Call Centers and the Global Division of Labor

Call Centers and the Global Division of Labor
Author: Andrew J.R. Stevens
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2014-03-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1135118671

Call centers have come, in the last three decades, to define the interaction between corporations, governments, and other institutions and their respective customers, citizens, and members. The offshoring and outsourcing of call center employment, part of the larger information technology and information-technology-enabled services sectors, continues to be a growing practice amongst governments and corporations in their attempts at controlling costs and providing new services. While incredible advances in technology have permitted the use of distant and "offshore" labor forces, the grander reshaping of an international political economy of communications has allowed for the acceleration of these processes. New and established labor unions have responded to these changes in the global regimes of work by seeking to organize call center workers. These efforts have been assisted by a range of forces, not least of which is the condition of work itself, but also attempts by global union federations to build a bridge between international unionism and local organizing campaigns in the Global South and Global North. Through an examination of trade union interventions in the call center industries located in Canada and India, this book contributes to research on post-industrial employment by using political economy as a juncture between development studies, the sociology of work, and labor studies.

Watching Earth from Space

Watching Earth from Space
Author: Pat Norris
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2010-11-15
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1441969381

Our planet is constantly monitored by hundreds of space-borne instruments. This book describes the technology of those instruments and the sciences that provide useful information from them. It also discusses the political implications of space-borne monitoring. From the moment satellites were launched into orbit their ability to see what was happening on a global scale was appreciated — and feared. This well researched book strives to answer such diverse questions as: Are satellites really a threat to individual privacy? How bad, really, is climate change and global warming? Why can’t we find Osama bin Laden? Does the world have enough fresh water? The military side of the story is linked to the big security issues that we face, such as terrorism and civil wars. The civilian side of the story involves numerous successful collaborations in weather forecasting, navigation, communications, and other such "peaceful" uses of satellite surveillance. How the world handles the knowledge gained from these Earth watchers will be critical in the years to come, and Norris skillfully leads us through the issues and possible paths we can take.

Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia

Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia
Author: Anthony M. Townsend
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2013-10-07
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 039324153X

An unflinching look at the aspiring city-builders of our smart, mobile, connected future. From Beijing to Boston, cities are deploying smart technology—sensors embedded in streets and subways, Wi-Fi broadcast airports and green spaces—to address the basic challenges faced by massive, interconnected metropolitan centers. In Smart Cities, Anthony M. Townsend documents this emerging futuristic landscape while considering the motivations, aspirations, and shortcomings of the key actors—entrepreneurs, mayors, philanthropists, and software developers—at work in shaping the new urban frontier.

Communication Strategies for Today's Managerial Leader

Communication Strategies for Today's Managerial Leader
Author: Deborah Britt Roebuck
Publisher: Business Expert Press
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2012-01-24
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1606492004

Given that communication is the lifeblood of an organization, managerial leaders need to understand how to use communication strategies to build their teams to achieve organizational objectives. Studies repeatedly point to the impact communication skills have on the ability of managerial leaders to succeed or fail. Too often individuals move into managerial leadership roles without awareness of the need to improve their communication skills. These individuals may be subject matter experts whose technical skills allowed them to succeed as individual team members, but when placed in managerial leadership roles, they fail because they lacked the relationship building skills needed to foster teamwork. Therefore, this book provides the communication principles that are so critical for today's managerial leader. It builds a solid foundation while it guides readers in strategies to enhance their written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Most research has stated, and the author has found true in her own managerial leadership roles, a leader spends the majority of his or her day interacting with others. As managerial leaders, individuals face many challenging situations such as determining how to inspire a shared vision about goals and objectives, building trust within their unit, listening with an open mind, giving feedback, and encouraging collaboration, to name a few. The focus switches for the managerial leader from doing things to leading others. Therefore, this book is for anyone who currently serves as a managerial leader or for anyone who desires to manage and lead others. Most managerial communication books focus on the important written and oral communication skills. While the author believes these skills are critically important, she found in her role, as a managerial leader, she devoted the majority of her time to interpersonal communication. Leaders need to build teams and to maintain relationships with all stakeholders. The best way to make that happen is through skills such as listening, asking questions, and giving feedback. Therefore, this book includes an emphasis on interpersonal communication. As Chris M. Martin stated in a recent article, "The ability to communicate effectively may be the number one management quality." Therefore, this book will raise awareness relative to oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills so that individuals can become better managerial leaders.

The Gig Economy in India

The Gig Economy in India
Author: Pradip Ninan Thomas
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 115
Release: 2024-08-02
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1040103146

The Gig Economy in India explores the topic of gig work in India’s digital political economy, and the relationship between key factors such as start-ups, state governments, and platform providers. The book begins by placing the gig economy in context, defining the platform ecosystem and the Indian government’s perception of its problems and opportunities. Thomas then examines the critical dimensions of the gig economy in India, from its data infrastructure capabilities, the enabling role of venture capitals and FinTech, to government regulations. Attention is paid to the precarity of gig labour, the vagaries of algorithmic management, and the minimal legal support available for workers. The book also includes chapters on labour resistance and highlights some of the issues related to the ethics of artificial intelligence. Given the limited research on India as a case study, this volume fills a crucial gap in the literature. It will interest scholars in diverse fields such as business management, digital media, and communication studies.

State, Society and Information Technology in Asia

State, Society and Information Technology in Asia
Author: Dr Alan Chong Chia Siong
Publisher: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2015-01-28
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1472443810

Calling attention to the unique social and political uses being made of IT in Asia, in the service of offline and online causes predominantly filtered by pre-existing social milieus, the contributors examine the multiple dimensions of Asian differences in the sociology and politics of IT and show how present trends suggest that advanced electronic media will not necessarily be embraced in a smooth, unilinear fashion throughout Asia. This book will appeal to any reader interested in the nexus between society and IT in Asia.

Management Information Systems

Management Information Systems
Author: Kenneth C. Laudon
Publisher: Pearson Educación
Total Pages: 618
Release: 2004
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789702605287

Management Information Systems provides comprehensive and integrative coverage of essential new technologies, information system applications, and their impact on business models and managerial decision-making in an exciting and interactive manner. The twelfth edition focuses on the major changes that have been made in information technology over the past two years, and includes new opening, closing, and Interactive Session cases.

India in Search of Glory

India in Search of Glory
Author: Ashok Lahiri
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
Total Pages: 598
Release: 2023-01-23
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9354928374

India and the Indians have made some progress in 75 years after Independence. The number of literates has gone up. The Indians have become healthier and their life expectancy at birth has gone up. The proportion of people below the poverty line has also halved. But the shine from the story fades when India is compared with that of the East Asian Tigers and China. It looks good but not good enough. India looks far away from the glory it seeks. This issue forms the core subject matter of this book. It tries to argue why India could not achieve more and what all it could have achieved. It paints a picture of its possible future and highlights the areas that need immediate attention.