Dr Susheel Kandalgaonkar, is a senior faculty member at IMDR. He did his MA from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, MBA from the University of Pune, and PhD in Human Resource Management from the University of Pune in 1993. He has been teaching postgraduate courses in Management and Organizational Development at the Institute for over two decades. He has also participated in the design and delivery of the two-year day course PGDHR at the institute.

He has done research and consultancy in Organizational Development and Competency Mapping for small and large size manufacturing organizations (Twin Engineers Pvt. Ltd Pune and Baja Auto Ltd Chakan).

His expertise lies in the field of Theoretical Understanding and Practical Application of Institutional/Organizational Development and Qualitative Methodologies in Management Research.

He has also taken keen interest in the co-curricular activities at the institute. He has actively contributed as the Editor of the IMDR newsletter, ‘The Linkpin’ from 1991 to 2004. He has also worked as a Faculty-in-Charge of the Library 1982 to 2003. He has organized Social Sector projects with student volunteers for NPO, The Humanist Movement, in Pune.

He has also published several Papers and Articles. Prominent among these are: a   paper on “Holistic Pedagogy in Management Education” in the International Conference at IIM-B organized by Association Indian Management Scholars, 2003 and an article on “Coming to terms with HRD Philosophy” published in 2004.

Prof. Kandalgaonkar can be reached at director@imdr.edu.

Two poems by Susheel Kandalgaonkar, translated from the Marathi by Ashutosh Bhupatkar
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Coming to Terms with HRD philosophy

The note argues that articulating the assumptions of HRD theory is more important than the blind application of HRD technology for effective application. Predominantly, HRD works on the assumptions of Neo Classical economics which have their own impact in terms of practices and policies. The author argues that there is a need to look at alternative assumptions, in this case, the assumptions of Neo Institutional Economics which would probably help managers take a different perspective on HRD practices and policies. The term philosophy in this note is used to include alternative assumptions and perspectives that precede and are connected with methods and tools of application.

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Book review

“ A very short, fairly interesting and reasonably cheap book about Studying Organizations ” by Chris Grey 2005 Response Books, New Delhi

•  This is a different book in many ways. It is about organizational theory but with focus on organization as living system rather than as formal system with structures and systems. The author wants to present the “truth' he has discovered while studying theory of organization and also when he worked in business schools. Though written with a critical perspective, the author has maintained a conversational style to keep the discussion and debates interesting to the reader.

•  Mr. Grey works as a faculty in University of Cambridge. His basic degree is in Economics and as a young man detested other subjects in social sciences since they talked about airy \fairy debates with no definite answers to the problems. Later he discovered that organization, as work places can be better understood with political and ethical rather than economic explanation even though they did not use sophisticated mathematical tools.

•  In the introductory chapter the author takes pains to establish the connection between theory of organization and practice of management. Theory that is divorced from practice such as Weber's concept of pure bureaucracy in never found in pure form in the real organization and needs explanation. Also the so-called practices in HR and Culture management need to be examined for their theoretical soundness.

•  The author has rightly recognized that the purpose of organizational theory is not merely to explain the structure and designs but also to justify a particular kind of management practice. Hence, theory implicitly advocates a particular practice and ideology. It makes the manager see things differently so that he would do things differently like theories of human relations and change management. Theory advances certain agenda of management so that those practices of management become acceptable to employees. The author tries to uncover the truth behind this propaganda of organizational theory. He analyses well-known theories of bureaucracy, human relations, adhocracy or post bureaucracy and change management. He uses a critical perspective to give alternative explanations to the established theories with a belief that such a study of theory would lead to new and better ways of designing organizations and also improve what is being taught in B schools.

•  The most obvious thing that is missed out in conventional theory of organization and scientific theory of management is that people come to organizations not only for work but they also joke, argue, fight, despair, create fear, hope and live a range of feelings, thoughts and actions at the work place.

•  In the introductory chapter the author declares his sympathy for the interpretative school of OT and his cynicism for the positivist school. The former assumes that organizational reality doesn't have an objective existence but is constructed by people through their perceptions and actions and OT also contributes to this creation of reality. Hence unlike positivism organizational reality does not exist independent of theory,. Theory influences the perceptions and actions that produce organizational reality.

While discussing these serious academic issues, the author does not present himself as a scientist or a scholar but as a commentator and conversationalist. He invites the reader to participate, reflect and test his arguments based on their own experiences rather than accept the theory uncritically.

•  The structure of the book evolves through five themes that establishes a connection between OT and Management theory

Bureaucracy and scientific management

Human Relations theory and HRM

Organizational culture and self-management

Post bureaucracy and change management.

The last chapter focuses on the role and purpose of B schools in the contest of study of organizations and management.

The reviewer observes that the book avoids reference to two well-known theories viz Systems thinking and learning organizations. Both point towards the possible alternatives to the limitations of four theories selected by the author. For instance, the focus on instrumental rationality and means rather than the consequences in the theory Bureaucracy is addressed in the theory of double loop learning and action science (Chris Argyris). But the author is very right in his comment on the main limitations of OT in terms of the inability to deal with the ethical issue of organizing and managing. He rightly points out the assumptions of OT and management are essentially neutral and silent on ethical discussion and all attempts to give this dimension in B schools have remained superfluous. We need a better theory that integrates Management, OT and ethics. Unfortunately it is not available as of now.

Chris Grey comes out as a rare academician who is dissatisfied with the ideology advocated by OT and supported by management education and has written an interesting book, not only with critical spirit but also with a reformist passion. All students and faculty of management must read this very short, fairly interesting and reasonably cheap book, on studying organisations.

Security of women employees in BPO and call centers

SP Kandalgaonkar 13 May 2008

 Background

 On 4th November 07, twenty two year old Jyotikumari Ramnand Chaudhari, a BPO employee at a Wipro call center was raped and later killed by a cab driver and his associate. The driver was supposed to pick up a male employee but instead of picking up a male employee first, the driver, Purusottam Borate (26) and his friend Pradeep Kokade (20) picked up the victim. According to police, “it was preplanned.”

The news item threw shock waves in the concerned citizens of Pune and IT/ BPO managers. It is worthwhile to examine the responses of officials of industry, police and society at large to the tragic death of Jyotikumari and learn from the incident and do something so that such things do not happen in future.

This note is written to review the process of how our social, legal and economic institutions responded to the event. I shall also try to show the limitations of the so-called managerial approach to the security problem and propose an alternative approach to this vital and human issue of security of women employees.

Basic facts

First, let us see the factual scenario of the transportation facility in BPO industry of Pune. There are about 5,500 cabs engaged in local transportation on about 35,000 BPO employees daily in the city. High profile companies like Wipro, WNS, Converges, EDS, Infosys, EXL Axa use these cabs which are not owned by them They are outsourced. Background check and references are the weakest link in the otherwise efficient BPO operations.

Officials of Nasscom, CII and HR executives and senior managers defended themselves by pointing out the measures they have taken to tighten the security and made further suggestions to improve the system for transportation and security. Some of the solutions/ options are

1) Post a security guard in cabs of female employees.
2) Hire mini buses so that more employees would travel and reduce the chances of crime
3) Use centralized technology to monitor the speed and movement of cab drivers
4) Improve security and social awareness of employees through training and counseling.

 Now, let us examine the limitations of these solutions with a view to move towards the larger picture of the issue. The first option is of additional security in cabs. The preliminary findings of the Security Sensitization Committee formed recently by the Center for Police Research, Pune, reveal that most companies in IT/BPO industry employ security personnel directly through labour contractors. Also, above 40 % of the class IV employees in cafeterias, conferences rooms, housekeeping and security are employed on contract basis. The data shows that security personnel supplied by these contractors are mainly drawn from northern and eastern states (Patna and Moradabad). Police certify these employees on the basis of reference given by contract labour agencies. As there are no local references, these certificates are mere paper documents. Police do not get accurate information of these personnel. Unfortunately, even companies do not question or demand accurate information since they are not legally responsible for these personnel due to contract labour law. These employees are not educated and not aware about the legalities of employment contract. The contractors who take away 50% of their monthly income exploit them. They work at two places to survive. They are exhausted and demotivated. If security of female employees is given to such guards whose knowledge of local roads is minimal, what would be the quality of security is a big question mark.

The second option of mini buses is a sensible one but has been opposed by the employees and their parents as well. Interestingly, the reason for this opposition is that cab offers the perceived status that it comes to their house doors. This is how social status gets preference over security.

The third option of using US based technology with software that monitors the movements of cars with the help of a remote control is actively considered by some companies. But it is questionable whether the software would plug all holes in the security system. As one manager remarked: “We can monitor the cars but how can we stop the drivers from committing the crime? By the time we manage to track the errant driver, it might be too late. This software can be useful in post mortem but cannot prevent the crime.
Some companies have assigned car marshals who keep tabs on the movements of the cars. Inconsistent drivers are reported to the agency and are replaced by the agency.

 Best HR practices  Option four

HR managers of some companies have implemented the option of improving awareness of BPO employees with zeal. The common practice is to introduce a Code of Conduct and Dress Code for employees. The norms of acceptable behavior are written and circulated to the employees. Training and counseling programmes on themes like Family as social institution, Indian culture, relationship at work place, social responsibility are conducted with the help of experts in the field. Personal and group pressure is used in case of deviant behavior. BPO and call centers have a tradition of provocative clothing; hence companies have made dress code with dos and don’ts mandatory for men and women. Cab drivers are asked to undergo breath tests before and after duty hours to check alcohol consumption.

Interestingly the solution to the problem of security faced by BPO employees is dependent on the quality HR function in the company and the quality of the personnel supplied by the contractors. Crimes and other problems in BPO industry have provoked the international trade unions to take note of the situation. They have focused on Indian BPOs, call centers and private security agencies and have found that these organizations are deficient in work place democracy, as employees are not allowed of form unions. It is pointed out that only democratic processes can uncover the problems of crimes and violence.

 The Broader Picture

The Problem of security in call centers is not a micro or HR issue. It is very much connected with the socioeconomic and political issues as well. 

 Let us consider the macro level economic and political issues that have a bearing on the problem of security. It is a fact that BPOs, call centers and private contractual security service providers are off shoots of the globalized and capitalist economy. Corporate management that takes security as HR issues is also very much concerned about the business issues in competitive markets. The typical logic used by corporate managers in a globalized economy is to outsource all routine and less value added (transactional) activities and retain the core, value added (transformational) activity. Hence HR functions of payroll administration, recruitment at lower and middle levels, performance appraisal follow-ups, security, and transportation are outsourced. The repetitive part of this function is automated with the help of IT and people intensive part is given to suppliers and labor contractors. In Pune, all major manufacturing and service companies depend on labor contractors for transportation and security. It has multiple benefits (and losses also). It is cost effective, with no legal obligations and above all it weakens the positions of organized unions. But in management parlor it is justified in terms of improving competitive advantage, survival in markets and so on. It is interesting to note that with all the debate and discussion in the press after the tragic death of Jyotikumari, no corporate manager has mentioned the root cause of low security in the so called idealized new economy that treats people’s issues in terms of monetary benefits. Hence the drivers of BPO cabs will be hired form the agencies that provide contract labour. Nobody can challenge this fact of the new economy.

Social Divide

Also there is a sociological dimension to the specific issue of cab divers in Pune. Interestingly the Center for PoliceResearh, Pune has done a study on the issue. It is found that BPO employees are mostly teenagers and come from English medium schools. They have psychological immaturity, and are unaware of cultural and social responsibility. They have easy/ pocket money since they come from middle class, economically sound families. In contrast, the cabdriver though of same age group, comes from an economically depressed class, is less educated, earns very low income even after hard work every day and is a contract worker, exploited by the agency and the company. The two classes of Indian society in the city travel together every day in closed and comfortable cabs. When BPO teenager returns home, he is dreaming and planning his weekend entertainment. The cab driver spends his time with other youngsters from the same social class. Many a time, the young boys and girls in the cabs misbehave, use obscene language, gossip long hours on cell phones. Their behavior towards the driver is snobbish and arrogant. Naturally, a sense of hatred and jeaolousy is generated in young cab drivers. They tend to become mechanical and insensitive. They find it difficult to focus when BPO teenagers misbehave in rear seats. When the cab is late, their wages are deducted and sometimes asked to sit at home as a penalty. When cab drivers stay together, as in case of contract labour, they plan the criminal acts of thefts, damage to property and assault on women. These are the findings of the Security Sensitization Committee formed under the auspices of Center for police research Pune.

Conclusion

The security of women employees in BPO deserves serious attention from industry, police and other institutions of the society. So far, the attempts made HR managers and police are laudable but the definition and the solution to the problem needs participation of all players in the field. The issue needs to be dealt at an institutional level rather than at
corporate and administrative levels.

(This note is based on information collected from esakal and TNN. Analysis and conclusions are mine) 

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susheel@imdr.edu