Rand Technical Institute

Assignment 1
Julian Cowper
Student number: 714102
 Background
Rand Technical Institute
• Institute for learning and research
• Experiencing growth in number of students and number of full
time (professional) staff members
• Amount of research being produced is increasing
• The amount of work being placed on the secretaries is
increasing, and the quality of their output is decreasing
• Previously increasing the number of secretaries from 2 to 3
has not resolved the issue
• Increasing secretary numbers has caused conflict from other
departments
 Problematique
• Secretaries are being overworked and have no
time to attend to the tasks they need to
complete
– Both secretaries and professional staff have
different ideas as to how the secretaries should
devote their time to each activity
 Naïve picture
Dean
(Dr Richards)

Office Space Secretaries

Rand
Sponsors/
Technical
Funds
Institute
Secretary
dilemma

Full time
(professional Physics
) staff Department
members

Other
Students
Departments
 Rich Picture
Resources

Technology
Research Dean
Rand Tech.
Institute
Duplicating
centre
Training

Secretaries Work
Work contract
Typing/ hours Other
word
processor Depart.

Phones
Professional
Work load staff
Funds
Activities
Writing/
drawing
Office
space

Socialising
Sponsors
Students
Mail/
papers
Hierarchy

Rand Technical Institute

Departments

Dr Richards (Dean)

Professional Staff, students,

visitors

Resources

Secretaries
Duties
 CAPETOWN – As is
C - Professional Staff
A - Professional staff, Dr Richards (Dean), Rand
Technical Institute, technology, institution
resources, investors
P - Secretary Task Staff Expectations (%) Observed (%)
Typing 74 28
Telephone 7 18
Writing/drawing 0 3
Talking to someone 10 23
Away from office 3 18
Distribution of mail 5 6
In faculty offices 2 3
E - Research, administration, training, work hours,
other departments, students, overwhelmed/
stressed, deadlines
T - secretaries are expected to do administrative
tasks for the professional staff members. Tasks
include: typing of manuscripts, telephoning,
talking to others (students, visitors, staff),
distributing mail and papers
O - Dr Richards (Dean)
W - having the secretaries doing the
administrative work for the professional staff, the
professional staff can spend more time on their
research
N - Open, negative, purposeful, HAS
 CAPETOWN – To be
C - Professional Staff, Students, Rand Technical
Institute, Visitors
A - Dr Richards, professional staff
P-
– Number of completed manuscripts per week
– No typing errors
– Level of happiness with professional staff and
secretaries
– Number of visitors returning for: second visit, to
enrol or to donate funds
E - technology enhanced, fair work distribution, not
overwhelming, continuous learning, inclusive,
T - professional staff to allocate fair amounts of work onto their
allocated secretaries. Provided with the correct resources to do
the work effectively and efficiently. Secretaries are not to be
treated as personal assistants, errand runners or expected to do
long laborious tasks that professional staff do not want to do.
O - Dr Richards
W - secretaries are required to assist with routine tasks to
alleviate the amount of administrative work for the professional
staff rather than delegating excessive amounts of work to them,
as well as welcome visitors to the institute (with a tour) and
perform the necessary administrative functions
N - Open, negative, purposeful, HAS, adaptable/ dynamic, self-
regulating, technological
 Plan for Faculty Meeting
• Welcome
• Absentees
• Welcoming new staff
• Address current issue being faced around
secretaries (CAPETOWN – As is)
• Discuss desired scenario around secretaries
(CAPETOWN – To be)
• Open discussion to all members