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2016 | Book

Business Process Outsourcing in India: An Introduction Read chapter Read first chapter

Global Call Center Employees in India

Work and Life between Globalization and Tradition

Author: Mayank Kumar Golpelwar

Publisher: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

Book Series : Internationale Wirtschaftspartner

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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About this book

Mayank Kumar Golpelwar analyses why Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) units and their young employees found themselves to be the target of severe criticism from India’s middle classes. Using social and organizational psychological frameworks as well as ethnographic and variance analytic research, the author takes a look at the validity of the criticism against the BPO industry. He uses the framework of cultural theories to analyze and present the gap between the mainstream Indian culture and its rapidly emerging and globalized BPO sub-culture.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
1. Business Process Outsourcing in India: An Introduction
Abstract
Interdependence, globalization, sustainability - almost every ten to fifteen years a new ‘buzzword’ dominates headlines related to the worlds of business, academics, and even that of the common man (Cornwall, 2007; Edoho, 1997, p. 10; Jones, 2004; Scoones, 2007; Solow, 1993; Tyagi, 2011). Each one of these buzzwords either complements or modifies the features and domains of the last. For example, the political and strategic interdependence between two nations in the 1970s was expanded upon by the concept of multilateral, economic, and social globalization in the 1990s (Keohane & Nye Jr, 2000). More recently, sustainability complemented the concept of globalization by adding the promise of renewability and by associating environmental and technological spheres to it (Bhatasara, 2011; Sachs, 2005).
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
2. Stress
Abstract
No other concept has dominated the public discussions in India on outsourcing as much as stress has (Datta, 2008; Lakshmi, 2005; Sarkar, 2007; A. Sharma, 2005; Tejaswi, 2005). Outsourcing has generated millions of job opportunities and has contributed to India’s economic development among the middle class youth (D'Monte & Mishra, 2007; Sarkar, 2007), but the very mention of global call centers (BPO units) mainly results in outcries over the stressful and supposedly exploitative nature of the industry (cf. Section 1.3/1.4).
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
3. Coping with Role Stress
Abstract
The previous chapter illustrated that, contrary to societal expectations, employees in BPO units do not suffer from higher levels of role stress than other people working in service sectors. Only the family-to-work role stressor is significantly higher in the BPO sector. This indicates a conflict between societal and familial expectations to conform to Indian cultural norms and feeling relieved of these expectations at work.
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
4. Job Characteristics
Abstract
Media (D'Monte & Mishra, 2007; Goel & Thakur, 2007; Kamani, 2004; S. Sharma, 2005; Shiekh, 2004; Singh, 2007; Srivastava, 2007; Techtree, 2007; Tejaswi, 2005) as well as academics (Basi, 2009; Bergevin, et al., 2010; D'Cruz & Noronha, 2009; Noronha & D'Cruz, 2009; S. Sharma, 2005) have dealt extensively with the characteristics of the BPO environment in India. Night shifts, foreign accents, the Western environment, and stress, as well as high salaries, and coffee shop cultures have been referred to as job characteristics of a BPO agent. The same sources have also widely explored the reasons why people join BPO units. These invariably include prospects of high salaries, the opportunity to have fun at the workplace, and the lure of working in high technology-based international settings.
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
5. Psychological Contracts
Abstract
Perceived job expectations like opportunities for promotions and raises, or fair pay for performance, play an important role in how individuals make sense of a job and adhere to psychologically felt reciprocal obligations in carrying out a job (Robinson, et al., 1994; Rousseau, 1995). Employees believe that in return for fulfilling their perceived obligations, their employer will provide certain benefits to them, which might not even be explicitly stated in the employment contract (Rousseau, 1990). Their job expectations are akin to those defined in an employment contract, except that these expectations and obligations are unwritten and subjectively defined by individual employees.
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
6. BPO Units and Indian Society – the Cultural Gap
Abstract
This study has discussed two types of societal criticisms against call centers and call center work in India: criticism of the BPO units in favor of the agents and criticism of the BPO units and (specifically) the BPO agents themselves.
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
7. Conclusions
Abstract
This book investigated why globalized call centers (also known as BPO units) are the target of disapproval and criticism within Indian society despite the fact that they are currently one of India’s best performing sectors in economic terms.
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Global Call Center Employees in India
Author
Mayank Kumar Golpelwar
Copyright Year
2016
Electronic ISBN
978-3-658-11867-9
Print ISBN
978-3-658-11866-2
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-11867-9