TERRITORIAL DISPERSION OF CONTACT CENTERS FOR MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES IN THE NORTHEAST

• Grant number: 25/09136-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Geography - Human Geography
• Principal Investigator: Marina Castro de Almeida
• Grantee: Beatriz de Avila Gitahy
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas (IGCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The primary objective of this research is to analyze the territorial dispersion of tele-service operations to intermediate urban centers. The expansion of these operations in the Brazilian market, virtually nonexistent prior to privatization, was significant between 1999 and 2019. In Brazil, the growth in the number of operators reveals two distinct movements. The first, between 2003 and 2015, was characterized by concentration in metropolitan regions, while the second, from 2016 to 2022, saw increased operations in interior cities, which began to exhibit a higher percentage growth rate compared to metropolitan areas. Despite the dispersion of production units-also referred to as operational sites-most corporate headquarters remain located in major metropolises, particularly São Paulo, reflecting the simultaneous interplay of centripetal and centrifugal forces. One hypothesis to be investigated in this study is that the most critical criterion for selecting municipalities for operations is the reduction of labor costs. To address this, the methodology employed will involve analyzing corporate territorial strategies through triennial reports available on company websites and economic briefings. For the analysis of municipalities concentrating sector operations, data sources will include the Annual Social Information Report (RAIS), the General Register of Employed and Unemployed Workers (CAGED), and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) Central Business Register. The research will be further supplemented by online questionnaires and interviews conducted via videoconference or telephone calls. Ultimately, this study aims to contribute to a broader analysis of how the incorporation of undervalued areas and vulnerable workers exacerbates Brazil's uneven geographical development by amplifying regional inequalities. (AU)