Published: 2026-02-19

The Purple Squirrel Paradox: Leveraging Technology and Inclusive Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Exceptional Talent in Tech Startups

DOI: 10.35870/ijmsit.v6i1.6268

Parul Choudhary, Dr Anand Shankar Raja M, Dr Manish Kothari
  • Parul Choudhary: ISBR Business School
  • Dr Anand Shankar Raja M: ISBR Business School
  • Dr Manish Kothari: ISBR Business School
No Cover Available

Downloads

Article Metrics
Share:

Abstract

The systemic problem within the tech industry startup surrounds the disparity of talent expectation with reasonable and sustainable employment practices, which is visible through the lens of the Purple Squirrel Paradox - the relentless ideal of the all-in-one, dwarfed. This paper addresses the social impact of paradox-technology and inclusive management in resolving the contradiction of social impact tech paradox. Use of AI-enabled recruitment tools, skills-first assessment of candidates, and proactive outreach campaigns has been shown to reduce bias and improve access to and appreciation of talent that has been previously ignored and underutilized. We also examine retention strategies anchored in psychological safety, equity-centered leadership development, inclusive onboarding, and their long-term social value. This work in empirical research provides evidence-based, action-oriented tools to startup founders and HR leaders to posture their organizations toward pro-societal and pro-innovation social value through diverse high-performance teams. The work demonstrates recruitment and retention with the purpose of social impact as inclusive systemic paradox and effect of impact within the startup ecosystem.

Keywords

Purple Squirrel ; Tech startup ; Social impact ; Inclusive hiring

Peer Review Process

This article has undergone a double-blind peer review process to ensure quality and impartiality.

Indexing Information

Discover where this journal is indexed at our indexing page to understand its reach and credibility.

Open Science Badges

This journal supports transparency in research and encourages authors to meet criteria for Open Science Badges by sharing data, materials, or preregistered studies.

How to Cite

Choudhary, P., Raja M, D. A. S., & Kothari, D. M. (2026). The Purple Squirrel Paradox: Leveraging Technology and Inclusive Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Exceptional Talent in Tech Startups. International Journal of Management Science and Information Technology, 6(1), 47-59. https://doi.org/10.35870/ijmsit.v6i1.6268
Article Information

This article has been peer-reviewed and published in the International Journal of Management Science and Information Technology. The content is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

  • Issue: Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026)

  • Section: Articles

  • Published: %750 %e, %2026

AI Research Hub

This article is indexed and available through various AI-powered research tools and citation platforms. Our AI Research Hub ensures that scholarly work is discoverable, accessible, and easily integrated into the global research ecosystem. By leveraging artificial intelligence for indexing, recommendation, and citation analysis, we enhance the visibility and impact of published research.

Semantic Scholar Scite Dimensions Connected Papers
Scholarly Connection Platforms
Dimensions Dimensions Connected Papers Connected Papers Scite Scite Google Scholar Google Scholar Semantic Scholar Semantic Scholar Garuda Garuda Scilit Scilit Crossref Crossref BASE BASE Zenodo Zenodo Unpaywall Unpaywall OpenCitations OpenCitations
Author Biographies
Parul Choudhary
Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID

Research Scholar, ISBR Business School, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Dr Anand Shankar Raja M
Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID

Assistant Professor, ISBR Business School, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Dr Manish Kothari
Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID

Professor & Managing Director, ISBR Group of Institutions, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

References
License & Copyright
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

1. Copyright Retention and Open Access License

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal non-exclusive right of first publication under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

This license allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

2. Rights Granted Under CC BY 4.0

Under this license, readers are free to:

  • Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use
  • No additional restrictions — the licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as license terms are followed

3. Attribution Requirements

All uses must include:

  • Proper citation of the original work
  • Link to the Creative Commons license
  • Indication if changes were made to the original work
  • No suggestion that the licensor endorses the user or their use

4. Additional Distribution Rights

Authors may:

  • Deposit the published version in institutional repositories
  • Share through academic social networks
  • Include in books, monographs, or other publications
  • Post on personal or institutional websites

Requirement: All additional distributions must maintain the CC BY 4.0 license and proper attribution.

5. Self-Archiving and Pre-Print Sharing

Authors are encouraged to:

  • Share pre-prints and post-prints online
  • Deposit in subject-specific repositories (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv)
  • Engage in scholarly communication throughout the publication process

6. Open Access Commitment

This journal provides immediate open access to all content, supporting the global exchange of knowledge without financial, legal, or technical barriers.

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.