Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend the job demands-resources (JD-R) model by including the factor of “personal demands” and conceptualise experience on personal and job dimensions separately as personal thrust and job thrust. Further, different psychological work states that individuals experience through intra-dimensional balance across personal and job dimensions are proposed. Design/methodology/approach The paper explains various possible psychological work states experienced by a job incumbent by conceptually developing intra-dimensional fluctuations within the person and job dimensions, respectively, as the new concepts of person and job thrust. Findings Personal thrust and job thrust have been identified as the two dimensions which impact the work state. Complete engagement and complete disengagement have been identified as two ends of a continuum. Complete work engagement is defined as the balance across these two dimensions. Various combinations of balances and imbalances across these two dimensions results in four different states of disengagement identified as work exhaustion, work boredom, work search and work neutrality. Research limitations/implications This paper suggests a novel approach to using personal demand to look at work states which would significantly impact existing research in the JD-R model. This paper tries to bridge the gap between work engagement as a construct and the psychological work states as a phenomenon. Further, it is contended that the psychological work states are manifestations of the interactions between the two dimensions identified as personal and job thrust, which could further be developed into various work-related attitudes and behaviours. Practical implications Instead of only relying on the engagement/disengagement dichotomy to plan interventions, managers can plan the appropriate interventions depending on the specific disengagement state analysed through personal and job thrust. Originality/value The newly developed model of work states explains the fluctuation of an individual across different work states and links the personal and job-related demand–resource balance at the workplace with distal work-related outcomes, thereby significantly extending the JD-R model.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to delve into some of the key internal and external factors that led to the choice of specific strategies for union revitalization using the theoretical framework built upon framing perspectives, the strategic action field (SAF), and the strategic choice theory. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a stringent definition and corresponding operationalization of trade union revitalization. The present research has been carried out on a registered industrial union within the context of Global South, specifically in India. Findings Evidence was found for the trade union adopting a mix of strategies for revitalization, namely, union organizing, social movement unionism, and union restructuring. A mix of both internal and external factors identified informed the choice of revitalization strategies. Research limitations/implications Specific limitations include the subjectivity of the inference in spite of taking due precautions, and lack of generalizability of the findings based on a single case study. Practical implications A strong identity, coupled with structural vitality and optimum use of resources enables trade unions to frame the need of a strategy for revival in order to counter the strategic action of employers resulting in union revitalization. Originality/value The theoretical novelty of this research stems from the amalgamation of collective action frames, SAF, and strategic choice framework to understand the union revitalization in the context of Global South.

The article identifies measurable attributes to find the consistency in pitch ratings which are otherwise subjective decisions made by referees for international test match cricket. To do so, the article uses statistics related to test matches, one-days and T20s played among all test playing nations between March 2017 and March 2019 (53 tests, 142 T20s and 172 one-day matches: the next two seasons ending May 2020/2021 were hit by COVID-19 and hence excluded). To measure the consistency of pitch ratings (very good, good, above average, average, below average and poor), measurable attributes like runs/day, wickets/day, runs/over, runs/wicket and overs/wicket were identified. To rank pitch ratings using these attributes, the multi-criteria decision-making technique—PROMETHEE II was used. We found that the referee pitch ratings are largely consistent and the attributes developed can be utilized to further analyse future judgements regarding pitch ratings. Further, six-pitch ratings can be clustered into two distinct groups that are significantly different from each other. The article is among the first to analyse sports pitch ratings by using team performance-based statistics. This study paves the way for similar studies and development of newer statistical flow-based attributes.

PurposeThis paper uses the Social Identity Model of Collective Action (SIMCA) framework of Zomeren et al. (2008) to explain the organising experiences of the informal sector workers engaged in large number in the world's largest shipbreaking industry located in the western Indian town of Alang.Design/methodology/approachA single case study approach was adopted to understand the participation of shipbreaking workers in their trade union and factors that influence their participation.FindingsSense of cohesive collective identity and injustice alongside efficacy considerations have shaped the organising experiences and affected the participation of informal sector workers in their union. The trade union was able to overcome the scourge of invisibility that has been one of the dominant features of informal sector employment.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper treated union participation as unidimensional. Besides, the subjective conceptualization of strengths of perceptions of injustice, identities and efficacy considerations could be a limitation. The paper does acknowledge the gendered nature of shipbreaking but have not actively pursued it as a part of our research.Practical implicationsThe findings of our study are an exemplar for those who intend to organise informal sector workers, especially precarious workers. The empirical findings allude to the role of trade unions in combating the invisibility, which is one of the defining features of informal sector workers through a distinctive, cohesive identity inculcated in those workers.Originality/valueThis paper has borrowed the SIMCA framework to explore union participation. Organising experiences of precarious workers from the developing world provides a contextual and an empirical novelty to our study.

Leadership competencies: Know-how, skills, experiences, and values all put togetherunder the meta category of competencies (Roberts 1997)enable an individual to work effectively. Lawler (1994, p. 4) comments about competencybased organizations as, ".. .organizational systems in which the capabilities of the individuals are the primary focus and which cause them to be managed in a way that provides competitive advantage." Leadership positions are a complex job requiring consensus building and/or balancing competing demands of stakeholders which requires a unique combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior, enabling a leader to deliver seamlessly toward an organization's rationale.