ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
s
OA 207
Administrative
Office Procedures
& Management
MODULE 1:
THE OFFICE
MODULE 2:
WORKING TOGETHER
MODULE 3:
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
MODULE 4:
RECEPTIONIST PROCEDURES
MODULE 5:
ORGANIZING MEETING AND CONFERENCES
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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
MODULE 1:
OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify characteristics of the traditional office, office in transition, and state-of-the-art
office.
2. Identify the persons known as the “office staff”.
3. Name members of the organization - top management, middle management and support
staff.
4. Enumerate key office functions, the skills needed, and the job opportunities for each.
INTRODUCTION
An office is an important and critical part of any organization, big or small. Whether it’s a government
institution, a trading or manufacturing company, a hospital or an educational institution, the presence of an
office is essential for every form of entity to operate properly. The office acts as a storehouse and a nervous
system for all business operations within an organization.
New inventions changed our lives and changed the way work is done in offices. Today’s office has
machines that didn’t exist some years or decades ago. Modern technology has impacted our everyday lives.
Any of these are luxuries but they help make our lives more pleasant and enjoyable. This lesson will help
recognize some new inventions found in today’s home and workplaces, and describe the characteristics of
different workplaces and their leaders. In addition, this will list key office functions, the necessary skills of
an office staff and the job opportunities for each.
Lesson 1: Technology and the Office
Offices are universal as banks, department stores, manufacturing
companies, supermarkets, medical clinics, law offices, schools,
government agencies and other organizations have offices. The office
handles all company operations and functions. The business activities and
tasks cannot be executed without efficient and well-organized office.
Office is considered to be an important place or section or an area for the Figure 1. Modern vs. Traditional Office
conduct of any works, jobs, businesses or transactions. By the term business, it is understood, any work that
is related to the office.
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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
The meaning of the term office is a place for the operation of business, the room or department, where the
clerical work is done, or it can be stated that it is a place where professional and commercial transactions are
implemented, or it is, a place where all sorts of activities within the organization are dealt with. Office is the
center of an organization (Upadhyyay, Laghe, Rai, Bhatkar & Upadhyay, 2015).
Traditional Office
It has basic equipment that has been available for the past
50 years - a typewriter, a simple copy machine; records may be
completely manual and the telephone system simple. The volume
of work is small and the nature of work is simple.
Office in Transition
As many of the offices in the Philippines are, the office in
Figure 2. Office Lay-out Transitions transition has some-long range plans for the introduction
Going from Traditional to Modern
Office. of modern equipment, but such plans are accomplished in phases.
These offices may have some electronic equipment; such as, a simple personal computer (PC), a
telephone system with three or four lines, a FAX machine, and a copy machine.
State-of-the-art Office
This office is already found in some corporations in the Philippines which has all the most
advanced equipment and systems available. This technologically advanced office, aside from the
equipment aforementioned, has an integrated information network, which aside from producing a
hard copy (paper copy), can transfer documents from one part of the world to another in an instant.
Can the office work by itself? Can the busy proprietor or the executives
have the time to make copies, FAX, type a proposal, answer telephone calls and
make use of his or her time most productively?
The answer is, of course, “NO”! Who are the helpers in these offices?
They are the office staff—clerks, bookkeepers, typists, stenographers, tele-
phone operators, secretaries, office assistants, word processing operators,
data entry clerks—call them by whatever name, these are the people we call
office staff. The total office staff provides a network of human skills and
understanding that supports an effective, efficient, smooth functioning of the
whole organization.
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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
1. SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP. A business owned by just one person. This is the most common
type of business. A sari-sari store owner is an example of sole proprietorship.
Advantages. This type of business is easy to get into. The owner has great
satisfaction in working for himself or herself. If there are profits, the owner gets all the
profits and all major decisions are made by him or her.
Disadvantages. The profits of this type of business are relatively small, the prosperity of the
business depends on the talents and managerial skills of one person. It is harder for a sole
proprietor to get a loan from a bank and any liability is attached to one person.
2. PARTNERSHIP. It is a legal association of two or more
persons in a business as co-owners of that business.
Advantages. This type of business is also easy to form.
Because there is an agreement between two persons,
it has legal standing. It has the advantage of combining
the talents of several people and enhances the
firm’s ability to create wealth.
Disadvantages. Conflict between partners often destroy the company. The life of the
company is somewhat limited. Most law firms are partnerships, ex. Paredes, Bengzon and
Enrile Law Office.
3. CORPORATIONS. This type of business is governed by a Board of Directors and managed by
an Executive Committee. It is defined as “authorized by law to act as a private person…. and
legally endowed with various rights and duties, among them to receive, own and transfer
properties, make contracts, and to sue and be sued.” The owners are called stockholders.
Advantages. Owners have limited liability (each stockholder is responsible only to the extent
of his or her share). It is the corporation that is liable, not the individual stock holder. If it
fails, each stockholder has only limited penalty to pay.
Disadvantages. The most serious disadvantage are the various government regulations
requiring disclosure of finances. Incorporated businesses get taxed more heavily. Individual
stockholders pay income taxes on the profits (dividends).
Lesson 3: ORGANIZATION CHART
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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
Corporations have an organization chart. An organization chart shows
positions in hierarchical (placed in rank from highest to lowest) order.
Top Management. These are persons who have overall
responsibility for directing company operations. It generally includes
the president, the chief operating officer, the executive vice president,
the chief financial officer, directors, and vice presidents. This group,
sometimes called the executive committee, maintains a total view of the
organization through direct visits and meetings with the operating
managers of various divisions.
Middle Management. Companies may have several levels of managers and supervisors. These
employees are commonly referred to as middle management. Such persons oversee the carrying out of
specific tasks. For example, there is a vice president for sales, for personnel and for production; a manager
for personnel, another one for accounting, still another for employee training and so on.
Persons with Technical Specializations. Many different types of specialized personnel are required in
organizations, they are the accountants, systems analysts, programmers, economists, engineers, and so on.
Support Staff. The support staff, such as the administrative assistant, secretary, word processor, order
clerk, telephone operator and receptionist belong to this group wherein they facilitate the activities of
management and specialists.
A brief definition of these workers are as follows:
1. Clerk - a person who works in an office performing such tasks as keeping records or filing.
2. Bookkeeper - one who records the accounts and transactions of a business.
3. Typist - one who operates a keyboard machine that prints characters and numerals by means of an
inked metal hammer that strike the paper when actuated by manually pressed keys known as a typewriter.
4. Stenographer - a person skilled in a shorthand system, employed to take and transcribe
dictation.
5. Telephone Operator - one who operates a telephone or an instrument that directly modulates
carrier waves with voice signals to be transmitted to remote locations and reconverts received
waves into audible signals.
6. Secretary - an executive assistant who possesses a mastery of office skills, who demonstrates
the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who exercises initiative and
judgment, and who makes decisions within the scope of assigned authority (definition given by the
National Secretaries Association of the United States).
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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
7. Office Assistant - a staff position assigned to assist the executive in the performance of his
duties. This person is also known as an administrative assistant or a secretary.
8. Word Processing Operator - a person who operates a text-editing equipment; also known
as a word processor operator.
9. Data Entry Clerk - an operator who “keys” in information into a computer, using a data-base
program. Such information could be a list of names of clients by company, industry, region, and
country.
10. Receptionist - one who is able to meet and talk with visitors, take telephone calls, and
transmit messages accurately.
Lesson 4: KEY OFFICE FUNCTIONS
One will be able to have many opportunities for employment as a full-time office worker if
he/she will develop skills and understanding of the key office functions presented in this module.
✓ Keyboarding (typing) documents, including letters, memos, reports
✓ Using text-editing equipment
✓ Photocopying documents
✓ Searching for information
✓ Composing letters and memos
✓ Editing and proofreading documents
✓ Greeting visitors
✓ Answering telephone calls
✓ Placing telephone calls
✓ Accommodating customers
✓ Arranging meetings
✓ Opening and sorting mail
✓ Preparing outgoing mail
✓ Inputting data at computer terminal
✓ Maintaining files and databases
✓ Preparing forms, including checks, orders, voices
✓ Maintaining financial records
✓ Maintaining a calendar
✓ Establishing priorities for tasks
✓ Managing work of assistants
There are many tasks the office workers perform and there are many variations of these tasks. For
example, the size and structure of the office varies, the nature of the activities varies—some offices are
specialized, meaning that the worker or employee performs only a specific activity; like a bookkeeper who
only does bookkeeping. In other, workers perform a number of duties.
Lesson 5: Skills Needed for Office Tasks
1. Word/Text Processing
❖ accurate typing speed of at least 45 to 50 words a minute
❖ skill in using text-editing equipment (word processor) and software packages (WordStar, word
perfect, Microsoft, lotus, etc.)
❖ command of grammar, punctuation and spelling
❖ ability to follow instructions
❖ skill in formatting (setting up) documents appropriately
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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
❖ skill in proofreading accurately
❖ ability to organize tasks so that deadlines are met
2. Data Processing
❖ skill in entering information at a computer terminal
❖ skill in using electronic equipment and software
❖ aptitude with numbers and math processes
❖ ability to handle details carefully
❖ understanding of basic recordkeeping and accounting principles
❖ skill in writing legibly
❖ ability and willingness to check accuracy of work
3. Information Management and Distribution/Transmission
❖ good keyboarding skills
❖ excellent oral communication skills, especially for those who use the telephone frequently
❖ ability to follow instructions
❖ ability to carry through specific tasks without close supervision
❖ ability to handle details accurately
❖ ability to work in an organized, systematic manner
4. General Assistance and Customer Service
❖ good keyboarding skills
❖ skill in writing legibly
❖ ability to process information via a computer terminal
❖ skill in using office equipment such as calculators and copiers
❖ ability to manage telephone calls ability to conduct several tasks simultaneously
❖ ability to deal with people in a friendly, cooperative manner
❖ skill in establishing a schedule for tasks to be completed
❖ ability to communicate orally and in writing
5. Overall Qualifications
❖ be a team worker
❖ work in a systematic fashion
❖ possess a positive attitude toward work
❖ learn from observation and written instructions
❖ have a sincere interest in the organization’s goals
❖ be punctual and complete jobs on schedule
❖ be flexible in meeting changes in responsibilities and way of work
❖ be skillful in evaluating your own work
SUMMARY
1. An office is an important and critical part of any organization as business activities and tasks cannot
be executed without an efficient and well-organized office. Characteristics of offices may vary
depending on what type of office an organization may employ (traditional office, office in transition,
state-of-the-art office).
2. Technology’s effect on jobs, both in manufacturing and communication, has dramatically increased
the pace of production and the speed at which business takes place. Workplace technology has helped Page | 11
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT
Learning Modules
LET’S DO THIS!
1. Define what an office is.
2. Differentiate the types of business
ownership
3. Draw an example of Organizational
Chart and explain why it is important.
4. Among office functions mentioned in
lesson 1, choose one that you think you
have and explain the importance of it in
your future job.
Scoring Rubrics References:
Criteria Points
1. Keeling, B. & Kallaus, N. (1996) Administrative Office
Relevance
Statement are relevant to the topic
Management 11th Edition. South-Western Educational
10
Knowledge
Publishing.
Content demonstrates deep understanding of, 2. Balanchandram, V. & Chandraesekaran, V. (2009)
and engagement with the text 10 Office Management 10th Edition McGraw-Hill Companies,
Organization Inc.
Content is well organized and easy to read.
5
3. Fulton-Calkins, Patsy & Stuiz, Karen, M. (2004). Office
Points follow logical progression Procedures and theory for administrative professionals.
Conventions
Singapore:South Western.
No grammatical or spelling errors. 5
TOTAL 20
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