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.

This article is an attempt to provide an integrated discussion of culture through both universal and indigenous approaches: etic and emic. Both universal and indigenous points of views are very important in understanding specific culture and its comparison with other cultures. Methodological concerns of both, however, have resulted in valuable yet incomplete explanation to concept of culture. Intricacies of using both in culture research have been explained in the article. The article uses these two lenses to discuss Indian context vis-à-vis other cultures in order to come up with unique aspects for Indian organizations. This way it offers a comprehensive look at culture as a concept, providing different approaches to capture the unique features of culture in Indian organizational context. It also discusses the challenges of culture research in multi-culture environment of India. Few propositions for future research have been suggested. Also implications for individuals and organizations planning to operate from India have been discussed.

The IT industry is witnessing rapid change due to technological advancements that are being made and adapted in organisations every day. This research aims to study how these changes have affected the HR department at a multinational IT professional services firm in India, in terms of the changes in their HR roles and role-specific competencies. Two global HRM Competency Models-SHRM Competency Model 2012 and the HRCS Model 2016 by Michigan-Ross-have been studied in detail and combined to form an exhaustive list of 18 core competencies for HR professionals. On analysing the HR roles at the organisation under study, it was found that there are 11 unique roles which leverage these 18 competencies. Interviews have been taken of senior and junior resources in the HR roles identified, to take their inputs on the impact of technological changes (in the organisation and industry) on their roles and how they see the core competency requirements for their role changing in the future. It was found that across all roles, there is a need to understand business better and move away from just performing activities to adding thoughtful value in every contribution made. Competencies required for such a shift are different than those for today's nature of work, which is already seeing great transformation.

Theoretical basis The case dwells with the following theoretical concepts: Appreciate the different need dimensions required to motivate different employee types based on need theory (Alderfer, 1969). Identify the functional needs as per Maslow’s need hierarchy (Hall & Naougaim, 1968) for the permanent and contractual workers. Outline why only hygiene factors are insufficient to arrest worker absenteeism during a pandemic like COVID-19. Apply need theory and “Herzberg’s two-factor theory” (Herzberg, 1966; Herzberg et al., 1957) to enumerate the measures that need to be implemented to build supply chain resilience by reducing absenteeism by motivating employees. Research methodology The case is based on primary research carried out by the authors at Alkem Laboratories Ltd., Sikkim unit in India, during the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the company leading to high absenteeism of contractual workers. Case overview/Synopsis Alkem Laboratories Ltd. is a leading pharma major from India with a global footprint. At the break of COVID-19 pandemic, the manufacturing unit of the company at Sikkim is facing the scare of mass absenteeism, especially among the contractual workers who account for 60% of the workforce of the unit. Ashok Priyadarshi (Vice President, Human Resources) and his team along with the think tank of the unit have to find a solution to the problem at hand. What shall be the measures that the think tank will propose? The team sets out to find an answer to these questions so that Alkem could seize the business opportunity at the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Complexity academic level The case is suitable for undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in organizational behavior, organizational change and development and supply chain risk management. The case can also be positioned for executive education and training modules in companies on employee motivation and commitment.