FORMALIZING THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IN RAPID-GROWTH TECH STARTUPS: AN EMPIRICAL CASE STUDY OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND DUE PROCESS
Industrial Relations (IR) in knowledge-intensive sectors is increasingly defined by individual employment relations, shifting away from historical collective bargaining models. This study evaluates the structural alignment of grievance management and disciplinary mechanics within InternsForge Pvt. Ltd., a rapidly scaling Indian EdTech commercial establishment operating under the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. Utilizing a descriptive, mixed-methods baseline audit, we analyze an IR Climate Survey (n=58), 18 formal employee grievance cases, and 12 formal disciplinary records from FY 2025-26. The findings uncover a structural tension: while relational trust in HR leadership remains high (3.88/5), formal process awareness is critically deficient (2.74/5), and disciplinary due process metrics exhibit severe operational failures—notably, an absolute absence of a documented appeals channel (0% compliance). Furthermore, a statutory compliance gap exists regarding the mandatory formation of a Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. This article operationalizes Dunlop’s Systems Theory, Fox’s Frame of Reference, and Ewing’s Due Process Model to construct a systemic strengthening framework for scaling enterprises.
M, P. (2026). Formalizing the Industrial Relations Infrastructure in Rapid-Growth Tech Startups: An Empirical Case Study of Conflict Resolution and Due Process. International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, 02(05). https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.527
M, Pasupathi. "Formalizing the Industrial Relations Infrastructure in Rapid-Growth Tech Startups: An Empirical Case Study of Conflict Resolution and Due Process." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, vol. 02, no. 05, 2026, pp. . doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.527.
M, Pasupathi. "Formalizing the Industrial Relations Infrastructure in Rapid-Growth Tech Startups: An Empirical Case Study of Conflict Resolution and Due Process." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology 02, no. 05 (2026). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.527.
2.Bingham, L. B., & Pitts, D. W. (2002). Highlights of research on the resolution of employment disputes in the workplace. Center for the Study of Law and Society, University of California, Berkeley.
3.Budhwar, P. S., & Bhatnagar, J. (2009). Changing patterns of employee relations in India's technology sectors: An empirical study. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(10), 2145-2163.
4.Colvin, A. J. (2003). Institutional pressures, organizational strategies, and the choice of workplace dispute resolution procedures. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 56(3), 375-391.
5.Dunlop, J. T. (1958). Industrial Relations Systems. Henry Holt and Company, New York.
6.Ewing, D. W. (1989). Justice on the Job: Resolving Grievances in the Nonunion Workplace. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.
7.Bharathi, S., & Vijayalakshmi, S. (2024). Work-life balance for female teaching staff in college: Faced challenges, strategies and support with special reference to Trichy District. Humanities and Social Science Studies, 13(1), 138.
8.Folger, R., & Konovsky, M. A. (1989). Effects of procedural and distributive justice on reactions to pay raise decisions. Academy of Management Journal, 32(1), 115-130.