Indian Call Centre Workers: Vanguard of a Global Middle Class - Essay Example

Indian Call Centre Workers: Vanguard of a Global Middle Class? Contents Essay Title: 2 Introduction: 2 The research in the journal: 2 Research findings: 3 Evaluation of the article: 4 The Economic Effect- 5 The Political effect- 5 The Technological Effect- 6 Conclusion: 6 Essay Title: The title of the journal talks about the whole discussion done inside it. The Indian call center industry has given birth to a new group of people. Here in this industry mainly Indian youth are engaged starting from 20 years to 30 years of age approximately. This group of people who are call center employees, to some extent they have some similarities with the other Indian youth. But in a vast area they really differ a lot from the other population of the country. Due to the effect of globalization, the environment they are working in, the customers they are dealing with and the remuneration they are getting differs a lot from the other industry people. And mostly as these people belong from a financially middle class background, it can be said the due to this industry a portion of middle class society has changed a lot. So this journal’s title truly justifies the name given to it. Introduction: This article gives a view that how due to globalization changes has come in a particular level of the society. Here in this writing mainly Indian middle class change has been reflected. The call center industry has bring this change and the article has shown a research based analysis that how due to this particular industry a large amount of people has developed their lifestyle. The study shows how the lucrative high amount of salary is changing their habits in a westernized form by abolishing their own country’s social costumes and cultures. The data regarding this research has been taken from a large survey which includes in-depth interviews with Indian as well as other country’s people who are enjoying this particular developmental change. Not only real life survey, this article includes many theories of economics and sociology which explains the reason on this development and changes. All these real data and theoretical explanation together makes a clear picture about the recent changes in the social structure of these countries. Here globalization has been explained in an economic way where due to this social changes are taking place. The research in the journal: In the journal 2 approaches are mainly followed for collection of data. One is the electronic survey on a large scale basic and the second is interviewing in-depth personally. The data were mainly collected from Kolkata and Delhi region in the year 2006. The in- depth interview were conducted through a questionnaire consisting 61 questions. All these questions were based on comparison within facilities and opportunities got by Indian youth and the other international country’s youth. Later some other questions were added in this questionnaire regarding the social positioning, desired rank and attitude of building an international career. As a whole data were collected from both the genders and all profiles relating to the call center industry. 72 per cent were male and 28 females were the respondent. The age limit was from 20 years to 30 years. Research findings: The finding shows the following things: Most of the Indian choose the BPO industry because of the salary package. Normally a corporate person starts his/ her career in 10,000 to 12,000 rupees. Where as in the BPO sector the experienced one starts with a salary of 32,000 rupees and a fresher gets 15,000 to 17,000 rupees. So this sector is giving the opportunity to earn and live a better life style according to their choice. The research says that only due to the reason of getting better salary people prefer to the call centre jobs. Due to the increase of mall culture verities of branded shops and new and improved way of entertainment has been introduced in the society. Though these places are expensive but are constructed with innovative and international styles. These call center workers preferred to go for shopping, or movies and even having coffees in these malls, though the places are expensive. The research report says that among the respondent 84per cent attend shopping malls in a monthly basic, 82 per cent visits mall for food and 78 per cent of them prefers to watch movies there. This proves working with international connection they themselves have started preferring to visit an expensive and developed place to have a particular ambiance. Another very vital finding of this research is the fluency of English language. This industry demand a fluency of it and the people working in call center are so fond of speaking English that when they are not in their work, hanging out with friends and or watching television then all they use this language. So a natural interest towards this language also creates an interest to work in a call center. In the questionnaire many questions were asked relating to the buying habits and preferences of the respondent. Now-a-days to this population, the social status is determined by the acquiring of the consumer goods. Like the LCD TVs, motorbikes, DVD players, mobile phones and designer furniture. The environment of call centers are very stylish and people working there believes in continuous change and improved lifestyle which give them the mental satisfaction of achieving something. But on the other hand the researcher has found those people also who are working in the same sector do not support this kind of buying behavior. Many of them says that they do not work for acquiring thing rather work for saving, investing and expending. The call center people are more inclined towards globalization than the rest of the Indian youth. Most of them do not think that globalization can cause any harm to the society or culture. They are mostly interested to settle in abroad. A clear difference in thought, referencing and planning can be noticed in between the youth working in BPOs and the youth working in other sectors in India. In general Indian youth in their starting time of their career wants be have their own bike. But the call center workers along with bikes want to have their own cars for driving with their family and relatives. In case of personal relationship like- dating, getting married or having sexual relationship before marriage, there also clear difference in attitude are observed among the BPO workers and the general Indian youth. Here also the call center workers keep a similar view with the other international youth people. Even in case of working in night shifts women are not afraid off. But in the research some similarities are also noticed among the BPO workers and the general Indian youth. Like for example similarities in food habits. In the research 27 per cent of the population of India is vegetarians in food habits. This habit is strictly followed by most of the Indian youth. In case of drinking alcohol also a similarities is been noticed. It is given in the journal that 61 percent of the population drinks occasionally and where as 2 per cent of the respondent reported to drink daily. Even among the respondent only 68 per cent of male and 40 per cent of female have found takes alcohol. Many are also found who have never taken any type of alcohol. Mainly the urban areas it has been found people who take alcohol frequently. Evaluation of the article: The Socio Cultural Effect - The article explains very critically how this call center jobs has change a group of people’s life style. Due to the boom of globalization the socio cultural change has happened rapidly. While going through the article we can find many analyses of impacts on economy due to the change brought in by globalization. Like –Variations on Imperialism theory. This theory mainly explains the economic changes in the developing country along with the changes happening in the world economy. This approach mainly refers that the impact of globalization is not so helpful in the overall development of a developing country. The effect is more external in nature and to some extent unidirectional also. Another theory relating to the social changes found in the article says, that the impact of “The Colonial” and “The Post Colonial Period” have influenced the socio cultural area of those country so much that a new “Hybrid” identity people have occurred. The influence of European and American culture was so much in case of colonies they have established in early time, that those people still have not come out from that influence standing in the twenty first century. Rather they want to follow the western culture more and more while formatting their life style. The job like call center where they are directly interacting with the western world people, this gives them more opportunity to expand this “Hybrid” identity. The Economic Effect- Again from the side of economy the article has explained that how this new group of people is contributing in the development of the economy of that country. In economics consumption is considered as a key aspect of any person’s habit. Now among these call center employees most of them have found that they are very much fashion conscious and always want betterment in their life. The place where they are living, the foods they are having, the dresses they are wearing as well as the accessories they are carrying with them, all have to be latest trended and designed. Not only this, this particular group of people is very much brand conscious and are ready to pay extra amounts for acquiring their desired things. In this article it can be found that the people working in the call center industry have a natural incline towards international commodities starting from car to mobile phones. A general habit of acquiring commodities which is might not be needed at that very point of time is being noticed as a habit of this group of people. So this purchasing habit has a direct influence in the development of the country’s economy. The Political effect- The article has explained this effect of change from the political side of the country also. India from the very beginning of globalization has proved to be a very prominent developing country. The post-independent time of the country was driven first by Nehru’s ideas and then by the Gandhi’s policies. Nehru has the vision of developing the industries of the country where as Gandhi gave more emphasis on developing the rural portion of India with new and improved technology. It has been noticed from very beginning that in Indian society the middle class people are a bit different from the rest of the population. They are intellectual, more concentrated in having higher education and followers of ethics and values of life. Due to the introduction of this particular industry the middle class people has developed the most. As this industry needs a fluency in English, most of the middle class background people try to give their children in an English medium school where the language will be teach in a better and developed manner. So this particular job has been accepted by these English medium background people very easily. This opportunity has derived a new middle class group now in the society. This group is termed as upper middle class. They are educated, very much believed in advancement and gives privilege to Western life style. They follow a same mentality in case of living the life and doing expenses. Mainly from 1980’s due to the globalization this new formed upper middle class group has the chance to acquire the branded products of world wide. It can be said that from this time this group of people gets the opportunity to follow the life style of the Western countries. The development and the change have happened in Indian culture from the political side but this development is not similar with the development dreamed by the leaders of India after the independence. This change is very much due to copy the western culture and in most of the cases it is found that the originality of Indian culture and social values are becoming unimportant to this group of people. The middle class society has always remained a big hope for the Indian economy. As they are the educated people following the Indian values and ethics. But this change has though made the development of economic side of the country but at the same time it is destroying the originality of the people. These call center workers are more interested in following other countries culture and values. Even they want to make their life style like the Western countries ignoring their own countries simplicity and values. The Technological Effect- The development in this sector has happened in several stages in India. Like in 1980’s several due to the need of software technology experts in worldwide, many soft ware engineers were exported to the different developed countries in the world. But introduction of internet broad bands and development in the networking systems of the business has made it easier for the Indians to work with foreign companies. Now there is no need to go and settle to some foreign country to work with them or to give them any services. Through internet both the front office as well as the back office jobs can be done. The amount of one million Indians is related with this call center job through the application of improved technology. Conclusion: The article has shown very beautifully how changes have happened in a specific group of people working in the call center environment. Much evidence has given in relating to the purchasing habits of the BPO employees. Also the effects of these changes in the socio cultural, economy of the country as well as in the politics of the country are being discussed. It has also being discussed in the article the challenges what they have to face working in a BPO. Fluency in English is a must in this job but along with that a person has to have power to understand the actual demand of the customer. There is a huge difference in the cultural back ground of the BPO customers. So a call center employee has to be aware of this difference whiling dealing with a foreign client. No matter with what product he/she is dealing with, may be a financial product or any credit card or collection of any unpaid amount, in all the cases an employee has to be conscious about these points. In case of female workers of this sector also a huge change can be noticed in their attitude. They loves to wear jeans, goes to bars and supports of having same position in the society what a man gets. As they also earns a good amount of money, can take care of herself along with her family in a developed manner and have the confidence of performing job successfully (Patel, 2010). Lastly it can be said that in the beginning of the article an hypothesis is given that whether the call center worker have arise a new middle class group. After going through the article it can be said that the hypothesis is correct. In reality the BPO industry has given birth to a new middle class group which is has some difference with the rest of the Indian youth. Referencing: Patel. R , 2010. Working the Night Shift Women in India’s Call Center Industry Stanford University Press , Redwood City, CA. Read More