ABSTRACT

This study delves into findings of the professional ethics required in the conduct of the office manager’s in a changing office environment using managers from 20 selected SME’s in Owerri Municipal Imo State as a case study. Specifically, this study was aimed at finding out the professional ethics expected of the office manager; investigate if these professional ethics shapes the conduct of the office managers; determine what extent have these codes of ethics impacted the job of the office manager; and investigate if there is any significant impact of professional ethics on the conduct of the office mangers. Survey design and Purposive sampling was used for the study as 20 respondent who are Managers in the selected SME’s forms the population of the study. Data was presented and analyzed using frequency and tables. Findings of the study revealed that honesty, loyalty confidentiality, multi-tasking co-operative are the professional ethic guiding the role of office mangers. It revealed that there is a significant impact of this code of ethics on the conduct of office managers in the changing office environment. The study therefore recommends that leaders must create an ethically friendly work environment for all employees, communicate ethical issues, as well as becoming role models and put mechanism in place for the development of employees.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

In spite of the widely acceptance nature of moral requirements and the presence of universal work ethics of a class or society, there also exist specific rules of conduct for the increasingly growing number of professional activities.
These rules of conduct for ethics of two things, it refers to well based standard of right and wrongs that prescribes what human ought to do, usually in terms of right, obligations, benefits to society, fairness or specific rules and virtues. (Richard, Donald, Arnold, Bernard, Presha, 2005).

Stressing further, they explained ethics to mean the basic concept and fundamental principle of decent human conduct. it includes study of universal vales such as the essential equality of all men and women, human or natural rights, obedience to the law of land concern health and safety and increasingly, also for the natural environment.
From the above definition, it can be deduced that ethics is a study that moulds ones standard and impose reasonable obligations on a particular class of people act right.

Since business organizations do not function without workers who carry out different duties to achieve the objectives of the organization. A manager who is indispensible worker has the special job he performs in the organization and the level of her ethical conduct goes a long way in making her stand out of the crowd in the work place.

Today, many professional bodies have developed policies and professional codes for their practitioners and the secretary is not exempted from those rules that govern the behaviours of professionals. These set of moral or codes of conduct are strictly adhered to an inculcated in the discharge or conduct of these professional bodies.

Professional ethics play an important role in ensuring the continuity in the moral conduct development of the society. Bedside, it enhances a stable code in the moral life of people especially where forces of simple moral commandment grow weaker or fails. Besides, social system and regulations surpasses one another due to intensify social tensions (Richard, et al 2005).

The ethics and social behaviours as well as the interest of an office manager is asserted only to the which he puts into practice the general principles of social and moral attributes adopted to the specific features of his profession and the degree of his awareness of his responsibility to the performance and conduct of his job. A low level of professional ethics is one of the most destructive and protracted consequences of the unwanted.

Professional ethics normally is identified in these varieties of specialized activities in which man himself is the object of research thus, it relates to the behaviour of people. Professional as regards to the career Doctors, lawyers, accountants and office managers etc are expected to behave in a certain way or fellow specific codes of conduct in performing their jobs this will guard against their actions or behaviours bringing their profession to disrepute.

Since office management is a profession related to office managers, it must have set of code of conduct expected from practitioners of the profession. Therefore, this project will discuss those professional ethics which which are required in the conduct of office manager’s job for better performance.

1.2 Statement Of Problem

Professional ethics is the part of the requirements for efficiency in the conduct of the secretary’s job. The office manager is required to keep secrets of his employees and organization as this will determine the duration of his job as a confidential office manager. According to  kelinger (1973) “apart from keeping secrets and confidentiality, are there no other ethics or set of code of conduct for the professional office manager?’ Hence to answer this question, this study is set to address and generate empirical data on professional ethics required in the conduct of the office manager’s in a changing office environment.

1.3 Purpose Of The Study

The main purpose of this study is to determine the professional ethics required to the office manager in a changing office environment.

Specifically, the study will attempt to:

1. Find out the professional ethics expected of the office manager.

2. Investigate if these professional ethics shapes the conduct of the office managers

3. Determine what extent have these codes of ethics impacted the job of the office manager

4. Investigate if there is any significant impact of professional ethics on the conduct of the office mangers.

1.4 Research Questions

For the objective of this research to be realized, the following questions are being put forward as a guide for the research. The response received from them will be the basis for decision making in this project.

1. What are the  professional ethics required of a manager?

2. Do you think these professional ethics shapes the conduct of the office manager?

3. To what extent have these codes of ethics impacted the job of the office manager?

4. Is there any significant impact of professional ethics on the conduct of the office mangers?

1. 5 Significance Of The Study

This study is a build-up of additional information as an extension of knowledge in office manager profession. The findings of the study will enhance the professionalization of office manager ship and its ethical conduct. Being aware of their professional ethics, the office manager will improve secretarial image and enhance acceptability of the profession by the society.In addition, this work when completed will be an eye-opener or guide for the chief executive in employing office managers and also for the