CLI3L Service Ltd,-SaiLakshmi Bhaskaran-0497

CLI3L e-Services Limited
A STUDY ON CORPORATE CULTURE IN BPO

INDUSTRY AL CLI3L e-Services Limited, Bangalore.
A DISSERTATON SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION DEGREE FOR
BANGALORE UNIVERSITY
BY
Ms. SAI LAKSHMI BHASKARAN
Under the guidance and supervision
Of
Prof. NANDINI VAIDYANATHAN
M P Birla Institute of Management
Bangalore
M P BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

Associate Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
BANGALORE
2006
1
M.P. Birla Institute Of Management
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this dissertation entitled "A study on

corporate culture in BPO Industry at CLI3L e–Service Ltd,
Bangalore, is the result of my own research work carried out under
the guidance and supervision of Mrs. Nandini Vaidhyanathan,
MPBIM Bangalore (Internal Guide) and Mr. --------------------------
- Bangalore (External Guide)
I also declare that this dissertation has not been submitted earlier to
any Institute/organization for the award of any degree or diploma
Place: Bangalore
Date: (Ms. Sai Lakshmi Bhaskaran)
2
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that this dissertation entitled "A study on corporate

culture in BPO Industry” at CLI3L e–Service Ltd, is the result of
research work carried out by Ms. Sai Lakshmi Bhaskaran under the
guidance of Mrs. Nandini Vaidhyanathan, M P Birla Institute of
Management, Bangalore (Internal Guide) and Mrs. Rinku Ganesh
Bangalore (External Guide).
Place: Bangalore
Date: (Dr N S Malavalli)

Principal
3
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that this dissertation entitled “A study on corporate

culture in BPO Industry at CLI3L e–Service Ltd, Bangalore is an
offshoot of the research work carried out by Ms. Sai Lakshmi
Bhaskaran under my guidance and supervision.
Place: Bangalore
Date: (Mrs. Nandini Vaidhyanathan)
4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my research guide Mrs.

NANDINI VAIDHYANATHAN, M. P. Birla Institute of Management,
Bangalore for her constant encouragement and guidance in the course of the
research investigation.
Further, I would also like to thank Dr.K.V PRABHAKAR and Prof.

SANTHANAM and for their help in completing the project. I have gained a
lot of knowledge throughout the course of carrying out this project.
I would also like to thank Mr. KINJAL CHOUDHARY, the HR Head and
Mrs. RINKU GANESH, the HR Manager, CLI3L e-service Ltd, for
allowing me to do a project in the company, and Mr. SUHAIL FAROOQ for
guiding me through the project.
I would like to sincerely thank my father and all my friends who have helped
me in completing this project by providing me with the academic support.
SAI LAKSHMI BHASKARAN
5
CONTENTS
CHAPTER TITLE PAGE NO
CHAPTER I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

CHAPTER II INTRODUCTION
 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 2
 PROBLEM STATEMENT 5
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 5
 OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 5
CHAPTER III COMPANY PROFILE 6

CHAPTER IV LITRATURE REVIEW 17
CHAPTER V RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 22
 RESEARCH DESIGN 22
 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE 23
 SAMPLING PROCEDURE 23
 SAMPLE SIZE 24
 SDAMPLE DISCRIPTION 24
 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS 25
 ACTUAL COLLECTION OF DATA 26
CHAPTER VI DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
 TEST OF HYPOTHESIS 27
CHAPTER VII FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 52
CHAPTER VIII CONCLUSION 56
CHAPTER IX ANNEXURE
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 57
 QUESTIONNAIRE 59
 DIRESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 61
6
Sl No. LIST OF TABLES PAGE No.
1 Table showing the employee's view on BPO Industry. 28
2 Table showing the atmosphere during training period. 30
3 Table showing the number of employees who were given 32

training on culture.
4 Table showing the number of employees trained over 34

accent.
5 Table shows the way employees address their superiors. 36
6 Table showing number of employees who follow the dress 38

code.
7 Table showing the type of dress code the employees follow. 40
8 Table shows the different festivals celebrated in office. 42
9 Table shows the leave allowance facilitated when it comes 44

to Indian National holidays and US/UK National holidays.
10 Table shows the number of employee's who had on-line 46

tests based on ethics and culture.
11 Table shows the frequency of fun activities conducted on 48

floor.
12 Table shows the number of employee's whose lifestyle has 50

been affected due to culture training.
7
Sl No. LIST OF GRAPHS PAGE No.
1 Graph showing the employee's view on BPO Industry. 29
2 Graph showing the atmosphere during training period. 31
3 Graph showing the number of employees who were given 33

training on culture.
4 Graph showing the number of employees trained over 35

accent.
5 Graph shows the way employees address their superiors. 37
6 Graph showing number of employees who follow the dress 39

code.
7 Graph showing the type of dress code the employees 41
follow.
8 Graph shows the different festivals celebrated in office. 43
9 Graph shows the leave allowance facilitated when it comes 45

to Indian National holidays and US/UK National holidays.
10 Graph shows the number of employee's who had on-line 47

tests based on ethics and culture.
11 Graph shows the frequency of fun activities conducted on 49

floor.
12 Graph shows the number of employee's whose lifestyle has 51

been affected due to culture training.
8
9
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A ‘culture’ refers to the distinctive way of life of a group of people, their

complete ‘design for a living’
Many articles and books have been written in recent years about culture in
organizations, usually referred to as "Corporate Culture." The dictionary
defines culture as "the act of developing intellectual and moral faculties,
especially through education." This writing uses a slightly different
definition of culture: "the moral, social, and behavioral norms of an
organization based on the beliefs, attitudes, and priorities of its members."
The terms "advanced culture" or "primitive culture" could apply to the first
definition, but not the latter.
Every organization has its own unique culture or value set. Most
organizations don't consciously try to create a certain culture. The culture of
the organization is typically created unconsciously, based on the values of
the top management or the founders of an organization.
The main objective of this research is to understand in a multicultural

situation like BPO, how one common culture emerges and also to study how
the existence of different cultures affects the lifestyle of the employees.
10
11
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
CULTURE
Culture can be defined from many perspectives, according to the social

science one is involved with. Naturally almost all studies in the related fields
of social sciences tried to define culture in one way or another. One of the
best known and probably the most used is the study by Kluckhohn. He
clearly distinguishes culture from the limited concepts of ordinary language,
history and literature. The anthropological term designates those aspects of
the total human environment, tangible and intangible, which have been
created by men.
A ‘culture’ refers to the distinctive way of life of a group of people, their

complete ‘design for a living’. Culture seems to be the master concept of
American anthropologists. For ethnologists, folklorists, anthropological
linguists, archaeologists and social anthropologists, culture is always a point
of departure or a point of reference if not invariably the point of emphasis.
12
CORPORATE CULTURE
Even in the cruel, cruel world of business such a soft, intangible element as
culture plays an important role. Like it or not, all business organizations
have their distinctive ways of solving problems, treating employees, passing
on the traditions, etc. This is called organizational culture by organizational
and management sciences.
Moreover, corporations of any kind cannot escape the social environment

that surrounds all their activities. With the ever-increasing
internationalization of companies the role of national culture in business is
argued. Multinationals experience serious culture shocks because of their
cultural blindness. However, the most efficient ones are all well prepared to
make good use of the cultural differences within the organisation.
Cultural clashes may occur when two (or more) corporations merge or one
acquires the other. The process of acculturation requires very a fine-tuning
of management methods from both parties. This paper aims to focus on the
role of national culture in business processes, especially mergers and
acquisitions.
13
Corporate culture is a key component in the achievement of an

organization's mission and strategies, the improvement of organizational
effectiveness, and the management of change. Culture is rooted in deeply
held beliefs. It reflects what has worked in the past. It is a pattern of shared
beliefs, attitudes, assumptions and values, which may not have been
explicitly articulated. Corporate culture shapes the way people act and
interact and strongly influences how things get done.
It encompasses the organization's goals, behavioral norms, and dominant

ideologies. Culture can be expressed through the organization's myths,
heroes, legends, stories, jargon, rites, and ritual.
Corporate culture can work for an organization by creating an environment

that is conducive to performance improvement and the management of
change. It can work against an organization by erecting barriers that prevent
the attainment of goals. The impact of culture can include conveying a sense
of identity and unity of purpose to members of the organization, facilitating
the generation of commitment and shaping behavior by providing guidance
on what is expected.
In academic terms, it consists of the values, traits, and behaviors that give an
organization its unique identify. In real-world language, it’s “the way things
are around here” – how people interact with one another and with the outside
world of customers, vendors, and stakeholders.
14
PROBLEM STATEMENT
What should be an appropriate corporate culture, which would fit into a call
center?
How does corporate culture have an impact on change in an organisation?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In the absence of any research on corporate culture in the BPO industry, it is

a completely Green pasture.
OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
 Primary objective: To understand in a multicultural situation like

BPO, how does one common culture emerge?
 Secondary objective: To study if the existence of different cultures
affects the lifestyle of the employees, if it does, how does it affect
their lifestyles?
15
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Cli3L eServices, the Contact Center subsidiary of ITC Infotech is a privately

held JV company owned by ITC Infotech and Clientlogic Inc.
Headquartered in Bangalore, Cli3L eServices offers Voice and Non Voice
based Tech Support Services for its clients.
Leveraging Clientlogic and ITC Infotech's combined global footprint, Cli3L

eServices offers scalable, long-term solution and provides the best
combination of quality service, growth path, and ROI for its customers.
Based in the sprawling 36-acre ITC Infotechpark, CLi3L eServices

commenced business in September 2002 for one client. Today it has
extended its scope to multiple Fortune class clients, covering technical
support, customer care and billing support, via both email and voice, for
Northern America and United Kingdom. It serves customers that include two
leading ISP, two leading PC peripheral manufacturers, a leading Software
Product company and a leading consumer goods manufacturer. Currently a
Cli3L service has more than 1200 employees working 24/7.
ClientLogic has a proven record of providing industry-leading solutions. Its

commitment to excellence has been recognized through Customer
Outsourcing Performance Center (COPC) certification, numerous positive
reviews from COPC, and an array of service awards.
17
In May 2002, Call Center Magazine honored ClientLogic with the

prestigious Call Center of the Year Award. This award honors companies
that provide exemplary service, support, and attention to the needs of both
clients and end-users. Call Center of the Year Award winners are selected by
the editors of the publication who pick the "best of the best" from the more
than 100 companies they interview over the course of a year. The recipients
are those that are most successful at improving call centers, implementing
technology, meeting service goals, decreasing turnover, and increasing
productivity.
ClientLogic brings its extensive operational experience and call center

management expertise to the JV relationship and is responsible for all day-
to-day operational aspects of the center.
ITC Infotech enriches the JV by attracting and retaining the best talent and
providing and managing Physical and IT Infrastructure. ITC Infotech also
brings its considerable technology expertise and deep Indian political and
business experience, contacts and knowledge of the Indian market to the
table. Its partnership delivers the skill sets, dependable infrastructure, and
Indian expertise necessary for a successful offshore engagement.
18
Think like a customer
CLIENT LOGIC – is dedicated to help clients "Think like a customer"

and increasing the value of every customer interaction. The integrated
customer management solutions, including Customer Care, Sales, e-
Commerce, Marketing and Fulfillment Services, are all designed and
executed from the customer point-of-view. Client Logic's "Thinking like a
customer" focus ensures that the customers receive the best possible
experience every time they touch the company.
Area of Expertise
Client Logic is a global infrastructure service company focused on managing

each stage of a customer’s experience. They provide and integrate a full
suite of customer management services for their clients, allowing them to
maximize their customer relationships through a single service provider.
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Corporate Profile
ClientLogic is a top five global Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

provider. ClientLogic’s global footprint is anchored by the right-shore
strategy, which focuses on providing the right services to the right
customers from the most appropriate locations. Its consistent service quality
across channels, media and countries helps its clients:
 Reduce Service Costs

 Improve Customer Retention
 Increase Revenue per Customer
ClientLogic partners with its clients to provide the most efficient and
effective customer care solutions to help them meet their business
objectives.
About ClientLogic
ClientLogic is a leading international business process outsourcing (BPO)

provider in the customer care, fulfillment and back office processing
industries.
20
Corporate Overview
ClientLogic is a leading global business process outsourcing (BPO) provider

in the customer care, fulfillment and back office processing industries.
ClientLogic’s global footprint spans 52 facilities in 13 countries throughout
North America, Europe, Africa, Central America and Asia. ClientLogic's
consistent service quality across channels, media and countries helps clients
improve their return on customer investment by reducing service cost,
improving customer retention and increasing revenue per customer.
ClientLogic's industry-leading clients include Sony Corporation, DIRECTV,
ABN AMRO, TiVo, British Telecom (BT), National Geographic Television,
LTU, Neuf Telecom and United Online (Juno/NetZero). A subsidiary of
Canadian diversified company Onex Corporation, ClientLogic is among the
top five global customer care providers, managing more than half a million
customer interactions each day of the year.
What ClientLogic Does
ClientLogic provides fully integrated customer care, fulfillment and back

office processing services that focus on delivering a return on customer
investment to its clients by reducing service costs, improving customer
retention and increasing revenue per customer.
21
 Customer Care – ClientLogic provides customer service, sales and

technical support through eMail, online Chat, fax, phone, Self-Help
and mail. ClientLogic's ability to serve customers and track customer
information across multiple channels enables us to consistently
provide positive, intelligent service on behalf of its clients.
 Fulfillment – ClientLogic offers comprehensive, scalable fulfillment

services: order and payment processing, inventory management, pick,
pack and ship; eCommerce, catalog, continuity services and returns
processing activities. Through these services, it distributes its clients'
products to their customers accurately, efficiently and cost-effectively.
 Marketing – ClientLogic’s Marketing Services encompass a

powerful combination of customer acquisition, retention and
relationship management solutions designed to maximize the return
on customer investment. These services include continuity programs,
loyalty programs, eCommerce services, inbound and outbound
telesales, database development, campaign management, customer
analysis, eMail communications, list management and list brokerage.
22
 Right-Shore – ClientLogic’s right-shore strategy focuses on

consistently providing the right products/services to the right
customer-type from the most appropriate geographies. With
ClientLogic’s track record of executing global support services and
strong local partnerships, it ensures a high standard of quality and
deliver exceptional customer satisfaction
23
History
Client Logic boasts decades of experience in delivering comprehensive,

multi-channel customer management services. Several of the companies
that united to form Client Logic have served customers transparently for
more than 30 years. Client Logic Corporation was formed when
SOFTBANK Services Group was acquired by Toronto-based Onex
Corporation and combined with North Direct Response, Inc., a leading
Canadian outsourced customer service provider. Since January of 1999,
Client Logic has acquired LCS Industries, Inc., Canadian Access
Insurance Services Ltd., CORDENA Call Management (Europe), Market
Vision, Associates Tele services (a subsidiary of Associates First Capital
Corporation) and a portion of the BT Syncordia Solutions Outsourced
Call Center portfolio in the UK.
What is a specific example of a Client Logic service?
Client Logic provides customer management services on behalf their

clients through contact centers (call centers that support Web, Chat and e-
Mail interactions in addition to phone), e-Commerce services, fulfillment
warehouses, marketing consultation, database marketing, list
management and more.
24
They work "behind the scenes," so essentially, if you call Juno for
customer support or Chat online with a Microsoft tech support agent, you
may be talking with a highly trained Client Logic Customer Care
associate. If you place an order with Brookstone.com, it may be packaged
and shipped from a Client Logic warehouse. For many of the clients, they
offer a complete support solution, providing everything from acquisition
promotions through to customer care, fulfillment and retention
marketing. All of their services are powered by integrated technologies to
deliver maximum efficiency, convenience and personalization.
Who uses Client Logic?
Client Logic provides business-critical customer care, eCommerce,

fulfillment and marketing services to companies looking to improve the
personalization, intelligence and consistency of their customer
management. Companies that partner with Client Logic have instant
infrastructure for international growth, plus a complete range of
integrated leading technologies: email, Chat, Self-Help, order
management, customer knowledgebase, warehouse management, call-
tracking software and more.
Client Logic is focused on meeting the needs of Fortune 500 and Global
2000 companies. Client Logic has over 250 clients, including Sony,
Handspring and TiVo.
25
How is Client Logic different from the competition?
Client Logic excels at managing customers. However, its true

differentiation is the integration of its core offerings -- it does not just
offer Customer Care centers, Fulfillment warehousing or Marketing
Services. It provides these as part of a coordinated, holistic offering -- an
integrated, end-to-end customer management solution. This integration
empowers it to infuse intelligence into every interaction with the
customer.
Customers are its specialty -- it helps more than 250 industry-leading
companies manage their customer relationships across channels, media
and countries. It is proud to be setting the international standard in multi-
channel customer management through our 47 facilities and 11,500
associates in 10 countries. Moreover, since it has been transparently
serving customers for more than 30 years, no one does it better.
26
ITC INFOTECH
“The right choice for your business”
At ITC InfoTech, it provides us with the very best in cutting edge

technology, tailoring its solutions to address our business needs.
Thanks to its Offshore Development Centers, our 24x7x365 availability
ensures that it is constantly at our service.
With over 150 person-years of offshore experience it has a clear focus on
cost effective, high quality software development which helps it deliver
on time, every time.
Its state-of-the-art ODCs in Bangalore and Calcutta equipped with robust

communication infrastructure enables it to handle high volumes of work
at short notice through 24-hour workdays and leverage geographical and
time-zone differences.
This combined with its project management capabilities and world-class

quality standards ensure that we get software solutions, which give our
business a new and powerful competitive edge.
ITC InfoTech is committed to provide offshore development services for

clients in US, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world.
27
ITC – Success is in our blood
ITC is one of India's foremost private sector companies with a market

capitalization of over US $ 13 billion and a turnover of US $ 3.5 billion.
Rated among the World's Best Big Companies by Forbes magazine and
among India's Most Respected Companies by Business World, ITC ranks
third in pre-tax profit among India's private sector corporations. ITC has
a diversified presence in Cigarettes, Hotels, Paperboards & Specialty
Papers, Packaging, Agri-Business, Packaged Foods & Confectionery,
Branded Apparel, Greeting Cards and other FMCG products. While ITC
is an outstanding market leader in its traditional businesses of Cigarettes,
Hotels, Paperboards, Packaging and Agri-Exports, it is rapidly gaining
market share even in its nascent businesses of Packaged Foods &
Confectionery, Branded Apparel and Greeting Cards.
As one of India's most valuable and respected corporations, ITC is widely

perceived to be dedicatedly nation-oriented. Chairman Y C Deveshwar
calls this source of inspiration "a commitment beyond the market". In his
own words: "ITC believes that its aspiration to create enduring value for
the nation provides the motive force to sustain growing shareholder
value. ITC practices this philosophy by not only driving each of its
businesses towards international competitiveness but by also consciously
contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of the larger value chain of
which it is a part."
28
ITC's diversified status originates from its corporate strategy aimed at

creating multiple drivers of growth anchored on its time-tested core
competencies: unmatched distribution reach, superior brand-building
capabilities, effective supply chain management and acknowledged
service skills in hoteliering. Over time, the strategic forays into new
businesses are expected to garner a significant share of these emerging
high-growth markets in India.
29
30
LITERATURE REVIEW
There is plenty of literature available on the topic of working capital

management. Many textbooks and the relevant websites provide good
coverage on the subject.
PURPOSE
Literature review is the beginning of the primary data collection. It acts

as a gateway to the familiarity exercise by getting exposed to the study
field in details. Literature review included texts, databases, Internet,
journals and dailies.
The purpose of literature review is innumerable in research work.

Specific need for references and citations makes secondary data quite
valid. Literature review forms the integral part of larger research.
Secondary data form sole basis for research in some instances. Above all,
secondary data has proven to be less costly, readily available, less time
consuming and less effort required compared to primary data. Literature
reviews provides support to validate secondary data hence
complementing the field data conclusion. It has also been observed that
secondary data gives insight into the research details. It is mandatory to
examine secondary data as a prerequisite for accuracy and relevance for
primary data and subsequent analysis.
31
Us Industry Seeks To Change Views on BPO

BS Corporate Bureau in New Delhi
Powered by
Outsourcing and India: Complete Coverage
Eaton said the trend was likely to continue in the coming years as well.
He said innovative solutions should be sought for resolving cultural

differences that crop up in business process outsourcing, which is a
multi-billion dollar industry.
"The term Cross-Border Outsourcing more accurately describes

outsourcing and insourcing activities across the world," said Eaton.
Quoting a Gartner Dataquest report, he said off shore BPO revenue was
growing at 38 per cent and currently 42 per cent of all outsourcing
engagements had an offshore component.
By 2004, eight out of 10 chief information officers will be compelled to

go offshore and four out of 10 companies had already done that.
Eaton said cultural differences could be leveraged to become an asset and

for creating business opportunities.
32
The viable proposition was not to export Boston to Bangalore. He said

immigration of cultures could have a cultural backlash.
"We have to find a synergy in the styles and cultural moorings of the
people to avoid wastage of time. That will take care of the potential
misunderstandings, differences in risk, hierarchy and context," he said.
Working across cultures is always a difficult task as there are

communication barriers, hidden costs, over dependency on the
outsourcing provider, language barriers, time zone differences and data
security.
"Since culture impacts business process performance and bottom lines, it

becomes important to take a closer look at how and why the bottom-line
is impacted when working across cultures," he said.
According to Eaton, the key areas of cultural differences could be

difference in communication style, misunderstanding of project deadline,
unexpected delay in software releases and less trust between the partners.
These could mean a loss of time, money and credibility for the company,
he said.
Managing cross-cultural differences can be difficult but rewarding at the

same time. "It gives the employees the all important confidence and the
ability to re-engineer the implementation of the process," Eaton said.
33
Cross-cultural training: the melting pot
Trying to do international business without prior cross-cultural training is

a recipe for disaster. However, there is more to such training than
learning how to order a five-course meal
When organizations become cross-border entities, cross-cultural factors

start affecting every aspect of the business. Whether in multi-cultural
teams or in business interactions, the variants of cultural nuances
eventually end up affecting the business. Cross-cultural training is
conducted by many Indian IT organizations to equip their employees
with skills to do business in a global environment. However, there is
much more to cross-cultural training than a crash course in etiquette or
learning how to order a five-course meal; it is about a deeper
understanding of the values and ethos that define a culture. However, this
starts by understanding one’s own culture and then graduating to
understanding and appreciating the differences of another.
CROSS-CULTURAL TRAINING
Cross-cultural training widens the knowledge horizon. Cross-cultural
training involves training the managers in doing business successfully in
countries across the globe. The method of application of this training
program involves one-or-two programs, with modules on the business
and social etiquette of different countries. The following chart shows the
model of cross-cultural training:
34
35
36
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design provides the glue that holds the research project
together. A design is used to structure the research, to show how all of
the major parts of the research project -- the samples or groups, measures,
treatments or programs, and methods of assignment -- work together to
try to address the central research questions.
The required data for analysis have been generated through structured
questionnaire and face-to-face interviews with the employees as well as
with the help of interactions with the key personnel of the company. The
questionnaire were administered to 100 employees of the company
selected on stratified random sample
The data have been analyzed by using simple statistical tools like
percentages and pie diagrams. This has been done with a view to make
the project report/dissertation simple and adequate for the company
management to understand and act upon.
37
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
Sampling is the process of selecting units (e.g., people, organizations)

from a population of interest so that by studying the sample we may
fairly generalize our results back to the population from which they were
chosen. The researcher has adopted stratified random sampling.
SAMPLING PROCEDURE
The survey was carried out through Stratified random sampling

Stratified random sampling is the sampling procedure that divides the
population under study into mutually exclusive sub populations, and then
selects random samples from each of these sub populations. The sub
populations are determined in such a way that the parameter of interest is
fairly homogenous within a sub population. By doing so, the variability
of the population parameter within each sub population should be
considerably less than its variability for the entire population. Oftentimes,
there is a relationship between the characteristics of a certain population
and the population parameter.
SAMPLE SIZE
The sample size for this research is 100 employees and they were chosen
for the study from eight different campaigns in CLI3L e-Services
Limited.
38
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
The survey was conducted and information was collected from the
employees of CLI3L e-service limited.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
 Research instruments refer to the statistical tool adopted for

the study. Simple average percentage method is adopted for the
study.
 A questionnaire was neatly designed & constructed for the

purpose on par with the objective of the study.
 Data collected by canvassing the respondents are to be

tabulated by constructing tables.
 Simple statistical techniques such as drawings of percentage

use of graphs etc. are employed.
 The tabulated data is analyzed on the basis of concept

framed accordingly & inferences are provided.
 The conclusion brings forth certain set of recommendations

to the company.
39
ACTUAL COLLECTION OF DATA
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION

Primary data collection refers to data collection through,
 Through structured questionnaires
 Through personal interviews
SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION

This refers to indirect means of data collection through,
 Browsing through the internet
 Company intranet
 Newspapers
 Journals, Magazines
40
41
Test of hypothesis.
Test for specified proportion.
H0 : The culture training given to the employees has not affected their
lifestyle.
H1 : The culture training given to the employees has affected their
lifestyle.
(Source : Table No. 12)
Null Hypothesis : H0 : P = Ps [P – Population Proportion ]
[Ps – Sample Proportion]
H1 : P ≠ Ps [Two tailed test]
Level of significance : 5%  Ztab = 1.96
Test Statistics : Z = │P – Ps │
√ PQ/n
Data : P = 0.5, Ps = 0.43, N = 100
= √ PQ/n
= √ (0.5) (0.5)/ 100
= 0.05
Test : Zcal = │0.5 – 0.43│ = 1.4
0.05
Conclusion : Since Zcal < Ztab , H0 is accepted.
Therefore the culture training given to the employees has not affected
their lifestyle.
42
Table 1:
Table showing the employee's view on BPO Industry.
Sl No.
Particulars Respondents Percentage
1 Friendly atmosphere 30 30
2 Blend of Indian & Western culture 10 10
3 Fast-paced 15 15
4 Challenging 25 25
5 Stressful 15 15
6 Improve 'professionalism' 5 5
Total 100 100
Source: Field Investigation.

Inference:
 30 percent of the respondents feel that the atmosphere in BPO
industry is very friendly.
 25 percent of the respondents feel that their work is very
challenging in a BPO industry.
 15 percent of the respondents feel that BPO industry is fast paced.
 10 percent say that BPO industry is a blend of both Indian and
Western culture.
 15 percent feel that their work is stressful.
 5 percent of the respondents feel that BPO industry lacks
professionalism and must take steps to improve professionalism.
43
Graph 1:
Graph showing the employee's view on BPO Industry.
Friendly
atmosphere
15% Blend of Indian &
25% 5% Western culture
Fast-paced
Challenging
30%
15%
10% Stressful
Improve
44
Table 2:
Table showing the atmosphere during training period.
Sl No. Particulars Respondents Percentage

1 Professional 10 10
2 Informal/Friendly 35 35
3 Innovative/Educative 28 28
4 interactive 12 12
5 No Training 15 15
Total 100 100
Inference:
 35 percent of the respondents feel that the atmosphere during
training period is very friendly and informative.
 28 percent feel that the training is innovative and educative.
 12 percent of the respondents feel that their training was very
interactive.
 10 percent of the respondents feel that the training was
professional.
 15 percent of the respondents say that they have not received any
training at all
45
Graph 2:
Graph showing the atmosphere during training period.
Professional
15% 10%
Informal/Friendly
12%
Innovative/Educati
ve
35%
interactive
28%
No Training
46
Table 3:
Table showing the number of employees who were given training on
culture.
1 Yes 67 67
2 No 33 33
Total 100 100
Inference:
 67 percent of the respondents say that they were given training on
culture during the training period, whereas the remaining 33
percent say that they were not given any training on culture during
the training period.
47
Graph 3:
Graph showing the number of employees who were given training on
culture.
33%
Yes
No
67%
48
Table 4:
Table showing the number of employees trained over accent
1 Yes 64 64
2 No 36 36
Total 100 100
Inference:
 64 percent of the respondents are agents; hence all the agents were
given training on accent, whereas the remaining 36 percent are non
agents and hence were not given any training on accent.
49
Graph 4:
Table showing the number of employees trained over accent
36%
Yes
No
64%
50
Table 5:
Table shows the way employees address their superiors
1 Sir/ Ma'am 0 0
2 Mr/Ms/Mrs followed by last name 0 0
3 First name 100 100
Total 100 100
Inference:
 All the respondents i.e. 100 percent of them address their superior
whit their first name.
51
Graph 5:
Graph shows the way employees address their superiors
0% Sir/ Ma'am
0%
Mr/Ms/Mrs
followed by last
name
First name
100%
52
Table 6:
Table showing number of employees who follow the dress code
1 Yes 60 60
2 No 40 40
Total
100 100
Inference:
 60 percent of the respondents follow dress code, whereas 40
percent of the respondents do not follow any dress code. Dress
code is applicable only from level 2 onwards i.e. it is not
applicable to the agents.
53
Graph 6:
Graph showing number of employees who follow the dress code
40% Yes
60% No
54
Table 7:
Table showing the type of dress code the employees follow.
1 Indian Formals 32 53.3
2 Western Formals 0 0.0
3 Business Formals 28 46.7
Total 60 100
Inference:
 53.3 percent of the respondents who follow dress code say that
they follow Indian formals and the remaining 46.7 percent say that
they follow business formals.
 None of the respondents have mentioned western formals.
55
Graph 7:
Graph showing the type of dress code the employees follow.
Indian Formals
47%
Western Formals
53%
Business Formals
0%
56
Table 8:
Table shows the different festivals celebrated in office.
1 Indian festivals 24 24
2 US/UK festivals 13 13
3 Both 40 40
4 None 23 23
Total 100 100
Inference:
 40 percent of the respondents say that both Indian festivals and
US/UK festivals are celebrated on floor.
 24 percent of the respondents say that only Indian festivals have
been celebrated.
 13 percent say that only US/UK festivals are being celebrated.
 23 percent of the respondents say that no festivals have been
celebrated on floor.
57
Graph 8:
Graph shows the different festivals celebrated in office.
23% 24% Indian festivals
US/UK festivals
13% Both
40% None
58
Table 9:
Table shows the leave allowance facilitated when it comes to Indian
National holidays and US/UK National holidays.
1 Indian Holidays 0 0
2 US/UK Holidays 0 0
3 None 100 100
Total 100 100
Inference:
 All the respondents say that they do not have any holidays, (agents
work according to their clients’ calendar, therefore their holidays
are based on client countries) but if they work on Indian national
holidays that are listed by the HR, they get double pay.
59
Graph 9:
Graph shows the leave allowance facilitated when it comes to Indian
National holidays and US/UK National holidays.
0%
0% Indian Holidays
US/UK Holidays
100% None
60
Table 10:
Table shows the number of employee's who had on-line tests based on
ethics and culture.
1 Yes 42 42
2 No 58 58
Total 100 100
Inference:
 58 percent of the respondents say that they did not have any online
tests based on culture and ethics.
 42 percent of the respondents say that they had online tests based
on culture and ethics.
61
Graph 10:
Graph shows the number of employee's who had on-line tests based on
ethics and culture.
42% Yes
No
58%
62
Table 11:
Table shows the frequency of fun activities conducted on floor.
1 Very often 17 17
2 Often 48 48
3 Sometimes 29 29
4 Never 6 6
Total 100 100
Inference:
 48 percent of the respondents say that they often have fun activities
on floor like cricket matches or indoor games like chess and carom
matches etc...
 29 percent of the respondents say that sometimes have fun
activities on floor.
 6 percent of the respondents say that they never have any fun
activities on floor.
63
Graph 11:
Graph shows the frequency of fun activities conducted on floor.
6% 17%
Very often
29%
Often
Sometimes
48% Never
64
Table 12:
Table shows the number of employee's whose lifestyle has been affected
due to culture training.
1 Yes 43 43
2 No 57 57
Total 100 100
Inference:
 43 percent of the respondents say that the culture training which
was given to them during the training period has affected their
lifestyle.
 57 percent of the respondents say that the culture training which
was given to them during the training period has not affected their
lifestyle.
65
Graph 12:
Graph shows the number of employee's whose lifestyle has been affected
due to culture training.
31%
Yes
No
69%
66
67
RESEARCH FINDINGS
 BPO industry in India, has recorded a growth of 50% over the

previous year, CLI3L alone has grown in numbers over 467% in
the last two years.
 Lack of professionalism is a big concern in the BPO industry,

CLI3L also belongs to the band wagon.
 Working in nights = “Stress”. Related problems tend to show up

on the performance of the employees. Ex: Smoking etc.
 Casual relationship with senior officials is a noted change in the

BPO industry, more so because of the influence from western tie
ups.
 National holidays, regional festivals are not enjoyed by the agents

(because they serve UK clients, and US clients and they have to
work during their working hours).
68
RECOMMENDATIONS
 The company should nurture self-management: Regardless of one's
role, type of job, official title or position, an individual's ability to
self-manage is one of the key to success. Those with greater
achievements to their name are always good at self-management,
but these individuals tend to be the cream of the crop. Today,
everyone needs to learn self-management
 The company should build and strengthen its cultures because it

sees the value it brings to their shareholders, employees and
customers. What is required is 'value-based culture'. This is
achieved through "cultural compass" which includes purpose,
practices, promises and personality.
 Building high-trust relationships must get priority in the company's

agenda of cultural embedment. The following nine foundational
factors contribute towards this effort: (a) character; (b)
competence; (c) customer-centered; (d) control; (e) common cause;
(f) cooperation; (g) collaboration; (h) communication; (g)
Consistency. Trust in the workplace is the hallmark of culture.
When people perceive trust in the work place, they say things like
"They have never let me down before", "They do what they say
they will do", "I know they have my best interests in mind",
"He/she knows what he/she is talking about and admits it when
he/she does not"
69
 The company should build an "adaptive culture". The following

chart highlights this:
 The company should pursue rigorously the 'diversity training'. The

only way the company can stay ahead of the rapid changes in the
business environment is to demonstrate its commitment to
diversity. The company can achieve this by adopting the ASKE
model of diversity training. The following chart portrays this
model:
70
The company should focus on OCTAPACE profiles of its employees in

strengthening its corporate culture. The OCTAPACE Profile consists of
eight values. These values are:
1. Openness
2. Confrontation
3. Trust
4. Authenticity
5. Pro-action
6. Autonomy
7. Collaboration
8. Experimentation.
To sum up, it is our belief and conviction that if the afore-said
recommendations are not pigeonholed, they will enrich the corporate
culture of the company.
71
72
CONCLUSIONS
Culture helps account for variations among organizations and managers,

both nationally and internationally. It helps to explain why different
groups of people perceive things in their own way and perform things
differently from other groups. However, all members of staff help to
shape the dominant culture of an organization, irrespective of what senior
management feels it should be. Culture is also determined by the nature
of staff employed and the extent to which they accept management
philosophy and policies or pay only "lip service". It is therefore necessary
that library managers live within the corporate culture. Understand it as a
basis for diagnosing and solving problems and for developing new
policies or procedures. And they may well be involved in managing the
culture in times of change or during crises.
The type of activity the organization carries out largely determines the
way it goes about its business, and this in turn affects the way the
corporate culture develops and is manifested within the organization.
Against this background, organizational members, with the values,
philosophy, beliefs, assumptions, and norms of top management playing
a dominant role, create corporate culture. Also, according to Schein, the
ways technologies are handled in the organization goes a long way in
determining the corporate culture of that organization and its successful
adaptation to and cope with external pressures.
73
74
ANNEXURES
Select Bibliography:
1. "People Management: Changing Perceptions

And Practices", Edited by G Surya Prakash
Rao, ICFAI Publications 2001
3." Human Resource Management" By J R

Gordon, Boston: Allyn & Bacon publications
2002
4: "Human Resource Management" By Lawrence
S Kleiman, Atomic Dog Publishing Company,
2005
5. "Human Resource Management" By John M

Ivancevich, Tata McGraw Hill publications
2005
6. "Human Resource Management" By Gary

Dessler, Pearson Education publications,
2006
7. "Human Resource Management" By Cynthia D Fisher,

Lvle F Schoen Feldt and James B Shaw, Wiley Dream
Tec Publications 2005
8. "Human Resource Management" By Noe, Hollenbeck,

Gerhardt and Wright, McGraw Hill Publications 2004
9. "Human Resource Management" By Robert L Mathis

and John H Jackson, South-Western College
Publications, 2005
75
JOURNALS
 Business Standard (Strategist)

 Harvard Business Review
 Journal of HRM Review (ICFAI publications)
 Business Line (Catalyst)
 Executive excellence (Sage Publications)
 Human Capital
WEBSITES USED
www.cilentlogic.com
www.allbusiness.com
www.wikipedia.com
76
QUESTIONNAIRE TO STUDY THE CORPORATE CULTURE

PREVAILING IN CLI3L
Campaign :
Tenure :
1. What is your view on ‘culture in BPO industry’?
2. What kind of atmosphere do you have during training?
3. Are you given training on ‘culture’ during the training period?
a) Yes b) No
4. What kind of training on US/UK culture is given to call takers?
5. What type of organization culture do you think prevails in CLI3L?
6. Do you have any accent training?
a) Yes b) No
7. How do you address your boss?
a) Sir/Mam b) Mr/Mrs/Ms followed by last name c) first name
8. Do you have anything called as dress code?
a) Yes b) No
77
9. If yes what kind of dress code:
a) Indian formals b) Western formals
c) Business formals
10. What are the areas covered by corporate culture?
11. What kind of fun activities do you have on floor?
12. What are the different festivals that are celebrated in office?
13. How are leave allowances facilitated when it comes to Indian national
holidays and US/UK national holidays?
14. Do you have something called as on-line tests based on ethics and corporate
culture?
a) Yes b) No
15. What kind of social activities does the company participate in?
16. Has the culture training affected your life style?
a) Yes b) No
17. If Yes how?
78
DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
From our research findings, the following fertile areas for further
research emerge:
 “A Diagnostic Study on Corporate Culture and Corporate

Philanthropy”
 Models of Corporate Culture—A Longitudinal Analysis
 “Corporate Culture and Employee Engagement System—an

Interface”
 “Cross-Cultural Training—a Qualitative Exploration”
 “Corporate Culture and Reward System—an Analytical Study”
 “A Diagnostic Study on Corporate Culture and Job Alienation”
In our view, the afore-said areas for further research, if undertaken and
completed, will widen the knowledge horizon in the vital research
domain.
79

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A STUDY ON CORPORATE CULTURE IN BPO

M P BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

I hereby declare that this dissertation entitled "A study on

I hereby certify that this dissertation entitled "A study on corporate

Date: (Dr N S Malavalli)

I hereby certify that this dissertation entitled “A study on corporate

Date: (Mrs. Nandini Vaidhyanathan)

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my research guide Mrs.

Further, I would also like to thank Dr.K.V PRABHAKAR and Prof.

SAI LAKSHMI BHASKARAN

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE NO

CHAPTER I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

CHAPTER III COMPANY PROFILE 6

Sl No. LIST OF TABLES PAGE No.

1 Table showing the employee's view on BPO Industry. 28

2 Table showing the atmosphere during training period. 30

3 Table showing the number of employees who were given 32

4 Table showing the number of employees trained over 34

5 Table shows the way employees address their superiors. 36

6 Table showing number of employees who follow the dress 38

7 Table showing the type of dress code the employees follow. 40

8 Table shows the different festivals celebrated in office. 42

9 Table shows the leave allowance facilitated when it comes 44

10 Table shows the number of employee's who had on-line 46

11 Table shows the frequency of fun activities conducted on 48

12 Table shows the number of employee's whose lifestyle has 50

Sl No. LIST OF GRAPHS PAGE No.

1 Graph showing the employee's view on BPO Industry. 29

2 Graph showing the atmosphere during training period. 31

3 Graph showing the number of employees who were given 33

4 Graph showing the number of employees trained over 35

6 Graph showing number of employees who follow the dress 39

8 Graph shows the different festivals celebrated in office. 43

9 Graph shows the leave allowance facilitated when it comes 45

10 Graph shows the number of employee's who had on-line 47

11 Graph shows the frequency of fun activities conducted on 49

12 Graph shows the number of employee's whose lifestyle has 51

A ‘culture’ refers to the distinctive way of life of a group of people, their

The main objective of this research is to understand in a multicultural

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Culture can be defined from many perspectives, according to the social

A ‘culture’ refers to the distinctive way of life of a group of people, their

Moreover, corporations of any kind cannot escape the social environment

Corporate culture is a key component in the achievement of an

It encompasses the organization's goals, behavioral norms, and dominant

Corporate culture can work for an organization by creating an environment

How does corporate culture have an impact on change in an organisation?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In the absence of any research on corporate culture in the BPO industry, it is

OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH

 Primary objective: To understand in a multicultural situation like

CLI3L e-Services Limited

Cli3L eServices, the Contact Center subsidiary of ITC Infotech is a privately

Leveraging Clientlogic and ITC Infotech's combined global footprint, Cli3L

Based in the sprawling 36-acre ITC Infotechpark, CLi3L eServices

ClientLogic has a proven record of providing industry-leading solutions. Its

In May 2002, Call Center Magazine honored ClientLogic with the

ClientLogic brings its extensive operational experience and call center

Think like a customer

CLIENT LOGIC – is dedicated to help clients "Think like a customer"

Client Logic is a global infrastructure service company focused on managing

ClientLogic is a top five global Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)