Work and Family in a Cross-Cultural Context: A Comparative Review of Work–Family Experiences of Working Mothers in Australia and Zimbabwe

2013 ◽  
pp. 37-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Mapedzahama
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Working Mothers ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Family Experiences ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Work Family

scholarly journals Work-family conflict and work engagement among mothers: Conscientiousness and neuroticism as moderators

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy J. Opie ◽  
Carolina M. Henn
Keyword(s):  
Work Engagement ◽  
Family Conflict ◽  
Working Mothers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Work Family

Orientation: The study investigates factors that impact work-family conflict and work engagement among working mothers.Research purpose: The job demand-resources model is utilised to investigate the moderating role of conscientiousness and neuroticism on the relationship between work-family conflict and work engagement.Motivation for the study: Working mothers are challenged to establish a balance between work and family life. The resulting work-family conflict can negatively affect well-being. It is thus necessary to explore personal factors that relate to work-family conflict, particularly in the South African context.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used. The sample (N = 267) was comprised of working mothers from several organisations. Data was gathered using the work-to-family conflict questionnaire, the Basic Traits Inventory and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale.Main findings: The results indicated that work-family conflict negatively predicts work engagement. Conscientiousness positively predicts work engagement, and neuroticism negatively predicts work engagement. A significant interaction effect was found for conscientiousness but not for neuroticism. The findings showed that for participants with high levels of conscientiousness, work engagement decreases significantly more with an increase in work-family conflict than for participants with low levels of conscientiousness.Practical/Managerial implications: Organisations should consider those individuals who have high levels of conscientiousness and low levels of neuroticism in the selection and placement of employees. In addition, organisations have a responsibility to provide conscientious women, particularly mothers, with adequate support to ensure that work-family conflict does not adversely impact their levels of work engagement.

A Cross-Cultural Test of a Model of the Work-Family Interface

1999 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Aryee ◽  
Dail Fields ◽  
Vivienne Luk
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Family Work ◽  
The Two Cultures ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Work Family

Recent efforts to more fully understand the mechanisms through which work and family experiences and their cross-over effects influence well-being have stimulated the development of integrative models of the work-family interface. This line of research is represented by the model which Frone, Russell, and Cooper (1992) tested with a sample of U.S. employees. In the current study, we examine the cross-cultural generalizability of this model among married Hong Kong employees. Results of the analyses suggest that many of the relationships among work and family constructs are similar across the two cultures, but that the nature and effects of the cross-over between family and work domains on overall employee well-being may differ. That is, life satisfaction of Hong Kong employees is influenced primarily by work-family conflict, while that of American employees is influenced primarily by family-work conflict. Limitations of the study and implications of the findings for assisting employees integrate their work and family responsibilities as a source of competitive advantage are discussed.

scholarly journals The Role of Cognitive Appraisal in Work-Family Experiences of Indian IT Employees

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mousumi Padhi ◽  
Snigdha Pattnaik
Keyword(s):  
Family Conflict ◽  
Cognitive Appraisal ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Family Policies ◽  
Family Experiences ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Work Family Enrichment ◽  
Family Enrichment

Demographic changes have had a catalytic effect on the number of people participating in multiple roles and juggling them as they go through various life functions. Two of the major domains where these roles are based are work and family. This study draws on Person-environment fit theory to understand to what extent congruence between an individual and her⁄his environment affects her⁄his experience of work-family interface. Through this, the study seeks to capture the cognitive appraisal process by which work and family experiences can exacerbate work-family conflict (WFC) and enhance work-family enrichment (WFE). This study is an attempt to respond to calls by researchers to look at the process of cognitive appraisal and congruence which have largely been ignored in work-family literature. These processes could help understand why given the same situation and environmental contexts, individuals might differ in their work-family experiences. Congruence, measured at two levels — congruence and incongruence — has been taken as the independent variable in the study. The different measures of work-family conflict and work-family enrichment have been taken as the dependent variables. Responses in the study were drawn from software professionals working in IT organizations. It was found that the incongruent individuals reported significantly higher levels of work-family conflict on all the dimensions of conflict as compared to the congruent individuals. In contrast, when it came to work-family enrichment, congruent individuals reported significantly higher levels of enrichment on all the dimensions as compared to incongruent individuals. By capturing the role of cognitive appraisal on work-family interface, the study contributes theoretically and empirically to the extant literature on work and family. As organizations across sectors are taking steps to promote work-life harmony, the finding that congruence leads to greater work-family enrichment and incongruence leads to greater work-family conflict has important practical implications for the formulation of work-family policies.

Work, Family, and Gender: Elements for a Theory of Work-Family Balance

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 641-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonor M. Cantera ◽  
Mª Eugenia Cubells ◽  
Luz Mª Martínez ◽  
Josep M. Blanch
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
New World ◽  
Family Values ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Economic Survival ◽  
Work Family Balance ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Practical Implications

Over last century, work was not only a means of economic survival, but also a very strong factor of psychological structuring and of organization of personal, family, and everyday life. The new world of work provides new challenges to the balance of work and family life. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 453 people with the aim of analyzing the relation between variables such as family burdens and domestic responsibilities, and the appraisal of work and family, values involved in work-family balance. The results of this study show that, in the present economic and cultural context, assuming family burdens and domestic responsibilities increases the positive appraisal of work and family, both in men and women. This has theoretical and practical implications concerning the challenge of work-family balance.

scholarly journals The work–family interface in a gendered cultural context: Cross-national analysis of work stress

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-69
Author(s):  
Shannon N Davis
Keyword(s):  
Work Stress ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Specific Work ◽  
Work Conflict ◽  
Worker Stress ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Context Shapes ◽  
National Analysis ◽  
Cross National

Work stress is one key health outcome that is responsive to the work–family interface, particularly to the extent to which work and family life lead to conflict outside of their respective spheres. Previous scholarship examining work stress cross-nationally has highlighted the culturally specific work expectations that shape worker experiences in the workplace. However, those work expectations are shaped by cultural opportunities for women and men. This article adds to the literature on cross-national understandings of work using 2010 European Social Survey data ( N = 4,278 women and 3,712 men) to examine the extent to which country-level differences in gender equality shape the experiences of worker stress in 26 countries. After controlling for individual-level demands and resources (in the home and workplace), the analysis yields two key findings. First, there is an association between work-to-family conflict and worker stress for both women and men, but the association between family-to-work conflict and worker stress was evident only among women. Second, the gendered cultural context shapes women’s experience of workplace stress both directly and through moderating the negative influences of work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. The findings have specific significance for understanding how cultural context shapes whether workplace policies can be used as mechanisms to reduce worker stress.

Work-Family Balance, Employee Commitment, and Number of Dependents Among Staff in a Malaysian TV Network

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
SHEREEN NORANEE ◽  
HANAN MOHD SAID ◽  
ANIZAH ZAINUDDIN ◽  
ROZILAH ABDUL AZIZ ◽  
ZARINA ABDUL MUNIR
Keyword(s):  
Family Life ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Employee Commitment ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Personal Connection ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Work Family Balance ◽  
Work Family

Committed employees tend to perform better as they feel having personal connection towards the organization. However, in some cases, dismissal from the organization also indicates poor jobperformance. Poor job performance resulted in low organizational commitment. The ability of an individual to balance between work and family depends on several factors such as the type of job, the organization that hires them, economy, social and cultural context. The emerging situation had led tooverload of responsibility as people had to play the role of employees, spouses, parents, and parent's caregivers. Biased participation in one role, either work of family, will affect the other role. Work-family balance has two types of relationship. The first relationship is when work interferes with family life and the second relationship is when family life interferes with work. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of work-family balance towards employee commitment among TVABC (a Malaysian television network) staff, with number of dependents as moderating variable. Theresponses were gathered from 184 TVABC staff. Convenient sampling technique was used and  hierarchical regression analysis was administered. The results indicated that work interference with family dimension did not had any significant relationship with employee commitment. While familyinterference with work was proven to have a significant relationship with employee commitment among TVABC staff. The number of dependents, as the moderating variable, was found not affecting the relationship between work-family balance and employee commitment as all tests indicated insignificant relationship. 

scholarly journals Community Domain and Work-Family Enrichment: an Exploratory Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.30) ◽  
pp. 580
Author(s):  
Zaiton Hassan ◽  
Dayang Kartini Abang Ibrahim ◽  
Nur Fatihah Abdullah Bandar ◽  
Surena Sabil ◽  
Nik Norsyamimi Md Nor
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Family Work ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
Supportive Culture ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Work Family Enrichment ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire ◽  
Collectivist Society ◽  
Family Enrichment

Recently, the positive side of work-family interface, work-family enrichment has been highlighted.  However,   most research  came from Western cultural context and mostly focus on work and family domain only. Therefore, this study aims to investigate community domains demands and resources  and its relationship to  work-family enrichment in the Eastern cultural context, i.e. Malaysia.   Self-administered questionnaire were answered by 506  employees  from six organizations. It was found that family-work enrichment (FWE) is higher than work-family enrichment (WFE).   Resources from neighbors and relatives were positively related to WFE and FWE.   Interestingly, friends’ resources were negatively related to WFE and FWE. The findings strengthened the link between resources and enrichment. This study has shown that support outside the workplace, particularly from relatives and neighbours are important in enhancing work-family and family work enrichment. Thus,  organizations in collectivist society should create community supportive culture to enhance the experience of  work family enrichment among the employees. 

scholarly journals The relationship between work-family conflict and central life interests amongst single working mothers

2003 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taryn Wallis ◽  
Linda Price
Keyword(s):  
Family Conflict ◽  
Working Mothers ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Intellectual Stimulation ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Work Family

This study explored the experiences of work-family conflict amongst a group of twenty single working mothers with pre-school age children. Dubin’s (1992) theory of Central Life Interests was utilised to fully understand how the differential importance of the roles played by the women informed the level and nature of the conflict experienced. A two-phase research design was employed in which questionnaire responses from the first phase formed the basis for the second phase of in-depth qualitative interviews. Results indicated that participants viewed motherhood as their Central Life Interest and that this priority could lead them to experience greater conflict between work and family demands. Although work was rated second in importance when compared to family, it was still seen as being of great significance, not only for instrumental reasons, but also for the intellectual stimulation that it provided and opportunities to exercise independence and responsibility. Opsomming Die werk-en-familie konflik-ervarings van twintig werkende enkel-moeders met voorskoolse kinders is ondersoek in hierdie projek. Dubin (1992) se teorie van sentrale lewensbelangstellings is gebruik om te bepaal hoe die belangrikheid van die twee rolle die vlak en aard van die konflik bepaal het. Die navorsing is in twee fases gedoen: ‘n vraelys in die eerste fase, opgevolg deur in-diepte kwalitatiewe onderhoude. Resultate het gewys dat die deelnemers moederskap as hul sentrale lewensbelangstelling beskou het, en dat hierdie prioriteit kon lei tot groter konflik tussen die eise van werk en familie. Alhoewel werk as ondergeskik aan familie beoordeel is, was dit nogtans van groot belang. Aan die een kant was dit vir instrumentele redes, maar dit het ook intellektuele stimulasie verskaf en geleenthede gegee om onafhanklik en verantwoordelik op te tree.

scholarly journals UNDERSTANDING WORKING MOTHERS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT IN TURKEY

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1015-1032
Author(s):  
Arzu GİRİŞKEN ◽  
Elif ÇALIMLIOĞLU DOĞAN
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Family Life ◽  
Working Mothers ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Corporate Commitment ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Relationship

Today, especially in developing countries, the majority of working mothers in institutions' organizational structures, feel disturbed and excluded. This article aims to examine the relationship between challenges faced by working mothers in Turkey and their view of organizational commitment with a scientific approach. This study also aims to discuss the gender and maternal identity of working women by considering the difficulties they have in their both business and family lives. The survey designed for this article was applied to 105 working mothers living in Istanbul, and 82 of them completed it. In this online quantitative study, the living standards of working mothers, the capacity of the institution to support them, and the relationship between work-family life and organizational commitment were investigated. As a result of this study, it was found that there is a significant relationship between corporate commitment and life satisfaction, identities (work and family, etc.), job satisfaction, and organizational support for working mothers, and a significant negative relationship was found between corporate commitment and work-family life conflict.

scholarly journals Work-Family Experience: Its Relation with Self-Identity

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azelin Aziz ◽  
Nor Azimah Chew Abdullah ◽  
Awanis Ku Ishak ◽  
Siti Norasyikin Abdul Hamid
Keyword(s):  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Family Roles ◽  
Family Experience ◽  
Family Experiences ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Buffering Effect ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Work And Family Roles

Many studies have examined the manner in which demands in work and family roles impact work-family experiences. Given that gender-role somewhat shapes an individual’s self-identity, this study suggests that an individual’s experience of favourable or unfavourable work-family experience depends on his or her self-identity. More specifically, this study aims to investigate whether the compatibility between one’s self-identity and the role in which one is engaged in, results in a buffering effect or a detrimental effect of role demand on the  work-family balance experience.

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