THE EFFECT OF HUMAN RELATION SKILLS ON THE JOB PERFORMANCE OF OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS

THE EFFECT OF HUMAN RELATION SKILLS ON THE JOB PERFORMANCE OF OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

1.1.1 The Global Perspective

Office administrators perform a pivotal to the success of an organization globally. However, their skills and ability to discharge duties rely on possession of other professions, including human relations. The evolution of the roles of an office administrator reflects developments in technology and an increasing number of roles for such officeholders. Bjork and Kowalski explored the purpose and practice of office administrators and concluded that such positions require skills more than just a leadership role. Importantly, office administrators ensure the efficient performance of departments on an organization-wide scale. It implies that such roles act as a connecting link between the top management and the employees in an organization. Additionally, the realization of an organization’s goals depends on the motivation capability of an administrator because of their connection to the top management. Traditionally, office administrators acted to keep the logistics, budgeting, and human resource efficiency of an organization for competitiveness. However, the dynamic organizational environment is spelling newer and more challenging roles to employees in office administration capacities. Office administration falls into public and private administration, but the roles played by either office administrator are similar. Nevertheless, effective discharge of duties requires the development of teamwork, effective communication, and conflict resolution skills. A report by Radivojevic and Klincove (2015) shows that conflicts can lead to constructive or destructive outcomes in public office administration, depending on the ability of an administrator to create resolutions. A report by Boyle (2019) affirms that effective communication is an office administration attribute that employees in such positions must possess. Communication in the capacity of office administration entails creating contact with staff, visitors, employers, and the clients of an organization. It is an added skill that office administrators apply through the maintenance of a positive, leading to a transparent exchange of information. Therefore, it is evident that public relations are embedded in the performance requirements of an administrator’s daily work routine. Notably, excellent communication entails listening with patience too. According to Boyle (2019), a combination of both written and spoken communication skills is an indispensable asset for office administrators because communication entails listening skills too.

The creation of effective teams is another role of office administration that administrators must master for appreciable job performance. However, Bolman and Teale (1992) warned that administrators must be team players to manage effective teams. The development of teams and their innovative management is a skill that office administrators improve their work performance in several ways. Firstly, teams can split chores into smaller parts to ensure that difficult tasks become more comfortable to handle. Secondly, subordinates under the supervision of an office administrator develop specialization skills so that employees complete their assignments efficiently and quickly.

Nevertheless, teamwork is an important management aspect, but office administrators need to develop teamwork strategies suitable for their office and organizational environment. For instance, research evidence shows that the leadership style possessed by an administrator has an influence on the human relations outcomes in a dynamic organization. Therefore, the development of the right human relations is an essential attribute to the development of highly motivated office administrators. Achievement of right human relations makes the job of office administration interesting because the people surrounding an office administrator are highly motivated too.

1.1.2 Local Scenario

Office administration responsibilities in a Kenyan setting are both different and similar to the global perspective in several ways. Firstly, the roles of the office administrator remain the same but differ only in the business environment of an organization in question. Secondly, the need for good human relations for increased office administrator output has a global appeal because effective communication, ability to form effective teams, and the ability to resolve conflicts at work are basic skills. The three skills, conflict resolution, effective communication, and building functional teams regard the work of a Kenyan office administrator in different ways. Firstly, the office administrator has to deal with fellow staff, clients, and employers in a culturally diverse environment. A report by Sagwa et al. (2015) pointed out that Human Resource Management Practices (HRMP) is essential to the achievement of office administration goals in a Kenyan setting. Investigating office administration practices of firms listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), the researchers found that the performance challenges of the firms stem from the poor HRMP strategies. Importantly, their information sheds light on the grey areas of the human relations aspects of office administration that are detrimental to performance. The performance of the output of an office administrator implies the aspects of organizational outputs that are desirable to the stakeholders of both public and private firms. Indiya, Obura, and Mise (2018) investigated the impact of organizational culture and the performance of public universities in Kenya and pointed out the impact of bad culture to poor performance. Public Universities in Kenya represents a special niche where office administration plays a key role in performance outcomes. Tealey (2016) reveals that the type of leadership in institutions of higher learning impacts the overall organizational culture. Notably, an office administrator holds a central position that guides the human relations bearing of an organization. For instance, Tealey (2016) notes that the ability of an administrator to create functional teams, enhance good communication, and innovate along conflict resolution strategies form part of organizational culture. Notably, firms that have realized the importance of human relations to the performance dynamics of office administrators recruit along with the proficiency of human relations skills. Therefore, it is the discretion of the office administrator to identify the best talents that enhances not only official performance but also the positive output of an organization. Wambui et al. (2013) affirmed that managing a Kenyan office places an office administrator in contact with diversity. Therefore, such a diverse environment challenges office administrators to devise ways of communication, team formation, and conflict resolution strategies, which are inclusive (Sharma, 2016).

1.1.3 County Perspective

The devolved governments in Kenya empowered many administrative functions both in the public and private institutions. Office administration comes in the two forms of public and private at the national and county level. Therefore, the human relations facing the public and private administrators have a bleak background for lack of research. For instance, the public administration offices and the ministerial divisions have an office administrator whose roles are managerial. Still, there is little information regarding the impact of human relations of the administrators in light of their positions. The current information regarding the performance scorecards of office administrators relies on the once centrally governed information before the devolution to country governments. However, public administrators are pivotal to the creation of a functional working environment. Communication remains an important part of the discharge of duties for the sub-county administrators in the public sector, and their counterparts in the private institutions found at the County level. Secondly, conflict resolution is another part of the performance that an administrator utilizes to keep the office cohesive and eventful. Consequently, it is the creative role of the administrator to keep the departments of the organizations, both private and public, productive. Nevertheless, much what is currently known regarding the role of the performance outcomes of the office administrator. The focus on Kakamega County as a geographical scope of the research is the result of the large institutions in the area. Thirdly, several offices under the leadership of an administrator in never devoid of conflicts either between employees or employees with the administration. Therefore, immediate resolution of the conflicts positively impacts the performance of an organization in question in many aspects. For instance, Rousseau and Olivas-Lujan (2015) support the idea of prompt conflict management in organizations to achieve maximum performance among the employees. The problem statement section shall reveal the need to establish the relationship between job performance and human relations strategies managers.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Office administration represents a critical managerial aspect the determines not only the performance of an organization in general but also the manager’s ability to communicate, form functional teams, and resolve conflicts in an organization. There sufficient research information regarding communication, conflict resolution, and the role of team play in the performance aspects of an organization, but little research evidence exists regarding office administrators. While office administrators are primary decision-makers in organizations, the effect of human resource relations on their performance remains scantily researched. For instance, Human Resource Management Practices is a widely researched field, but much of the information points to the management aspect of the subject. Yet, there is more to learn than just the knowledge of the role of human resources. Additionally, while Human Resource Management Practices play a significant role in the performance of an organization, their poor application at the office administration level may negatively affect the performance of an organization. Therefore, information regarding the relationship between human relations and the performance of an office administrator demands extensive research. For instance, communication, conflict resolution are critical human relations that determine the type of relationship between an office administrator and staff; the performance aspect of that relationship has little research coverage.  Therefore, this research shall be a modest attempt to establish the effect of the relationship between human relations and the job performance of office administrators.

1.3 Research Objectives

The study shall have one general and three specific objectives. The objectives reflect the research questions and the explanation of the stated research problem that reveals the research gaps.

1.3.1 General Research Objectives

To establish the effect of human relations on the job performance of the office administrators.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

1. To establish the effect of communication on the performance of office administrators?
2. To determine the effect of teamwork on the performance of office administrators?

• To establish the effect of conflict resolution on the performance of office administrators?
  • Research Questions

1. What is the effect of communication on the performance of office administrators?
2. What is the effect of teamwork on the performance of office administrators?

• What is the effect of conflict resolution on the performance of office administrators?

1.5 Justification of the Study

The impact of human relations on the job performance of office administrators is emerging as a subject of research interest, especially for the Kenyan setting, after the establishment of a devolved system of government. Institutions, both public and private, are currently concentrated in County governments, with managerial departments headed by administrators. However, the performance aspect concerning human relations of office administrators has a little research background. For instance, studies in Human Resource Management report that communication, teamwork, and the ability to resolve conflicts at the places of work improve organizational performance. Organizational performance is the keyword throughout the findings of many studies that focus on organizational behavior. It noteworthy to assert that office administrators can influence organizational culture in their capacity as leaders. Consequently, the performance aspect of organization culture depends mainly on the input of the leader because of the decision-making role. Nevertheless, the way office administrators manipulate communication strategies, team building, and conflict resolution to achieve performance needs evidence based on research to supply stakeholders of both public and private entities with reliable performance information. Consequently, the findings of this study shall enable employers to appreciate the role played by human relations in shaping the performance aspects of office administrators. Furthermore, the results of this study shall have the potential to aid in policy changes regarding hiring or training office administrators. Therefore, conducting this study shall supply information to benchmark the necessary human relation inputs for office administrators in Kakamega County in particular, and Kenya in general.

• The Scope of the Study

The study shall be conducted in Kakamega County, but shall cover both public and private institutions. The County Government of Kakamega has Sub-County administrators who shall form a vital sample for the composition for the study. Other institutions shall include Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. The cost of the Study is found in Appendix 4.

CHAPTER TWO

• Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

This chapter establishes the link between the performance of office administrators to the Human Capital Theory and the Resource-Based View Model. The section goes on to show how each research variable shall be operationalized by detailing their mode of measurement. The dependent variable, the performance of administrators, create an overview of the research gaps that earlier research did not address by focusing the three dependent variables, which include effective communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution. The conceptual framework visually shows the link between the dependent and independent variables. Lastly, the chapter creates a critique of the existing literature and a summary of the reviewed literature in light of the research gaps regarding the effects of human relations and the performance of office administrators.

2.2 Theoretical Review

The study shall be anchored in the Resource-Based View of an institution and the Human Capital Theories. The Human Capital Theory was first proposed by Schultz (1961). Still, Gary S Becker, the Noble Prize winner and an economist, developed the theory through his seminal paper regarding the economics of training provided by the employer. The HCT theory emphasizes that training is the source of useful skills and knowledge that workers can utilize to increase their output or productivity (Becker, 1964). Accordingly, there is a distinction between the general and specific human capital, according to Becker (1964). Specific human capital identifies training and education as a source of expertise that a firm organizes possess in its context. Conversely, the general skills (general human capital) represent skills or knowledge that training and education impart in individuals for use anywhere in a working environment. For instance, reading and writing can be applied by an employee anywhere beyond the confines of the organizational climate. Nevertheless, critics of theory allege the training alone cannot lead to the entire productivity of a firm, but other factors as management practices. Thurow (1975) argued that jobs rather than workers characterize a firm’s productivity. Accordingly, employers have a preference for educated employees because of their trainability and the low cost to adapt to the specific demands of certain job responsibilities. However, Becker’s HCT theory has remained resilient in the face of stiff criticism. Accordingly, Bassi and McMurrer (2006) posit that the HCT model has remained the primary theoretical construct for understanding the human capital in light of employees as individuals, and the firm as an entity. Efforts to link investment in human capital and the productivity of an organization have been ongoing. For instance, Bassi and McMurrer (2006) claim that research evidence orients the productivity of a firm to human capital training in various capacities.

The theories set the stage for the introduction of the effect of communication on the performance of office administrators. Saks (2015) posited that training is a critical tool for managing performance in the organization. Saks’ training strategy to manage performance concurs with the HCT model because the achievement of effective communication can improve organization-wide communication. Quirke (2017) focused on the role of communication in turning strategy into action. This approach has the strength of allowing an office administrator to effectively create a link between an organization’s business strategies to productivity through teamwork. Gardner et al. (2017) proposed a different communication strategy for the enhancement of collaboration in an organization through setting goals, but not the act of setting roles to staff. This implies managing professional diversity across the organization of department to achieve the objectives of the institution.

2.3 Review of the Study Variables

The study shall be anchored in three independent variables and one dependent variable. Office administrators’ performance is the dependent variable in the study, while the effect of communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork are the study’s independent variables. Lune and Berg (2016) allege that variable operationalization eliminates ambiguity by way of a clarification and concise definition of research variables.

2.3.1 Effect of Communication

Communication is an essential skill for the performance aspects of an office administrator in several ways. Firstly, the ability to communicate effectively implies listening with patience, even during conflicts. Greenaway et al. (2015) argued effective communication in any capacity depends on the sender’s ability to create a collective identity with the recipient of the message. Thompson (2018) concluded that effective communication determines the outcomes of what happens at the places of work, and in every individual’s private setting. The latter interpretation of communication is particularly vital to the managers (office administrators) interested in creating productivity among junior employees. Thompson (2018), gives concise importance of communication in both organization and private settings of individuals. However, his interpretation does not show evidence of a communication strategy that leads to performance. Nevertheless, reviewed studies regarding communication do not supply the operationalization of effective communication. Therefore, operationalization communication would involve the use of a 5-point Lickert Scale. Here, the opinion of the respondents (the office administrators) shall be ranked from the lowest to the highest.

2.3.2 Effective Conflict Resolution

Sufficient conflict resolution is among the essential attributes of an office manager that effective dynamic leaders can apply to have a cohesive staff. Productivity is guaranteed in the form of motivated staff members. Oore, Leiter, and LeBlanc (2015) proposed sufficient conflict resolution implies helping staff and teams to develop conflict resolution strategies at group levels through preventive measures. The achievement of this strategy ensures that the administrator plays an intervention role in cases of interpersonal conflict resolution. However, the authors give valuable suggestions regarding plan for conflict resolution. Still, there is no mention of strategies to measure sufficient conflict resolution as one of the three independent variables to the study. The use of a five-point Lickert scale would best operationalize enough conflict resolution.

2.3.3 Effect of Teamwork

Many authors give a varying definition of teamwork at places of work, and office administration is not different from any other institution that relies on teams to achieve high productivity. Kerns (2019) argues that managing teamwork is a crucial leadership practice that can improve productivity at workplaces. The creation of a cohesive team combines the capability to ensure productive communication even in times of conflict so that employees assume their responsibilities quickly. An active office administrator studies the team dynamics of his employees and innovates evolutionary strategies to deal with the current requirements for teamwork among the members. Tripathy (2018) emphasizes that effective collaboration results in excellence at workplaces because of its encouragement of innovation and creativity among team players. However, he warns that effective achievement teamwork depends on the leaders’ ability to raise team leaders at each departmental section. It is the result of developing an organizational culture that enhances the formation and sustenance of effective teams for better results in organizations. The operationalization of the effect of teamwork on the performance aspect of office administrators creates a measurement approach of the variable. Therefore, the use of a ranking scale (the Lickert) would best quantify the ability of the office managers to establish and maintain functional teams in their organizations. Importantly, performance at an individual level reflects the office managers’ ability to produce significant results for the stakeholders of an organization. The study shall aid many organizations in enacting policy changes that favor the formation of cohesive workplace teams for excellent results. Additionally, cohesive teams represent not only the success of an organization but also the office leaders’ ability to learn for the current team dynamics and device strategies that strengthen workplace teams.

2.4 Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework for this study shall be based on three independent variables (the effect of communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution) to build a visual representation of their relationship to the dependent variable, the performance of office administrators. The following figure represents the conceptual framework of the study variables.

Figure 1: The Study’s Conceptual Framework

As shown in the figure above, human relations act as a link between communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution, and the performance outlook of an office administrator. However, it noteworthy to realize different office administrators use organization-specific human resource approaches to achieve high levels of performance. The achievement of organizational goals and objectives is the ultimate target of any office manager, despite the strategic path adopted. The relationship between human relations and office administrators shall be understudy to shed light on the underpinning aspects of the human relations-office administrator link.

2.5 Literature Critique

Literature about the effect of human relations on t performance of office administrators has varying implications. To begin with, and to a more extensive range, most literature focuses on the effect of training requirements that impart human relations skills. The studies underpin the need for the adoption of human relations strategies to improve the impact of communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution on the performance of office administrators in institutions. The reviewed literature underpins the aspects of communication teamwork, and conflict resolution and how they affect the performance of office administrators, but they lack information regarding representative case studies on the topic. Moreover, the literature inspires the failure of most office administrators to impart their skills during employment accurately, despite the prospect of training opportunities available in their institutions. Additionally, the available literature is appropriate to the study, studies that align to theoretical review precisely enlighten the significance of teamwork and communication for the motivational status of office administrators. For instance, the Human Capital highlights the meaning of particular training needs required to achieve high performance from the employees of an organization to reflect the office administrator’s performance. The theoretical framework for the research demonstrates that effective communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution capabilities of an office administrator are critical contributing aspects that govern the level of human relation skills required of office administrators for optimal performance and duty-discharge. Importantly, the literature reviewed discloses gaps in past studies, which substantiates the need for this study to bridge the knowledge claim that human relation skills affect the performance of office administrators.

2.7 Summary of the Reviewed Literature

Office administrators have an aspiration to achieve high performance in the line of their duties. Still, the factor of effective communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution have a significant influence on their performance. Office administrators in any institution depend on the development of efficient human capital through reliable human relations associations, but leading a professionally diverse workforce requires skills other than training. Therefore, the reviewed literature, especially the theoretical stance for the study, proposes the need for training and education to constitute a culturally consistent workforce. The HCT model, although criticized by much contemporary research, has shown resilience to proof that education is a necessary input to the development of an efficient workforce under the leadership of an office administrator.

Communication affects the performance of office administrators because of several factors. Firstly, an administrator relies upon the establishment of proper communication channels with staff to create a mutually understanding environment where the employees understand the assigned duties and responsibilities. Communication ensures that the employees understand their responsibilities and assignments clearly, and that office administrators are accessible in case of any clarification requirements. Secondly, teamwork has implications that surpass the presence of employees on the premises. The creation of teams is another strength of office administrators with a visionary mind to improve performance. The literature reviewed points to the fact that the formation of functional groups must be followed by strategies that sustain the team’s cohesion for consistent productivity in an organization. Notably, conflict resolution approaches for office administrators empowers not only the employees but also the ability of the administrator. Training is another approach for the creation of teams that adhere to a conflict resolution standard or culture. An office administrator must exercise unmatched leadership, which encourages conflict resolution in his workforce, even in his absence. Therefore, the administrator should intervene to create the correct decision in the event the conflict escalates. Overall, the strategies and approaches adopted by the office managers to attain some performance standards point to the need for effective communication, teamwork, and sufficient conflict resolution in an organization.

2.7 Research Gaps

As a modest attempt to address the effect of human relations on the performance of office administrators in Kakamega County, the study shall address research gaps that emerge from the literature review. Firstly, the HCT model, which addresses the theoretical evaluation for this study, assumes that the development of human capital addresses the productivity shortcomings of employees such as the office administrators. However, the critics of the theory warn that productivity is the result of a collection of factors, but not human capital as a single entity. The concern of the critics to the theory is a research gap that requires the input of future studies to create the link between performance at an individual level, and productivity an organizational point of view.

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

The research methodology chapter shall be distributed into subtopics that comprise target population sample size and sampling Procedures, sampling frame, research design, research instruments, pilot test, data collection procedures, and data processing and analysis.

3.2 Research Design

The research design shall be a structure and a blueprint for conducting the study. Subsequently, this section details the techniques and the means of finding data necessary for the determination of potential explanations or answers to the study questions articulated in earlier parts of this study.

The research shall employ a descriptive design that Nassaj (2015) described as suitable for the collection of data from population members to determine their present status. Status determination highlights four variables through survey research for obtaining descriptive information concerning selected phenomenon through a survey regarding attitudes, perceptions, and values or behavior (Nassaj, 2015). Graphic design would be indispensable because it allows the use of both open and closed-ended questions. The use of open-ended questions prompts participants to supply a range of responses in answer to the three research questions. Consequently, the research design shall be the most applicable for the collection of essential research data concerning the effects of human relations on office administrator performance.

3.3 Target Population

According to Drake, Rancilion, and Stafford (2017), a research population is a group of objects or individuals that are well-defined, and contain similar characteristics which form the central focus of a scientific investigation. Notably, the inability of researchers to test all individuals in a scientific inquest is the foundation of the notion of population samples.

The population for this study shall be the office administrators and departmental heads at Kakamega County public and private institutions. Accordingly, the target population for the study shall constitute office administration personnel with human relation skills, background. Additionally, the supervisors of employees in various shall also constitute a target population with a special interest in the establishment of knowledge of human relations. Finally, the departmental heads will supply statistics about the reasons office administrators as employees must appreciate human relations for their performance. Notably, the total target population shall constitute a sample size of 100 respondents for this study.

3.4 Sampling Frame

The sampling frame represents a list of items of the population from which the study sample will be drawn. (See Appendix 2)

3.5 Sample Size and Sampling Technique

3.5.1 Sampling Technic

Sampling is the procedural selection of a predetermined list of entities from the general population as representatives of the same greater population from which the researcher picks for the scientific inquiry. Significantly, the random sampling techniques shall be used to determine participants for the study probabilistically. Additionally, the sampling technique involved the use of the formula for calculating the finite population of not less than 10,000. The following shall be the procedure used to arrive at the population sample for the study.

3.5.2 Sample Size Determination

The following formula, according to Arya, Antonisamy, and Kumar (2012), would be used to estimate the sample size for a finite population of fewer than 10,000 individuals for use in the study.

Where,

n- Population sample

N-the population size

P-The population proportion (1-0.95) at α=90%

e-the Z-score = {(1-0.95)/2}²

When the numerator of the formula = m, then n, the sample size, the formula takes the following form;

For a population size of 100 office administrators,

Substituting for N=100 in the equation in the population sample from a population of 100 individuals

3.6 Research Instruments

The questionnaire shall be the primary research instrument because Brace (2018) emphasized that it is a data collection instrument that offers a quick, efficient and cheap means of data collection, especially from large samples of the study population. There is time-saving through the use of this research instrument because the researcher does not get physically involved during the filling and completion of the device. .

3.7 Pilot Test

According to Kim (2011), the Pilot Test is the initial and small-scale experiment or study that the researcher undertakes to define the cost feasibility, evaluate the adverse events inherent to the main study, the estimation of the duration, and improve upon the selected research design as applied to the full-scale research.

3.7.1 Validity of the Research Instrument

Validity is a significant aspect of any large-scale study because an information collection procedure that lacks bias depends on the accurate calibration of a research instrument. Accordingly, Heale and Twycross (2015) Defined the validity of a research instrument as its degree to measures what the researcher intends it to measure.

The Developed research instrument shall be exposed to tests to determine the sample items’ representation of criterion and content the instrument arise expected to test. Therefore, pre-testing the research instrument against a small sample from Kakamega County institutions shall ensure its reliability for the primary research. Notably, the pilot test stage shall test the content and criteria validities of the questionnaire as the primary research instrument. Content validity embodies the ability of a test to measure the variable it is meant to measure adequately. Criterion validity, on the other hand, refers to the degree to which a measure is related to a research outcome. Typically, criterion validity has two categories: predictive and concurrent validities.

3.7.2 Reliability of the Research Instrument

The reliability of the questionnaire as the research instrument indicates the extent to which the research answers conform to measurements if different researchers would repeatedly use the same instrument in the future to measure a study attribute. Subsequently, the pilot test shall ensure that the research instrument would consistently produce the expected result of the study. Therefore, the pilot test shall ensure that undesirable research instrument items are discarded, and others undergo modification to improve the reliability of the research instrument. The reliability of the research instrument is desirable because of the ability to generalize the study results to the entire population of the office administrators farther than the confines of Kakamega County.

3.8 Data Collection Procedures

Data collection shall be an essential chapter of the research in many ways. Firstly, the selection of reliable data shall lead to both valid and dependable results for conclusions and recommendations. Kakamega County shall be the research setting, hence pivotal to the collection of data for the study. Therefore, obtaining permission from Kakamega County’s sub-counties administration shall be the first step in the data collection process. Secondly, the researcher shall develop the questionnaire as the primary research instrument, conduct a pilot test, and wait for its distribution to the respondents. Lastly, the research shall distribute an introduction letter to the participants citing the purpose of the study and ensuring the confidentiality and safety of the respondents. The message of introduction to the respondents shall contain a consent section for respondents who wish to participate in the research process (See Appendix 1). Upholding anonymity and confidentiality of the respondents shall be an ethical strategy to ensure that the information gathered shall only serve for academic purposes. Lastly, the researcher intends to administer the questionnaire to the respondents and make a follow-up through calls to ensure higher response rates. This strategy shall ensure the collection of up to 95% filled questionnaires administered to the participants in the college.

3.9 Data Processing and Analysis

The raw statistics collected from the field would be unsuitable for analysis until vital steps are taken by the researcher to ensure an accurate and honest review. Therefore, raw data preparation for analysis shall involve sorting, coding, and cleaning for analysis using SPSS Version 25. Remarkably, the descriptive design which shall be employed for the study shall include data collection through both open and closed-ended items from the filled questionnaire as the primary research instrument. This implies the collection of both quantitative and qualitative information. The quantitative data for the study shall come from the closed-ended items from the questionnaire, which the researcher shall sort, code, and clean and analyze without bias, suing the SPSS Version 25 package. Conversely, the qualitative data shall arise from the open-ended items of the questionnaire, which shall be sorted, coded, and cleaned for bias-free analysis using the SPSS Version 25 package. Both the qualitative and quantitative data are going to be analyzed using descriptive statistics, which shall include means, measures of dispersion, frequency, and percentage.

After analysis, the researcher shall present results through charts, tables, and graphs for straightforward clarification and discussion. The conclusions and recommendations shall exclusively mirror the exact data and results as analyzed using the SPSS statistical package for the descriptive statistics of percentages, measures of dispersion, frequency, and means.

References

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Letter to the Respondents

Dear Respondent,

Greetings!

I am a (Insert Your Course) Student at Kibabii University. I am presently conducting a study entitled “The Effects of Shorthand Skills on Secretarial Performance at Kibabii University.

In regard, I am asking for your permission, effort, and precious time to respond to all the questions presented in the questionnaire. The issues are critical and helpful in the completion of my study regarding the topic.

Importantly, the information that you supply and your identity shall remain anonymous and confidential. The data gathered from you shall not be used in any way harm identity, character, or beliefs because they are for academic purposes alone. Your response to the questionnaire will be precious to the success of the research.

Thanks in Advance.

Respectfully Yours,

Likoko Irine

Appendix 2: Sampling Frame

Appendix 3: Research Questions

1. What is the effect of communication on the performance of office administrators?
2. What is the effect of teamwork on the performance of office administrators?

• What is the effect of conflict resolution on the performance of office administrators?

Appendix 4: Work Schedule

Appendix 5: Budget