The problem of the study was to determine the effect of a progressive muscle relaxation program on secretaries' self-reported job stress. It was hypothesized that there would be no difference in post-test scores of the control group and the experimental group on the Personal Strain subscale of the OSI-R questionnaire. It was also hypothesized that there would be no difference between the groups in post-test scores on the Occupational Stress subscale of the OSI-R questionnaire.The population of prospective subjects for the study consisted of Ball State University secretaries who were randomly selected and then randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received a multi-activity intervention which included: 1) a progressive muscle relaxation training session; 2) reminder sheets with the steps on how to do progressive muscle relaxation in case they forgot; 3) e-mail messages to remind them to do progressive muscle relaxation; and 4) the keeping of logs of their progressive muscle relaxation activities. The design of the study was a post-test only control group design. All subjects were asked to complete the OSI-Rquestionnaire at the end of the three-week intervention period. Descriptive statistics and two-tailed paired t-tests were used to analyze the data.The results indicated that there were no significant differences between the two groups on both the Personal Strain subscale and the Occupational Stress subscale of the OSI-R questionnaire. Based upon the results of this study, it was concluded that 15 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation did not make a difference in job stress levels of the subjects. Also, a three-week intervention period may not have been a sufficient amount of time to see results from the stress management technique used.Some of the recommendations for future study include using a larger sample size and using logs as a covariate for data analysis. Using a larger sample size could help create more variance in subjects and their responses. Having a covariate could help account for those individuals not complying with the intervention requirements. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-124).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-124). Also available online.

No description available.

The problem of this study is to determine the need for and use of in-house secretarial training in manufacturing companies in five selected Louisiana cities. Data for this study were collected by the use of a questionnaire which was devised, validated, and pilot tested. Questionnaires were mailed to 197 personnel/training directors of manufacturing companies in the five largest cities of Louisiana. One hundred thirteen usable responses were received, which represented a 57.4 per cent return. Additional information was obtained through interviews with the personnel/training directors in those companies with in-house secretarial training programs.

Empirical findings on Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) have been mixed, despite early researchers' claims that BARS were superior to trait ratings and in reliability and resistance to leniency, central tendency, and halo. The study presented compared a BARS format to an independently derived trait scale as measures of secretarial and clerical performance. Though the BARS showed slightly inflated mean ratings, the instruments showed nearly identical variability. Neither demonstrated sufficient resistance to halo. Thus, despite their intuitive appeal and the rigors involved in format development, it did not appear in this instance that BARS were an efficient and psychometrically superior alternative to the traditional trait rating format.

The problem of the study was to determine the implications for the collegiate secretarial curriculum based on the need for and use of shorthand by secretaries employed by large businesses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The purposes of the study were to determine if colleges are justified in offering manual shorthand within their curriculum with the rapid growth of automation in the business world today. It was also the purpose of the study to determine if there was a demand for secretaries with the skill of manual shorthand in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Shorthand was found to be important for recording telephone messages, notes, and instructions, as indicated by the majority of the secretaries.

Thesis (Magister Technologiae)-Vaal University of Technology, Discipline Office Management & Technology / 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

No description available.

The major purpose of the study was to identify and describe leadership duties and service responsibilities provided by Coordinating Secretaries in state, provincial and regional organizations affiliated with the Association of School Business Officials of the United States and Canada. A second purpose of the study was to identify and describe significant historical antecedents leading to the development of the position of Coordinating Secretary.The population of the study included sixteen individuals identified as Coordinating Secretaries of associations affiliated with ASBO and five association secretaries who, though elected annually, have, by agreement, continued to serve year after year.A data gathering. instrument was designed to secure responses from study participants relative to personal and employment information. Also, data was collected relative to the fiscal and personnel support provided by the state association to the Coordinating Secretary to conduct ASBO services and activities. The questionnaire was also designed to secure information relative to value judgment data from study participants regarding the degree of importance of various organizational activities associated with the office of Coordinating Secretary. In addition, information relative to historical antecedents leading to the development of the office of Coordinating Secretary and information relative to the formation of administrative "umbrella" associations was secured from study participants through the data gathering instrument.Findings derived from the study included:(1) Forty-seven percent of the respondents reported having had ten or more years of state ASBO service as a coordinating or elected secretary.(2) Fifty-seven percent of the Coordinating Secretaries reported that at least one-fifth of the total work week was devoted to state ASBO activities.(3) Coordinating Secretaries reported holding other employment positions as faculty members of state universities, professional staff members of state departments of public instruction and as Executive Directors of other professional associations. Four respondents reported being retired from full-time employment positions.(4) Additional compensation paid to Coordinating Secretaries for state association service varied from $0 to $10,000.(5) The number off members in state organizations served by a Coordinating Secretary ranged from 160 persons to 850 persons. The average number of members was computed to be 502 persons.(6) The annual budgets for state associations served by a Coordinating Secretary varied from $2,000 to $54,000. The average annual state association budget was computed to be $25, 750.(7) Coordinating Secretaries reported the following association activities to be of major importance: publications-newsletters-mailings, correspondence, budget control and reporting, membership promotion, relations and communication with ASBO, fiscal record keeping and reporting, workshop planning and relations with the state department of public instruction.(8) The need for continuity, the need for coordination, the need for representation with other educational associations and the need for a centralized repository for association records were reported by study participants to be the four major forces causing state ASBO leadership to establish the office of Coordinating Secretary.Conclusions developed from the study included the following:(1) The establishment of the office of Coordinating Secretary can be very beneficial to a state ASBO organization, primarily because stability and continuity of leadership are strengthened.(2) Because state universities and state departments of public instruction have typically had a strong commitment, to service, have been willing to provide service assistance to professional education groups and have staff members with the needed background and interest, state ASBO officials contemplating the establishment of the position of Coordinating Secretary should explore both sources for assistance and support.(3) Because of the essential nature of the services provided by Coordinating Secretaries, more and more state associations will be considering the establishment of an office of Coordinating Secretary.