Towards a third level of analysis in the work-life balance debate: Incorporating a 'society' perspective
- Authors: Zacharias, Nadine
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The international journal of knowledge, culture & change management Vol. 5, no. 8 (2006), p. 195-201
- Full Text:
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- Description: The concept of ‘work-life balance’ has been researched from three main but largely separate perspectives: Business, individual and society. Much research has attempted to link ‘work-life balance’ initiatives to ‘bottom line’ performance and to make a ‘business case’ for their introduction. Studies that have focused on employees using ‘work-life balance’ policies have shown that the issues around a satisfactory combination of work and private life spheres are still mainly perceived as an individual (female) concern. It is only recently that the issues have been regarded as a phenomenon of broader social significance because the negative consequences of the increased inability of finding a ‘balance’ are becoming more and more obvious in Western societies. In this paper, I argue that the discussion around ‘work-life balance’ has to be more inclusive and needs to integrate the three perspectives to take the debate to a new level. The underlying theme is that of values, attitudes and beliefs that are held in organisations, individuals and societies and of the ways in which their interplay predicts the ability to achieve a personal ‘work-life balance’. It is argued that those values, attitudes and beliefs are innately gendered. By adding a ‘society’ perspective to the equation, in the form of a critical ‘gender lens’, it is possible to detect deeply held and widely shared assumptions within national cultures that create gendered social structures which currently hinder the reconciliation of work and private life spheres.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001776
- Authors: Zacharias, Nadine
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The international journal of knowledge, culture & change management Vol. 5, no. 8 (2006), p. 195-201
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The concept of ‘work-life balance’ has been researched from three main but largely separate perspectives: Business, individual and society. Much research has attempted to link ‘work-life balance’ initiatives to ‘bottom line’ performance and to make a ‘business case’ for their introduction. Studies that have focused on employees using ‘work-life balance’ policies have shown that the issues around a satisfactory combination of work and private life spheres are still mainly perceived as an individual (female) concern. It is only recently that the issues have been regarded as a phenomenon of broader social significance because the negative consequences of the increased inability of finding a ‘balance’ are becoming more and more obvious in Western societies. In this paper, I argue that the discussion around ‘work-life balance’ has to be more inclusive and needs to integrate the three perspectives to take the debate to a new level. The underlying theme is that of values, attitudes and beliefs that are held in organisations, individuals and societies and of the ways in which their interplay predicts the ability to achieve a personal ‘work-life balance’. It is argued that those values, attitudes and beliefs are innately gendered. By adding a ‘society’ perspective to the equation, in the form of a critical ‘gender lens’, it is possible to detect deeply held and widely shared assumptions within national cultures that create gendered social structures which currently hinder the reconciliation of work and private life spheres.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001776
Perceptions of effective leaders : Cross cultural influences
- Authors: Jogulu, Uma , Wood, Glenice
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management Vol. 8, no. 1 (2008), p. 113-120
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper suggests that values, attitudes and behaviours are strongly culture specific. Therefore, it is contended that if culture exerts an influence in behaviours and attitudes of people it will be evident in the way leadership is perceived or traits of effective leadership is distinguished in organisations around the world. In the Western leadership literature, effective leadership appears to be correlated with organisational performance and profitability, subordinate extra effort and subordinate satisfaction with the leader. The Western literature also suggests that the measure of effective leadership at an individual level involve rating “by subordinates, superiors and peers and leaders themselves” (Eagly, Karau, & Makhijani, 1995, p. 128). However, there is limited knowledge and specific details of leadership characteristics that may constitute effective leadership practices outside the West, nor how universal the Western theories and models may be beyond the Western settings. There is a need to expand the existing knowledge and findings to understand whether Western leadership behaviours and practices are acceptable, appropriate or relevant in other cultures. In order to address this broad topic, the present paper will explore the perceptions of effective leadership in two diverse cultures of Malaysia and Australia. The middle managers in four industry types participated in the present research and the study found differences within and between female and male middle managers in both countries in terms of how leadership effectiveness is perceived and evaluated.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003006153
- Authors: Jogulu, Uma , Wood, Glenice
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management Vol. 8, no. 1 (2008), p. 113-120
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper suggests that values, attitudes and behaviours are strongly culture specific. Therefore, it is contended that if culture exerts an influence in behaviours and attitudes of people it will be evident in the way leadership is perceived or traits of effective leadership is distinguished in organisations around the world. In the Western leadership literature, effective leadership appears to be correlated with organisational performance and profitability, subordinate extra effort and subordinate satisfaction with the leader. The Western literature also suggests that the measure of effective leadership at an individual level involve rating “by subordinates, superiors and peers and leaders themselves” (Eagly, Karau, & Makhijani, 1995, p. 128). However, there is limited knowledge and specific details of leadership characteristics that may constitute effective leadership practices outside the West, nor how universal the Western theories and models may be beyond the Western settings. There is a need to expand the existing knowledge and findings to understand whether Western leadership behaviours and practices are acceptable, appropriate or relevant in other cultures. In order to address this broad topic, the present paper will explore the perceptions of effective leadership in two diverse cultures of Malaysia and Australia. The middle managers in four industry types participated in the present research and the study found differences within and between female and male middle managers in both countries in terms of how leadership effectiveness is perceived and evaluated.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003006153
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