Teleservices, Call Centres and Urban and Regional Development

This article exarnres the char-crcter c.f cull centres, which ut-euttractirzg considerable interest among economic cleveloprnen agencies seeking to attract inward irzvestment. The paper examines the type of eniployment provided in call centres, their locational requirenzents ancl their wider- impact orz loccrl economies. It is argued that irlformation and communications technologies (ICTs) are allowitlg these telesewice firrns to develop in new locations, but that call centres remain constrained in their locational choices especially because ofthe uneven distributiori of labour: It is concluded that call centres providing teleservices contribute to local economic developmerzt, but the employnzent created on the whole terzcls to be of low quality. Few mancrgeriul, professional or teclznical jobs errs created in rnost call centres, and there crre few local spin-offs. Inrvard irvestment by these sorts of services in less-fnvoured areas displays many of !he drawbacks associated tvith trcrditionul inanfacturing inward investment.