Purpose The purpose of this paper is to check the effects of empowering leadership on job performance of employees through the mediation of psychological empowerment. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were gathered from 418 Indian banking employees. Statistical techniques like factor analysis, multiple regressions and bootstrapping via PROCESS were used to analyze the data. Findings Initially, the results of multiple regression analysis revealed that empowering leadership behaviors have positive influence on psychological empowerment and job performance of subordinates. Further, bootstrap analysis revealed that the individual dimensions of psychological empowerment serially mediate the effects of empowering leadership behaviors on subordinates’ job performance. Research limitations/implications The study indicates that the empowering leadership style is not applicable to Western culture only, but it is also very effective in high power distance cultures like of India. The major limitation of the study is that the data have been gathered from a single source. This may lead to common method variance. Practical implications In banking context, empowering leadership can improve the performance of employees by means of psychological empowerment. Training should be provided to organizational leaders in banks with special focus on facilitating the empowering behaviors among them. Originality/value The research studies on measuring the effects of empowering leadership on job performance through mediation of psychological empowerment are very limited.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between diversity management (i.e. diversity-focused human resource (HR) practices related to recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and compensation) and perceived firm performance, and the mediating effect of procedural justice. Design/methodology/approach Primary data based on 400 respondents of 162 organizations operating in India were analysed using statistical tools such as factor analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis. Findings Multiple regression analysis indicated that diversity-focused HR practices had a positive association with perceived firm performance. Further, it was found that procedural justice played a partially mediating in the relationship between diversity-focused HR practices and perceived firm performance. Research limitations/implications This paper relied on self-report surveys for data collection, and there laid a possibility of common method variance in the result findings. Hence, future studies should collect data from multiple sources by using multiple methods (e.g. interviews, surveys, peer reports, etc.). Practical implications The first implication highlights that senior management’s support is a prerequisite to execute justice-based diversity management processes, which in turn aid in harvesting the true potentials of diversity. Second, organizations should adopt an egalitarian approach while formulating and implementing diversity management initiatives to accentuate the fair and just perceptibility of procedures among employees. Originality/value This study sheds new light on the effects of diversity-focused HR practices on firm performance (perceived) in Indian context.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of perceived role clarity on innovative work behavior (IWB) through the mediation of intrinsic motivation and job involvement. Design/methodology/approach The data were gathered from 613 employees belonging to 196 organizations operating in India. Data were analyzed using statistical tools such as exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regressions and bootstrapping via PROCESS. Findings Initially, the results of correlation and multiple regression analyses indicated that the perceived role clarity has positive relation with intrinsic motivation, job involvement and IWB. Further, bootstrap analysis revealed that intrinsic motivation and job involvement individually and serially mediate the effect of perceived role clarity on IWB. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the importance of the perceived role clarity in developing positive work attitudes and innovative behavior among employees. Self-reported survey and cross-sectional design are the limitations of the current study. Practical implications The study suggests that organizations should strive constantly to enhance perceptions of role clarity among employees so that they remain motivated and involved in their jobs and exhibit innovative behavior at work. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only study to test the impact of perceived role clarity on IWB with the serial mediation of intrinsic motivation and job involvement.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between employees’ perceptions of diversity within management levels (i.e. senior management, middle management and lower management levels) and perceived organizational performance. The study also examines differences in perceptions of diversity within different levels of management across nature and ownership forms of organizations. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were gathered from a sample of 400 employees from 162 organizations of diverse industries operating in India. Statistical techniques like analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. Findings Employee perceptions of diversity at the senior, middle and lower management levels of organizations are weakly, most significantly and positively, and negatively related to perceived organizational performance. It has also been found that the perceptions of diversity within different levels of management differ across nature and ownership forms of the organization. Research limitations/implications The study relies on self-reported questionnaires as the method of data collection, which can lead to common-method bias. Hence, further studies can collect data by using multiple sources. In addition, future researchers can employ both subjective and objective measures to fetch results that are more valid. Practical implications To harvest the benefits of diversity, organization should foster positive perceptions among employees toward diversity. Originality/value The study gives new insight into why employees’ perceptions are significant in considering the possible outcomes of diversity.

Economic growth, urbanization and higher disposable incomes have helped to propel growth of luxury fashion in India. Indian customers attach luxury fashion with their social status. Therefore, a need was felt to understand the drivers of purchase intention for luxury fashion goods. The purpose of study is to explain the role of factors which have influence on purchase intention for luxury fashion brands. The research tries to identify the mediating effect of brand perception and social status on interrelationship between country of origin (COO) and purchase intention. The data were collected by means of structured questionnaires from a total of 400 Indian customers residing in the Delhi NCR. Structural equation modelling has been used to find the outcomes. COO, brand perception and social status were found to significantly influence customer purchase intention. However, mediation effect of brand perception was found in relation between COO and purchase intention. Mediation effect of social status also exists in relation between COO and purchase intention. Brand perception and social status sequentially mediate the relationship between COO and purchase intention.