Information systems, task control and service management. An analysis of the customer-contact centers case

Authors

  • Cecile CLERGEAU Université d'Angers, GRANEM-LEMNA
  • Laetitia PIHEL Université de Nantes, LEMNA

Keywords:

Middle Management, Social regulation theory, Service Management, Call centers, SI-HRM.

Abstract

This research explores middle managers’ role and attitudes and the way they supervise teams whose tasks are intensively codified via IT. The place, role and legitimacy of middle managers when management tools are embedded in IT are investigated. We use J.D.Reynaud’s social regulation theory that distinguishes three main regulations: autonomous regulation, control regulation and joint regulation. The research proposes to enrich this theory and to analyze the conditions of its application to service area. Based on three case studies in call centers, we point out that middle managers have to negotiate a joint regulatio, but that organizational efficacy of their role depends on their capacity to surpass IT and their prescriptions. In a practical way, and in the light of an enriched social regulation theory, the research emphasizes the necessary conditions to facilitate a performing middle management.

Author Biographies

Cecile CLERGEAU, Université d'Angers, GRANEM-LEMNA

Cécile CLERGEAU est Professeur des Universités, chercheur au GRANEM, Université d’Angers, et chercheur associé au LEMNA, Université de Nantes. Ses recherches portent sur le management des activités de services, les systèmes d’information et la gestion des ressources humaines.

Laetitia PIHEL, Université de Nantes, LEMNA

Laetitia PIHEL est Maître de Conférences, chercheur au LEMNA, Université de Nantes. Ses recherches portent sur la gestion des ressources humaines, la relation salariale et l’implication.

References

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Published

2010-11-03

How to Cite

CLERGEAU, C., & PIHEL, L. (2010). Information systems, task control and service management. An analysis of the customer-contact centers case. Systèmes d’Information Et Management (French Journal of Management Information Systems), 15(3), 71–91. Retrieved from https://revuesim.org/index.php/sim/article/view/309

Issue

Section

Empirical research