The Rural BPO Sector in India: Encouraging Inclusive Growth through Entrepreneurship

Meeting Social Objectives with Offshore Service Work: Evaluating Impact Sourcing in the Philippines

“…Its ambition is to deliver high-quality information-based services produced by marginalized groups in (predominantly) the Global South. Impact-sourcing service providers mediate between clients and employees to balance the dual objectives of providing high-value services at low cost for clients and meaningful employment to marginalized individuals by giving them access to IT-enabled service jobs (Madon and Ranjini 2016). Because ICTs connect workers to work irrespective of their location (Friedman 2005;Levy 2005), these technologies could help overcome the social, cultural, and physical barriers that might otherwise exclude marginalized groups from participating in the labor market (Monitor Group 2011; Everest Group 2014).…”

“…Some studies have approached the model from an entrepreneurial angle and analyzed the seemingly contrasting social and commercial aspects of impact sourcing on service providers' strategic decision making (e.g., Gino and Staats 2012;Nicholson et al 2015;Sandeep and Ravishankar 2015b) and on how they position themselves in the local community (e.g., Sandeep and Ravishankar 2015a). Other studies have examined the effects of impact sourcing on service workers (e.g., Heeks and Arun 2010;Lacity, Rottman, and Carmel 2014;Madon and Sharanappa 2013; and Morgan 2013) and on their local communities (see Madon and Ranjini 2016). Some scholars suggest that impact sourcing has the potential to foster socioeconomic development in the Global South by providing (direct and indirect) employment to marginalized communities and by enhancing their knowledge and skill sets (Heeks and Arun 2010;Madon and Sharanappa 2013;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013;Madon and Ranjini 2016).…”

“…Other studies have examined the effects of impact sourcing on service workers (e.g., Heeks and Arun 2010;Lacity, Rottman, and Carmel 2014;Madon and Sharanappa 2013; and Morgan 2013) and on their local communities (see Madon and Ranjini 2016). Some scholars suggest that impact sourcing has the potential to foster socioeconomic development in the Global South by providing (direct and indirect) employment to marginalized communities and by enhancing their knowledge and skill sets (Heeks and Arun 2010;Madon and Sharanappa 2013;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013;Madon and Ranjini 2016).…”

Digital Economies at Global Margins

“…of ICT( Heeks and Arun 2010 ;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013;Madon and Sharanappa 2013 ). Moreover, they found that involvement in impact sourcing helps service workers build their self-esteem and improves the social empowerment of female workers, who experience greater respect, recognition, and acceptance within their families( Heeks and Arun 2010 ;Madon and Sharanappa 2013 ;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013).Evidently, the social and economic benefits gained by service workers spill over to their communities( Heeks and Arun 2010 ;Madon and Ranjini 2016 ;Madon and Sharanappa 2013 ;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013). Employment in an impact-sourcing initiative could positively influence children's futures if it increases spending by service workers on their children's education( Heeks and Arun 2010 ;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013).…”

“…Employment in an impact-sourcing initiative could positively influence children's futures if it increases spending by service workers on their children's education( Heeks and Arun 2010 ;Malik, Nicholson, and Morgan 2013). Moreover, the increase in income among service workers provides an injection into the local economy through their consumer expenditures( Heeks and Arun 2010 ;Madon and Ranjini 2016 ). As a result, small-time local vendors may flourish.…”