IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v10y2026i2p7772-7785.html

Technology-Enabled Work Practices and Workforce Retention in Postpandemic Manufacturing

Author

Listed:
  • Dr LRK Krishnan

    (Visiting Professor (OB/HR, ER & LL) IIM Kashipur & SB University)

  • S Shreya Krishnan

    (Oracle Inc., USA)

  • Sashreek Krishnan

    (Carnegie Mellon University, USA)

Abstract

This study examines changes in work practices across manufacturing plants in India, in the context of the postCOVID-19 pandemic and subsequent business transformations. The pandemic led to significant fluctuations in supply and demand, compelling organizations to rapidly adapt operations, enhance customer support, and implement cost-reduction strategies, including workforce downsizing. Grounded in the broader context of technological disruption and industrial restructuring, the study explores how manufacturing firms responded to these challenges. The research adopts an empirical, descriptive design, with data collected from 160 employees working at leading manufacturing plants in India. Statistical tools such as SPSS and SmartPLS were used to analyze the data and examine relationships among key variables. The findings reveal that the industry benefits from a strong demographic dividend, highlighting the urgent need for upskilling initiatives. Automation, digitalization, and emerging technologies are identified as transformative forces reshaping shop-floor dynamics. The results further indicate a positive relationship between job satisfaction, employee retention, and productivity. Technological advancement, coupled with accelerated upskilling, significantly contributes to improved organizational outcomes and workforce stability. The study underscores the practical and social implications of smart manufacturing, in which increased automation and intelligent systems may reduce the need for a manual workforce while enhancing efficiency and performance. The originality of this research lies in its focus on the intersection of demographic advantage, technological transformation, and workforce readiness in the Indian manufacturing sector. The findings emphasize the need for substantial organizational investment in employee upskilling to prepare workers for AIdriven and robotics-enabled production environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Dr LRK Krishnan & S Shreya Krishnan & Sashreek Krishnan, 2026. "Technology-Enabled Work Practices and Workforce Retention in Postpandemic Manufacturing," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 10(2), pages 7772-7785, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:10:y:2026:i:2:p:7772-7785
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/uploads/vol10-iss2-pg7772-7785-202603_pdf.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/view/technology-enabled-work-practices-and-workforce-retention-in-postpandemic-manufacturing/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    2. David J. Teece, 2007. "Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(13), pages 1319-1350, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Swen Nadkarni & Reinhard Prügl, 2021. "Digital transformation: a review, synthesis and opportunities for future research," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 71(2), pages 233-341, April.
    2. Jiatong Yu & Jiajue Wang & Taesoo Moon, 2022. "Influence of Digital Transformation Capability on Operational Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Christiana Müller & Stefan Vorbach, 2015. "Enabling Business Model Change: Evidence from High-Technology Firms," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 11(1), pages 53-75.
    4. Muhammad Farooq Islam & Ozge Can, 2024. "Integrating digital and sustainable entrepreneurship through business models: a bibliometric analysis," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Scherrer, Aline & Rogge, Karoline S., 2025. "When do incumbents adopt radical net-zero technologies? Analysing differences in strategy trajectories of European truck manufacturers towards alternative vehicle technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    6. Luis Araya-Castillo & Felipe Hernández-Perlines & Hugo Moraga & Antonio Ariza-Montes, 2021. "Scientometric Analysis of Research on Socioemotional Wealth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-26, March.
    7. FeCheng Ma & Farhan Khan & Kashif Ullah Khan & Si XiangYun, 2021. "Investigating the Impact of Information Technology, Absorptive Capacity, and Dynamic Capabilities on Firm Performance: An Empirical Study," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.
    8. Francisco Gustavo Bautista Carrillo & Daniel Arias-Aranda, 2025. "Technological Adoption Sequences and Sustainable Innovation Performance: A Longitudinal Analysis of Optimal Pathways," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-24, June.
    9. Kim, Jongwook & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2008. "A Strategic Theory of the Firm as a Nexus of Incomplete Contracts: A Property Rights Approach," Working Papers 08-0108, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    10. André de Abreu Saraiva Monteiro Alves & Fernando Manuel Pereira de Oliveira Carvalho, 2022. "How Dynamic Managerial Capabilities, Entrepreneurial Orientation, and Operational Capabilities Impact Microenterprises’ Global Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, December.
    11. Zhonghua Zhao & Fanchen Meng & Yin He & Zhouyang Gu, 2019. "The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Competitive Advantage with Multiple Mediations from Social Capital and Dynamic Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, January.
    12. A. E. Rodríguez Salazar & M. A. Domínguez-Crespo & A. M. Torres-Huerta & A. I. Licona-Aguilar & A. Nivón-Pellón & V. N. Orta-Guzmán, 2021. "Analysis of the Dynamical Capabilities into the Public Research Institutes to Their Strategic Decision-Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-22, June.
    13. Hélène Laurell & Leona Achtenhagen & Svante Andersson, 2017. "The changing role of network ties and critical capabilities in an international new venture’s early development," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 113-140, March.
    14. van Uden, Annelies & Knoben, Joris & Vermeulen, P.A.M., 2015. "Making Sense of Industry Characteristics as Drivers of Dynamic Capabilites," Other publications TiSEM fbb2a35d-c957-489b-b170-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    15. Jim Andersén, 2023. "Green resource orchestration: A critical appraisal of the use of resource orchestration in environmental management research, and a research agenda for future study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5506-5520, December.
    16. Sjödin, David & Liljeborg, Alexander & Mutter, Sermed, 2024. "Conceptualizing ecosystem management capabilities: Managing the ecosystem-organization interface," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    17. Jantunen, Ari & Tarkiainen, Anssi & Chari, Simos & Oghazi, Pejvak, 2018. "Dynamic capabilities, operational changes, and performance outcomes in the media industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 251-257.
    18. Mostafiz, Md Imtiaz & Ahmed, Farhad Uddin & Tardios, Janja & Hughes, Paul & Tarba, Shlomo Y., 2025. "Configuring international entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic internationalization capability to predict international performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(2).
    19. Yi-Ju Lo & Tung Hung, 2015. "Structure offshoring and returns on offshoring," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 443-479, June.
    20. von den Driesch, Till & Eva Susanne da Costa, Maika & Christina Flatten, Tessa & Brettel, Malte, 2015. "How CEO experience, personality, and network affect firms' dynamic capabilities," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 245-256.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:10:y:2026:i:2:p:7772-7785. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.