'Cyber Coolies' in BPO

Based on a case study of call centre agents, the paper discusses the insecurities and vulnerabilities of labour in the new economic order, which is characterised by atypical norms of work and work organisation. These insecurities include high attrition rates, increased stress at work and erosion of worker collectivity. The emergence of a new genre of workers, with distinct features and differently conceived identity, enables the firm to draw and maintain a 'productively docile' workforce within the changed frames of work organisation and human resource management.