M.Com. (Business Management) / The question of quality in the workplace is considered within a framework where structural and process variables, leadership, personal filters and behavioural patterns are addressed. Viewpoints regarding quality of work by Rosow, Piskurich, Bennet, Fulmer, Callahan and Drucker, amongst others, were examined. Problems associated with the feasibility of measuring quality is briefly analysed in the light of viewpoints of writers such as Tuttle and Romanowski...

<div>This dissertation addresses the overarching question, “What are the processes, antecedents, and outcomes of first-time mother’s pregnancy disclosures to their supervisors?” Two new theoretical disclosure models, the antecedent pregnancy disclosure model (APDM) and the outcome pregnancy disclosure model (OPDM), were empirically tested to address this question. Utilizing longitudinal data, these models examined the direct, mediation, and moderation effects associated with expecting women’s pregnancy disclosure experiences. </div><div><br></div><div>The APDM and OPDM drew upon disclosure theories (e.g., Afifi & Steuber, 2009; Greene, 2009), the interpersonal process model (Reiss & Shaver, 1988), and work-life literatures to extend disclosure theorizing through an examination of the work-related predictors of disclosure decision making and the interpersonal, relational, and career outcomes associated with expecting mother’s disclosure experiences. The APDM identified both individual-level (e.g., perceived career risk) and organization-level (e.g., structural support) predictors for the specific types of disclosure strategies women used to inform their supervisors that they were pregnant.</div><div><br></div><div> The APDM also tested two mechanisms (i.e., disclosure efficacy and anticipated disclosure strategy) as potential mediators between predictors and enacted disclosure strategies at T2 (see Figure 2). The OPDM built upon findings of the APDM to examine the association between enacted disclosure strategies and relational, psychological, and career outcomes while testing the role of perceived supervisor responsiveness as both a moderator and mediator to these effects (see Figure 3). Results of data analysis (N = 131) revealed that perceived organizational support and perceived risk influenced expecting women’s engagement in specific disclosure strategies at T2 through differing mechanisms (see APDM). Additionally, results suggest that the different disclosure strategies that women enacted at T2 were significantly associated with expecting women’s career, relational, and psychological outcomes (see OPDM). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. </div><div><br></div>

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Research indicates that supportive supervision, particularly work-family specific supervision, is key to reducing employees' work-family conflict (Allen, 2001; Eby et al., 2005; Thomas & Ganster, 1995). However, little research has examined the factors that contribute to supervisors' willingness or ability to provide this support. This study examined how supervisor job stress and perceptions of work-family climate influenced employee ratings of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB) using previously-collected data from a mid-western grocery chain. It was hypothesized that supervisor job stressors would impact FSSB, supervisor perception of work-family climate would impact FSSB, and the interaction of stressors and climate would impact FSSB. None of the hypotheses were supported. Potential explanations and directions for future research are discussed.

A quantitative study on the work phones effects on a group of individuals in Swedens work life balance

Work-life balance is a concept that has attracted attention for several years. It is relevant as people attempt to apportion time to different demands they face from both work and life. The multiplicity of demands that individuals have can increase this challenge as people strive to incorporate many more activities into lives. The focus of current literature regarding work-life balance tends to focus on how employees can be provided with opportunities by their organisations for achieving this elusive balance. Research has been conducted into various strategies that organisations have implemented to facilitate their employees’ lifestyle options. Furthermore, studies have examined the role of organisational initiatives and staff retention. However, many of the organisations providing these opportunities for employees have substantial resources, thereby enabling the provision of these initiatives. Previous empirical research has examined work-life balance in depth. However, there are aspects that call for further attention. In particular, the management of this concept within small business requires further research. Australia has a large number of small businesses, which comprise a large proportion of the labour force and contribute significantly the national economy. The broad category of small business includes different business models, and two of these models are the independent and the franchised business. The success of these models has been demonstrated by their rapid growth in the Australian economy. As one of the reasons most commonly cited for entering into a small business is to regain the control over one’s life and work-life balance, the purpose of this research is to investigate work-life balance from the perspective of small business owners. Examination of different research issues considering the perception of work-life balance, the impact of control, of owning a small business, and the choice of business model on work-life balance is undertaken. The research considers how small business owners perceive the concept of work-life balance, and whether it is regarded as important to them. This research seeks to understand how work-life balance is viewed differently for small business owners. The concept of control requires examination to clarify how control and work-life balance relate to each other. Due to the popularity of franchising in the small business sector, a comparison of the concept of work-life balance by both franchised and independent small business owners is warranted...

<p>Det här är en undersökning om holländares val att flytta till Värmland och att starta eget företag sett utifrån ett work-life balance perspektiv. De teorier som har använts är främst work-life balance teorin men även teorier som behandlar flexibilitet, arbete och att starta eget företag återfinns. Inom work-life balance går jag igenom hur olika typer av förändringar i samhället har påverkat och påverkar balansen mellan arbete och fritid. Det tas även upp olika typer av beslut och gensvar som individen kan ta och göra för att motverka obalansen, men dessa individuella beslut är på något sätt relaterade till andra, som till exempel, kommunens gensvar.</p><p>Jag har använt mig av kvalitativ metod där jag intervjuat nio respondenter i min undersökning. I analys och resultat kapitlet redogör jag för mina upptäckter utifrån den analys jag gjort av mina respondenters berättelser och kopplar det till de teorier jag använt mig av. I analysen återfinns tid och rum som huvudbegrepp men dessa två begrepp är relaterade till arbete, stress, fritid och familj. Det visar sig att deras val att flytta kan förklaras och förstås utifrån ett work-life balance perspektiv men inte bara på grund av tiden som faktor. Rummets betydelse var något nytt som framkom och var av stor vikt för mina respondenters syn på sitt nya liv här. </p>

Determining not only what makes people, but also how many people are, satisfied personally and with work has become an ongoing stream of research for both academics and practitioners. The idea of satisfaction is of such concern today that Gallup-Healthways conducts a survey, and reports, on the daily well-being of Americans (http://www.gallup.com/poll/106915/ gallup-daily-us-mood.aspx). Given the importance of satisfaction to individuals, organizations and society at large, it is imperative to understand the predictors and mediators of satisfaction. Research has been conducted on the negative (i.e., inverse) relationship between satisfaction and work/life conflict, as well as the positive relationship between coping and satisfaction. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the interactions between work/life conflict (originating from both the work and family domains), problem-focused coping styles (i.e., problem-solving and communication skills) and life satisfaction. Additionally, mediational effects of coping on the well-documented relationship between work/life conflict and satisfaction were explored. The data used in this study was archival in nature, coming from 491working professionals enrolled in an Executive MBA program at a Southeastern university. Using the transactional model of stress, this study established the single, second-order construct of work/life conflict, consisting of six (6) first-order constructs (i.e., WF Time, WF Strain, WF Behavior, FW Time, FW Strain, and FW Behavior). This new construct maintains the bi-directionality (i.e., WF and FW) supported by a litany of researchers (e.g., Anderson, et al., 2002; Boyar, et al., 2003; Carlson, et al., 2000; Kopelman, et al., 2003), while reflecting Frone, et al.’s (1992a, 1992b) contention that WFC and FWC conflict have an interactive, additive effect. Additionally, in answer to multiple calls in the literature (e.g., Allen, et al., 2000; Eby, et al., 2005; MacDermid, 2005; MacDermid & Harvey, 2006) to incorporate coping into work/life conflict research. This study found that problem-solving coping partially mediates the relationship between work/life conflict and life satisfaction. Communication coping was not found to mediate the relationship between work/life conflict and life satisfaction.

Det här är en undersökning om holländares val att flytta till Värmland och att starta eget företag sett utifrån ett work-life balance perspektiv. De teorier som har använts är främst work-life balance teorin men även teorier som behandlar flexibilitet, arbete och att starta eget företag återfinns. Inom work-life balance går jag igenom hur olika typer av förändringar i samhället har påverkat och påverkar balansen mellan arbete och fritid. Det tas även upp olika typer av beslut och gensvar som individen kan ta och göra för att motverka obalansen, men dessa individuella beslut är på något sätt relaterade till andra, som till exempel, kommunens gensvar. Jag har använt mig av kvalitativ metod där jag intervjuat nio respondenter i min undersökning. I analys och resultat kapitlet redogör jag för mina upptäckter utifrån den analys jag gjort av mina respondenters berättelser och kopplar det till de teorier jag använt mig av. I analysen återfinns tid och rum som huvudbegrepp men dessa två begrepp är relaterade till arbete, stress, fritid och familj. Det visar sig att deras val att flytta kan förklaras och förstås utifrån ett work-life balance perspektiv men inte bara på grund av tiden som faktor. Rummets betydelse var något nytt som framkom och var av stor vikt för mina respondenters syn på sitt nya liv här.