Published Paper Details:

Purpose: This paper examines how Indian firms adopt HR analytics, the barriers that impede maturity, and the extent to which analytics contributes to HR and business decision-making. Grounded in the Resource-Based View, Human Capital Theory, Dynamic Capabilities, Diffusion of Innovation, and Institutional Theory, it positions HR analytics as a potential strategic lever rather than a reporting tool. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey instrument was developed to measure adoption maturity (descriptive -> prescriptive), outcomes in talent acquisition, training needs identification/ROI, engagement, and decision-making, alongside organisational and ethical barriers. A pilot (n ? 30) was conducted to pre-test item clarity, feasibility, and preliminary patterns; the full doctoral study targets ~350-400 responses for inferential analysis. Findings (pilot): Most organisations remain at descriptive analytics, with limited diagnostic use and rare predictive/prescriptive applications. Recruitment emerges as the common entry point (time-to-hire, sourcing mix, offer acceptance), while training ROI and engagement-to-retention linkages are underutilised. Key barriers include fragmented systems, skills gaps, cultural reliance on intuition, leadership hesitation, and heightened governance requirements under India's DPDP Act (2023). Sectoral differences are evident: IT/ITeS leads; SMEs lag due to cost and capability constraints. Practical implications: A staged roadmap is proposed--data foundations, descriptive dashboards, diagnostic analyses, predictive pilots, and prescriptive interventions--enabled by leadership sponsorship, HR-analytics upskilling, integration of HRIS/ATS/payroll/performance data, and privacy-preserving governance. Originality/value: The study contributes India-specific empirical insight, a validated survey instrument for larger-scale testing, and a theory-informed framework that links adoption maturity to measurable HR and business outcomes.