ABSTRACT
Thomas Friedman’s “flat world” created by digital capitalism, a new digital labour force, supposedly now enjoys greater freedom, more bargaining power and flexible work schedules. Here the inquiry is, in a typical ICT workplace, how much control the support service workers have on the work process and to what extent the workers’ experience validates Friedman’s understanding. Based on in-depth interviews, this section of the book analyses the responses of the support workers on job satisfaction, control, surveillance and autonomy in the workplace. Does the new digital labour force really enjoy greater freedom, more bargaining power and flexible work schedules? If so, how much and how far?
