Power Distance and Knowledge Management from a Post-Taylorist Perspective
Contact centres have been exemplars of scientific management in the discipline of operations management for more than a decade now. With the movement of industries from a resource based economy to knowledge based economy businesses have started to realize the customer eccentricity being the key to sustainability amidst high velocity of the market. However, as technologies have converged and advanced, so have the contact centres. Contact Centres have redirected the supply chains and the concept of retailing is highly diminished due to over exaggeration of cost reduction strategies. In conditions of high environmental velocity together with services featuring considerable information intensity contact centres will require up to date and enlightened agents to satisfy the demands placed upon them by those requesting their services. In this paper we examine salient factors such as Power Distance, Knowledge structures and the dynamics of job specialisation and enlargement to suggest critical success factors in the domain of contact centres.
[1] Porter, M.E., Competitive Advantage, The Free Press. New York, 1985,
pp 11-15.
[2] Robinson, G. and Morley, C., "Call Centre Management:
Responsibilities and Performance", International Journal of Service
Industry Management, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 284-300, 2006.
[3] Yeh, Y. J., Lai, S. Q. and, Ho, C. T., "Knowledge Management
Enablers: A Case Study", Industrial Management and Data Systems,
Vol. 106, No. 6, pp. 793-810, 2006.
[4] Hofstede, G., "Motivation, leadership, and organization: Do American
theories apply abroad? ", Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp.
42-63, 1980.
[5] Khatri, N., "Consequences of Power Distance Orientation in
Organizations", VISION-The Journal of Business Perspective, Vol. 13,
No. 1, pp. 1-9, Jan. 2009.
[6] Taylor, F.W., The Principles of Scientific Management, Digireads.com
Publishing, KS, USA, 2008.
[7] Garrison, J., "Realism, Deweyan Pragmatism, and Educational
Research", Educational Researcher, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 5-14, Jan. 1994.
[8] Darwin, J., Johnson, P. and Mcauley, J., Developing strategies for
change, Pearson Education, England, 2002.
[9] Mintzberg, H., "Structure in 5s: A Synthesis of the research on
organization design", Management Science, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 322-341,
1980.
[10] Fernie, S. And Metcalf, D., (Not) Hanging on the Telephone: Payment
Systems in the New Sweatshops, Centre for Economic Performance,
London School of Economics, London, 1997.
[11] Crome, M., "Call Centres: battery farming or free range?", Industrial
and Commercial Training, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 137-141, 1998.
[12] Knights, D. and McCabe, D., "What happens when the phone goes wild?
: staff, stress, and spaces for escape in a BPR telephone banking work
regime", Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp.163-194,
1998.
[13] Taylor, P. and Bain, P., "An assembly line in the head: work and
employee relations in the call centre", Industrial Relations Journal, Vol.
30, No. 2, pp. 101-117, 1999.
[14] Bain, P. and Taylor, P., "Entrapped by ÔÇÿelectronic panopticon-? Worker
resistance in the call centre", New Technology, Work and Employment,
Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 2-18, 2001.
[15] Mulholland, K., "Gender, emotional labour and team working in call
centre", Personnel Review, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 283-303, 2002.
[16] Russell, B., "Call Centres: A decade of research", International Journal
of Management Reviews, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp 198, Sept. 2008.
[17] Wallace, C.M., Eagleson, G. and Waldersee, R., "The sacrificial HR
strategy in call centres", International Journal of Service Industry
Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 174-84, 2000.
[18] Taylor, P., Mulvey, G., Hyman, J. and Bain, P., "Work organization,
control and the experience of work in call centres", Work, Employment
and Society, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 133-150, 2002.
[19] Parikh, V. and Walton, J., "A phenomenological study of the impact of
knowledge intensity and environmental velocity on in source or hosted
contact centres", Proceedings of IADIS International Conference, pp.
393-398, 2011.
[20] Holman, D., Chissick, C., and Totterdell, P., "The effects of
performance monitoring on emotional labour and well being in call
centres", Motivation and Emotion, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 57-81, 2002.
[21] Wilson, J.P., "Training and skills in contact centres", paper presented at
the 6th UFHRD/AHRD Conference on Human Resource Development
Research and Practice Across Europe, Tilburg, 23-25 May.
[22] Connell, J. and Hannif, Z., "Call centres, quality of work life and HRM
practices: An in-house/outsourced comparison", Human Resource
Management, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 363-381., 2009.
[23] Mahesh, V.S. and Kasturi, A., "Improving call centre agent
performance: A UK-India study based on the agents- point of view",
International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 17, No. 2,
pp. 136-157, 2006.
[24] Raz, A.E. and Blank, E., "Ambiguous professionalism: managing
efficiency and service quality in an Israeli call centre", New
Technology, Work and Employment, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 83-96, March
2007.
[25] Peaucelle, J.L., "From Taylorsim to post-Taylorism: Simultaneously
pursuing several management objectives", Journal of Organizational
Change Management, Vol. 13, No. 5, pp.452-467, 2000.
[26] Jarzabkowski, P. and Wilson, D.C., "Actionable Strategy Knowledge: A
Practice Perspective", European Management Journal, Vol. 24, No. 5,
pp. 348-367, Oct. 2006.
[27] Ashby, W.R., "Requisite Variety and its implications for the control of
complex systems", Cybernetica, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp.83-99, 1958.
[28] Hofstede, G., Culture-s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviours,
Institutions and Organizations across Nations, Thousand Oaks, CA,
2001.
[29] Ghosh, A., "Power Distance in Organizational Contexts - A Review of
Collectivist Cultures", The Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol.
47, No. 1, pp. 89-101, Jul. 2011.
[30] Mulder, M., The Daily Power Game, Martinus Nijhoff, Leiden
Netherlands, 1977.
[31] Kumar, M.R. and Sankaran, S.,"Indian Culture and the Culture for
TQM: a comparison", The TQM Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 176-188,
2007.
[32] Chao, J.M.C., Cheung, F.Y.L, and Wu, A.M.S., "Psychological contract
breach and counterproductive workplace behaviours: testing moderating
effect of attribution style and power distance", The International Journal
of Human Resource Management, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 763-777, Feb.
2011.
[33] Houlihan, M., "Tensions and variations in call centre management
strategies", Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp.
67-85, Nov. 2002.
[34] Aksin, Z., Armony, M., and Mehrotra, V., " The modern Call Centre: A
Multi-Disciplinary Perspective on Operations Management Research",
Production and Operations Management, Vol. 16, No. 6, pp. 665-688,
Dec. 2007.
[35] Deery, S. and Kinnie, N., "Call Centres and beyond: a thematic
evaluation", Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp.
3-13, Nov. 2002.
[36] Dormann, C. and Zijlstra, F., "Call Centres: High on technology-high on
emotions", European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology,
Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 305-310, 2003.
[37] Strandberg, C. and Dalin, R., "The role of strategic context, operational
requirements, and work design in in-house call centres in the financial
sector", Managing Service Quality, Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 544-564, 2010.
[38] Townsend, K., "Recruitment, Training, and Turnover: another call
centre paradox", Personnel Review, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 476-490, 2007.
[39] Grayson, C. J. and O-Dell, C., "If Only We Knew What We Know",
California Management Review, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 154-174, 1998.
[40] Koh, S.C.L, Gunasekaran, A., Thomas, A. and Arunachalam, S, "The
application of knowledge management in call centres", Journal of
Knowledge Management, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 56-69, 2005.
[41] Bollinger, A.S. and Smith, R.D., "Managing organizational knowledge
as a strategic asset", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 5, No. 1,
pp. 8-18, 2001.
[42] Brown, J. and Duguid, P., "Balancing act: how to capture knowledge
without killing it", Harvard Business Review, Vol. 78, No. 3, pp. 73-80,
2000.
[43] Scheraga, D., "Knowledge management competitive advantages
becomes a key issue", Chemical Market Reporter, Vol. 254, No. 17,
pp.3, 27, 65, Oct. 1998.
[44] Boisot, M., Knowledge Assets: Securing Competitive Advantage in the
Information Economy, Oxford University Press, UK, pp. 3, June, 1998.
[45] Boisot, M., Information Space: A Framework for Learning in
Organizations, Institutions and Culture, Routledge, London, 1995.
[46] Boisot, M. and Cox, B, "The I-space: a framework for analyzing the
evolution of social computing", Tehcnovation, Vol. 19, No. 9, pp. 525-
536, Jan. 1999.
[47] Boisot, M. and Child, J., "Organizations as Adaptive Systems in
Complex Environments: The case of China", Organization Science, Vol.
10, No. 3, pp. 237-252, Jun. 1999.
[48] Kauffman, S., The Origins of Order, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
UK, 1993.
[49] Nonaka, I., "A dynamic theory of organizational knowledge", Creation,
Organization Science, Vol. 5, pp. 14-37, 1994
[1] Porter, M.E., Competitive Advantage, The Free Press. New York, 1985,
pp 11-15.
[2] Robinson, G. and Morley, C., "Call Centre Management:
Responsibilities and Performance", International Journal of Service
Industry Management, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 284-300, 2006.
[3] Yeh, Y. J., Lai, S. Q. and, Ho, C. T., "Knowledge Management
Enablers: A Case Study", Industrial Management and Data Systems,
Vol. 106, No. 6, pp. 793-810, 2006.
[4] Hofstede, G., "Motivation, leadership, and organization: Do American
theories apply abroad? ", Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp.
42-63, 1980.
[5] Khatri, N., "Consequences of Power Distance Orientation in
Organizations", VISION-The Journal of Business Perspective, Vol. 13,
No. 1, pp. 1-9, Jan. 2009.
[6] Taylor, F.W., The Principles of Scientific Management, Digireads.com
Publishing, KS, USA, 2008.
[7] Garrison, J., "Realism, Deweyan Pragmatism, and Educational
Research", Educational Researcher, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 5-14, Jan. 1994.
[8] Darwin, J., Johnson, P. and Mcauley, J., Developing strategies for
change, Pearson Education, England, 2002.
[9] Mintzberg, H., "Structure in 5s: A Synthesis of the research on
organization design", Management Science, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 322-341,
1980.
[10] Fernie, S. And Metcalf, D., (Not) Hanging on the Telephone: Payment
Systems in the New Sweatshops, Centre for Economic Performance,
London School of Economics, London, 1997.
[11] Crome, M., "Call Centres: battery farming or free range?", Industrial
and Commercial Training, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 137-141, 1998.
[12] Knights, D. and McCabe, D., "What happens when the phone goes wild?
: staff, stress, and spaces for escape in a BPR telephone banking work
regime", Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp.163-194,
1998.
[13] Taylor, P. and Bain, P., "An assembly line in the head: work and
employee relations in the call centre", Industrial Relations Journal, Vol.
30, No. 2, pp. 101-117, 1999.
[14] Bain, P. and Taylor, P., "Entrapped by ÔÇÿelectronic panopticon-? Worker
resistance in the call centre", New Technology, Work and Employment,
Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 2-18, 2001.
[15] Mulholland, K., "Gender, emotional labour and team working in call
centre", Personnel Review, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 283-303, 2002.
[16] Russell, B., "Call Centres: A decade of research", International Journal
of Management Reviews, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp 198, Sept. 2008.
[17] Wallace, C.M., Eagleson, G. and Waldersee, R., "The sacrificial HR
strategy in call centres", International Journal of Service Industry
Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 174-84, 2000.
[18] Taylor, P., Mulvey, G., Hyman, J. and Bain, P., "Work organization,
control and the experience of work in call centres", Work, Employment
and Society, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 133-150, 2002.
[19] Parikh, V. and Walton, J., "A phenomenological study of the impact of
knowledge intensity and environmental velocity on in source or hosted
contact centres", Proceedings of IADIS International Conference, pp.
393-398, 2011.
[20] Holman, D., Chissick, C., and Totterdell, P., "The effects of
performance monitoring on emotional labour and well being in call
centres", Motivation and Emotion, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 57-81, 2002.
[21] Wilson, J.P., "Training and skills in contact centres", paper presented at
the 6th UFHRD/AHRD Conference on Human Resource Development
Research and Practice Across Europe, Tilburg, 23-25 May.
[22] Connell, J. and Hannif, Z., "Call centres, quality of work life and HRM
practices: An in-house/outsourced comparison", Human Resource
Management, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 363-381., 2009.
[23] Mahesh, V.S. and Kasturi, A., "Improving call centre agent
performance: A UK-India study based on the agents- point of view",
International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 17, No. 2,
pp. 136-157, 2006.
[24] Raz, A.E. and Blank, E., "Ambiguous professionalism: managing
efficiency and service quality in an Israeli call centre", New
Technology, Work and Employment, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 83-96, March
2007.
[25] Peaucelle, J.L., "From Taylorsim to post-Taylorism: Simultaneously
pursuing several management objectives", Journal of Organizational
Change Management, Vol. 13, No. 5, pp.452-467, 2000.
[26] Jarzabkowski, P. and Wilson, D.C., "Actionable Strategy Knowledge: A
Practice Perspective", European Management Journal, Vol. 24, No. 5,
pp. 348-367, Oct. 2006.
[27] Ashby, W.R., "Requisite Variety and its implications for the control of
complex systems", Cybernetica, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp.83-99, 1958.
[28] Hofstede, G., Culture-s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviours,
Institutions and Organizations across Nations, Thousand Oaks, CA,
2001.
[29] Ghosh, A., "Power Distance in Organizational Contexts - A Review of
Collectivist Cultures", The Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol.
47, No. 1, pp. 89-101, Jul. 2011.
[30] Mulder, M., The Daily Power Game, Martinus Nijhoff, Leiden
Netherlands, 1977.
[31] Kumar, M.R. and Sankaran, S.,"Indian Culture and the Culture for
TQM: a comparison", The TQM Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 176-188,
2007.
[32] Chao, J.M.C., Cheung, F.Y.L, and Wu, A.M.S., "Psychological contract
breach and counterproductive workplace behaviours: testing moderating
effect of attribution style and power distance", The International Journal
of Human Resource Management, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 763-777, Feb.
2011.
[33] Houlihan, M., "Tensions and variations in call centre management
strategies", Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp.
67-85, Nov. 2002.
[34] Aksin, Z., Armony, M., and Mehrotra, V., " The modern Call Centre: A
Multi-Disciplinary Perspective on Operations Management Research",
Production and Operations Management, Vol. 16, No. 6, pp. 665-688,
Dec. 2007.
[35] Deery, S. and Kinnie, N., "Call Centres and beyond: a thematic
evaluation", Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp.
3-13, Nov. 2002.
[36] Dormann, C. and Zijlstra, F., "Call Centres: High on technology-high on
emotions", European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology,
Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 305-310, 2003.
[37] Strandberg, C. and Dalin, R., "The role of strategic context, operational
requirements, and work design in in-house call centres in the financial
sector", Managing Service Quality, Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 544-564, 2010.
[38] Townsend, K., "Recruitment, Training, and Turnover: another call
centre paradox", Personnel Review, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 476-490, 2007.
[39] Grayson, C. J. and O-Dell, C., "If Only We Knew What We Know",
California Management Review, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 154-174, 1998.
[40] Koh, S.C.L, Gunasekaran, A., Thomas, A. and Arunachalam, S, "The
application of knowledge management in call centres", Journal of
Knowledge Management, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 56-69, 2005.
[41] Bollinger, A.S. and Smith, R.D., "Managing organizational knowledge
as a strategic asset", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 5, No. 1,
pp. 8-18, 2001.
[42] Brown, J. and Duguid, P., "Balancing act: how to capture knowledge
without killing it", Harvard Business Review, Vol. 78, No. 3, pp. 73-80,
2000.
[43] Scheraga, D., "Knowledge management competitive advantages
becomes a key issue", Chemical Market Reporter, Vol. 254, No. 17,
pp.3, 27, 65, Oct. 1998.
[44] Boisot, M., Knowledge Assets: Securing Competitive Advantage in the
Information Economy, Oxford University Press, UK, pp. 3, June, 1998.
[45] Boisot, M., Information Space: A Framework for Learning in
Organizations, Institutions and Culture, Routledge, London, 1995.
[46] Boisot, M. and Cox, B, "The I-space: a framework for analyzing the
evolution of social computing", Tehcnovation, Vol. 19, No. 9, pp. 525-
536, Jan. 1999.
[47] Boisot, M. and Child, J., "Organizations as Adaptive Systems in
Complex Environments: The case of China", Organization Science, Vol.
10, No. 3, pp. 237-252, Jun. 1999.
[48] Kauffman, S., The Origins of Order, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
UK, 1993.
[49] Nonaka, I., "A dynamic theory of organizational knowledge", Creation,
Organization Science, Vol. 5, pp. 14-37, 1994
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:63811", author = "John Walton and Vishal Parikh", title = "Power Distance and Knowledge Management from a Post-Taylorist Perspective", abstract = "Contact centres have been exemplars of scientific management in the discipline of operations management for more than a decade now. With the movement of industries from a resource based economy to knowledge based economy businesses have started to realize the customer eccentricity being the key to sustainability amidst high velocity of the market. However, as technologies have converged and advanced, so have the contact centres. Contact Centres have redirected the supply chains and the concept of retailing is highly diminished due to over exaggeration of cost reduction strategies. In conditions of high environmental velocity together with services featuring considerable information intensity contact centres will require up to date and enlightened agents to satisfy the demands placed upon them by those requesting their services. In this paper we examine salient factors such as Power Distance, Knowledge structures and the dynamics of job specialisation and enlargement to suggest critical success factors in the domain of contact centres.
", keywords = "Post Taylorism, Knowledge Management, Power
Distance, Organisational Learning", volume = "6", number = "10", pages = "2691-8", }
