Secretary versus office manager : a paradigm shift

Abstract

The objectives of this research project were primarily to determine the requirements of commerce and industry for competent office managers, to contribute to the curriculum development of information administration, to facilitate action learning (AL) in information administration, and by making changes in training to empower learners to become competent office managers. The influence of training and development of office managers is explained. The National Qualification Framework (NQF) integrates training and education in business and management on all levels. An important aspect is, that professional institutes, education and training institutions and other stakeholders, are combining experience to collectively benefit learners, employers, professions and the economy as a whole. A combination design of both quantitative (traditional) research and qualitative (action) research, including two questionnaires (open-ended and closed), interviews, observations, focus groups and a case study, were used. This study proved the relevance of office management education, by way of the demand for a formal qualification by commerce and industry, as a primary result of the phenomenal change in technology and the need for multi-skilled office managers. A contribution to the training of office managers concerning the following aspects was made: A profile for an office manager, as well as highlighting the need for training, curriculum development, and portfolio development