Int. j. econ. manag. soc. sci., Vol(3), No (12), December, 2014. pp.

851-853

TI Journals

International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences

www.tijournals.com

ISSN:
2306-7276

Copyright 2014. All rights reserved for TI Journals.

Study the Relationship of Using Office Automation with Appropriate

Performance of Employees
Omid Ali Ahmadi *
Department of Public Management, Aivan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Aivan, Iran.

Abedin Darabi Emarati

Instructor, Department of Educational Sciences, Payame-Noor University, Tehran, Iran

Hadi Meftahi
Faculty member of industry management group. p.n.u university. Tehran. Iran.
*Corresponding author: zagros.researcher@gmail.com

Keywords

Abstract

Office automation
Appropriate Performance
Internet
Intranet
internal telephone

This research aimed at studying the relationship between office automation usage and the appropriate performance
of employees. The population was the employees of Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation of Ilam city, in which 52
of the managers and employees were chosen by simple random sampling. To gather the data the questionnaire of
office automation usage and the questionnaire of appropriate performance of employees, made by the researcher,
were used. Moreover to analyze the data Pearsons correlation and multiple regression analysis were used by enter
method. The findings revealed that using internet, intranet and internal phone (PBX) as office automation has
positive significant relationship with appropriate performance of employees. Moreover automation devices can
predict 0.29 of appropriate performance of employees at the same time. Based on these findings it is concluded
that using office automation leads to appropriate performance of employees. It is also suggested to improve office
automation in different organization to enhance appropriate performance of employees.

1.

Introduction

Massive transformation in communication, administrative correspondence, and economic institution anticipate traditional slow office process, so
it would be important to provide special devices to do administrative works as fast, careful, and economical as possible. As a result using office
automation system as a new method of doing administrative works improves the performance of organizations [1]. Communication network is
made to back both communication and transmission of information and message. Most of these networks are as intertwined networks making
communication and information transmission possible [2]. Using electronic automation devices to increase the efficiency of the office works can
be useful for the organization management [3]. As a matter of fact office automation is one significant device to find new strategies to save time,
reply to clients, increase the accuracy in administrative works, and decrease the organization charges [4]. Office automation using of machines,
information technology and computers are used to ease administrative works, helping to improve the performance of organizations [2, 5].
In a study on 47 of managers and employees of government, Sheikhbekloo, Sarafizade, and teymoornezhad, (2012) found that office automation
usage has positive effect on optimizing time, quick answering to clients, and accuracy which leads to increase efficiency of the organization[4].
A quick glimpse to other studies also confirms effective role of office automation to enhance efficiency of organizations. Moreover it saves time
and energy of employees [see 6, 7, 8, 9]. Farahani (2009) in a study on Social Security Organization in Markazi showed that using office
automation increases the client satisfaction [10].
The advantages of office automation are divided into direct advantages and indirect advantages. Direct advantages are increasing service, saving
time and job force, while indirect advantages are independence from other organization, increasing job responsibilities, and clients satisfaction
[2]. Therefore analyzing the relationship of office automation with organization performance is of great importance, for it prevents inappropriate
outcome caused by wrong usage. This study aimed at presenting suggestions and scientific-applied strategies to show the role of office
automation in improving employees performance in Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation of Ilam. The findings of this study enhance the
information of managers and employees about the positive effect of office automation on improving the organization performance, which
provide useful information for the organization planning. In this research 3 office automation devices, internet, intranet, and internal telephone
are studied.
Intranet is a computer network, using shared world internet web language to transmit data. This network provides internet services as e-mail,
FTP, news group, and teleconference off-line. Using intranet is a rather new device, used in some government organization of Ilam. There is not
only no study about the relationship of intranet with appropriate performance of employees in previous researches, but also no evidence about
evaluating of these relationships in Ilam city. As a result the findings of this study are of great importance and can remove the previous studies
shortages, presenting much better and accurate planning.

2.

Methodology

The research method was descriptive one of correlation and prediction type. The population of the research was all the managers and employees
of Ilam Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation. The sample, included 52 people (41 men and 11 women), was chosen by simple random sampling
who were not at the same educational level and job experience, as it is shown in table 1. To find the relationship among variables Pearsons

Omid Ali Ahmadi *, Abedin Darabi Emarati, Hadi Meftahi

852

International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences Vol(3), No (12), December, 2014.

correlation method was applied. Besides, to study the role of office automation system in predicting appropriate performance of employees
multiple regression analysis by enter method was used. To gather data a questionnaire, made by the researcher, was used.
Table 1. Educational Level and Job Experience Description of the Participants

Educational Levels

Job Experience

Status
Diploma
Technician
Bachelor
Master degree
Total
less than 5 years
5 10 years
10 15 years
more than 15 years
Total

Frequency
3
14
34
1
52
9
7
8
28
52

Percent
5.8
26.9
65.4
1.9
100
17.3
13.5
15.4
53.8
100

Cumulative Percent
5.8
32.7
98.1
100
17.3
30.8
46.2
100

Employees appropriate performance questionnaire: This questionnaire contains 19 questions and a total score, evaluating appropriate
performance of employees. This questionnaire is a kind of Likert type item, having 5 scales as a little, less than average, average, more
than average, a lot., which are rated from 1 to 5. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha as 0.91, proving its
acceptability.
Office automation usage questionnaire: This questionnaire contains 21 questions including 3 subscales and a total score. Each of these 3
subscales, internet usage, intranet usage, and internal telephone usage, contains 7 questions. Total score is the sum of these 3 subscale scores.
This is a kind of Likert type item, containing 5 scales, a little, less than average, average, more than average, and a lot, which are
rated from 1 to 5. Validity of the questionnaire was proved by applying content validity analysis; however, reliability of it, proved by Cronbach's
alpha, was 0.65, 0.93, 0.88, and 0.88 for internet usage, intranet usage, and internal telephone usage respectively. Moreover Cronbach's
alpha was 0.90 for total scale. These findings confirm the validity and reliability of the questionnaire.

3.

Results

In order to find the relationship between office automation usage and appropriate performance of employees, correlation analysis was used by
Pearson method. Table 2, showing the result of the analysis, reveals that appropriate performance of employees has a firm significant
relationship with all features of office automation usage, so all these relationships in level of 0.01 are significant. In other words it says more
office automation usage leads to more appropriate performance of employees and vice versa.
Table 2. Correlation Matrix of Appropriate Performance of Employees with office Automation Usage
Variables
1 Appropriate Performance of Employees
2 Using internet
3 Using intranet
4 Using internal telephone
5 Using Office Automation Total

1
1
0.34**
0.42**
0.47**
0.47**

1
0.46**
0.26**
0.50**

1
0.47**
0.82**

1
0.61**

*: P< 0.05 , **: P< 0.01

To find the role of office automation usage in predicting the appropriate performance of employees multiple regression analysis were applied by
enter method, in which significant amount of F, as presented in table 3, shows that internet, intranet, and internal telephone usages can
significantly predict appropriate performance of employees. In addition, office automation usage features can predict 0.29 of appropriate
performance of employees variance. Besides, positive significant amount of and T in table 3 reveals that more office automation usage can
predict more appropriate performance of employees.
Table 3. Summary of Regression Model of Appropriate Performance of Employees based on usage features of Office automation
Criterion variables
Appropriate
Performance of
Employees

4.

Predictor variables
Using internet
Using intranet
Using internal telephone

R2

P-value

0.54

0.29

63.521

0.001

0.172
0.178
0.340

t
3.899
3.682
7.663

P-value
0.001
0.001
0.001

Conclusion

This research aimed at studying the relationship between office automation usage and appropriate performance of the employees working in
Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation of Ilam city. The findings reveal that there is a firm relationship between office automation usage with all its
features, and appropriate performance. In other words, those organizations, providing office automation usage for their employees reach more
appropriate performance which leads to saving time and energy of the employees. As a matter of fact using automation leads the employees
energy to more appropriate performance.

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Study the Relationship of Using Office Automation with Appropriate Performance of Employees
International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences Vol(3), No (12), December, 2014.

Another advantage of office automation usage is to cut unwanted charges in offices due to leading time and energy of the employees to the right
track [7]. In a study, Karimiam (2004) found that applying information technology (internet and computer) increases organizational
performance, therefore it is concluded that using modern technology as internet, intranet, and internal telephone contributes to appropriate
performance of employees[6]. These findings are in accordance with previous studies [for example see 6, 7, 8, 9, 10].
Based on the theoretical contents and findings of the present and previous studies, it is recommended to teach the importance of office
automation usage and its relationship with appropriate performance of employees to the students of management. In addition, it is suggested to
teach the correct office automation usage and its importance to managers in short-term training course (in-service). This leads to a better office
automation usage. Moreover it is suggested that higher rank managers pay special attention to the role of office automation in their
organizational planning. It is also suggested to not only take in strategies of office automation in organizational planning and provide required
background, but also design specialized software for each unit of the organization.

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