Articles producció científica> Gestió d'Empreses

Language as raw material, scripts as tools and conversations as product: effects of linguistic production on job categories in outsourced call centres

  • Identification data

    Identifier: imarina:6389780
    Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina6389780
    Authors:
    Alarcon, AmadoUbalde, JosepMc Heyman, Josiah
    Abstract:
    © 2020 Brian Towers (BRITOW) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd The article shows how linguistic criteria have become central when defining job categories in the outsourced call centre sector in Spain. Language occupies a central role in the production processes of informational capitalism: in call centres, language functions as the raw material, scripts as tools and conversations as a product. Yet the ways in which linguistic production affects key elements of job categories have received little attention. Drawing on in-depth interviews in the call centre sector, the analysis of scripts and collective agreements, this article shows how trade unions and workers are pushing to adapt Fordist arguments based on job autonomy to informational production, arguing that job categories may depend on linguistic autonomy from the scripts during the labour process.

  • Others:

    Author, as appears in the article.: Alarcon, Amado; Ubalde, Josep; Mc Heyman, Josiah
    Department: Gestió d'Empreses
    URV's Author/s: Alarcón Alarcón, Amado / UBALDE BUENAFUENTE, JOSEP
    Keywords: Work Quality Monitoring Linguistic standardisation Line Language skills Labor process Job categories Human-resource management Globalization Employment conditions Call centres
    Abstract: © 2020 Brian Towers (BRITOW) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd The article shows how linguistic criteria have become central when defining job categories in the outsourced call centre sector in Spain. Language occupies a central role in the production processes of informational capitalism: in call centres, language functions as the raw material, scripts as tools and conversations as a product. Yet the ways in which linguistic production affects key elements of job categories have received little attention. Drawing on in-depth interviews in the call centre sector, the analysis of scripts and collective agreements, this article shows how trade unions and workers are pushing to adapt Fordist arguments based on job autonomy to informational production, arguing that job categories may depend on linguistic autonomy from the scripts during the labour process.
    Thematic Areas: Strategy and management Sociologia i política Planejamento urbano e regional / demografia Management of technology and innovation Management Interdisciplinary research in the social sciences Human factors and ergonomics General o multidisciplinar Ergonomics Economia Ciencias sociales Business and management Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    ISSN: 1468005X
    Author's mail: amado.alarcon@urv.cat
    Author identifier: 0000-0003-4640-2681
    Record's date: 2025-02-19
    Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Paper original source: New Technology Work And Employment. 35 (1): 97-113
    APA: Alarcon, Amado; Ubalde, Josep; Mc Heyman, Josiah (2020). Language as raw material, scripts as tools and conversations as product: effects of linguistic production on job categories in outsourced call centres. New Technology Work And Employment, 35(1), 97-113. DOI: 10.1111/ntwe.12156
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
    Journal publication year: 2020
    Publication Type: Journal Publications

  • Keywords:

    Ergonomics,Human Factors and Ergonomics,Management,Management of Technology and Innovation,Strategy and Management
    Work
    Quality
    Monitoring
    Linguistic standardisation
    Line
    Language skills
    Labor process
    Job categories
    Human-resource management
    Globalization
    Employment conditions
    Call centres
    Strategy and management
    Sociologia i política
    Planejamento urbano e regional / demografia
    Management of technology and innovation
    Management
    Interdisciplinary research in the social sciences
    Human factors and ergonomics
    General o multidisciplinar
    Ergonomics
    Economia
    Ciencias sociales
    Business and management
    Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo

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