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This study's main objective is to investigate the influence of flexible working arrangements (FWAs) on employee job performance. In addition, this research studies the mediating role of supervisor's support on the relationship between FWAs and job performance.

To test the hypothesised model, cross-sectional data were collected from 214 employees working in 46 service firms in India. The data were analysed by structural equation modelling.

The supervisor's support mediated the relationship between FWAs and job performance. The study’s results show that role of supervisors shapes the collective social exchange relationship between the organisation and employees. These findings highlight the importance of shared experiences, values and norms, which reciprocate with change-supportive behaviours and abilities. Moreover, supervisors’ support transmits signals through which employees feel more valued and eventually affect their job performance.

The research is confined to India's service industries settings only.

Service firm management recommended implementing FWAs with appropriate organisation level planning, which directly benefits employees' well-being, improves work–life balance, reduces the rate of employee turnover and leads to increased employee productivity.

The study's result is that supervisor's support has a significant influence on employee uptake of FWAs, and understanding how the service firm's context shapes supervisors’ support is critical to improving FWAs implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the individual high-performance human resource practices (HPHRPs) and work engagement (WE) among the employees in the service industry in India.

The data were collected from a sample of 234 employees working in the service sector in India with the help of a survey questionnaire method. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the data. To test the hypothesized relationship, structural equation modelling was used.

The results revealed that five HPHRPs have a positive impact on the WE of employees in the service sector in India. Internal career opportunities negatively impact WE.

The study sample is limited to the service sector in India. Researchers are encouraged to study employee and organizational performance measures other than WE which could be impacted by high-performance work practices.

Managers seeking to strengthen WE could implement these HPHRPs in their firms operating in Indian service sector.

The paper is an attempt to provide empirical evidence on how the individual HPHRPs impacts WE in an organization. Earlier research has shown the impact of bundled HPHRPs on WE. Thus, this study is first to empirically test the direct relationship of individual HPHRPs with WE.

This paper aims to measure the human resource (HR) flexibility and firm performances confirmatory model and to map the causal relation structures in the HR flexibility and firm performance dimensions using the DEMATEL method.

Data were collected from leading national and multinational information technology (IT) firms operating in the southern part of India. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to measure the confirmatory model, and the DEMATEL method was used to map the causal relation among the dimensions of HR flexibility and firm performance.

HR flexibility could exist across IT firms. Organisations are required to anticipate and respond promptly to changing conditions in such a way that both technical and stakeholders’ complexity are effectively managed.

The study was conducted at leading national and multinational IT firms operating in the southern part of India.

HR flexibility allows employees with a wide variety of work styles and lifestyles to be successful contributors, to advance and to lead in the parent firm. It brings out diversity and individuality, shared responsibility, wholeness, etc., among the employees. It applies to work schedules and career paths across the organisation. IT firms are advised to adopt an external focus, an organic and employee-oriented approach and long-term orientation.

Confirming the measurement model and mapping the causal relationship among the dimensions of HR flexibility and firm performance would be the novel contributions to the research in the areas of HR flexibility and firm performance with regard to IT firms. This paper contributes to the literature by theoretically and empirically investigating such relationships, thereby addressing the research gaps reviewed from literature.

This case seeks to illustrate the specific problem of excessive defects in radial tyres produced in a renowned tyre manufacturing company in India. This paper aims to show how lean Six‐Sigma methodology can be used to tackle the specific issues like defects reduction.

The management took this problem on top priority as it is eroding their brand value and financial performance. A Mumbai‐based lean Six‐Sigma consulting group was approached to tackle the issue. One of the authors, who is pursuing research on determinants of successful lean manufacturing implementation in Indian industries, joined this project as a part of his field study and he spent considerable time in discussing and observing the issue with people of different hierarchical levels of the company. Lean Six‐Sigma methodologies were incorporated and the problem was evaluated with root‐cause analysis. This case is formulated on the basis of the initial findings of the study in an Indian tyre manufacturing organisation keeping the actual name of the company in disguise.

On the basis root‐cause analysis of the radial tyre manufacturing process, it was found that presence of foreign particles in the manufacturing environment, under‐ageing and over‐ageing of tyre components, and inefficient bead winding process, were the main culprits of defects. It was confirmed that lean Six‐Sigma methodology can serve as a major tool to reduce defects in the tyre manufacturing process in India.

This paper provides some key insights to the successful adoption of lean Six‐Sigma tools in an Indian industrial environment, where lean practices are still in the very nascent stage and very little literature is available in this context.

The purpose of this study is to assess the lean performance of a tyre manufacturing firm in India. The key objective is to find key strategic and operational decision‐making dimensions for developing effective lean manufacturing environment in a tyre manufacturing organization.

This research is empirical in nature where the opinions of a group of experts of an Indian tyre manufacturing firm were consulted to formulate an interpretive structural model (ISM) of the critical success factors of lean manufacturing implementation in a tyre manufacturing organization. The authors have developed an Excel‐based template for quantitative assessment of lean performance indicators on the basis of feedback from the operational staff.

This research work suggests that financial capability of an organization drives the top‐management commitment for incorporating lean manufacturing practices in a tyre manufacturing organization. Organizational culture and human resource management are the important enablers for developing change management paradigm, which in turn leads to performance improvement. This study also reveals that over‐processing as well as excessive defects are the most detrimental wastes in radial tyre manufacturing, which accounts for high manufacturing cost of radial tyre manufacturing in India.

Since this study is carried out in a single (case) organization, a relatively small sample size restricts the outcome from being considered for generic industrial application. This study none the less is useful for practicing managers and academicians for the development of lean manufacturing strategy in context with the tyre industry since it encompasses insightful views of experienced lower to upper middle level managers.

This paper provides some key enablers for the successful implementation of lean tools in Indian tyre manufacturing, where lean practices are still in the early stage and little literature is available in this context with tyre manufacturing. Also an attempt has been made to develop a simple Excel‐based template for lean assessment in the tyre industry. This template can be used in other industries by simply modifying the key attributes.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the latent constructs of various barriers affecting Six Sigma implementation in Indian industries.

Literature review resulted in 15 frequently reported barriers in Six Sigma implementation. An empirical survey of 168 Six Sigma practitioners including green belts, black belts (BB), and master BB from 40 Indian companies was conducted with the help of a structured questionnaire. The responses were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis which resulted into five constructs.

The study proposes five constructs, namely “role of top management,” “cultural change,” “expected attitude,” “availability of resources,” and “level of quality maturity.” The focused approach by organizations to overcome barriers in Six Sigma can be oriented using these constructs.

Six Sigma implementation needs elimination of barriers in projects. Top management support in planning and resource allocation supplemented by favorable employee attitude in bringing cultural change can develop quality maturity to implement Six Sigma successfully.

This study fills the gap in the literature by studying critical success factors, critical failure factors, and barriers together. This study is one of its kinds in the Indian context which captures the views of Six Sigma certified professionals from the organizations which are implementing Six Sigma.