Relevance of Shorthand in Modern Days' Offices and Businesses: A Study of Nigeria's Public Sector Entities

Abstract This study intends to examine the relevance of Shorthand in modern days’ offices and businesses and to investigate whether the course-area should be wiped off from the Office Management and Technology (OTM) curriculum. In order to aid this study, questions were put with primary data obtained using questionnaire as research instrument. Survey design with discourse was applied and data collected were modelled and analysed using regression tool of analysis. Sample size was fifty secretaries drawn from different offices in the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja. Findings revealed that most offices in the public sector do not undertake dictation and transcription, hence secretaries are not really put to their full potentials in modern offices. Besides, development of advanced devices and voice-to-text software made traditional secretarial role of note-taking inessential. Finally, it was revealed that Shorthand still remain relevant for note takings at meetings to complement advanced technologies especially as certain (AI) software would require much voice training and so may misrepresent some words which may even result to changing meanings to conversation which may be easily corrected with notes taken hence it should not be taken off the curriculum. More so, where such devices malfunctions, the secretaries backup notes become saving grace. The study therefore concludes that offices should embrace the full spectrum of digital technologies. However, it is recommended that office information technologists and secretaries should be further trained in shorthand skills in addition to modern office technological skills to be relevant in all office routine functions. Keywords: Shorthand, Secretarial duties, office technology, digital technologies, modern office