subject: I, the Graduating Engineering Student Turned Incidental Writer (thirteenth stride) - Basic premises 3 [print this page] Foreword Foreword
This series of articles, on the travails and torments of required writing for school term papers, thesis or dissertation, are purposely taken in the point of view of the student in the graduating or senior years. Hopefully, they reveal how much anguish and agony he goes through in every phase of the activity he is obliged to present, even to defend in front of a panel of peers, prior to receiving his much toiled-for diploma.
Previously
The graduating student is knee-deep in online research into the project study he now regards with somewhat tender attachment. Mellowed and appreciative of the opportunities life has handed him, he therefore becomes more heedful of the plight of the inhabitants of third world countries.
Outsourcing of services is generally resorted to in processes that:
are associated with the company's image enhancement
require minimal access to the company's intellectual properties and patents
incorporate core competencies with the least possible influence on overall operations
are non-labor intensive
Countries competing for leadership in outsourcing potential have to show:
written and spoken proficiencies in the English language
skilled workforce
flexible work hours
lower labor costs
available staff or management
Negative considerations must also be taken into account:
political and religious instability
cultural differences
internal competition for resources
rising labor costs
poor infrastructure
What many companies fail to recognize is the very high rate of attrition, in many cases as much as 40%. In fact, a staying period of 2 years may be thought of as better than expected. Some of the reasons given:
the industry preferentially hires dynamic and restless young people that easily becomes discontented and desirous of building their own career
individual talent is generally overlooked and all effort directed only to pleasing the clients
the job is perceived as upper societal by nature of the image presented by the work force
many consider the opportunity as simply temporary, a back-up income in between stable regular employment
monotonous semi-mechanical and repetitive operation during graveyard' hours thus very conducive to boredom and drowsiness
To counteract this problem, BPO firms are initiating and pushing steps on several fronts
hire more mature and emotionally reliable personnel
recognize personal talents to be suitably rewarded
encourage involvement in community-based programs
provide more tangible job security policies
as far as is practically possible, implement round-robin turns in responsible positions
or functions within the line-of-business or account
* * *
During the very recent recession in the United States, one item often brought up to decrease unemployment is to get back jobs outsourced abroad. Proponents argue that American goods and services designed for Americans are better handled in every phase by Americans themselves.
As I have found out and as demonstrated by the available data on the World Wide Web, keeping them overseas is the more economically sound alternative.
As mentioned earlier, definitely a WIN/WIN situation.
Next: the fourteenth stride - service break
I, the Graduating Engineering Student Turned Incidental Writer (thirteenth stride) - Basic premises 3
