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The sacrificial HR strategy in call centers

Catriona M. Wallace (University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia)
Geoff Eagleson (University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia)
Robert Waldersee (Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)

International Journal of Service Industry Management

ISSN: 0956-4233

Article publication date: 1 May 2000

10552

Abstract

Balancing the competing objectives of efficiency and service typically requires management compromises to be made. However, some call centers have found that a compromise is not necessary. By using a “sacrificial HR strategy”, they achieve both efficiency and high levels of service at the same time. This is possible because part of the sacrificial HR strategy is the deliberate, frequent replacement of employees in order to provide enthusiastic, motivated customer service at low cost to the organization. Describes a multiple‐case analysis of four call centers and the sacrificial HR strategy they used. The contingencies leading to the appearance of this strategy are discussed.

Keywords

Citation

Wallace, C.M., Eagleson, G. and Waldersee, R. (2000), "The sacrificial HR strategy in call centers", International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 174-184. https://doi.org/10.1108/09564230010323741

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited

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