Babajob.com: Digitizing the Informal Job Sector

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Abstract

BabaJob.com - based in Bangalore, India - is a unique for-profit venture that aims to connect workers in the informal job sector (cooks, gardeners, drivers etc) to potential employers. It uses a variety of information and communication technologies like the web, mobile phones, IVRS (interactive voice response systems) and automated call-centers. Started by Sean Blagsvedt, an ex-Microsoft researcher, BabaJob had an initial philosophy of exploiting social networks to connect potential employers and employees, and hence had a parallel social networking site called BaBaLife. The company focus has since shifted away from the social networking aspect to using mobile technology to scale-out to a large number of clients. Since the potential employees (job seekers) are most likely to be less educated, poor and/or illiterate, the problem of connecting them to the digitized world is a major hurdle. This case details how BabaJob exploits cutting-edge technology to overcome these hurdles and efficiently link up employers to potential hires in the informal job sector. Since its inception in 2005, BabaJob has registered around 27,878 job-seekers, 1,60,817 jobs details and 6600 employers.

Additional Information

Product Type Case (colour)
Reference No. CISG0109
Title Babajob.com: Digitizing the Informal Job Sector
Pages 25
Published on Oct 14, 2009
Year of Event 2008-2009
Authors Rangnathan, Kavitha; Sarin, Ankur;
Area Information Systems (IS)
Discipline Human Resource Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, IT and Systems
Sector Telecom and Software
Keywords Digital Inclusion, Informal Labour Market, Mobiles, Informal Job Market, Technology, mobile phones, BOP business
Country India
State Karnataka
City Banglore
Organization Babajob Services Private Limited

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