THE WORKPLACE, THE SOCIETY AND THE WIDER WORLD: THE OFFSHORING AND OUTSOURCING INDUSTRY

The movement of professional services and multinational back office functions from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia to developing countries in South America, Eastern Europe, and North and Southeast Asia makes great economic sense to both parties. However, the political, social, and educational repercussions on the market economy of outsourcing to these destinations are less clear. In some countries where the offshore and outsourcing (O&O) industry is expanding, such as the Philippines, language policy in the schools and in vocational and other tertiary sectors is being mandated to underpin the success of this multibillion-dollar industry. Social change is also occurring: Social roles and family structures are changing to accommodate night shifts; the incomes of new graduates,especially women, employed in the O&O sector are lifting families out of poverty; the increasing number of women earning a substantial income is expanding the domestic retail sector. The continuing success and expansion of the O&O industry in countries such as the Philippines and India is dependent on the effective English language proficiency and performance of customer service representatives (CSRs), who must keep native English-speaking customers satisfied through smooth and efficient communication around their problems.