An Examination of the Quality of Jobs in the Call Center Industry

Valverde, Mireia; Ryan, Gerard; Gorjup, María Tatiana

doi:10.1007/s11294-007-9078-y

Cited by 17 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…There are also strong incentives to pursue a low‐cost model, as call centre activities are often viewed as peripheral and a prime target for cost savings (Taylor et al . 2002; Valverde et al . 2007).…”

Section: Explaining Variation In Employment Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collective Voice under Decentralized Bargaining: A Comparative Study of Work Reorganization in US and German Call Centres

Doellgast

2010

Brit J Industrial Rel

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This article compares the process of and outcomes from work reorganization in US and German call centres, based on four matched case studies in the telecommunications industry. Both German cases adopted highinvolvement employment systems with broad skills and worker discretion, while the US cases relied on a narrow division of labour, tight discipline and individual incentives. These outcomes are explained by differences in institutional supports for collective voice. Works councils in the German companies used their stronger participation rights to limit monitoring and encourage upskilling at a time when US managers were rationalizing similar jobs. Findings demonstrate that industrial relations institutions can have a substantial influence on employment systems in work settings characterized by decentralized bargaining and strong cost pressures. Both German cases adopted high-involvement employment systems with broad skills and worker discretion, while the US cases relied on a narrow division of labour, tight discipline and individual incentives. These outcomes are explained by differences in institutional supports for collective voice. Works councils in the German companies used their stronger participation rights to limit monitoring and encourage upskilling at a time when US managers were rationalizing similar jobs. Findings demonstrate that industrial relations institutions can have a substantial influence on employment systems in work settings characterized by decentralized bargaining and strong cost pressures.

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Section: Explaining Variation In Employment Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collective Voice under Decentralized Bargaining: A Comparative Study of Work Reorganization in US and German Call Centres

Doellgast

2010

Brit J Industrial Rel

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“…Job quality is typically viewed as consisting of extrinsic or economic outcomes, including high pay andjob security (Kalleberg, Reskin, and Hudson 2000;McGovern, Smeaton, and Hill 2004), and outcomes that provide m ore intrinsic or indirect benefits, including par ticipation in decision-making, discretion over tasks, and an absence of detailed m onitoring and surveillance (Valverde, Ryan, and Gorjup 2007;Tilly 1997;Green 2005). Comparative researchers have argued that these m easures of job quality are not simply a function of firm-level differences in strategy, technology, or hum an capital, but also are influenced by political and econom ic institutions outside the firm.…”

Section: Previous Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of National Institutions and Collective Bargaining Arrangements on Job Quality in Front-Line Service Workplaces

Doellgast¹,

Holtgrewe²,

Deery³

2009

ILR Review

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This paper analyzes the relationships among national institutions, collective bargaining arrangements, and job quality in call center workplaces, using establishment-level survey data obtained in 2003–2006 in five European coordinated market economies (CMEs) (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Sweden) and three liberal market economies (LMEs) (Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom). Overall, the authors find lower dismissal rates, more use of high-involvement management practices, and less performance monitoring in the CMEs, consistent with the notion that national institutions can influence employment practices even in more poorly regulated service workplaces. However, workplace-level collective bargaining arrangements and in-house (compared to outsourced) status also were associated with significantly higher measures of job quality across countries. Findings suggest that within CMEs, dual union/works council representation continues to provide important support for job security, participation, and discretion, but that outsourcing can effect a partial escape from this institution.

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“…A number of studies demonstrate that these characteristics contribute to increasing job satisfaction among employees (Leontaridi and Sloane, 2001;Ritter and Anker, 2002). Many of these characteristics coincide with the dimensions which comprise the concept of job quality (Valverde et al, 2007a;Hunter, 2000).…”

Section: The Use Of Promotion In Organisationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Promotion in call centres: opportunities and determinants

Gorjup

Valverde

Ryan

2008

Journal of European Industrial Training

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of jobs in call centres by focusing on the opportunities for promotion in this sector. More specifically, the research questions focus on discovering whether promotion is common practise in the call centre sector and on identifying the factors that affect this. Design/methodology/approach -A survey questionnaire was administered to call centre directors or their human resource managers. A least square regression analysis was carried out to examine how training, job security and knowledge about employees' abilities, affect the use of promotion in call centres, as well as three structural variables of the organisations: size, being part of a larger organisation and whether the call centre was in-house or outsourced. Findings -The results suggest a limited use of promotion and the absence of consolidated internal labour markets in this sector. Nevertheless, a diverse range of call centres exists in terms of the use of promotion. The analysis identifies structural and managerial variables that identify where promotion is likely to be employed more intensively in call centres.Research limitations/implications -The main limitation of the paper is related to the variables used to examine training. An important implication of the results for managers is the suggestion to employ promotion policies with other human resource management practices. Originality/value -The main contribution of this paper is the finding that the use of promotion has been determined by structural factors and other management practices. Therefore, call centre managers are encouraged to establish these practices in order to subsequently facilitate the use of promotion.

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An Examination of the Quality of Jobs in the Call Center Industry

Cited by 17 publications

References 19 publications

Collective Voice under Decentralized Bargaining: A Comparative Study of Work Reorganization in US and German Call Centres

Collective Voice under Decentralized Bargaining: A Comparative Study of Work Reorganization in US and German Call Centres

The Effects of National Institutions and Collective Bargaining Arrangements on Job Quality in Front-Line Service Workplaces

Promotion in call centres: opportunities and determinants

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