Offshoring and Working Conditions in Remote Work

Advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) combined with organizations seeking to reduce costs have led to a dramatic growth in service sector offshoring and outsourcing, most notably to developing countries such as India. Despite a burgeoning literature on this phenomenon, little attention has been given to the working and employment conditions that exist in the growing number of workplaces providing these IT-enabled services.

The authors address this phenomenon by examining and providing a historical context for the development of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. Using case study analysis of working conditions in four countries where this industry is large or growing, they give advice to policymakers and companies on how the growth of 'good quality' jobs can be promoted as these industries expand and mature around the world.