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Cited by 141Outsourcing and Supply Chain ManagementGlobal trade, sustainability, and social impactGlobalization, Economics, and Policies

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

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Mann, Laura, Graham, Mark·2016·The Journal of Development Studies
DOI 10.1080/00220388.2015.1126251
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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.

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  • State-led development strategies in Kenya have aimed at attracting foreign investment, and by the early 2000s, expanding communication capacities created new opportunities for transnational service work and Kenyan policymakers sought to capture a share of this economy.

    “To generate more employment opportunities, state-led development strategies have aimed at attracting foreign investment. By the early 2000s, expanding communication capacities created new opportunities for transnational service work and Kenyan policymakers sought to capture a share of this economy [83].”

    From 'The plan is just survival': Data Work in Kenya and the Regime of Entrapment (2026) · cites this paper as [83]

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Research works printed but not linked: 52

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Metadata

Authors
Mann, L., & Graham, M.
Affiliations
  • African Studies Centre (NL)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
Mann, Laura
ORCID
Venue
The Journal of Development Studies
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2016-03-22
Volume
52
Issue
4
Pages
530-548
ISSN
  • 0022-0388 (ISSN-L)
  • 1743-9140
DOI
10.1080/00220388.2015.1126251
OpenAlex
W2273066853
Cited by
141
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 114 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 2
FWCI
7.78
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The Journal of Development Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
ESRC-DFID (RES-167-25-0701 | ES/I033777/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Management Information Systems › Outsourcing and Supply Chain Management
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Global trade, sustainability, and social impact
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Globalization, Economics, and Policies
Keywords
business process outsourcing, automation, internet infrastructure, outsourcing policy, outsourcing workers

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