Project Materials

IDENTIFYING THE CONSEQUENCES OF INEFFICIENT FILING SYSTEM IN AN ORGANISATION (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED ORGANISATIONS IN ENUGU)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of private companies’ poor filing systems. One company in Enugu is the subject of this case study. The research investigated the problem statement, which essentially included the historical and current issues with the file system and the study’s methodology. Finding out what these chosen organisations’ inefficient file systems cost was the main goal of the study. Executives from the participating companies made up the study’s population. Surveys were distributed in order to gather information. We produced, distributed, collected, and analysed 100 surveys using sample percentages. Analysis shows that, due to a lack of training, the employees responsible for the file system are unable to do a good job with it. The findings indicated that the PRAODA must upgrade their file system in order to perform better in the new century. Some of the suggestions made included allocating sufficient funds, developing incentives and motivations, providing training on how to use modern electronic gadgets, and educating and training future experts in the subject.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study

Data organisation received a pitiful amount of focus many decades ago. The main focus of management has been on effectively applying management principles to resources in order to sustain the organisation. However, in recent times, there has been a profound understanding of data’s significance as an organization’s lifeblood.

In order to ensure that a business venture will be successful, it is necessary to gather and analyse pertinent information about the industry in which the venture will operate before launching. If that line of business is to be successful, then related strategies should be prepared before the business ever starts.

Effective planning and sound decision-making necessitate that management have access to timely and reliable information. Modern business environments are growing in size and complexity, and the ever-expanding reach of communication has imposed this newfound emphasis on information.

Nowadays, information is king, and that goes double for people in all areas of life, but especially for those in the business world and their filing needs.

A well-organised filing system aids a company’s management in making quick and informed judgements. Data that has been handled in any way that benefits the recipient is described as information by Ottih (1989). That is why it is necessary to analyse and mould raw data into information that managers can use.

According to Lyon and Ivancevich (1976), data processing entails gathering, categorising, summarising, reporting, and organising information.

The records of the organisation are the documented facts that pertain to its operations. The primary objective of a filing system, as defined by Johnson and Kallous (1974), is the orderly and correct organisation of an organization’s records from the time of creation until their eventual disposal. This act arose with data processing.

When early humans started writing, they also started keeping records. Despite the lack of a pressing need to do so, prehistoric humans preserved records of significant events in stone, paper, wax, and earthenware jars.

They also buried some of these and then unearthed them after a while. Realising the practicality of centralising and archiving all correspondence received from individuals or groups, people in early civilisation cities like Ancient Egypt and Rome kept records of all land purchases and sales and occasionally consulted them (Payne 1970).

The Roman Empire used a filing system that involved stringing data on threads. This is how the current word “file” came from a Latin word meaning thread; the systematic organisation of records is what gave rise to the four main types of filing systems used today: alphabetic, topic, chronological, and geographical.

The filing processes, which comprise checking, coding, cross-referencing, and sorting, also arrived at this time. This permits accurate record keeping in a way that facilitates quick and easy retrieval.

During this time, there were very few formal documents and even fewer business owners who kept their secrets in their brains. Because of the growing number of owners, the urgency of certain industries, and the sheer scale of business, everyone is paying close attention to what’s going on.

Decades ago, when early humans didn’t need many records, Johson and Kallaus (1974) said. But in recent years, a lot of companies have expanded and become so complicated that they are being transformed by industrialisation.

Companies have redirected their efforts towards creating tools and machinery that can either completely replace or greatly improve upon human manual dexterity in an effort to keep up with the rapidly evolving scientific commercial terrain.

Therefore, in order to accommodate the growing demand for data storage, contemporary offices are experiencing a number of technical shifts. A variety of office equipment has been produced over the years, and there has been a gradual technological advancement in the area of filing systems.

When used to the workplace, this innovation streamlines the file system so that users may swiftly and easily get the information they need by simply entering a few codes or commands to track down the specific storage location.

To guide the entire process and use them correctly, human judgement is still necessary. In accord, Denyer (1986) must state that the success or failure of a file system is not dependent on the equipment itself, but on the competence of the people using the system to their full potential.

Accordingly, having sufficient and competent records, as well as staff to guarantee their correct usage, is necessary to attain more efficiency in office operations at reduced costs.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

An effective file system is one of the most difficult issues that most organisations have had to deal with. Although there have been conferences, seminars, and workshops aimed at improving the file system, these gatherings have not been entirely successful. “The essence to having files in the office is to keep related documents together so that information contained in them can be produced with minimum delay,” Whitehead (1975) said.

Consequently, this project is necessary because the unpleasant and taxing issues with the filing system persist, including but not limited to: financial issues, filing delays, registry staff lacking proper training, a lack of motivation, an undefined procedure, and, most importantly, an inadequate understanding of how to use modern electronic equipment.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

Based on the above problems this study is therefore desiged to achieve the following:

(a) Identify the present system of filing in selected organization.

(b) Point out the issues with these approaches.

(c) Figure out what poor filing practices lead to.

(d) List the benefits of an efficient filing system.