ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS IN THE BANKING SECTOR AND ITS IMPACT ON UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the study

For decades, rapid changes have taken place in all facets of human life, including the work scene. This is a result of technological progress. Any office in today’s business world, whether governmental or private, needs facts and accurate information to make decisions quickly. The clerk, including the employee, expects some support from the organization in which he is employed. This support can be technological (machinery and equipment) and human. In previous offices, managers dictated memos and letters, and staff wrote them. Lately, companies have developed text processing centers, relying on personal computers and even email to reduce the need for secretarial support and make the employee very productive (Ezoem, 1995, Osuala, 2004).

As a result of changes in technology, ICT work requirements have changed significantly from the typewriter and abbreviated dictation, telephone calls and e-mail processing. Today’s employees are familiar with office technologies, such as the Internet, that facilitate work and make knowledge more accessible (Edwin, 2008). Now it is easier to send messages through telex, email, fax and telephone. Other office equipment available to the employee are photocopiers, copiers, dictation machines, printers and others. This is the era of computing and information technology that has led to greater comfort. Three of the most popular types of computer software programs are word processors that help users write and edit memos, charts and reports, data management programs or databases that help them use long lists of data and spreadsheets that handle tables and numbers (Dulek and Fielden, 1999).

Today’s employees have many technologically advanced office equipment to facilitate their work and improve performance and productivity, leading to better access to goods and services around the world (Wofersohn, 2001). There is a wide selection of machines and office equipment that help employees improve their performance. These new machines take the form of electronic typewriters that have replaced the manual ones. Now employers provide word processing equipment with various equipment, computers and other sophisticated machines and office equipment. Among the physical devices used by employees are computer communication devices and electronic pocket organizers (Lucas, 1997). Among the new technological devices that have changed the procedures and techniques of office are computers, email / commerce, voice mail and Internet.

However, these new developments require more knowledge and skills than just graduating, which leads to job losses and unemployment. So that the employee is up to date with the changing times, be able to face the challenges and overcome the old ways that recently needed to achieve the objectives of the organization. Information technology has influenced many occupations lately. The role of the professionals of the secretariat was reversed by technology. It has provided the tools that determine the role of employees in the function of information recording devices in business strategists (Appah and Emeh, 2011). Several other authors are of the view that the employee has to be well equipped to meet the present challenges of a modern office.

The ministry of Education is one of the key ministries responsible for skills advancement in Nigeria. The overall goal of the Ministry is to provide relevant and quality education for all Nigerians especially the disadvantaged to enable them acquire skills which will make them functionally literate and productive to facilitate poverty alleviation and promote the rapid socio-economic growth of the country. The banking sector is one of the major employer of labour in the private sector, and the technological advancement in the world is experienced by this sector and employees in this sector need to be we qualified for the task available in this sector. In Nigeria, skilled labor force is low compared to unskilled, this results in unemployment increase by this sector as the labor available is not adequate for the task. In order to achieve its broad objectives the ministry has employed a significant number of employees to perform clerical works. This study seeks asses amployment requirments of the banking sector and its impact on unemployment in Nigeria

1.2. Statement of the Research Problem

An automated office, undoubtedly, offers new roles and responsibilities for the employee. Such new roles presuppose that additional training and qualifications are required from the employees. The relevance of automation in the banking sector was identified by Aromolaran (2003) as follows i.) Create a different career path for the employee. ii.) Automation creates a prominent place for the employee in the organizational chart. iii.) Create routines and assigned roles for the employee. iv.) With automation, employees now spend less time revising, revising, reviewing, and reproducing documents.  Cameron (1982) has long ago noticed that between the introduction of new equipment in the market and the installation in small organizations 10 to 15 years pass. This is especially true for private business organizations in developing countries. At the present time, it is not uncommon for employees to still use manual typewriters in some organizations. However, the banking sector in particular has made progress, and the use of modern equipment is gaining ground.

Duniya (2011) also noted that with the introduction of sophisticated technological (electronic) office equipment in today’s office and the role that employees must play in ensuring accuracy and efficiency in their jobs, employees have to face the challenges of acquiring new ones Skills and competences for efficient work in the electronic office. There is a constant technological progress that has influenced the secretarial profession in terms of the quality, speed and accuracy of the work performed. The private sector mostly needs qualified staff to do better work in the company.

1.3 Purpose and objectives of the study

The main objective of the study is to assess the employment needs of the banking sector and its impact on unemployment in Nigeria. More specifically, research aims to achieve the following goals.

1. Know the spectrum of new office technologies in the banking sector.

2. Investigate the efficiency and usefulness of these new office technologies.

3. Identify structural unemployment in Nigeria.

4. Identify the impact of banking sector employment requirements on unemployment.

1.4 Research questions

To achieve the goals of this study, a series of questions would be explored. Depending on the topic and objective, the following questions guide the study.

1. What are new technologies in the banking sector?

2. What new office technologies are available in the Nigerian banking sector?

3. What is the unemployment rate in Nigeria?

4. What percentage of this unemployment is attributable to the lack of banking sector capability in the banking sector?

1.5 Scope of the study

Geographically, the study covers the banking sector in Nigeria. Contextually, the study focuses on modern office technologies and their impact on employees and employment.

1.6 Significance of the study

So far, only a few studies have been published analyzing modern office technologies and employee productivity in African countries and especially in Nigeria. This study should contribute to a better understanding of the topic. From a professional perspective, the results of the study will provide a benchmark to assess the effectiveness of implementing new office technologies in an office environment and to define key productivity factors. Finally, this study will provide a basis for future research, as this will motivate many researchers to further explore other aspects of the topic.

1.7 Organization of the study.

This study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one of the dissertation deals with the general description of the study, the definition of the problem, the research question, the objectives of the research and the importance of the study. Chapter 2 presents all the relevant bibliographical research on waste management and related concepts. Chapter 3 deals with the identification of the most appropriate research methodology for this research, and Chapter 4 provides an analysis of the data of the lessons learned in this field. Finally, Chapter Five summarizes the findings, conclusions and recommendations.

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