A Framework for Enhancing Digital Communication Skills in Modern Secretarial Practice

Thesis Abstract

The rapid integration of digital technologies into organizational communication has underscored the critical need for secretaries to develop and enhance digital communication skills to remain effective in their roles. Despite the increasing reliance on digital communication platforms such as email, instant messaging, video conferencing, and social media, there remains a significant gap in structured frameworks that guide secretarial practice towards optimal digital communication proficiency. This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework that facilitates the enhancement of digital communication skills among secretaries in contemporary organizational contexts. The specific objectives include identifying key digital communication competencies required for secretarial roles, examining existing training practices, formulating a theoretical model to guide skill development, and validating the framework's effectiveness through empirical testing. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates qualitative and quantitative approaches to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The qualitative phase involves semi-structured interviews with 30 secretaries, purposively sampled from mid to large-sized corporations, to explore perceived challenges, skill gaps, and training needs related to digital communication. The quantitative phase employs a survey distributed to 300 secretarial professionals across various sectors, selected through stratified random sampling, to measure the prevalence of digital communication skills and assess the reliability and validity of the proposed framework. Data collection tools include an interview guide, a structured questionnaire, and a digital skills assessment instrument, with content validity established through expert review and pilot testing, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.89 for internal consistency. Data analysis involves thematic analysis for qualitative data, guided by Braun and Clarke’s methodology, to identify core themes related to digital communication competencies and training gaps. Quantitative data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationships between digital skills, organizational effectiveness, and secretarial performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS software facilitates testing the hypothesized relationships within the developed framework, which is inspired by existing communication theories such as Media Richness Theory and Social Information Processing Theory, and grounded in a constructivist learning paradigm. Expected findings include identification of essential digital communication competencies—such as virtual collaboration, email etiquette, cybersecurity awareness, and digital etiquette—and the development of a validated framework that integrates these competencies into existing secretarial training curricula. The study anticipates that the framework will significantly predict improvements in secretarial effectiveness and organizational communication efficiency, with statistical significance confirmed via SEM analysis. The research will contribute to knowledge by providing a contextually relevant, theoretically supported model for digital skills development tailored specifically to secretarial practice, bridging existing gaps in both literature and professional training programs. The main conclusion underscores the imperative for organizations to adopt and implement the proposed framework to foster continuous digital skills enhancement among secretaries, thereby increasing organizational agility and communication effectiveness. The study recommends the integration of the framework into secretarial training modules, continuous professional development programs, and organizational digital literacy initiatives. Further research is suggested to explore longitudinal impacts of framework implementation and to adapt it across diverse organizational settings. Overall, this study advances the understanding of digital communication skill development and provides a strategic tool for elevating secretarial practice in the digital age, aligning academic insights with practical applications for organizational competitiveness.