The mwalimu nyerere memorial academy

The Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial
Academy
Office organization and Record
management
(sst 05111)
By, Mr. Sanchawa, DH
9/24/2014 SANCHAWA, DH 1

Office : Defined
• According to J.C Denyer, an office is a place
where clerical works are carried out.
• In other words, office means and includes a
place where the clerical work is done.
• But today the word office is used in a broader
sense. That is to say; It refers to the functions
performed by a certain group of persons.

Office: defined
• Important thing to remember in the above
definition is that, the term office has reference
to the set of activities performed, and there
fore a place is not necessary.

Definition
• Therefore, an office may be defined as a place
where all the activities concerned with
collecting, processing, storing and distributing
information for efficient and effective
management of an organization are carried
out.

Types of office
• 1. modern office and
• 2. traditional office

Traditional and modern office
• Traditional office is very different from
modern office because it traditional is just a
normal office, that in the office the materials
that can be used is typewriter. otherwise in
the modern office most of the time like today
we are now in the modern technology so we
used computer

Functions of an office
• In this lecture, the functions of an office can
be categorized into two categories namely:-
a) Basic functions
b) Administrative functions

a) Basic functions of an office
i. Receiving and collecting information
Information can be received and collected
from both internal and external sources
related to organization activities. Information
may be in the form of letters, orders,
invoices etc.

ii. Recording information
The information received and collected has
to be converted into some form of written
records.
iii. Processing information computation and
statistical work
Information , facts and data collected have to
be arranged, processed and organized in a
suitable form before these can be supplied
to the management .

Basic functions (ctd)
IV. Supplying information
It is the duty of the office to supply (give) information to
the organizational members whenever it is required.
V. Coordination and public relations
Link between and among departments and outsiders.
Public relation functions.
It is significance for the office to maintain cordial
relations not only with other departments of the
organization but also with the outsiders such as
Customers, suppliers, other organization and
government departments

b) Administrative functions of an office
i. Organizing the office
This involves performing management functions
such as planning, organizing, directing and
controlling.
ii. Development of office systems and procedures.
-since all the jobs in the office are interdependent
and interrelated, there should be proper
sequencing or routine for each type of work to
ensure its continuous flow

Administrative functions
• iii. Procurement of office furniture,
equipments and machines.
- The office management has to select and
purchase the right type of furniture,
equipments and machines according to the
requirements of the office. These has to be
used by the staff to perform their jobs.

• Iv. Control of office stationery and supplies
-since office work primarily constitutes the
records of the enterprises, it is essential to
select and purchase right type of stationeries
which are necessary for collection, compiling
and arranging records.

V. Safeguarding of assets
- The assets must be safeguarded against loss or
damage by fire, theft or any other means.
Vi. Provision of services
- The office provides services such as typing,
handling of incoming mails and outgoing mails,
provision of forms and etc to the department of
the organization. Also arranges meetings and
conferences of various executives

• VII. Performance of personnel functions
-recruit and select the personnel and places
them on the various jobs of the office
-proper training and development

Office management
• Management : According to Terry,
management is a distinct function consisting
of planning, organizing, directing and
controlling the performed functions to
determine and accomplish stated objectives
by the use of human resources and other
resources

Office management
• According to Jain and Chhabra, 2006. Office
management is concerned with the application of
principles of management for getting office work
done through the office personnel.
- It means planning, organizing, coordinate and
controlling the activities of an office which are
done by the persons working in the office by
using the materials , methods, machines and
necessary to do the work.

Elements of office management
i. Personnel
-suitable people must be selected , trained and
motivated. Means: Materials, methods ,
machines and equipments required for the
performance of work by the office employees.
ii. Environment
-provides for congenial office environment which
have an important bearing on the efficiency of
office personnel

Element of office management
• iii. Purpose
- Determination of purpose of the office will
provide direction to the office activities and it
will make it easier to evaluate the
performance of different individuals.

Office Manager
• Management of the office is entrusted to an
executive known as Office Manager
-He/she is the officer who is responsible for
planning, organizing and controlling of the
office operations and direction of office
personnel for the achievement of purpose of
the office

Role of the office manager
i) office organization
-providing efficient clerical services to top
management and other department
ii) Staff management
- Selection , training , placement and
remuneration of office staff. The office
managers supervises the performance of the
office employee and motivate them for better
performance .

Role of office manager
IV. Provision of office services
-This helps other achieve their objectives by
providing them the necessary services
V. Advise to other top management
- Some work is performed in all the
departments so the office manager provides
advise in organizing

• VI. Public relations
- Keeps continuous liason with the general
public and government agencies . Example,
conveys to the public the objectives , policies
and programmes of the business.

• Vii. Mouth –piece of the top management
- Communicates the top management policies
and decisions through the organization
- Collect various reports and submits them to
the top management for decision making

Qualities of office manager
• a) sound education
- he/she should have specific required level of
education and specialization
b) Knowledge of the office procedures
- He should have practical knowledge of office
routines and methods to distribute office in a
better way

c) Specialized knowledge and training
- He should have specialized knowledge and
training in the area of his responsibilities ( e.g
finance and personnel) in order to perform his
duties effectively
d) Personal qualities
- He must have strong moral character ( trust,
justice and honesty)

e) Leadership qualities
-influencing rather than the commanding
- Build team work
- Delegate authority

Office organisation : Introduction
• Any collective activity by a person or groups of
persons must be organized in order to achieve
the desired end.
• Through organisation individual efforts can be
coordinated and given a commonness of purpose
• Therefore , the efforts of the individual workers
must be organized in such a manner that the
office functions may be performed with minimum
cost.

Definition of organisation
• Louis. A Allen(management and organisation)
defines organisation as the process of
identifying and grouping the work to be
performed, defining and delegating
responsibility and establishing relationship for
the purpose of enabling people to work most
effectively together in accomplishing
objectives.

Definition of organisation
• Organization is a social unit or human
grouping deliberately constructed to pursue
specific goals.
• Koontz and O’Donnell view organisation as
the creation and maintenance of an internal
structure of role. It denotes the structure of
duties and activities necessary for the conduct
of a business without which a business cannot
achieve its common objectives.

Definition of office organization
• Thukaram (2009) defines office organisation
as the process by which a framework of
positions is welded together in the office for
the pursuit of the goals or objectives.

Definition of Office organisation
• Is the arrangement of work such that the
activities of an enterprise are divided among
it personnel and duties and responsibilities
are allocated
• It comprises the formal interrelationship
among the personnel by virtue of their duties
and responsibilities

Definition of Office organization
• It requires creation of department and
sections
• The different departments provide
information, planning and financial services
• To organize an office is to arrange its parts so
that the whole works can be done efficiently
as one integrated body in order for the
enterprise to achieve its objectives

Steps in office organisation
• In order to organize the office activities, the
following steps must be followed:-
a) division of the office into functional
departments
b) Selection of suitable workers, supervisors and
executives for each department and proper
allocation of duties and delegation of
authority to them according to their ability.

Steps in office organisation
C) provision of necessary facilities such as
forms, equipments, machines and suitable
working condition to the workers to enable
them to perform their duties efficiently and
economically.

Principles of office organisation
• That the task of the office manger in planning
office organisation and evolving the type of
organisation most likely to attain optimum
results would be easier if he takes into
considerations the following basic principles
of the organization for proper management o
the office (Koontz and O'Donnell, 1969),Dr. V
Balachandran(2009)

1. Principle of unit of objective
• The entire organisation, at all levels of the
organisation structure must be so geared as to
produce the optimum co-ordination of
common objectives

2. Principle of efficiency
• The organizational structure should be such as
to ensure the most efficient performance of
the planned task. The test of efficiency is the
most effective and is economical attainment
of the objectives.

3. Principle of division of work
• This requires specialization in organizational
functions for that purpose , the total activities
of the enterprise should be broken into units
and sub-units so that these may be suitably
grouped into departmental, sectional and
individual activities.

4. Principle of span of supervision
• There is a limit to the number of subordinates
that can be effectively supervised by an
executive. The fact should be taken into
consideration while grouping and allocating
activities to departments, sections and e.t.c

5.Principle of scalar/ chain of authority
• The chain or line of authority in the
organizational structure must be clearly
defined so that every subordinate knows who
is his immediate supervisor to whom all
problems may be referred to for decision

6. Principle of authority level for
decision making
• There are different levels of authority for
decision making in the organizational
structure. It should be seen that the decision
making process moves from bottom upwards.
When decision can not be made at lower level
of authority, only then it should be pushed
upward.

7. Principle of unit of command
• In allocating responsibility and delegating
authority it should be seen that each
subordinate has only one superior from whom
he receives his orders.
• 8. Principle of functional definition
• The duties and responsibilities to every
position and its organizational relationship
with other position should be clearly defined
so that there may not be any conflict

9. Principle of equality of authority
and responsibility
• While allocating responsibility and delegating
authority it should be seen that there is
equality between authority and responsibility
• 10. Principle of flexibility
• The organizational structure should be such
that it can be easily and economically adopted
to changes in the nature of business as well as
technical innovations

11. Principle of leadership facilitation
• The organizational structure should be conducive
to the growth of leadership position of
management
• 12. Principle of Continuity
• The organizational structure should be capable of
ensuring the continuity of existence of the
organization through; re-appraisal of objectives,
re-adjustment of plans and provision of
opportunity or development of future
management.

Exercise
1. companies do not need an office. In fact it is believed
that given the nature of this business, one is so busy
that office organisation s a waste of time as it does not
impact on profitability directly. As an expert in office
organisation and management, you have been hired by
the National Freight Forwarding Association to give
advice on this subject. Outline your professional
opinion on the subject and make recommendations to
the association

The End
Thank you for listening!
Question?

The mwalimu nyerere memorial academy

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