Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between protean career attitude (PCA) and proactive work behaviors (PWB) and with the theoretical underpinning of self-determination theory to ascertain if passion for work acts as a mediator for PCA and PWB. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 255 millennial employees working in diverse industries in India (such as information technology, banking and education) was conducted. Regression analysis was used to measure the direct effects of the hypothesized relationships. Sobel test and bootstrapping analysis were used to measure the indirect effects of the hypothesized relationship. Findings PCA assists in fostering passion for work. Passion for work is positively related with PWB and fully mediates the relationship between PCA and PWB. Practical implications Employers should provide flexibility in work design and autonomy in career decisions. Also, Human resource managers should provide career growth opportunities to retain millennial talent. Originality/value This study bridges the knowledge gap between different domains of knowledge including PCA, passion for work and PWB. This study is one of the rare attempts to understand the relationship between PCA and PWB through the lens of passion for work. It also bridges the gap relating to its context. With an increasing number of millennials in workforce in India, an understanding of their career attitudes and outcome behaviors has become a significant concern. The results of the present study underpin career motivation theory, self-determination theory and generational cohort theory.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of total rewards components (monetary, material and non-monetary) on happiness of employees working in Indian technology-based new ventures. Further, with the theoretical lens of social exchange theory, the mediating role of work engagement between total rewards perceptions and work happiness relationship has also been evaluated. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 201 employees working in Indian technology-based new ventures was conducted. Structural equation modeling was utilized to measure the proposed theoretical model. Regression analysis was conducted to test the direct effects of the hypothesized relationships. Sobel test and bootstrapping analysis were utilized to test the indirect effects of the proposed hypothesized relationship. Findings The findings supported the hypotheses that employees’ perceptions of total rewards have a significant impact on employee work engagement and happiness at work. However, individual component of total rewards, i.e. monetary rewards, demonstrated an insignificant impact on the employee work happiness. Work engagement was positively related to work happiness and fully mediated the relationship between total rewards perceptions and work happiness. Practical implications Special attention should be given to enhance the material and non-monetary rewards, specifically strengthening the feeling of appreciation, learning and growth opportunities and improving feedback functions. Given the challenges of new ventures (productivity and efficiency of talent), management of total rewards mix should be considered as the main concern of human resource (HR) managers and management (founders). The paper also provides important implications for designing a reward system that enhances employee productivity and efficiency in the unstructured and ambiguous work environment of new ventures. Originality/value The present study has significant contributions to the HR, entrepreneurship and positive psychology literature. It is an attempt to understand the association between total rewards components and work happiness via mediating mechanism, i.e. work engagement in new ventures. It also extends research in the entrepreneurial context. The emergence and growth of new ventures in India has meant a growing importance for understanding employees’ needs and expectations and guaranteeing their happiness. The findings of the study contribute to social exchange theory, Vroom’s expectancy and self-determination theory. This research is also a rare investigation of employees’ perspectives in an entrepreneurial context.

Rosabeth M. Kanter, Super Corp: How Vanguard Companies Create Innovation, Profit, Growth and Social Good (1st ed.), South Asia: Crown Publishing Group, 2010, 309 pp., ₹ 256 (Paperback) ISBN: 978-1-84668-207-0