Workers&apos; knowledge in the ‘knowledge society’: voices from the South

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Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Volume 1, Issue 2

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Workers' knowledge in the ‘knowledge society’: voices from the South

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Author(s): Sujata Gothoskar

Publication date (Print): Summer 2007

Journal: Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Abstract

Drawing on first-hand interviews with call centre workers in Mumbai, participant observation and a variety of secondary sources, including email forum contributions by call centre workers, this paper takes a critical look at the concept of the ‘knowledge economy’ from the perspective of those who work in it. In particular, it questions the extent to which ‘knowledge workers’ have access to the knowledge that underlies the work that they do and points to the ways in which this knowledge is eroded as value chains are extended. It also looks at these workers’ stakes in their skills and work, and concludes by pointing to a series of contradictions that are raised for Indian society by the rapid development of the knowledge economy there.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.13169

Journal ID (publisher-id): workorgalaboglob

Title: Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 1745641X

ISSN (Electronic): 17456428

Publication date (Print): Summer 2007

Volume: 1

Issue: 2

Pages: 168-177

Article

Publisher ID: workorgalaboglob.1.2.0168

DOI: 10.13169/workorgalaboglob.1.2.0168

SO-VID: 20bf3a37-029d-4513-a5c8-41be511fc21c

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

ScienceOpen disciplines: Sociology,Labor law,Political science,Labor & Demographic economics,Political economics

References

Bhagat, C. (2005) One night @ the call centre , New Delhi: Rupa publications
McMillin, D. (2006), ‘Outsourcing Identities – call centres and cultural transformation in India’, Economic and Political Weekly , 21^st January
NASSCOM (2005) Strategic Review , New Delhi: NASSCOM.
Raghavendra R., & M. Seshagiri (2006) ‘Accent hits south's BPO job dreams’, Times of India , 10^th May
Sharma, A. (2005) ‘ITeS industry to face huge manpower crunch’, Times of India , 15^th July
Singh P. & A. Pandey (2005) ‘Women in call centres’, Economic and Political Weekly , 12^th February
Singh S. (2005), ‘Quit the griping guys’, Rediff Business Desk , November
Vidyasagar, N. (2004) ‘Sam and his software’, Times of India , 14^th April
Young Professionals Collective and Focus on the Global South, India (2005) ‘When the wind blows – An overview of business process outsourcing (BPO) in India’, Focus on the Global South, India , September.

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Bhagat, C. (2005) One night @ the call centre , New Delhi: Rupa publications

[2] McMillin, D. (2006), ‘Outsourcing Identities – call centres and cultural transformation in India’, Economic and Political Weekly , 21^st January

[3] NASSCOM (2005) Strategic Review , New Delhi: NASSCOM.

[4] Raghavendra R., & M. Seshagiri (2006) ‘Accent hits south's BPO job dreams’, Times of India , 10^th May

[5] Sharma, A. (2005) ‘ITeS industry to face huge manpower crunch’, Times of India , 15^th July

[6] Singh P. & A. Pandey (2005) ‘Women in call centres’, Economic and Political Weekly , 12^th February

[7] Singh S. (2005), ‘Quit the griping guys’, Rediff Business Desk , November

[8] Vidyasagar, N. (2004) ‘Sam and his software’, Times of India , 14^th April

[9] Young Professionals Collective and Focus on the Global South, India (2005) ‘When the wind blows – An overview of business process outsourcing (BPO) in India’, Focus on the Global South, India , September.