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The Domestic Turn: Business Process Outsourcing and the Growing Automation of Kenyan Organisations

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  • Laura Mann
  • Mark Graham

Abstract

After observing the growth of the Indian and Filipino Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sectors, Kenyan policy-makers and managers made substantial investments in international internet infrastructure and BPO marketing campaigns. While observers continue to discuss the sector in terms of its international work opportunities, in recent years the sector has increasingly focused on contracts sourced from Kenyan and other East African clients. The government has also refocused efforts on attracting international BPO companies. This domestic turn signals both the difficulties of gaining access to overseas work due to the power of incumbents and the increasing use of the internet and ICT-enabled automation within Kenyan organisations. In effect, better connectivity has enabled a two-way globalisation of services: Kenyan BPO companies can access international work opportunities but connectivity has also contributed to the inflow of international business practices into Kenya. The conclusion examines what these shifts might entail for the sector and its workers in future.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Mann & Mark Graham, 2016. "The Domestic Turn: Business Process Outsourcing and the Growing Automation of Kenyan Organisations," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(4), pages 530-548, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:52:y:2016:i:4:p:530-548
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2015.1126251
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. DILI Ramces & BUNCAD Yve Joerella & PEREZ Yveth Jasmin, 2022. "Bpo Industry In Achieving Socio-Economic Development Inclusiveness And Local Governance In The Philippines," Management of Sustainable Development, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 14(2), pages 22-26, December.
    2. Mann, Laura & Kleibert, Jana Maria, 2020. "Capturing value amidst constant global restructuring? Information technology enabled services in India, the Philippines and Kenya," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103356, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Manning, Stephan, 2022. "From mainstream to niche: How value regimes shift in emerging economy upgrading," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    4. Jana M. Kleibert & Laura Mann, 2020. "Capturing Value amidst Constant Global Restructuring? Information-Technology-Enabled Services in India, the Philippines and Kenya," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(4), pages 1057-1079, September.
    5. Laura Mann, 2018. "Left to Other Peoples’ Devices? A Political Economy Perspective on the Big Data Revolution in Development," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 49(1), pages 3-36, January.
    6. Kleibert, Jana M. & Mann, Laura, 2020. "Capturing Value amidst Constant Global Restructuring? Information-Technology-Enabled Services in India, the Philippines and Kenya," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 32(4), pages 1057-1079.
    7. Melia, Elvis, 2020. "African jobs in the digital era: Export options with a focus on online labour," IDOS Discussion Papers 3/2020, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    8. Jana M. Kleibert & Laura Mann, 0. "Capturing Value amidst Constant Global Restructuring? Information-Technology-Enabled Services in India, the Philippines and Kenya," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 0, pages 1-23.
    9. Dianah Ngui Muchai & Peter Kimuyu, 2017. "Prospects for information and communications technology-enabled services in Kenya: The case of the mobile money transfer industry," WIDER Working Paper Series 086, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Keijser, Charlotte & Belderbos, René & Goedhuys, Micheline, 2021. "Governance and learning in global, regional, and local value chains: The IT enabled services industry in South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    11. Ayomikun Idowu & Amany Elbanna, 2022. "Digital Platforms of Work and the Crafting of Career Path: The Crowdworkers’ Perspective," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 441-457, April.
    12. Dianah Ngui Muchai & Peter Kimuyu, 2017. "Prospects for information and communications technology-enabled services in Kenya: The case of the mobile money transfer industry," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-86, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    13. Marcus M. Larsen & Ben Mkalama & Michael J. Mol, 2023. "Outsourcing in Africa: How do the interactions between providers, multinationals, and the state lead to the evolution of the BPO industry?," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(4), pages 432-452, December.

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