceo mmmc~mom mmmcfimom mmocumom mmGCmom to mNsm «mam; suave: Adaem mzo~p~wumwd mi» 20 wuuuuo mmmzumam no wwum mzp 2mm3~mm mwuzumwmuao mp w4mms no. mm ucmuwtzcmsm. mm>.o Hmm.o mm.H ww.~ o~.m mocmommaam Hmcomomo Doom ace momo moowbomoa wa.o wmc.o om.H mo.m om.a moommmoa “moo: Ham; mxooz mmw.o mum.o on.H mn.~ mn.~ mmfiuw>wuom moweeo Ham CH amauocac we qu.o om~.o mc.~ mo.~ mw.a mmcfiaommo Home 0» >owafiom on“ ma: Nnm.o mmo.o Hm.a mm.~ mm.H sewmw>omaom unocuwz >Hucmocmamocfi mxooz «mm.o mm~.o mm.H HN.~ nm.~ coflbmaaeoo mow smacks“ now m sodaoe ou coo: omocmamo mo cmo u>ufiaflnfimcoammo mm>oHaEm mmm.o Nmo.d cm.m oo.m mo.m momxoosuoo scum Emwofiufioo m>fiuooobmcoo muamoom mmn.o NH~.H mm.m mm.m mm.m mach zmno mumaaeoo ob momxoozuoo cam: ob mommbcoao> .moo.o mmk.q mm.m mm.m mk.m manoao CH x00: new cmza co >osasnm ago macsm>mu mmm.o amm.o mm.a mm.H mm.a momxooznoo Law: >Hamwcmmcoo mxooz "awcmcofiumamo mm>o~a5mnmm>o~aem mmw.o onq.o Hm.~ om.~ H¢.H mcoHuoooumCM Hmooxcmuufluz mzodaoc qu.o mam.o om.~ mm.~ No.m moomw>omaom soot Emfiofibwoo m>Huoouumcoo muamoom mom.o mem.o mw.a Fm.H mm.a mmfiowaoo >cmaeoo mm>ommoo ocm mocmumomoco mmm.o mma.o on.a <5.H mm.~ moomfl>omaom cow; ocodm “mm ob >ufidwnm mcu mm; "owzmcoflumamo mm>o~asmnum>oao5m .H>4 .mwm cwbmm a com: com: com: moweeo moaeeo mofieeo mofieco mmmcfimom mmmchom mmmcfimom mmmcflmom muoanhpq xmoz co mNMm moumo Eofiomz Hamem mmm>OJQZm wuHuuo 4m>w4u>mbzw mom ommHDGwm mmozhHhhd xmoz do muqumomzH ow>kumma mzh zo monuo mmmZHmDm no mNHm th mezhmm mwuzwmmuuHo or momdh 106 difference among the three sizes of business offices as to the perceived importance of 14 work attitudes required for entry-level office employees. The work attitude "develops the ability to plan and work in groups" was found to be significant at .009 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees was rejected. Regarding all other work attitudes, the perceived importance of the respondents among the three sizes of business offices was similar. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of respondents for the work attitude ”develops the ability to plan and work in groups" required for entry-level office employees. Respondents in large business offices perceived "develops the ability to plan and work in groups" as more important than did respondents in small and medium business offices. W Hypothesis 5 states that there are no significant differences regarding the types (service, manufacturing, finance related, construction, and other) of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on 107 the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications A&__§gybgg;gingziyping; Table 15 illustrates the differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for keyboarding/typing. The analysis of data revealed three differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of 11 skills and knowledges required in keyboarding/typing. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: ”compose at the typewriter" at .025 level, "typing of short reports" at .003 level, and "typing of memos/correspondence” at .014 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the types of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in keyboarding/typing was rejected. 1EJ8 ~u>o~ no. so ocmuctzcocm. wcm.o m_n._ mm.m kk.n mm.~ nn.m mm.n amosazmaxo oscoauomso moo.o mo_.~ kp.m m~._ on.. so._ ~o.~ amzsaxmaxs usaoomsm .kn.o «no._ ¢~.< nm.e mm.n No.a wo.< aozczzmals caucus Someogco ..o mm: .q.o.o om_.n m~.. ma.m co.~ an.F mo.m oucmocoammaaoo\moaaz mom.o so... oo.n .m.n ee.~ m_.n no.m mucmemomom smoocmcoa .noo.o mmo.e we.w o_.~ q~.~ mo._ a~.~ Acumcms mama o—-nc moaoama chasm «mm.o ank.o om.n om.n mq.m m_.n ma.n Assocms mama-o. ao>oc mocmeaooo aces "9538:on .nmo.o «mo.m wh.m om.m ao.~ n_.n an.m umoqasmaxz «no on mmoasou mam.o ~_~.o .n.m oe.m .n.m om.~ nn.~ zaou cmossazma>o sumac roach scat m.m.o smc.. No.~ mp._ km.. «5.. am.. >aou cmsusasucm; scat kne.o n.o.o m~.~ mn.~ am._ m_.m ~n.m sane cmzzsazma>s scat "AmacSSooo 9.3»: 053958 .~>._&mm Ouumm ... cam: cam: Cam: Cm? Emu: cocuw~scmmao amaze cosmonaumcou umzmsmm mcsaazumtncmx mos>aum mmuomozozxxmaoaxm $05me to on: 85:: ozca>exozaommx mot ommcaoum mucouozozx oza moo—xm to wgpgnv: Om>~wumwd H: 75 S—Sfi—Zfius mmwfimzm .5 wa>p V: zwwzpwm mwg‘wmmuuuo mp wag: 109 There were statistically significant differences in the mean ratings of respondents among the five types of business organizations for the following skills and knowledges required for keyboarding/typing: ”compose at the typewriter," ”typing of short reports," and "typing of memos/correspondence." Respondents in manufacturing type of business organizations perceived "compose at the typewriter” as less important, and "typing of short reports" as more important than did respondents in the other four types of business organizations. Respondents in manufacturing and other types of business organizations perceived ”typing of memos/correspondence" as more important than did respondents in the other three types of business organizations. fl;_;flg;g_219gg§§1ng. Table 16 illustrates the differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for word processing. The analysis of data revealed three differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of 12 skills and knowledges required in word processing. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: ”formatting from handwritten copy" at .050 level, "compose at the word processor" at .051 level, and ”typing of memos/correspondence" at .021 level. 1‘10 ~m>m~ mo. um accoueucowma. mmw.o nnm.o mn.n pc.n .N.n mc.n nn.m aommmooao poo; mm amuoosoooaoue ~ow.o mnw.o _P.a cm.c pn.c .m.n eP.c oommmoouo coo: “ac: coaumuoao ofiombcoo mmm.o mmm.p mw.m up.c mo.c mw.n op.e Hommmoouo coo: memum>m ouooa omumcm mmP.o swm.. mn.n no.n mo.n mo.n an.n commooouo poor ocomo ocmbm >m~omao mcHano uucmsouoom co mm: ..No.o o~m.m mo.m up.n pn.~ mw.~ .n.n oocmocoamouoooxmoeoe 5mm.o Npm.o mm.n mm.n om.n an.n nw.n mucmemumum ~oaocmc«c wPF.o om0.p mm.~ wo.n ow.~ mm.w mn.n Azumcmd wood opunv muuoamu boozm and «who 9; Ra Ra «Rn «fin 23:2 38-2 8:: 3:838 9.2 umcouumoaaoom :pmo.o ..c.~ mm.~ —c.n mm.m nc.~ mn.n commooouo cool one am omocsoo .25 com; 34. $.N Rd 86 o: 38 53259: :Su 8:8 so: .omo.o mpc.m mn.m no.~ mw.~ —m.~ e—.n >ooo cmuuduzocmc sou» «£5 8: R.~ 8.." ntm gm «fin 38 c3358: .8: "Amucmeoooo co ocfioxuv acquumEHoe .~>4 .mum ofiumz m cam: cmoz cam: com: com: co-m-cmmoo Hmayo acauoooumcou ooumamm moauouomeocmz mooa>uom mucou43o2x\mmomxm mmmcfimom co moxp mocmCmm Qszmmuoaa omoz mom ommuaawm mwuowozozx oz< moquxm no wuzumomw¢ th zo zo-<-zh mxh zuwxhwm mmuzuamuumo mp m4mm~ no. on samuctscosm Ommd 9mm; nmé mné «we 9.: 96 mouzomum $3950 .mmo.o wen.~ an.« mm.c kn.m we.n so.< amuaaeoo ocsamcm-oess nem.o mam.o sm.~ m~.m oe.~ mo.~ em.m amsaasoooaoss woc.o woc.. mm.n an.q oe.n om.n mn.n cmuaosoo memuecams uucmsouoom co mm: amq.o nam.o om.n n~.a on.e oo.e mm.n Asmaooaa a m~>~acm ocm obeys ob xuqmfiomv >ocooue caboosoo epo.o o~w.o ne.~ n~.m ~q.m am.~ wo.m Amxmmu omuummo succeed om sapwood oocmfigomummmuo m can: oouoosoo oum~ooacms om xuuqqomv xomombuu caboosoo om_.o nmm._ qN.N em.m kn.~ no.~ -.m . ~m>ooauma moan can xascm arms "moaocmbmoeoo .~>4 .mqm owamm a com: com: com: com: com: cowum~ficmmco cacao couuooobmcou omumdom xmcmcouomeocmx mou>omm mmocwmom so mosh mococqu oz—mmwuomm «pdo ace oumnzcum mmoouJIsz oz< mqquxm no wuz~wumwa mIp zo zo~h<-zp m1» walhwm mwuzumwuumo up w4m

m~ as. am osmostscmsm. mpm.o mqm.o om.n kp.q em.n mm.n m..q museums to mamaosm mama mo_.o soo.n no.e .a.q om.a no.c o«.« moaouma to momaOsm xmso .omo.o cco.n mm.q .m.q oo.e ne.c cm.c wcowtmass: .Poo.o coo.c om.m mm.n oo.e on.q en.m mcUMcanfie mid can; wmé one on...” R5 85 530.82: "acmeoaaom to own em~.o mem.s om.n ma.c n~.n n~.n k_.q occamamomo omn.o nee.o Pm.m no.n ...n no.n eq.n o>sbomanam cow.o cmw.0 om.N mo.n oo.n nn.m NN.n ofiumeac wmm.o .om.o ma.~ mo.n oq.~ ww.m mm.~ odomgmzasm "Amoommooooa comp uo\ocm muommmoouo coo: co emu cocoons mumo m>m~obmu ocm mooum ou modobcm mouumomcmmnuoucooaom~mv Accoquuomoucoc wmm.o mm~.o n~.n mm.e mq.n mk.n qe.n oscamaoomo pmm.o mp—.F mw.m nn.n mw.m ma.w mn.w m>wuomfioom wow.o amo.o sm.p .m.p n..m o..~ nm._ ofiuoeoc .mqo.o nee.m no.— NP.~ «5.. nm.. No.9 ofiumomcoam "Amucmeoooo >aoo oomzv Hmcoaufiomou .~>4 .mum ouumm u com: com: com: com: com: coauw~acmmco Honus coauoaoumcou ovumamm wouoouomeocmz mofi>omm mucoumzczxxmmomxm mmochom Lo max» mocmcfim pzmzwomwumwd wzh zo zomthquomo mmmzumzm no wa>~ mzp 2mwjpmm mMUZwmmuuHo mp uqmdp 115 .048 level, "microfiche" at .001 level, and "ultrafiche" at .020 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the types of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in records management was rejected. There were statistically significant differences in the mean ratings of respondents among the five types of business organizations for the following skills and knowledges required for records management: "traditional alphabetic filing," ”microfiche," and ”ultrafiche." Respondents in construction type of business organizations perceived "traditional alphabetic filing" as less important than did respondents in the other four types of business organizations. Respondents in manufacturing and finance related types of business organizations perceived "microfiche" as less important than did respondents in the other three types of business organizations. The respondents in service type of business organizations perceived "ultrafiche" as more important than did respondents in the other four types of business organizations. Efi__§gmpn§a§ign§L Table 19 illustrates the differ- ences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required 1‘I6 Hm>ms no. um zcmoctscosm. qm<.o mam.o mq.m am.. mm.~ w—.N mm.N Axuoems so“: memzoms mauoom >mxucmbv Houm~ao~mo oficoubomdo .meo.o nnq.m mm.. _<.. mn.~ om.~ no.. Aucscome meaoom >mxucouv coumfioonmo ~mcoquaomcu "acmeoqooo co mm: .mmo.o .em.~ on.~ oo.m an.m km.~ _m.~ ocqscaooum :ooo.o mmo.m nm.m cm.~ om.n pn.~ oo.~ ocdammxxooo oo~.o nac.P on.m mm.p nw.~ mm.m om.p some mmmcfimoo .~>4 .mam ofibmm a cam: cam: com: com: com: censmNacmmao cocoa cosmosaomcou umzmfimm ucsaaoomtacmx .oos>amm mucouzzozxxmoosxm mmmcfimom co mo>p oocmcfim mzomhdpnlzou mom oumuaamm mwoougxozx oz< mqmnxm uo muz~wumwm mrh ZD zo-<-zh m1» zwwIPwm mmuZwmwuuuo m— mqmdh 117 for computations. The analysis of data revealed three differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of five skills and knowledges required in computations. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: "book- keeping" at .000 level, "accounting" at .022 level, and "use of traditional calculator" at .049 level. There- fore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the types of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for general office clerical employees in computations was rejected. There were statistically significant differences in the mean ratings of respondents in the five types of business organizations for the following skills and knowledges: "bookkeeping," "accounting,” and "use of traditional calculator." Respondents in finance related type of business organizations perceived "bookkeeping” as less important than did respondents in the other four types of business organizations. Respondents in finance related and construction types of business organizations perceived "accounting" as less important than did respondents in the other three types of business organizations. The respondents in manufacturing and finance related types of business organizations perceived "use of traditional calculator” as less 118 important than did respondents in the other three types of business organizations. £‘__§angn1ggtign§. Table 20 illustrates the differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for communications. The analysis of data revealed five differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of 20 skills and knowledges required in communications. The following skills and knowledges were found to be significant: "electronic mail and message systems" at .000 level, "telecommunications" at .008 level, ”telex" at .000 level, "facsimile” at .000 level, and "use of dictaphone" at .008 level. Therefore, the hypothesis that there are no significant differences regarding the types of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for general office clerical employees in communications was rejected. There were statistically significant differences in the mean ratings of respondents among the five types of business organizations for the following skills and knowledges required for communications: "electronic mail and message systems," "telecommunications," "telex," and "facsimile," and ”use of dictaphone." Respondents in finance related type of business organizations perceived 1 1E? .m>o~ no. om scmuctucocm. kmc.o mom.. mo.a an.< «n.c N..a nn.q Acousauaomcmaz amzm_ to. mmommmms mzamuum course palace gzcmocusmsczg cm accorzumum .moo.o .mn.n om.“ m..n mm.~ wq.n wo.q Ammommmme omu0um co co-mso~o hoe oomov economsoqo .ooo.o can.“ mo.q m..q so.m he.m oo.q aqussumm. .m..o mmm.. mq.a mq.< cm.s mm.m aq.e xma .oco.o .Km.m .m.q nk.¢ oe.m mm.n an.q xm.ms ”acmeoaooo co om: coo.o nmo.o .n.. ma._ mm._ wq.P ~n.. mmaaomooua mcozamsms nme.o omm.o mm.n .m.n m~.n mm.n oo.q mmucoamtcouu_mo .soo.o .mm.n Nq.n kp.q mm.~ mm.~ no.m mcossmoucaeeoumsms .ooo.o .mq.m m~.n nm.e ma.~ m_.n mo.n menum>m mommmme can some occoasomdm .mq.o nwm.o km._ n~._ ne.. «0.. ma.. mucoucoammuaou to ocs_~me smcocscm>coo "SHHQEHOuC« go «muqumcmuu mmk.o okq.o .n.. «m.p mm._ mm.. c~._ occcmsmqu Nmm.o nem.o .n.. ~q.. mn._ mm.. -.. mcosoumaso u>smuma emo.o .mn.o ow.p me.. on.. .w._ km._ Aamccme omqocoo ocm umm~o cfiv mcoquomcuo m>uo "acqumom ea..o em~._ an.. up.. nn.. m<.. m~.. occummatooaa _o~.o mmq.o km.— we.. no._ no.. no._ >amsanmoo> moq.o o_o.. .q.. an._ mm._ on.. an.. cosmcozmaasou "ocqomou wo~.o n_n._ om.~ o_.~ no.. _~.~ .m.~ coconmoasou sacsmsao mme.o Nan.o mm._ on._ .n.. em.. ~n.. msuqu nausea: comma ma..o N_~._ m~._ ~a.. a... on.. me.. oc_q_oam «mo.o m.o.o cm.. N:.. am.. sn.. 5c.. “magmas "acququr .—>4 .mfim ouuom u com: com: com: com: com! couom~scmuto amaze cossoaaomcou nmsmsmm mcsaazomaacmz moo>amm muoomozozxxmsmsxm mmmCHmom co oo>p oococmu mzoup~wumml mzp zo zo—~<-zp mrp ZmMIpum mwuzwmuuu—o ON wqmdp 120 "electronic mail and message systems," and "use of dictaphone" as more important than did respondents in the other four types of business organizations. Respondents in manufacturing and finance related types of business organizations perceived "telecommunications," and "telex" as more important than did respondents in the other three types of business organizations. Respondents in manufacturing type of business organizations perceived "facsimile" as more important than did respondents in the other four types of business organizations. W Hypothesis 6 states that there are no significant differences regarding the types (service, manufacturing, finance related, construction, and other) of organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. flgzk_A§§itgd§§. Table 21 illustrates the differences among the five types of business organizations as to the perceived importance of work attitudes required for entry- level office employees. The analysis of data revealed three differences among the five types of business Hm>mH no. on ucmoztscmom. 1221 amp. npm.p pm.p nn.m ma.N mo.~ oo.. mocoumooom Accomooo coco you mama mooauoauo 9mm.o .mw.o om.. ca.— oo.~ mm.p mm.F maommmuo aone: Adm: mxuoz oo_.o mmm.p on._ om.— ou.m No.— oo.- modun>uuom moweeo Ham ad Hmauocoo ma epn.o mm... . nq.p on.— .m.p nn.- no._ mooduommo some as >ufiaqnm or» mm: mom.o _q~.o me.. me.. ~o.~ km._ am.. cocmq>amanm snocos: xzocoucmamocs mxao: .o_o.o emn.n cm.. mo.. am._ mm.. mm.. cosmosaeoo was concurs com a soaaoe ou coo: omocoaoo on cmo “>uumfioumcoamou om>o~oem .mom.o w_~.P mm.n me.n ma.~ nu.n m~.~ mamxaos-oo scat emaoooaau m>~ouaaumcoo muamoom qqm.o omn.o an.m aw.~ Ne.~ on.~ mm.~ mace swab oumaosoo ou momxoozuoo ago: a» mummucoao> 3nd may; CK Nmé an...” nn.n Noé mango on xuos ocm coda ob xuuaqom oz» moo~m>oo wm~.o m_n.P mm.. mm.~ om.m oe.F mm.. mamxaoz-oo as“: ksdmacmmcoo mxao; "dacmCOHumdou om>o~osmnmm>odosm Rood 8a.: on; on... no.~ 94 cm; mcoauoaums 3.3233,; 25:8 Fo~.o nem._ mm.F mo.~ on.m mm.. mm.— muoma>umoom coke smnofiuuuu o>uuonuumcoo muomoom nnp.o nmm.p mm.P nm.~ m_.~ nn.p Fm.p mmaouaoo scmosoo mm>uomno ocm mocammuooc: .oqo.o mem.m mm.. m..m Fm.m .w.p mw.. mcomu>oooom no“: ocozm sea or xuzsfinm on» ma; "oucmcouumamu mm>odoemuum>oaoeo .~>m .mqm ofiumm a cam: cam: cam: cam: cam: cofium~ficmmao umcuo couuoouumcou umumHmm acaoauomeacw: mmo~>omm mmoomozozxxmomuxm mmmCMmom co mo>p mocmch mmw>04mzw moaned 4m>wgl>mpzw mom Qumuzawm muonhuhp< xmox no wuz~wumw¢ NIP zo zonhh mxh zwmzhwm mmuzumwuuuo pm u4mu Hmacme co mm: no.e ompfiusma>u Hmacms mm mm: R.» 23:2 9; 26%: mmmanop um>ov mucmeaooo acoH no mcwaxu mmmanop Hm>ov mucmeomoo mcoa mo mcHa>b mm.w mbcmemumum Hmwmcmcwm mo mcHa>u OP.m mucmemumum Hmwmcmcflm mo mafia>u mn.m omuwozma>u mwcouummam co mm: mm.m umufiozma>u mcb um mmoaeom nq.m Acbmcma mama opumv munoamu buocm mo mafiaxu mm.N ombfiozma>u mwcomummam to mm: mq.m omuwuzmaxu mcu um mmoaeoo mm.m Acumcma mama o_:mv museums umocm mo mcHQ>u >F.N >aom bemuo zooms scum mcfiuumEHoe mn.w >aom bemoo canon some mcfibumeoom q_.m >aom ombuaogmoxb some mcwuumeHoe om.m >aom cmbbfiuzma>u some ocfluumEooe oo.m Hmbwozmoxu mambomam mo mm: cm.P mocmocoammnuom\moeme to mm: Fm.e .>aom cmupfiozocmc some mcwuumeoom mw._ omufluzma>u mwubomam mo mm: mm.— mocmocoammuuomxmoems Lo mm: mm.F >aoo cmmbflugocmc some mcwuumsuom cmmz mammasocx\aafixm cmmz mmomdzocxxafiflxm mmmxoaaem mmfieeo Hm>m44>uucm muomfl>omazm mofieeo\mom>oHoem mmw>oqazw muHmmo 4m>m4n>mhzm ozq mmomH>mmmDm monmO\mmm>ommzm >m ow>kumwm m4 mmm>04mzw wuHuuo 4m>mmu>mhzm mom meHDGwm UZHQ>H\ozHomqom>wx zH mwoow43ozx oz< mAJme no QZHmmomo xzqm NN wmmqh 125 copy," "typing of financial statements," ”typing of long documents," and "use of a manual typewriter." Employers/ office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees perceived "formatting from typewritten copy," and "formatting from rough draft copy" as ”important." Employers/office supervisors further perceived "typing of financial statements," and "typing of long documents" as "somewhat important." Entry-level office employees further perceived "typing of financial statements” as "important,” and "typing of long documents" as "somewhat important." Both the groups perceived "use of a manual typewriter" as ”not important." Table 23 illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in word processing required for entry- level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. Out of 12 skills and knowledges required in word processing, the two groups rank ordered four skills and knowledges similarly: "compose at the word processor" was ranked first and was perceived as "important," and the "use of portable dictation unit" was ranked last and was perceived as "not important." The other two skills and knowledges "formatting from handwritten copy" and ”formatting from typewritten copy" were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Employers/ office supervisors perceived "formatting from handwritten 126 m9.q sommmmooa mo.q oommmooua moo: mac: cofiumbowu manmuuoa mm mm: moo; mac: coflbmbmwo manmbuoa mo mm: Fm.m oommmoooa moo: mm Hmuaaeomoumwe mm mm: qa.m mommmmooa moo; memum>m mHaoH omomcm mo mm: an.m Hommmmoua Duo; membmxm mwaoa omumcm mo mm: qm.m mbcmembmum Hmfimcmcfie mo acflaxu mm.m mocmemmmmm Hmwocmcam :0 a:sa>o .m.m A:mm:ms mq.m Azuacma mamanoe om>ov mucmeamoo acoH mo acfiaxu mamauop Hm>ov mbcmsamoo acod mo acHa>b om.m oommmmooa nm.m Hommmooma moo; mcoamocmmm >maamfio mcfiauco mo mm: moo: mcoamucmum >maamwo mcHano mo mm: ¢¢.m >aom bemuo canoe some acfiaxu OF.m Acuacma mama osumv muuoamu umocm mo acfia>u mm.m Hommmmooa moo; mm ombaasomouofie mm mm: mm.w mocmocoammnuomxmoems mo mm: «o.m Acuacma mama opnmv muooamu buozm mo acHa>u mm.m >aom cmuufiuzocmc some acfibumEooe Po.m >aom cmubfiozocmc some acfluumeuoe om.m >aoo ombuwuzma>u some acfiuumsuom na.m >aoo cmuuwuzma>u some acwuumenom mn.m >aom mambo canon some acfiuumsnom cm.m mocmucoawmuuoo\moeme mo mm: Fm.m Hommmmoma coo; mca um mmoasom mn.m uommmoooa coo: mcu um mmoaeoo :mmz maumHzo:xxfissxm :mmz mmnmdgo:X\Hsaxm mmmonaew moweeo Hm>mmsxoucw muomfi>omaam mowemoxmsm>oaaem mmm>oqazm muHaaO 4m>mml>mhzu oz: mmomH>mame moHaao \mmw>omazm >m ow>Hmumwa ma mmm>oma2m onaao 4w>mml>mhzm moa meHDGwm oszmwuoma omoz 2H mmooquozx 02¢ mJJme a0 oszwomo x241 MN wmmdh 127 copy" as "important" and "formatting from typewritten copy as "somewhat important." Entry-level office employees perceived both the skills as ”important." The two groups rank ordered and perceived the remaining eight skills and knowledges differently. Table 24 illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in data processing required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered similarly five out of seven skills and knowledges required in data processing. They are: "computer literacy," "use of mainframe computer," ”computer fluency,” "use of time- sharing computer,” and "use of computer graphics." "Computer literacy" was ranked second and was perceived by both the groups as "important." "The use of main-frame computer,” "computer fluency," "use of time-sharing computer,” and ”use of computer graphics" were ranked at the bottom of the list in the order given above. The "use of mainframe computer” was perceived by both the groups as ”somewhat important." Even though the employers/office supervisors and entry-level office employees rank ordered the remaining three skills and knowledges similarly, they differed on the importance of "computer fluency." Entry- level employees perceived "computer fluency" as "somewhat important," and the employers/office supervisors perceived 128 mm.q mowcamoa omuaaeom mo mm: mm.e moflzamoa Hmuaaeoo Lo mm: «0.: Hmuaaeoo acwomcmumEHu mm mm: mF.< Hmuaaeoo acfiomcmnmeflb mo mm: mm.m Aemuaoua m m~>amcm no.q Aemoaona m m~>~mcm ocm mowoz cu xaflaflomv >mcmaae omuaaeoo ocm mbfioz on xufiawnmv >mcmaae Hmuaasoo Fm.m omuoaeoo memomcfime mo mm: qq.m omuaaeoo mamoecwme mm mm: mm.m Hm>mwoumo mumo 0cm >oucm mmmo Pm.m omuzaeomoomfie mo mm: em.m Amxmmb omoflmmo EuomHma o» _<.N Amxmmb omofimmo Esomuma om Emuaooa omcmflanmbmmmoa m cm“; ombaaeom Emoaoua omzmwanmbmmmoa m coax omuaaeom mumaaaficme ou quHHDmV >mmumbHH Hmuaaeom mumaoaficme ca >ufiafinmv >omomuHH omuoasom Pn.m emanaEOQoemHe mm mm: mm.m Hm>mflnumo mumo ocm xoucm mumo :mmz maumszocxxfisaxm :mmz maomdzo:x\dsmxm mmm>oaaew mmfimeo Hm>mmn>mucm moomw>nmaom mmfiem0\mom>oaaem mmm>oqazm muHaao 4w>mgn>mhzw 024 mmomH>mwaDm muHaaO \mmm>omazm >m om>Hmumma m< mmm>oqazm moHaaO 4m>mml>mhzm mom omeDGmm oszmmuoma Hummnn3m mficooummam acflawm mwomeac oflcooummam mcsdfit m>mmommnam Maccamaumam momommo mo mamoobm xmfio mo mm: acwafim owummmcaam mficooummam acfiafim magmas: Hmcowuflommm ocsdst oflummmcaam Hmcoamaommm \0P1\f\0\O\Ml\O\O\F‘€\O PNNNNNMMMMMQ‘Q MFNCDNQNQV—Chwlnln mcmwmmmbaa mo mm: Eafieoumfie mm mm: mzmwmoomfis co mm: mooommo mo mamoobm mama mo mm: acflafle macamoaoma mwcoobmmam acflafie mficmaoaoma Hmcowufiomob acHHHe m>Hbmmmmam oficouummam acwafim magmas: mficooummam moooomu mo mamoobm xmfio mo mm: mcssmm m>Hmommnam Hm:oaosomam acwaflm oHumomcaHm mficoouomam acfiafim magmas: Hmcowuwomub acHHHm owumnmcaam Hmcowufiomou cmmz maumsgo:X\HHaxm cmmz, maomsgocx\asaxm mmm>oHaEm mmfimmo Hm>m4u>uucm moomfi>oma3m mmflamo\mum>oaaem mwm>omazm wuHaao 4m>mml>mhzw 024 mmomH>mmaDm wuHaao \mmw>omazw >m om>kumwa m4 mmw>omazw moHaaO 4m>m41>mhzm mom meHDGwm hzmzmoooeme new: mcwzmme acHoom mm.m A>Hoeme no“: mcwcmms acfioum >mxncmuv nonmaamamo oHcouummHm mo mm: >mxucmuv mommaaoamm oflcouummam mo mm: oo.m cums mmmcfimao mm._ Amcwcmms acfioom mm.e Amcficmms acHuom >mxucmbv mommaamamm Hmcofiuwomom mo mm: >mxucmuv mommaamamm Hmcoflufiomuu.mo mm: cmmz mammazocx\aawxm cmmz mammazocx\aafixm mmmonaem mowmmo Hm>mmuxubcm moomfi>omaam mmfimeoxmumonaem mwm>omazw wuHaaO 4m>m4|>mhzm ozq mmomH>mwaDm moHaaO \mmm>omazm >m om>kumwa m4 mmm>oqa2m moHaaO 4m>m4u>mpzw mom omeDGmm monhthazou 2H mmoommzozx ozq mquxm a0 oszmomo 24¢ wN mmmqh 132 "bookkeeping” differently, they perceived them as "important." Table 27 illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in communications required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered similarly eight out of 20 skills and knowledges required in communications. The skill/knowledge "listening," was ranked first and was perceived as "essential": "use of PBX," "telex," "facsimile," and "use of electronic 'intelligent' copier" were ranked at the bottom of the list and were perceived as "not important.” ”Conventional mailing of correspondence" and "compre- hension” were ranked seventh and eighth, respectively and were perceived as ”essential." "Original composition" was ranked twelfth and was perceived as “important." 0n the rest of 12 skills and knowledges required, the perceived importance and rank ordering of the two groups were not the same. Table 28 illustrates the rank ordering of work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered similarly three out of 14 work attitudes required for entry-level office employees. Both the 133 mq.< mmwaoo :bcmawaambcfig mwcoaummam n<.q Hmfiaoo :ucmaHHHmHCw= mflcouummam mm.< mafiefimmme NN.¢ mHHeHmmmm mm.< xma NN.¢ xma mo.q xmamb mo.¢ xmamb mm.m Ammammmme omoomm mo mm.n mmmcmommcommamb mo cpombmHo mom ommav mcocambmflo mo mm: Pm.m memum>m mammmme ucm dame mflcoouomam em.m mmocmommcommdmu Fm.m mcofiummficaeeommamb mq.m membm>m mammmme ocm Hfims mficooummam mm.m Ammammmms omooum mn.m mCOHbmoHcaeeoomHmb mo cpombmwu mom ummav mcocammmflo mm mm: mm.F cofiuflmoaeom Hmcfiawuo mq.m cofiafimoaeoo Hmcflawoo om.P >Hmaanmmo> on.P mcofiummeflo m>Ha mq.P acwmmmoaooua mw.F >Hmaaomoo> 54., mcoamomaau m>sm mm.s mssfixm mcmmmm; Osman mq.P coamcmzmoaeom mm.P :oncmzmuaeoo Fq._ mocmocoammuoom mo acwafime Hmcowucm>coo aq.P mmcmucoammooom mo acflafime Hmcoflbcm>com oe._ mmuaomoooa mcozamamb mq.P acfiommueoooa mm.P umssmna 04.9 mmuaummooa mcocamamu mm.F mcofiummufio m>HmomH mm.F omeemoa mm.s masaxm m:mmsmg mama: mm.P m:HHHmam om.e acHHHmam «m.P mcofibmmofio m>HmmmH mm._ acmcmomsa mN.P 0:4:mmmfis cmmz mammagocxxaafixm cmmz mammazocxxaafixm mmm>oaaem mowmeo Hm>mmu>oucm moomfi>oma3m mofiemo\mom>oaaem. mmm>00azm moHaaO 4w>mqu>mhzm 0Z4 mmomH>mwanm moHaa0\mmm>04azm >0 0m>kumwa m4 mmm>04¢2m moHaao mm>wml>mhzm mom 0mmHDGmm monh40H202200 2H mmo0mmzozx 0Z4 mquxm a0 oszm0mo x244 mm wmm4h 134 mw.m maaooa CH mm.m manoma xooz ocm cmHa om >uwafinm mcu maoam>mo CH xuoz ocm cmaa ou xbwawnm mcu maoam>mo mm.m mumxnozuom mF.m momxmozuom some Emflowuflom m>fiuoauamcom muammom scum Emfimflbwom m>Hbmaobmcom muammmm mm.m moon :mam qu.m meow :mam mbmaaeom ob momxuoznom aamz ob mommbcoao> mumaaeom ou momxoozuom aamc om mommucaao> mm.F muomfi>umaam mm.F moammmoa ammo: Ham: mxoog some emfioaufioo m>wuoaoumcoo muammom aF.F moomfi>umaam mm.F mmmxmozuom 20H: >Hamficmacoo xooz some Emfiofibfiom m>Humaupmcom muammmm Fm.P moammmoa Hmoc: Ham: mxooz mm.F cofimfl>omaam aaocuflz >Hbcmocmamocw mxuog an.F mmHuH>Humm mmfimmo Ham cw Hmaumcaa ma mm.F momxnozuom 50H: >Hamficmacom mxuog ow.r cofimw>omaam boozy“: >HucmocmamocH mxuoz um.P mmHmHHoa >cmaeoo mm>ommno ocm mocmamomocz on.r muomw>omaam an.s moomfi>omaam :04; mcoam mmm om >0HHHQ¢ mcm mm: :mmg aces: own as >0HHHDm m:m mm: mm.F mmflmflaoa >cmaeoo mm>ommno ocm mocmbmomoc: «5.9 mmeH>Humm mmflemo Ham :H Hmaumcna mH mm.F mmCHHmmmo bmme om >uflawnm may mm: Fm.P mmcmommaam Hmcommma coma Hoe momm mmowbmmoa mm.— mmcmummaam Hmcomoma oooa mom memo mmmfluomoa Nw.F mmcfidommo umme om quHHnm mcu mm; eq.F cofiumaaeom mus zaaounu PM.F mcofibmaoumcfl HmH0\cmuuHH3 mzoaaom new m goaaom o» coaa omocmamo mo cmo mN.P coflbmaaeom mow caooscu F<.P mcoflbmanbmcfi Hmo0\cmuufinz mzoaaom mow m :oHHom ou coa: umocmamo mm cmm cmmz mammazocx\aafixm cmmz mammasocxxaafixm mmm>oaasm mmfimmo Hm>m4uxoucw muoma>omaom mofiemo\mum>oHaem mmm>00azw wuHaao w>mml>mhzw 024 mmomH>meDm muHaa0\mmm>04azm >0 0w>Hwomma m4 mwm>00azm moHaao mw>mqu>mhzw mom 0meDGmm mmoszhh4 2003 ac qummomo 224m 0N mmm4h 135 groups ranked them at the bottom of the list. They are "volunteers to help co-workers to complete rush jobs," "accepts constructive criticism from co-workers,” and ”develops the ability to plan and work in groups.” The employers/office supervisors perceived "volunteers to help co-workers to complete rush jobs" as "important," and the other two work attitudes mentioned above as "somewhat important.” The entry-level employees perceived all three work attitudes mentioned above as ”important." 83W Bg§§a19n_ggggtign_§. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees differ in the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees. In response to the research question, the means of one-way analysis of variance of collapsed items were used to rank order the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. Table 29 illustrates the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors. 136 TABLE 29 RANK ORDERING OF THE SEVEN AREAS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY-LEVEL OFFICE EMPLOYEES AS PERCEIVED BY EMPLOYERS/ OFFICE SUPERVISORS SKILLS/KNOWLEDGES/WORK ATTITUOES Mean work attitudes 2.087 computations 2.306 communications 2.430 keyboarding/typing 2.642 data processing 3.304 word processing 3.369 records management 3.379 137 The work attitudes were ranked first as being "important," followed by computations, communications, keyboarding/ typing, data processing, word processing, and records management. Table 30 illustrates the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by incumbent, entry-level office employees. The work attitudes were ranked first as ”essential," followed by communications, computations, keyboarding/typing, word processing, records management, and data processing. fummarx In this chapter, the analysis of data gathered from the responses to the survey questionnaires were presented. A One-Way ANOVA (One-Way Analysis of Variance) was used to analyze the data. The analysis of data determined the effects of the three independent variables on the perceived importance of skills and knowledges (keyboarding/typing, word processing, data processing, records management, computations, and communications) and work attitudes. The means were used to compare differences between the job titles (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees), among the three sizes (small, 138 TABLE 30 RANK ORDERING OF THE SEVEN AREAS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY-LEVEL OFFICE EMPLOYEES AS PERCEIVED BY ENTRY-LEVEL OFFICE EMPLOYEES SKILLS/KNOWLEDGES/WORK ATTITUDES Mean work attitudes 1.943 communications 2.350 computations 2.450 keyboarding/typing 2.506 word processing 3.279 records management 3.312 data processing 3.439 139 medium, and large) of business offices, and among the five types (service, manufacturing, finance related, construc- tion, and other) of business organizations. The means were also used for rank ordering of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes in the seven areas required for entry- level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The means of one-way analysis of variance of collapsed items were used for rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The results were summarized and presented through the discussion and tables. CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS This chapter presents the summary, conclusions, and recommendations that resulted from this study. The summary reviews the purpose, procedures, and the findings indicated by the analysis of data. The conclusions are inferences derived from the reported findings. The recommendations were based on the findings of the analysis of data, and the conclusions of this study. §umma£x This study was designed to determine if significant differences existed between the perceptions of employers/ office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees, among the three sizes of business offices, and among the five types of business organizations towards skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required of entry-level general office clerical employees. The purpose of this study was to supply information for developing innovative and relevant curriculum in the office education field. 140 141 Participants for this study were selected from the two membership lists of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. They are the Greater Lansing Business, Industry, and Professions membership list and the Greater Lansing Industries membership list. Members of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce were selected because they hire local office graduates and they keep abreast with the office technology. The greater Lansing area includes Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties. Two separate questionnaires were developed to obtain data for this study. One questionnaire was designed to obtain data from the employers/office supervisors. Copies of this questionnaire were mailed to employers/office supervisors of 300 businesses and industries randomly selected from the two Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce membership lists. The second questionnaire was designed to obtain data from the incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees. Copies of this questionnaire were mailed to 300 incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees in the same 300 businesses and industries. In response to the initial and two follow-up mailings, altogether 142 employers/office supervisors and 92 incumbent, first year, entry-level office employees completed and returned the questionnaire. The data were collected and the six hypotheses identified for this study were tested using the 142 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Release X, (SPSSx). An F ratio was selected as the method of statistical analysis to test the hypotheses for the following reasons: it shows differences between the independent variables on the perceived importance, it gives means for the subgroups of independent variables, and it gives an F value and the significant level for each item in the questionnaires. The means were based on the scale used for the two questionnaires. A mean of 1 = essential, 2 = important, 3 = somewhat important, 4 = not important, and 5 = not applicable. A .05 level of significance was used to test the hypotheses. The hypotheses and results are as follows: W Hypothg§i§_1, There are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees in skills and knowledges required for entry- level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing 143 c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications The statistical analysis of data revealed significant differences between employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees as to the perceived importance of skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing: compose at the typewriter b. word processing: use of microcomputer as a word processor c. data processing: use of microcomputer d. records management: none e. computations: business math f. communications: basic writing skills, original composition, and telecommunications Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected for keyboarding/typing, word processing, data processing, computations, and communications: but could not be rejected for records management. The perceived importance of the two groups was similar for records management. The two groups perceived differently the importance of above mentioned skills and knowledges. A summary of 144 differences found between the two groups for skills and knowledges, in the six areas, is given below. The perceived importance for each difference, in comparison to the other groups, is shown in parentheses. WM use of microcomputer as a word processor (more important) business math (more important) EnEI22L§!§l_9£212§_32212¥§§§ compose at the typewriter (more important) use of microcomputer (more important) basic writing skills (more important) original composition (more important) telecommunications (more important) fiypgtng§i§_z. There are no significant differences regarding the job titles with respect to the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. The statistical analysis of data showed significant differences between employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees as to the perceived importance of work attitudes required 145 for entry-level general office clerical employees in the area of ‘ work attitudes: develops the ability to plan and work in groups, and accepts constructive criticism from co-workers. Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected. Entry- level office employees perceived the above mentioned work attitudes as more important than did employers/ office supervisors. fiypgthg§i§_3. There are no significant differences regarding the sizes (small, medium, and large) of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in skills and knowledges required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the following areas: A a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications The statistical analysis of data showed significant differences among the three sizes of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of 146 respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry- level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing: typing of financial statements b. word processing: none c. data processing: use of mainframe computer d. records management: microfilm, microfiche, and ultrafiche e. computations: bookkeeping f. communications: electronic mail and message systems, telex, use of PBX, and use of dictaphone (used for dictation of stored messages) Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected for keyboarding/typing, data processing, records management, computations, and communications: but could not be rejected for word processing. The perceived importance of the respondents among the three sizes of business offices was similar for word processing. Respondents among the three sizes of business offices perceived differently the importance of above mentioned skills and knowledges. A summary of differences found among the three sizes of business offices for skills and knowledges, in the six areas, is given below. The perceived importance of respondents for 147 each difference, in comparison to the other sizes, is shown in parentheses. W bookkeeping (more important) Wags electronic mail and message systems (less important) WW bookkeeping (less important) use of mainframe computer (more important) microfilm (more important) microfiche (more important) ultrafiche (more important) telex (more important) use of PBX (more important) use of dictaphone (more important) typing of financial statements (less important) Hypoth§§i§_g. There are no significant differences regarding the sizes (small, medium, and large) of business offices with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. The statistical analysis of data showed a significant difference among the three sizes of business offices with 148 respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the area of work attitudes: develops the ability to plan and work in groups Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected. Respondents in large business offices perceived the above mentioned work attitude as more important than did respondents in small and medium business offices. Hypothe§i§_§. There are no significant differences regarding the types (service, manufacturing, finance related, construction, and other) of business organi- zations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in skills and knowledges required for entry- level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing b. word processing c. data processing d. records management e. computations f. communications The statistical analysis of data revealed significant differences among the five types of business organizations 149 with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in skills and knowledges required for entry- level general office clerical employees in the following areas: a. keyboarding/typing: compose at the type- writer, typing of short reports, and typing of memos/correspondence b. word processing: formatting from handwritten copy, compose at the word processor, and typing of memos/correspondence c. data processing: use of time-sharing computer d. records management: traditional alphabetic filing system, microfiche, and ultrafiche e. computations: bookkeeping, accounting, and use of traditional calculator (ten-key adding machine) f. communications: electronic mail and message systems, telecommunications, telex, and facsimile, and use of dictaphone (used for dictation of stored messages) Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected for all six areas. Respondents among the five types of business organizations perceived differently the importance of above mentioned skills and knowledges. A summary of differences found among the five types of business organizations for skills and knowledges, in the six areas, is given below. The perceived importance of respondents 150 for each difference, in comparison to the other types of business organizations, is shown in parentheses. WM typing from handwritten copy (less important) compose at the word processor (less important) typing of memos/correspondence on word processor (less important) ultrafiche (more important) WW compose at the typewriter (less important) typing of short reports (more important) typing of memos/correspondence (more important) use of time-sharing computer (more important) microfiche (less important) use of traditional calculator (less important) telecommunications (more important) telex (more important) facsimile (more important) use of time-sharing computer (more important) microfiche (less important) bookkeeping (less important) accounting (less important) use of traditional calculator (less important) electronic mail and message systems (more important) 151 use of dictaphone (more important) telecommunications (more important) telex (more important) ! !i E E i : . !' compose at the word processor (less important) typing of memos/correspondence (less important) use of traditional calculator (less important) accounting (less important) ill I E E . ; i !' typing of memos/correspondence (more important) flypgtng§1§_§. There are no significant differences regarding the types (service, manufacturing, finance related, construction, and other) of business organiza- tions with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents (employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees) in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees. The statistical analysis of data showed significant 'differences among the five types of business organizations with respect to the perceived importance on the part of respondents in work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the area of work attitudes: has the ability to get along with supervisors, follows written/oral instructions, and 152 can be depended upon to follow a job through its completion. Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected. Respondents among the five types of business organizations perceived differently the importance of above mentioned work attitudes. A summary of differences found among the five types of business organizations in work attitudes is given below. The perceived importance of respondents, in comparison to the other types of business organizations, is shown in parentheses. E' E J ! l I E E . i . !° has the ability to get along with supervisors (less important) follows written/oral instructions (less important) can be depended upon to follow a job through its completion (less important) 0 ! !i I E E . g . I' has the ability to get along with supervisors (less important) WW Wm: Begga;§h_ggg§§ign_1. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees 153 differ in the rank ordering of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes in the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees. In response to the research question, the means of one-way analysis of variance were used to rank order the perceptions of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees on the importance of skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry- level general office clerical employees in the seven 1 areas. Table 22 (see pg. 124) illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in keyboarding/typing.required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. Out of 11 skills and knowledges required for keyboarding/typing, the two groups rank ordered five skills and knowledges similarly ”formatting from typewritten copy” ”formatting from rough draft copy,” "typing of financial statements,” "typing of long documents,” and "use of a manual typewriter." Employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees perceived "formatting from typewritten copy,” and ”formatting from rough draft copy" as ”important." Employers/office supervisors further perceived "typing of financial statements," and "typing of long documents as "somewhat important." Entry-level 154 office employees further perceived "typing of financial statements as "important," and "typing of long documents" as "somewhat important." Both the groups perceived ”use of a manual typewriter” as "not important." Table 23 (see pg. 126) illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in word processing required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. Out of 12 skills and knowledges required in word processing, the two groups rank ordered four skills and knowledges similarly: "compose at the word processor” was ranked first and was perceived as "important," and the "use of portable dictation unit" was ranked last and was perceived as "not important." The other two skills and knowledges "formatting from handwritten copy" and "formatting from typewritten copy" were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Employers/ office supervisors perceived "formatting from handwritten copy" as ”important” and "formatting from typewritten copy as "somewhat important." Entry-level office employees perceived both the skills as "important.” The two groups rank ordered and perceived the remaining eight skills and knowledges differently. Table 24 (see pg. 128) illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in data processing required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived 155 by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered similarly five out of seven skills and knowledges required in data processing. They are: "computer literacy," "use of mainframe computer," "computer fluency," "use of time- sharing computer," and "use of computer graphics.” "Computer literacy” was ranked second and was perceived by both the groups as ”important." "The use of main-frame computer," "computer fluency,” "use of time-sharing computer," and "use of computer graphics" were ranked at the bottom of the list in the order given above. The "use of mainframe computer” was perceived by both the groups as "somewhat important." Even though the employers/office supervisors and entry-level office employees rank ordered the remaining three skills and knowledges similarly, they differed on the importance of "computer fluency." Entry- level employees perceived "computer fluency" as "somewhat important," and the employers/office supervisors perceived it as ”not important." Both the groups perceived "use of time-sharing computer" and "use of computer graphics” as "not important.” Table 25 (see pg. 130) illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in records management required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered 156 similarly 11 out 13 skills and knowledges required in records management. The two skills and knowledges rank ordered differently were "traditional subjective filing" and "use of disk storage of records." Even though the two groups rank ordered the above two skills and knowledges differently, they perceived them both as "important.” Table 26 (see pg. 131) illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in computations required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered similarly two out of five skills and knowledges required in computations "use of traditional calculator” and ”accounting," and both the skills and knowledges were perceived as ”important." Even though the two groups rank ordered the remaining three skills and knowledges "electronic calculator," "business math," and "book- keeping" differently, they perceived them as "important." Table 27 (see pg. 133) illustrates the rank ordering of skills and knowledges in communications required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered and perceived similarly the importance of eight out of 20 skills and knowledges required in communications. The skill/knowledge "listening" was ranked first and was 157 perceived as ”essential": "use of PBX," "telex," ”facsimile," and "use of electronic 'intelligent' copier" were ranked at the bottom of the list and were perceived as "not important." "Conventional mailing of correspondence" and "comprehension" were ranked seventh and eighth, respectively and were perceived as "essential.” ”Original composition" was ranked twelfth and was perceived as "important." 0n the rest of 12 skills and knowledges required, the perceived importance and rank ordering of the two groups were not the same. Table 28 (see pg. 134) illustrates the rank ordering of work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. The two groups rank ordered similarly three out of 14 work attitudes required for entry-level office employees. Both the groups ranked them at the bottom of the list. They are ”volunteers to help co-workers to complete rush jobs," "accepts constructive criticism from co-workers," and "develops the ability to plan and work in groups." The employers/office supervisors perceived ”volunteers to help co-workers to complete rush jobs" as "important," and the other two work attitudes mentioned above as "somewhat important." The entry-level office employees perceived all three work attitudes mentioned above as "important." 158 WWW: Bg§g§19n_gg§§;19n_§. Does the perceived importance on the part of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, first year, entry-level general office clerical employees differ in the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees. In response to the research question, the means of one-way analysis of variance of collapsed items were used to rank order the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees. Table 29 (see pg. 136) illustrates the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by employers/office supervisors. The work attitudes were ranked first as being "important," followed by computations, communica- tions, keyboarding/typing, data processing, word processing, and records management. Table 30 (see pg. 138) illustrates the rank ordering of the seven areas required for entry-level general office clerical employees as perceived by incumbent, entry-level office employees. The work attitudes were ranked first as "essential", followed by communications, computations, keyboarding/typing, word processing, records management, and data processing. 159 W The following conclusions were based on the findings from the statistical analysis of data collected for this study. 1. Not all skills and knowledges in keyboarding/ typing were ranked similarly or perceived to be equally important. Therefore, some skills should be emphasized over the others. 2. Only five skills and knowledges were perceived as "important" in word processing "compose at the word processor," "use of memos/correspondence,” "formatting from typewritten copy," "formatting from rough draft copy,” and "formatting from handwritten copy.” These skills and knowledges should be included in the curriculum. 3. In data processing three skills and knowledges were perceived as "important" even though they were not ranked similarly "data entry and retrieval," ”computer literacy," and "use of computer." Therefore, these skills and knowledges are important enough to be included in data processing courses. 4. Eleven skills and knowledges were rank ordered similarly, but only six of these skills and knowledges were perceived as "essential" or "important." "Traditional alphabetic filing" was ranked first and 16D perceived as "essential." The remaining five skills and knowledges "traditional numeric filing," "electronic alphabetic filing," "traditional subjective filing," "use of disk storage of records," and "use of electronic numeric filing" were perceived as "important." These skills and knowledges should be emphasized over the others in records management courses. 5. All of the skills and knowledges in computations were perceived as "important," even though they were not ranked similarly: therefore, these skills should be emphasized in computation courses. 6. Eight of 20 skills and knowledges in communications were ranked similarly. Out of these eight skills and knowledges, "listening," "conventional mailing of correspondence," and ”comprehension“ were perceived as ”essential," and "original composition" as "important." The remaining four skills and knowledges were perceived as "not important.” Therefore, some of the skills and knowledges required in communications need more emphasis over others. 7. All of the fourteen work attitudes surveyed in this study are important enough to be included in human relations courses since none was rated "not important" by either employers/office supervisors or incumbent, entry-level office employees. 161 8. Both employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees ranked work attitudes, communications, computations, and keyboarding/typing at the top of the list and perceived them as "important." Therefore, these four areas should be emphasized over word processing, data processing, and records management. 9. Employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees vary in the requirements of skills and knowledges for keyboarding/typing, word processing, data processing, computations, and communi- cations for employment. The two groups also vary in the requirements for work attitudes. Therefore, potential entry-level general office clerical employees will find differences in the above mentioned areas when applying for jobs. It will be counterproductive to train students for office employment based on the perceptions of any one group. 10. Respondents in small, medium, and large sized business offices were responsible for a variance in the requirements of skills and knowledges required for keyboarding/typing, data processing, records management, computations, communications. Respondents were also responsible for a variance in the requirements for work . attitudes. Therefore, potential entry-level general office clerical employees will find the requirements will vary from one size of business office to another in the 162 above mentioned areas. Placing emphasis on the requirements of any one size of business office is not supported, unless employment can be guaranteed in that size. 11. Respondents in service, manufacturing, finance related, construction, and other business organizations vary in the requirements of skills and knowledges for keyboarding/typing, word processing, data processing, records management, computations, communications. Respondents also vary in the requirements for work attitudes. Therefore, potential entry-level general office clerical employees will find the requirements for employment will vary from one type of business organization to another. It will be counterproductive to train students for entry-level office employment based on the requirements of any one type of business organiza- tion, unless employment is assured. W This section provides recommendations for curriculum development in the office field as well as implications for additional research. 1. It is recommended that even though job titles, sizes of business offices, and types of business organizations, influence the skills, knowledges, and work 163 attitudes required for the training of entry-level general office clerical employees, curriculum should not be limited to the requirements of any one group of job titles, to any one size of business offices, and to any one type of business organizations. The training should be based on the requirements of the entry-level general office clerical employees. 2. It is recommended that in-depth studies should be conducted on the types of office equipment being used in businesses and industries, including brand names. Since office technology is changing rapidly and office equipment is being updated constantly, it is important to obtain information on office equipment before buying new equipment for a classroom. 3. It is recommended that in-depth studies in word processing and data processing should be conducted. The data gathered and analyzed should be used when planning curriculum and instructional programs for the training of entry-level general office clerical employees. 4. Employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees focus great importance on work attitudes to obtain employment and to function efficiently on the job. It is recommended that office educators should incorporate the work attitudes, perceived to be important in this study in their office block programs. 164 5. It is recommended that office educators should continue to place major emphasis on communication skills, and computation skills. Even though the offices are being automated, according to this study, employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level general office clerical employees place great importance on these skills. 6. It is recommended that office educators should continue to place emphasis on keyboarding/typing skills. These skills can be transferred to use word processing and data processing equipment. 7. It is recommended that office educators should continue to teach the four types of traditional filing systems, along with electronic alphabetic and numeric filing systems. 8. It is recommended that office educators should introduce telecommunications equipment and procedures into the classroom. If funding does not permit the purchase of such equipment, then students should be taken on field trips to see the working of telecommunications equipment. 9. It is recommended that the perceptions of employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level I office employees be evaluated in skills, knowledges, and work attitudes periodically when making curriculum changes or developing instructional programs for the training of entry-level general office clerical employees. 165 10. It is recommended that office educators should include in the curriculum skills, knowledges, and work attitudes perceived as ”essential" or "important" by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees for training of entry-level general office clerical employees in greater Lansing area. 11. It is recommended that office educators should exclude from the curriculum or place less emphasis on skills, knowledges, and work attitudes perceived as "not important" ”not applicable" by employers/office supervisors and incumbent, entry-level office employees for training of entry-level general office clerical employees in greater Lansing area. 12. It is recommended that office educators should set up or continue to work with advisory committees comprised of members of the business community drawn from the fields in which they are designing instructional programs for the training of entry-level general office clerical employees. BI BLIOGRAPHY 16.6 BIBLIOGRAPHY Adams, La Mar L., and Gayle, Darwin, "Solving the Quandry Between Questionnaire Length and Response Rate in Educational Research," Researcg in Higher Educatiog 5 (1982): 231-240. 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Wilson, H., "What is a Good Employee?" Industrial Management 15 (1973): 14-15. Wilson, Joseph C., "Comments," NEA Journal 55 (February, 1966): 45. Yacht, Carol, "Developing Skills in Keyboarding and Proofreading Required for Word Processing," Business Bdncapion Fonnm 37 (March, 1983): 14. APPENDIX A EMPLOYER/OFFICE CLERICAL SUPERVISOR QUESTIONNAIRE 174 THE QUESTIONNAIRE For the Employer or Office Supervisor This questionnaire is primarily concerned with determining the skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area. GENERAL OFFICE CLERK: According to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (1977) a general office clerk performs any combination of the following and similar clerical tasks requiring limited knowledge of systems or procedures; writes or types bills, statements, letters, manuscripts, checks or other documents, copying information from one record to another. Proofreads records or forms. Counts, weighs, or measures material. Sorts and files records. Receives money from customers and deposits money in bank. Addresses envelopes or packages by hand or with envelope stuffing machine. Answers telephone, conveys messages, and runs errands. Stamps, sorts, and distributes mail. Stamps or numbers by hand or machine. Copies documents, using office duplicating equipment. Their day- to-day duties vary daily according to the needs of the office. Please place a check mark (v’) in the appropriate blank for the following questions: 1. Title of the person completing the questionnaire? (prefer a person who supervises office clerical staff or who does office work). president vice president owner personnel manager office supervisor office manager business manager other, please specify 2. What is the nature of your business? agriculture transportation communications utilities construction law education banking federal government health care finance wholesale trade insurance other, please specify local government manufacturing real estate service state government 1'75 1'76 3. What is the approximate number of office employees in your business? (Office employees include: administrative assistants, secretaries, stenographers, typists, receptionists, legal, medical, and general office clerical employees, and others who perform office duties). 1 to 5 6 to 10 over 10 As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain skills and knowledges that are often found in job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please place a check mark (w’) in the appropriate blank for each of the following skills and knowledges as it applies in your work place. essential important somewhat important not important does not apply \J‘IDWN—D | SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGES 4. Keyboarding/Typing -— formatting (typing documents) from typewritten copy from handwritten copy from rough draft typewritten copy compose at the typewriter other: applications: long documents (over TO-page length) short reports (3-10 page length) financial statements memos/correspondence other: use of equipment: manual typewriter electric typewriter electronic typewriter other: 5. Word Processing formatting (typing documents) from typewritten copy from handwritten copy from rough draft typewritten copy compose at the word processor other: 1'77 Word Processing (contd.) applications: - long documents (over TO-page length) short reports (3-10 page length) financial statements memos/correspondence other: use of equipment: on-line display stand alone word processor ‘ shared logic systems word processor portable dictation unit word processor microcomputer as word processor .other: Data Processing competencies: data entry and data retrieval computer literacy (ability to manipulate computer with a preestablished program to perform desired tasks) computer fluency (ability to write and analyze a program) other: use of equipment: mainframe computer microcomputer time-sharing computer computer graphics other: Records Management traditional (hand copy documents) alphabetic numeric subjective geographic other: nontraditional (electronic--generating entries to store and retrieve data through CRT on word processors and/or data processors) alphabetic numeric subjective geographic other: 8. 1'78 Records Management (contd.) use of equipment: microfilm microfiche ultrafiche disk storage of records tape storage of records other: Com utations business math bookkeeping accounting other: use of equipment: traditional calculator (ten-key adding machine) electronic calculator (ten-key with memory) other: Communications writing: grammar spelling basic writing skills original composition other: reading: comprehension vocabulary proofreading other: speaking: give directions (in clear and concise manner) receive directions listening other: transmittal of information: conventional mailing of correspondence electronic mail and message systems telecommunications teleconferences telephone procedures other: 1'79 9. Communications (contd.) use of equipment: telex PBX fascimile dictaphone (used for dictation of stored messages) ‘ electronic an "intelligent" copier (which accepts messages for later transcription) other: 10. HURK ATTITUDES As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain work attitudes that are often found in Job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please rate the following work attitudes on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 for most important and 10 not important). Circle the correct number. “ ‘6 {3. 1: mg .g employer-employee relationship: 8-« 8-H has the ability to get along with supervisors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O understands and observes company policies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O accepts constructive criticism from supervisors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O follows written/oral instructions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: employee-employee relationship: works congenially with co-workers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O develops the ability to plan and work in groups 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 volunteers to help co-workers to complete rush jobs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O accepts constructive criticism from co-workers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 .9 1O employee responsibility: can be depended upon to follow a Job through its completion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 works independently without supervision 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 has ability to meet deadlines 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 is punctual in all office activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 works well under pressure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O practices care for good personal appearance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O other:r 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO GNANI RUTH MOSES 1567C SPARTAN VILLAGE EAST LANSING, MI 48823 APPENDIX B FIRST YEAR OFFICE EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE 180 THE QUESTIONNAIRE For the First Year Office Clerical Employee This questionnaire is primarily concerned with determining the skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area. (EIERAL G'FICE CLERK: According to the Dictionary of Occupational Title (1977) a general office cleerk performs any combination of the following and similar clerical tasks requiring limited knowledge of systems or procedures; writes or types bills, statements, letters, manuscripts, checks or other dOCuments, copying information from one record to another. Prooreads records or forms. Counts, weighs, or measures material. Sorts and files records. Receives money from customers and deposits money in bank. Addresses envelopes or packages by hand or with envelope stuffing machine. Answers telephone, conveys messages, and runs errands. Stamps, sorts, and distributes mail. Stamps or numbers by hand or machine. Copies documents, using office duplicating equipment. Their day- to-day duties vary daily according to the needs of the office. Please place a check mark (\/3 in the appropriate blank for the following questions: ' 1. Title of the person completing the questionnaire? secretary stenographer office clerk desk clerk general office clerk receptionist/clerk typist other, please specify 2. What is the nature of your business? agriculture transportation communications utilities construction law education banking federal government health care finance wholesale trade insurance other, please specify local government manufacturing real estate service state government ‘181 182 3. that is the approximate number of office employees in your business? (Office employees include: administrative assistants, secretaries, stenographers, typists, receptionists, legal, medical, and general office clerical employees, and others who perform office duties). 1 to 5 6 to 10 over 10 As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain skills and knowledges that are often found in job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please place a check mark (V) in the appropriate blank for each of the following skills and knowledges as it applies in your work place. essential - inportant - somewhat important not important - does not apply UlbUN-P Stills AN) m 4. Keyboardiggflypigg formatting (typing documents) from typewritten copy from handwritten copy __ __ __ _ __ from room draft typewritten copy __ __ ._ __ __ compose at the typewriter __ other: . |_. IN I»: Ib luv applications: long docunents (over 10-page length) short reports (3-10 page length) _ _ __ financial statements __ __ __ memos/correspondence other: ' _" use of equipment: manual typewriter _ _ __ __ __ electric typewriter __ __ _ __ .— electronic typewriter __ _ __ __ _. other: __ _ 5 . word Processing formatting (typing documents) from typewritten copy from handwritten copy from rough draft typewritten copy compose at the word processor other: 183 5. word Processlm (contd.) applications: - long comments (over 104389: length) __ short reports (3-10 page length) _ _. __ _ __ financial statements _ __ _ _ __ mews/correspondence __ __ __ __ _ other: use of equipment: on-line display stand alone word processor shared logic systems word processor portable dictation unit word processor microcomputer as word processor other: . 6. Data Processim competencies: data entry and data retrieval computer literacy (ability to manipulate computer with a preestablished program to perform desired tasks) computer fluency (ability to write and analyze a program) other: ______ ______ _____ ‘_____ ._____ use of emipment: mainframe comuter __ __ __ _ —_ microcomputer __ __ _ _. _ time-sharing comutsr __ _ __ _ — comuter graphics __ __ __ _ _ other: __ __ __ _— —— 7 . Records NOOQMI traditional (hand copy docunents) alphabetic _ __ _ _ _ nuneric _ _ __ __ _ subjective _ _ _ _ _ 90°91‘90“ _ __ other: __ __ nontraditional (electronic--generating entries to store and retrieve data through CRT on word processors and/or data processors) alphabetic _ _ __ __ numeric _ __ __ _ __ subjective __ geographic _ __ _ __ __ other: _.___ _ _ __ ___ 8. 1811 Records Management (contd.) use of equipment: microfilm microfiche ultrafiche disk storage of records tape storage of records other: Computations business math bookkeeping accounting other: use of equipment: traditional calculator (ten-key adding machine) electronic calculator (ten-key with memory) other: Communications writing: grammar spelling basic writing skills original composition other: reading: comprehension vocabulary proofreading other: speaking: give directions (in clear and concise manner) receive directions listening other: transmittal of information: conventional mailing of correspondence electronic mail and message systems telecommunications teleconferences telephone procedures other: 1E35 9. Communications (contd.) use of equipment: telex PBX fascimile dictaphone (used for dictation of stored messages) electronic an "intelligent" copier (which accepts messages for later transcription) ' other: - 10. HDRK ATTITUDES As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain work attitudes that are often found in Job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please rate the following work attitudes on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 for most important and 10 not important). Circle the correct number. “ ‘9 (0 1: 2: mg mg employer-employee relationship: 8-H 2- has the ability to get along with supervisors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O understands and observes company policies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 accepts constructive criticism from supervisors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O follows written/oral instructions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: employee-employee relationship: works congenially with co-workers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O deVelops the ability to plan and work in groups 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 '10 volunteers to help co-workers to complete rush jobs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O accepts constructive criticism from co-workers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: 1 2 6 8 1O employee responsibility: can be depended upon to follow a job through its completion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 works independently without supervision 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 has ability to meet deadlines 1 2 '3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O ispunctual in all office activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 works well under pressure 1 2 3 4 ' 5 6 7 8 9 1O practices care for good personal appearance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 1O PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO GNANI RUTH MOSES 1567C SPARTAN VILLAGE EAST LANSING, MI 48823 APPENDIX C COVER LETTERS 186 1237 July 15, 1987 Oear Employer or Office Clerical Supervisor: SUBJECT: A Survey of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes In our constantly changing office environment, do you feel office educators are providing the right type of training for the entry-level office employees? I am currently undertaking a research study which will provide an answer to this question. The information gathered for this study will be of value to adminis- trators and office educators who are developing curriculum and instructional programs for the training of your future office employees. The end result of this study should be better prepared potential office employees for your company. Any information you provide will be kept confidential. You and your organization have been selected from the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce membership lists to participate in this research study. 1. If you are in charge of office clerical staff, will you kindly take a few minutes of your valuable time to complete the attached questionnaire and return it by July 31, 1987. A self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for your convenience in returning the questionnaire. 2. If you are not in charge of office clerical staff, will you kindly ask your office supervisor to complete the attached questionnaire. All the necessary information he/she needs is in the questionnaire. 3. Also, for this study I am gathering data from the first year (a person who has been on the Job from three months to 15 months) office employees to do a comparative study. Will you kindly ask your first year office employee/s to complete the enclosed questionnaire. All the neceSsary information he/she needs is in the questionnaire. Your assistance in this study is greatly appreciated. If you are interested in the survey results, please place your name and address in the upper left- hand corner of the enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope. Cordially yours, Gnani Ruth Moses Survey Coordinator Enclosures: A questionnaire A self-addressed stamped envelope A copy of letter from the President of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce 188 July 15, 1987 Dear First Year Office Clerical Employee: SUBJECT: A Survey of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes Do you feel office educators are providing the right type of training for entry-level office employees? I am currently undertaking a research study that will provide the answer to this question. The information you provide will be of value to administrators and office educators who are developing curriculum and instructional programs for the training of future office clerical employees. Your organization has been selected from The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce membership list to participate in this research study, and you have been selected by your employer to help with the study. Any information you provide for this study will be kept confidential. Please take a few minutes of your valuable time to complete the attached questionnaire and return it by July 31, 1987. After comple- ting the questionnaire, please enclose it in the self-addressed stamped envelope, seal it, and mail it separately to safeguard your identity and your work place. Your assistance in this study is greatly appreciated. If you are interested in receiving the survey results, kindly place your name and address in the upper left-hand corner of the enclosed self- addressed envelope. Cordially yours, Gnani Ruth Moses Survey Coordinator Enclosures: A questionnaire A self-addressed stamped envelope 189 $10 NEST was-rpm. Clvoc Cthfln LANSING U'CNIGAN O 0 so: More «no. WON! 151714.763“ (ANS/N6 REG/0M“ CHAHBER OF COMMERCE July 14. 1987 T0: SELECTED BUSINESSES IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA This is by way of introducing Ms. Ruth Moses, a raduata student in the College of Education at Michigan tata Univer- sity. Ms. Moses will be asking your help to complete a questionnaire to prepare har doctoral thesis. I am working with Clark DaHavan, Director of Executive Programs in the Graduate School of Business at Michigan State University. We will receive the findings of the survey and anticipate that the survey will help us develop programs of efit to this community. Jim Jordan, EVP JJ/rac APPENDIX D FOLLOW-UP COVER LETTERS 190 191 August 5, 1987 Dear Employer or Office Clerical Supervisor: SUBJECT: A Survey of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes In mid July a questionnaire was mailed to you to gather data for my research study in office education. The information yielded from this study will be very valuable to administrators and office educa- tors who are developing curriculum and instructional programs for the training of your office employees. Your input is very important to this study. If you have not already returned the questionnaire, please take a few minutes of your valuable time to complete a copy of the questionnaire that is attached and return it by August 21, 1987. A self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for your convenience. ‘ Also, I have enclosed a separate questionnaire to be completed by the first year office employee (a person who has been on the job from three months to 15 months) to do a comparative study. Will you kindly remind your first year office employee/s to complete it. All the necessary information he/she needs is in the questionnaire. Your response to this study is greatly appreciated. Cordially yours, Gnani Ruth Moses Survey Coordinator Enclosures: A questionnaire A self-addressed stamped envelope A copy of letter from the President of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce 192 August 6, 1987 Dear First Year Office Clerical Employee: SUBJECT: A Survey of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes In mid July a questionnaire was mailed to you to gather data for my research study in office education. The information yielded will be of value to administrators and office educators who are developing curriculum and instructional programs for the training of office clerical employees. Your input is very important to this study. If you have not already returned your questionnaire, will you please take a few minutes of your valuable time to complete a copy of the questionnaire and return it by August 21, 1987. A self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Your response to this study is greatly appreciated. Cordially yours, Gnani Ruth Moses Survey Coordinator Enclosures: A questionnaire A self-addressed stamped envelope 193 510 “ST was-Yuma CIWC CENTER (ANS/NB HEB/0M“ CHAMBER OF COMMENCE mum'- v-cmcm ’ 0 IO! In” aeaoi ”MON! .5”: “7‘3“ July 14, I987 T0: SELECTED BUSINESSES IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA This is by way of introducing Ms. Ruth Moses. a raduate student in the College of Education at Michigan tate Univer- sity. Ms. Moses will be asking your help to complete a questionnaire to prepare her doctoral thesis. I an working with Clark DeHaven, Director of Executive Programs in the Graduate School of Business at Michigan State University. We will receive the findings of the survey and anticipate that the survey will help us develop programs of efit to this community. Jim Jordan, EYP JJ/rac APPENDIX E SECOND FOLLOW-UP COVER LETTERS I94 195 September 2, 1987 Dear Employer or Office Clerical Supervisor: SUBJECT: A Survey of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes In mid July and again in early August, I mailed you a questionnaire to gather data for my research study in office education. As of this date I have not received your completed questionnaire. Your input is very important to this study. If you have not already mailed your questionnaire, will you please take a few minutes of your valuable time to complete a copy of the questionnaire that is enclosed and return it by September 18, 1987. A self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Also, a separate questionnaire is enclosed to be completed by your first year office employee (a person who has been on the job from three months to 15 months) to do a comparative study. Will you kindly remind your first year office employee/s to complete it. All the necessary information he/she needs is in the questionnaire. Your response to this study is greatly appreciated. Cordially yours, . Gnani Ruth Moses Survey Coordinator Enclosures: A questionnaire A self-addressed stamped envelope A copy of letter from the President of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce 196 September 2, 1987 Dear First Year Office Clerical Employee: SUBJECT: A Survey of Skills, Knowledges, and Work Attitudes In mid July and again in early August, I mailed you a questionnaire to gather data for my research study in office education. As of this date I have not received your completed questionnaire. Your input is very important to this study. If you have not already mailed your questionnaire, please take a few minutes of your valuable time to complete a copy of the questionnaire that is enclosed and return it by September 18, 1987. A self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Your response to this study is greatly appreciated. Cordially yours, Gnani Ruth Moses Survey Coordinator Enclosures: A questionnaire A self-addressed stamped envelope 1597 SW “S? raga-rung Clwc CENTlm LANSING memo“ ' O to: ion as Ono-we .gna mused [ANS/N6 REG/0M“ CHAUBER 0F COMMERL‘E July 14, 1987 T0: SELECTED BUSINESSES IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA This is by way of introducing Ms. Ruth Moses. a raduate student in the College of Education at Michigan tate Univer- sity. Ms. Moses will be asking your help to complete a questionnaire to prepare her doctoral thesis. I am working with Clark DeMaven. Director of Executive Programs in the Graduate School of Business at Michigan State University. He will receive the findings of the survey and anticipate that the survey will help us develop programs of efit to this community. Jim Jordan. EYP JJ/rac APPENDIX F TIE SAMPLE 198 THE SAMPLE Greater Lansing Business, Industry, and Profession ABC Word Processing *Accident Fund of Michigan Adams Tool & Engineering *Aerovent Industrial Fan Co. Alexanians Carpets Allstate Insurance Company Ameri-Can Rental *American Homecraftors, Inc. American Speedy Printing Centers Anthony's (Rick) Flower Shoppe *Arts Council Center of Greater Lansing *Associated Risk Managers of Michigan *Auto-Owners Insurance Co. Aviso Inc. Babcock Clutch Brake Inc. Barker-Fowler Electric Co. *Bekum America Corporation *Benefits Design Inc. *Bev's Custom Draperies *Birchfield Foodsystems, Inc. Boarshead-Michigan Public Theater 199 200 *Bollert's Hardware *Boyd Insurance Agency *Brutsche Concrete Products, Inc. *Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac Group *Business Resources, Inc. Calkins Paint Company *Canada Dry Bottling Co. *Capital Area United Way *Capital City Mortgage Company *Capitol Barricading, Inc. *Capitol Consultants, Inc. Careers Services *Cathey Company Center for Furnishings and Design Century 21 Gaskin Realty, Ltd. Chapman, (David) Agency, Inc. *Cheney, DDS, MS’ *Christy Associates *Clark Construction Company, Inc. Clinton Memorial Hospital Coleman Rent to Own *Communicating Network Systems, Inc. Community News Center, Inc. Computer Consignments. Continental Cablevision *Cooley Law School 201 Credit Bureau of Greater Lansing Curtis Pharmacy D.B.I. Business Interiors, Inc. *Darling Builder's Supply Co. Dekker, Individual Member *Delta Dental Plan of Michigan *Demmer Corporation *Design Irrigation Inc. Dickinson, Wright, Moon, VanDusen & Freeman *Dinkel & Associates (R.A.) *Domino's Pizza *Drolett's Travel Unlimited *Dunnings, Attorney-at-Law Earegood Private Detective Agency Eckhart (M.A. & Associates, Inc.) E.D.S. *Ehinger Realty Company Emil's East Restaurant *Ernst & Whinney *Executive Programs Executone - Lansing *Fabri-Tech *Farhat, Story, & Kraus, P.C. *Federal Express Corporation *First Americal Title Insurance 202 *First of Michigan Corp. *Flap Jack Shack *Fox's Jewelers Freedom Software Fuller's Sport 8 Lawn Center *Gadaleto/Ramsby & Associates *General Aviation, Inc. *German Automotive *Goffs of Haslett & Carriage Hills *Gordon Food Service *Grande Supper Club Greater Lansing Board of Realtors H & H Restaurants, Inc. *Hager Fox Company *Harley Hotel Hasselbring Clark Company Hazen Lumber Company Health Central *Heritage Enterprises Inc. *Hobart Sales & Services Holloway's Real Estate *Home Health Care of Sparrow Houlinan's Olds Place *Hudson (J.L.) Clompany-Lansing Mall *Hunt's Body Shop *Image Centre, Inc. *Indian Trails, Incorp. 203 *Ingham Medical Center' *Institute for Advancement of Prosthetics Invitation Shoppe *J.C. Penney, Lansing Mall *Jarboe & Associates Jeffries, (Law Firm of) *Joe's Furnance Cleaning Johnson, DDS *Jostens Printing & Publishing Karber Realty Kellogg Realty Inc. Kevwitch, DDS *Kirk G Fitzerald, CPA KMart West *Koerts Glass & Paint Co., Inc. Laz-z-Boy Showcase Shoppes Lansing Area Safety Council *Lansing Community College *Lansing Corrugated Products Lansing Ford Tractor, Inc. Lansing Housing Commission *Lansing Lumber Company *Lansing Roofing Co. *Lansing Shop-Rite Supermarkets *Larry's Body Shop Leavenworth Photographics, Inc. 204 *Leonard Melse Associates *Liebermann's Logan Hardware Do It Center *Lyman & Sheets Agency, Inc. *Magna Electric Management Recruiters/Office Mates Market Masters Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc. Maurer's Lansing Industrial MBDS, Inc. Architects MCI Telecommunications Corporation Mead Merchants *Meijer, Incorp. *Meridian Instruments *Merra Research Corp. *Metro Auto Sales Inc. Michigan Association of School Boards, Inc. Michigan Biotechnology Institute Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association Michigan Merchants Council *Michigan National Bank, Corp. *Michigan Programmers Insurance Michigan State Chamber of Commerce Michigan 4-H Foundation Mid-Michigan Rehabilitation Associates *Midway Motor Lodge (Best Western) MJK Architects Engineers Planners, Inc. 205 Mooney oil Corporation Morgan Jewelry Company- Meridian Mall MPC Cashway Lumber, Inc. Myers Printing, Inc. *National Yellow Pages Co. *New Hampshire Insurance *New York Life Securities *North American Floor Design Olds Country Caterers Omni Technical Services, Inc. P.A.L. Reporting *Paper Eater Print Shop *Parrinello's Payfone Sales & Services *Pen & Inc. Phillips Company (The) Pierce Brothers Beauty Platinum Vacations of Michigan Pollack Glass Co. Practical Money Management Precision Tune of Lansing *Principal Management *Pro-Tel, Incorporated Provincial House South *Publicom Inc. *Quick-Tabs 206 Radisson Hotel Lansing Raven Enterprises of Lansing, Inc. Realty World-North Central Region *Regal 8 Motel Residence Inn East Lansing *Riversedge Marketing Inc. *Roberts Corporation Roney & Company Russell Corporation Inc. Sales & Marketing Excutives Schmidt's Super Markets Seagull Productions Sederburg-Michigan Senate *Seven-Eleven Food Stores Shepard Shoes *Silver Lead Paint Company *Skinner, RT Advertising Specialties Smith, (Al 8 Son), Inc. *Sonitrol Security Services Inc. *Sparrow (Edward W.) Hospital Spartan Paper & Office Supply Inc. Special Transporation, Inc. Square D. Company *Stardust Nite Club, Inc. Stein Hinkle Dave Wood Stewart Title of Lansing, Inc. Stratton & Stebbins Inc. 207 *Sturk Development Co. Surgi-Med, Inc. Teacher Teacher, Inc. Terrell Associates Signs & Displays *Thrun, Maatsch & Nordberg *Topsy Turvi Janitorial Services Transamerica Title Insurance Co. Itriton Industries, Inc. _ U.S. Army Recruiting Commander *Unique Foods of Indian, Inc. Unity of Greater Lansing U.S. Potal Service *Variable Analysis Group Vogl (Jack) P.C. *Walter (Sandra & Associates) Washburne Travel Center, Inc. Waverly Vision Center WFMK Radio Station *Wickens Builders *Willis & Willis, P.C., CPA's WKAR-TV *Wolverine Development Corporation Yeo & Yeo 24 KT. Diamond Boutique Ltd. *Questionnaires were returned from the employers/office supervisors and the first year entry-level office employees 208 MW Abrams Aerial Survey Corp. Ad-Tech Plastic Systems Corp. *Air-Way Manufacturing Company *Aluminum Division Hoover Universal &Atmosphere Annealing, Inc. *Auto-Air Industries, Inc. Barnard Mgf. Co., Inc. Brunete Chemical Co. *Build-Oldsmobile-Cadillac C.R.C. Industrial Phosphating Co. Campbell, Inc. *Central Advertising Co. Charlotte Chair/Tinicum *Cheney Limestone Co. *Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Michigan Contractors Sand & Gravel Cutler Plastics Corp. *Dart Container Corp. Dental ARt Lab, Inc. *Douglas Steel Fabricating *ETM Enterprises, Inc. *Eaton Stamping Company *Efficiency Production, Inc. Electro-Wire Products, Inc. *Fasteners, Inc. 209 *Federal-Mogul Corporation Franchino Mold & Engineering *General Aluminum Products, Inc. Grable & Sons Metal Products, Inc. *Green Bay Food Co./Dean Foods *Heart Truss & Engineering Corp. *Holt Products Co., Inc. *Industrial Metal Products Corp. Industrial Welding, Inc. *Itt Hancock Jet Die & Engineering, Inc. Johnson Iron Industries, Inc. *Johnson (L.L.) Lumber Mfg. Co. *Kiebco Foods, Inc. Lans Corporation Lansing Platting Co. Lens Industry, Inc. Lindell Drop Forge Co. *Maeward, Inc. *Martin Systems Melling Forging Co. Michigan Bell Telephone Michigan Electric Supply Michigan Magnetics, Inc. Michigan Packaging Co. *Midwest Bridge Co. *Molded Plastics Ind., Inc. 210 *Nelson (Homer) Cut Stone *01offson Corporation *Owens Illinois Glass, Inc. Paul Auto Parts Precision Boring Tool Co. R. L. Polk & Company Rapids Tumble Finish *Saylor-Beall Mfg. Co., Inc. *Sealed Power Corp. Spartan Motors, Inc. Spartan Plastics, Inc. Speaker Hines & Thomas, Inc. *Suburban Wood Products Tevilo Industries, Inc. Union Colloids Co. *Uptilt, Incorporated Wagenvoord-Riegel, Inc. Wohlert Corporation Wyeth Labs, Inc. *Questionnaires were returned from employers/office supervisors and first year entry-level office employees APPENDIX G PILOT STUDY SAMPLE 211 PILOT STUDY SAMPLE Executive Programs Rm. 7 Olds Hall Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824 First of Michigan Corp. 1427 West Saginaw East Lansing,l MI 48823 Lansing Community College P. O. Box 40010 Lansing, MI 48901 Regal 8 Motel 8501 South Cedar Lansing, MI 48911 Roberts Corporation 3001 West Main St. Lansing, MI 48907 Sparrow (Edward W.) Hospital 1215.E. Michigan Avenue P. O. Box 30480 Lansing, MI 48909 212 APPENDIX H SURVEY RESULTS EMPLOYER/OFFICE CLERICAL SUPERVISOR QUESTIONNAIRE 213 THE QUESTIONNAIRE For the Employer or Office Supervisor This Questionnaire is primarily concerned with determining the skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area. GEDERAL G'FICI CLER: According to the Dictionary of Occypational Titles (1977) a general office clerk performs any combination of the following and similar clerical tasks requiring limited knowledge of systems or procedures; writes or types bills, statements, letters, manuscripts, checks or other documents, copying information from one record to another. Proofreads records or forms. Counts, weighs, or measures material. Sorts and files records. Receives money from customers and deposits money in bank. Addresses envelopes or packages by hand or with envelope stuffing machine. Answers telephone, conveys messages, and runs errands. Stamps, sorts, and distributes mail. Stamps or numbers by hand or machine. Copies documents, using office duplicating equipment. Their day- to-day duties vary daily according to the needs of the office. Please place a check mark (v’) in the appropriate blank for the following questions: 1. Title of the person completing the questionnaire? (prefer a person who supervises office clerical staff or who does office work). 1; owner 14 personnel manager 9 office supervisor 28 office manager 6 business manager 37 other, please specify 2. What is the nature of your business? 1 agriculture 1 transportation 5 communications -- utilities 10 construction 1 law 3 education -- banking 2 federal government 5 health care 5 finance 1 wholesale trade 12 insurance 27 other, please specify -- local government 22 manufacturing 1 real estate 22 service -- state government 2‘14 2‘15 3. What is the approximate number of office employees in your business? (Office employees include: administrative assistants, secretaries, stenographers, typists, receptionists, legal, medical, and general office clerical employees, and others who perform office duties). 55 1 to S 23 6 to 10 . 33 over 10 As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain skills and knowledges that are often found in Job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please place a check mark (w’) in the appropriate blank for each of the following skills and knowledges as it applies in your work place. 1 - essential 2 - important 3 - somewhat important 4 - not important 5 - does not apply SKILLS AND KNDHLEDGES 4. Keyboardlgg/Typigg 1 3 2 5 2 formatting (typing documents) from typewritten copy 49 36 24 9 18 from handwritten copy 69 44 13 3 9 from rough draft typewritten copy 43 47 19 7 19 compose at the typewriter 24 28 25 23 19 other: applications: long documents (over 10-page length) 16 21 25 29 42 short reports (3-10 page length) 44 42 19 9 20 financial statements 26 25 26 21 35 memos/correspondence 59 48 19 1 10 other: use of equipment: manual typewriter 14 3 18 19 70 electric typewriter 79 24 20 7 8 electronic typewriter 36 . 22 16 8 46 other: 5. Word Processing formatting (typing documents) from typewritten copy 38 26 17 6 46 from handwritten copy 49 26 15 3 44 from rough draft typewritten copy 35 28 18 4 48 compose at the word processor 23 19 21 18 53 other: 2‘16 5. Word Processing (contd.) 6. 7. applications: long docunents (over 10-page length) short reports (3-10 page length) financial statements memos/correspondence other: use of equipment: on-line display stand alone word processor shared logic systems word processor portable dictation unit word processor 11 microcomputer as word processor other: ' Data Processigg competencies: data entry and data retrieval computer literacy (ability to manipulate computer with a preestablished program to perform desired tasks) computer fluency (ability to write and analyze a program) other: use of equipment: mainframe computer microcomputer time-sharing computer computer graphics other: Records Management traditional (hand copy documents) alphabetic numeric subjective 9909130016 other: nontraditional (electronic--generating entries to store and retrieve data through CRT on word processors and/or data processors) alphabetic numeric ' subjective geographic other: F 21'7 7. Records Management (contd.) 8. use of equipment: microfilm microfiche ultrafiche disk storage of records tape storage of records other: nggutatlons business math bookkeeping accounting other: use of equipment: . traditional calculator (ten-key adding machine) electronic calculator (ten-key with memory) 5 other: Communications / writing: grammar spelling basic writing skills original composition other: reading: comprehension vocabulary proofreading other: speaking: give directions (in clear and concise manner) receive directions listening other: transmittal of information: conventional mailing of correspondence electronic mail and message systems telecommunications teleconferences telephone procedures, other: l 2 2 9. .5. 2 Z 9 22 86 5 I2 6 17 83 ;- 4 6 20 97 33 35 14 12 39 1} 14 10 17 76 55 42 25 5 7 L L 34 18 11 22 21 36 18 20 25 14 10 11 i} 22 26 11 15 _21__ 36 6 1 -- 102.. ..22.. ...2.. 3 ..::.. .12... .Jfii.. ..Z£.. 1 ..::.. .10... .32.. 41 17 ...é.. .jEL....12.. 16 ..l.....::.. .61.. .JZL.. 18 ..JL.. .::.. .21.. ..2§.. 10 ...l.. ..::.. .66.. ..22.. ..12.. 5 ..::.. _jfii__ 36 ji__ 6._ -- .101.. ..19.. ...JL.. ..::.. ..::.. _8.2_ .32— ...L " 2 a 33 __12_ 15 54 22 22 11 14 S1 IL. 13 24 18 66 95 34__ 4 3 2'18 9. Communications (contd.) .l .2 .2 .5 .2 use of equipment: ' telex 6 18 16 10 77 PBX _& 1L 5 16 a; fascimile 2} 25 454, 7 55 dictaphone (used for dictation of stored messages) ._21 16. 14__ 20 60 electronic an "intelligent" copier (which accepts messages for later transcription) __41 11_ .1__ 18 .89 other: 10. HORK ATTITUDES As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain work attitudes that are often found in Job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please rate the following work attitudes on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 for most important and 10 not important). Circle the correct number. H u s s H u H La 133‘ 3 § emloyer-emloyee relationship: 3 «,107\ ,31\ , 2‘ c -~ has the ability to get along with supervisors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1O understands and observes company policies 11302 3 8 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I I \ accepts constructive criticism from supervisors 11112 32: 4 S 4 6 7 8 9 10 I \ J \ follows written/oral instructions 1 2 3 ‘4 5’ 6 7 8 9 10 other: employee-employee relationship: ‘ ,109 ,23\ ,,3\ works congenially with co-workers 1 2 3 4 5 10 7 9 153‘ 140‘ ’34\6 r9\8 I11\ develops the ability to plan and work in groups 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 volunteers to help co-workers to complete ,75) ’46. ..9\ ,a\ ,2. rush Jobs 1 5 6 7 8 9 /58\ ’51 122‘ /4\ ’2‘ accepts constructive criticism from co-workers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 employee responsibility: can be depended upon to follow a job through .134. .;5\ its completion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 /10A\ {30‘ /2\ /2\ works independently without supervision 11212 3 154 5 2 6 7 8 9 1 10 a I \ I / \ has ability to meet deadlines 1 2 3 4 5 \6 7 8 9 10 1105‘ ’26} I 6 x 3 2 is punctual in all office activities 11122 3 25‘ 5 1 6 7 8 9 ‘10 I \ I / \ works well under pressure 1 962 3 354 5 4 6 7 2 8 9 1O \ \ l \ I \ practices care for good personal appearance 1’ 2 3/ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 other: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 O PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO GNANI RUTH MOSES 1567C SPARTAN VILLAGE EAST LANSING, MI 48823 APPENDIX I SURVEY RESULTS FIRST YEAR.OFFICE EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE 219 THE QUESTIONNAIRE For the First Year Office Clerical Employee This questionnaire is primarily concerned with determining the skills, knowledges, and work attitudes required for entry-level general office clerical employees in the greater Lansing area. GENERAL OFFICE CLERK: According to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (1977) a general office cleerk performs any combination of the following and similar clerical tasks requiring limited knowledge of systems or procedures; writes or types bills, statements, letters, manuscripts, checks or other documents, copying information from one record to another. Prooreads records or forms. Counts, weighs, or measures material. Sorts and files records. Receives money from customers and deposits money in bank. Addresses envelopes or packages by hand or with envelope stuffing machine. Answers telephone, conveys messages, and runs errands. Stamps, sorts, and distributes mail. Stamps or numbers by hand or machine. Copies documents, using office duplicating equipment. Their day— to-day duties vary daily according to the needs of the office. Please place a check mark (V’) in the appropriate blank for the following questions: 1. Title of the person completing the questionnaire? a secretary -- stenographer 92 office clerk 15 desk clerk _3§L___general office clerk -- receptionist/clerk -- typist _a__ other, please specify 2. What is the nature of your business? -- agriculture 2 transportation 2 communications -- utilities 5 construction 7 law § education -- banking ] federal government 5’ health care JD finance I wholesale trade 5 insurance 23 other, please specify -- local government manufacturing 2 real estate 11 service -- state government 2230 2221 3. What is the approximate number of office employees in your business? (Office employees include: administrative assistants, secretaries, stenographers, typists, receptionists, legal, medical, and general office clerical employees, and others who perform office duties). 46 1 to 3 21 6 to 10 22 over 10 As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain skills and knowledges that are often fomd in Job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical enployees. Please place a check mark (V) in the appropriate blank for each of the following skills and Imowledges as it applies in your work place. 1 - essential 2 «- inportant 3 - somewhat important 4 - not inportant 5 - does not apply SQLLSNDW «W I Z formatting (typing docunants) from typewritten copy . 37 26 from handwritten copy 4 from rougi draft typewritten copy 33 77: adipose at the typewriter 25 25 H other: — — "— ‘— applications: ( 1 ) 14 10 mg docunants over 10—page angth short reports (3-10 page length) 57 25 financial statements 53 '3 T ‘23— mews/correspondence other: __ _ _ __ _ use of emipment: 0 3 4 9 annual typewriter 1 electric typewriter ‘5 25 7 I electronic typewriter #3 _73 _3 __5 _25 other: _ _. ._ _ __ 5. Word Processigg formatting (typing docunents) from typewritten copy 28 20 7 3 28 from handwritten copy 31 23 1 ' 3 ' ‘25— from rough draft typewritten copy 23 19 5 7 23 compose at the word processor 26 20 9 3 73" other: ' '— — 2222 5. Word Processigg (contd.) applications: ( ) l 3 i 33 i9 ong docunents over 10page length 14 16 short reports (3-10 page length) 19 25 '3‘ 7 32 financial statements 16 5 l7 3 ”0 memos/correspondence 3O 15 4 2 32 other: use of equipment: on-line display stand alone word processor 12 1g 8 3 39 shared logic systems word processor 11 12 2 g 47 portable dictation unit word processor 9 2 a 9 51 microcomputer as word processor 10 15 1 4 48 other: 6. Data Processigg competencies: data entry and data retrieval 12 a 1 2: computer literacy (ability to manipulate computer with a preestablished program to perform desired tasks 3} 13 11 1 22 computer fluency (ability to write and t:::lyze a program) 5 z 11 1a 13 o : use of equipment: mainframe computer 25 11 5 2 38 microcomputer 19 13 6 3 time-sharing computer 9 5 10 5 30 computer graphics 1 5 13 3 55 other: 7. Records Management traditional (hand copy documents) alphabetic .l _1_8_ _2_ _2_ __9 numeric 40 27 7 1 13 subjective 27 20 12 4 23 geographic 12 13 9 10 40 other: nontraditional (electronic-ogenerating entries to store and retrieve data through CRT on word processors and/or data processors) alphabetic 37_ 10 __9_ 2 24 nuneric 28_ _1g_ 9 3 __39_ subjective 25:. _1__ 14 2 __3_1_ geographic 11 § 11 . 9 47 other: 7. 8. 2223 Records Managggggt (contd.) use of equipment: microfilm microfiche ultrafiche disk storage of records tape storage of records other: ngggtations business math bookkeeping accounting other: use of equipment: traditional calculator (ten-key adding machine) electronic calculator (ten-key with memory) other: Communications writing: grammar spelling basic writing skills original composition other: reading: ' comprehension vocabulary proofreading other: speaking: give directions (in clear and concise manner) receive directions listening other: transmittal of information: conventional mailing of correspondence electronic mail and message systems telecommunications teleconferences telephone procedures other: l .2. .3. A 2 3 _s_9 5 60 “3‘5 171—'52— 1 3"' "3"' ‘TFF"' ‘TU"' 36 15 10 1 27 8 13 8 I 52 .32__2L.19 _5__._Z.. .22_..12__1__-1.3__ _§§...ZQ__2__2__1.. JLJL._1_._1_ 2 _§.lL._ZA__1.__l__2__ ..22.. .JEL.. ..Ji... .::L.. 4 2224 9. Commications (contd. ) l 2 2 9. 2 use of equipment: telex 6 10 11 5 55 P8X 5 6’ 9._. 57‘ ’64 fascimile 14 10 13 ‘3" ‘7p? dictaphone (used for dictation of stored messages) 3 4 5 6 61 electronic an ”intelligent" copier (which accepts messages for later transcription) 3 4 5 6 51 other: 10. m ATTITUES As you respond to the following items, please keep in mind that the items contain work attitudes that are often found in job descriptions for entry-level general office clerical employees. Please rate the following work attitudes on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 for most important and 10 not important). Circle the correct number. a S a) i-a ‘3 5 enployer-enployee relationship: 3 ... 7 12 has the ability to get along with supervisors (67? 3’214 5 6 7 8 I \ I understands and observes company policies 1,783 3’10}; 5 6 7 8 accepts constructive criticism from supervisors 1 85.2 3 3‘4 5 6 7 8 / I follows written/oral instructions 1 2 3 '4 5 6 7 8 other: ' employee-employee relationship: ,70 ,17\ 1 works congenially with co-workers 1 5 2 3 294 5/5 6 7’1 8 develops the ability to plan and work in groups 1’ '2 3’ ‘3 5 6 7 8 volunteers to help co-workers to complete ,50\. 123\ 4 ’1‘ rush jobs 1 1,563 3 224 5 8‘6 7 8 I I accepts constructive criticism from co-workers 1 2 IA 5 8 other: 1 2 3 4 5 8 employee responsibility: can be depended upon to follow a job through ,35\ ,1 ,2\ its completion 1 782 3 107: 5 5 7 8 works independently without supervision 1’ 782 3’11} 5 6 7 8 I has ability to meet deadlines 1 742 {121 5 3 6 7 1 8 is punctual in all office activities 1,7232 3’13); 5 4 6 7 1 8 / \ I \ , \ works well under pressure 1 74 3 124 5 2 6 7 8 / / I practices care for good personal appearance 1 2 3 '1 5 \6 7 8 other: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 PLEASE MAIL COPLETEO QJESTIOMAIRE TO GNANI RUTH KISES 15670 SPARTAN VILLAGE EAST LANSIMS, MI 48823 \ NVnot 5 5 5 important \ N I \ N l 0 O 0 —l 0 000000 0