<p>The call centre industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in South Africa. Call centres have for most companies become a basic business requirement for servicing customers. Zapf, Isic, Bechtoldt and Blau (2003: 311) argue that there are high levels of stress amongst employees in call centres, which they believe to be the result of both the work tasks and the interactions with customers. The aim of this study was to establish whether call centre work design and structure contributed to role stress amongst client service representatives (CSRs). It was also the aim of this study to establish whether role stress affected the CSRs‟ levels of job satisfaction and their intentions to quit from their jobs.</p>

This study investigated how Work-Family Conflict was related to Role Salience and Job level (investigated in terms of the amount of job demand and job control associated with different job levels) among women from a Collectivistic culture. A sample of 65 teachers was used. Although the results of the study showed no correlations between Work-Family Conflict and both role salience and job level, this was attributed to the high data skewness, thereby reducing the chances of detecting correlations. The high positive data skewness was possibly caused by the floor effect, which was the situation that the sample consisted of only female teachers from a Collectivistic culture. The high negative data skewness was possibly caused by the ceiling effect, which is the situation that the women in this sample have a Collectivistic cultural orientation, and are therefore highly likely to consider their home role as more salient. Moreover, correlations between Work Family Conflict and Job demand have been found to be higher in Individualistic cultures compared to Collectivistic cultures. There also seems to be no differences in job control among teachers occupying different job levels, and hence, no correlations were detected. Further analyses depicted that the teachers within this sample considered their home role as more salient. Moreover, despite their commitment to both their home role and occupational role, the data indicated that the sample experienced low levels of Work Family conflict.

Au cours des dernières décennies, le thème de la conciliation travail-famille s’est taillé une place importante dans le discours populaire, médiatique et politique tant au Québec, dans les pays industrialisés que dans les organismes internationaux. L’expression désigne les défis que posent pour les individus, les couples, les familles, les milieux de travail et la société en général la relation nouvelle qui s’est développée entre ces deux sphères de vie avec le passage d’une société industrielle à une société dite postindustrielle. Ces défis perçus, ressentis, identifiés et définis différemment par l’un ou l’autre de ces acteurs se sont traduits par l’inscription de cette question à l’agenda politique des gouvernements, ici comme ailleurs. L’objet de la recherche est de comprendre les dynamiques entourant le développement des actions de l’État québécois sur le thème de la conciliation travail-famille. La recherche s’intéresse aux acteurs (Intérêts) qui ont participé aux processus de développement des mesures de conciliation travail-famille et au contexte Institutionnel qui encadre leurs interactions avec les décideurs. À ce titre, la recherche permet de vérifier si le développement de la politique familiale québécoise peut être situé dans ce qui a été désigné comme le « modèle québécois de développement ». La variable « Idée » complète le cadre théorique de l’analyse du développement de la politique de conciliation travail-famille au Québec selon l’approche dite « des 3 I ». / In recent decades, the topic of balancing work and family has earned an important place in popular discourse, media and politics in Québec, as well as in industrialized countries and in international organizations. The term refers to the challenges for individuals, couples, families, workplaces and society in general, and the new relationship that has developed between these two spheres of life with the transition from an industrial to a post-industrial society. These perceived challenges, identified and defined differently by each of these players have resulted in the inclusion of this issue on the political agenda of governments, both here and abroad. The purpose of this research is to understand the dynamics surrounding the development of actions by the Québec government on the issue of reconciling work and family. The research focuses on the actors (Interests) who participated in the process of developing measures to reconcile work and family and the Institutional environment in which they interact with policy makers. As such, research to verify whether the development of Québec's family policy can be located in what was designated the "Québec model of development." The variable "Idea" completes the theoretical analysis of the development policy of balancing work and family in Québec.

本研究旨在探討國小教師之工作-家庭平衡、正向情緒、組織公民行為之關係，並探究正向情緒在工作-家庭平衡與組織公民行為之間是否具有中介效果。研究採用問卷調查法，以新北市公立國小教師做為樣本母群體，採用分層隨機抽樣，抽出64所小學共計760位受試者，回收有效問卷616份，所得資料分別以描述統計、t考驗、單因子變異數分析、Pearson積差相關、迴歸分析、Sobel檢定等統計方法進行研究，根據研究結果加以分析歸納，研究結論如下： 一、新北市國小教師工作-家庭平衡屬中高程度，WFC高於FWC、FWE高於WFE。 二、新北市國小教師正向情緒屬中高程度。 三、新北市國小教師組織公民行為屬於中高程度，以OCB-I最高。 四、婚姻狀況、未滿18歲子女數、服務總年資、學歷、現任職務在WFC上有顯著差異；性別、年齡、婚姻狀況、未滿18歲子女數、服務總年資、學歷、現任職務在FWC上有顯著差異；年齡在WFE上有顯著差異；現任職務在FWE上有顯著差異。 五、學歷、現任職務在整體OCB上有顯著差異；未滿18歲子女數、現任職務在OCB-I上有顯著差異；性別、年齡、婚姻狀況、服務總年資、學歷、現任職務、學校規模在OCB-O上有顯著差異；現任職務在TASK上有顯著差異。 六、學歷在正向情緒上有顯著差異。 七、工作-家庭平衡教師在正向情緒、OCB-I、TASK、整體OCB顯著高於非平衡教師。 八、「工作-家庭增益」與正向情緒對組織公民行為具顯著相關及預測力。 九、正向情緒在「工作-家庭增益」與組織公民行為間具有部份中介效果。 最後，根據研究結果提出建議，以供學校校長、教師及後續研究之參考。 / The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between teachers’ work-family balance, positive emotion and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in elementary school. Furthermore, the mediation of positive emotions on work-family balance and OCB was examined. A survey research was conducted using a sample of elementary school teachers in New Taipei City. Data from a sample of 616 teachers within 64 schools was analyzed and processed with the methods of descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, multiple regression analysis and Sobel test. The major findings of this study are as follows: 1. Teachers’ work-family balance is above average and WFC higher than FWC, FWE higher than WFE. 2. Teacher’s positive emotion is above average. 3. Teacher’s OCB is above average, “OCB-I” ranks the top. 4. Five demographic variables, including marriage, children under the age of 18, total serving years, education and position show significant differences in work-to-family conflict. Seven demographic variables, such as gender, age, marriage, children under the age of 18, total serving years, education and position, show significant differences in family-to-work conflict. One demographic variable, age, shows significant differences in work-to-family enrichment. One demographic variable, position, shows significant differences in family-to-work enrichment. 5. Two demographic variables, education and position, show significant differences in OCB. Two demographic variables, including children under the age of 18 and position, show significant differences in OCB-I. Seven demographic variables, including gender, age, marriage, total serving years, education, position and school classes, show significant differences in OCB-O. One demographic variable, position, shows significant differences in TASK. 6. One demographic variable, education, show significant differences in positive emotion. 7. Teachers with work-family balance are higher at positive emotions, OCB-I, TASK, and OCB than others. 8. Work-to-family enrichment and positive emotion are positively correlated with OCB. 9. Positive emotion as a mediator of the work-family enrichment and OCB. Based on the results of the research, suggestions for school principals, teachers and future related studies are proposed.

One of the most important social institutions in our society is that of the family and specifically the union of marriage. Marriage is one of God's central institutions as it depicts His relationship to his body of believers just as Christ is the groom and his body the bride. Full-time ministry couples experience certain pressures, which impact the health and union of the marriage in a variety of ways - yet these "pressures" are not always understood in society or by the church. This study undertakes to understand what the influence of full-time ministry has on the health of a marriage for couples who are engaged in full-time ministry. Through a qualitative empirical research based on the model of Zerfass, the researcher will gain understanding into the various aspects underlying the ministry environment that influences the health of a marriage. The researcher establishes that three main areas must be formulated for future ministry couples in order to function at an optimal level. These areas include the establishment of proper ministerial and marriage guidelines. It also includes that married couples should gain proper equilibrium and consciousness towards their ministry and marriage health. It is evident that the body of Christ doesn't fully grasp the influence of full-time ministry on the health of a marriage. An overall uncertainty exists of what constitutes a healthy marriage and therefore a lack of understanding on the various pressures exerted on full-time ministry is prevalent. Ultimately couples should realise that today's changing times and uncertain job roles necessitate flexibility to adapt to new environments while still holding on to a healthy marriage union / Thesis (M.A. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

One of the most important social institutions in our society is that of the family and specifically the union of marriage. Marriage is one of God's central institutions as it depicts His relationship to his body of believers just as Christ is the groom and his body the bride. Full-time ministry couples experience certain pressures, which impact the health and union of the marriage in a variety of ways - yet these "pressures" are not always understood in society or by the church. This study undertakes to understand what the influence of full-time ministry has on the health of a marriage for couples who are engaged in full-time ministry. Through a qualitative empirical research based on the model of Zerfass, the researcher will gain understanding into the various aspects underlying the ministry environment that influences the health of a marriage. The researcher establishes that three main areas must be formulated for future ministry couples in order to function at an optimal level. These areas include the establishment of proper ministerial and marriage guidelines. It also includes that married couples should gain proper equilibrium and consciousness towards their ministry and marriage health. It is evident that the body of Christ doesn't fully grasp the influence of full-time ministry on the health of a marriage. An overall uncertainty exists of what constitutes a healthy marriage and therefore a lack of understanding on the various pressures exerted on full-time ministry is prevalent. Ultimately couples should realise that today's changing times and uncertain job roles necessitate flexibility to adapt to new environments while still holding on to a healthy marriage union / Thesis (M.A. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

This dissertation examines the discursive, political, and legal context of the European Union’s (EU) Working Time Directive, beginning with the history of its adoption and ending with its unsuccessful revision attempt in 2009. It also analyzes the Directive’s influence on the working-time regime in Poland, and considers whether or not it advances gender equality. A feminist, socio-legal perspective that is attentive to multiple levels of governance is used to analyze the Directive, the Polish Labour Code provisions, and their interaction. The dissertation illustrates how standard working-time norms both assumed and institutionalized an unequal allocation of paid and unpaid work between men and women, which either constrained women’s employment opportunities or, in Poland’s case, penalized women with a double burden of paid and unpaid work. It shows how a contextual analysis of the EU and Polish working-time instruments allows us to evaluate whether the norms they set embody and reproduce, or challenge and move beyond, these gendered assumptions. The focus is on changes in the political, economic, and social milieu, developments in policy discourses and institutional architecture, and the role of actors influencing the evolution of these instruments. Emphasis is given to Poland’s post-1989 transition and EU accession processes, the expansion of the EU competences, and the influence of broader transnational trends. The study reveals that the current regulatory approaches to standard work-time promoted in the EU and Poland are unlikely to facilitate equal re-distribution of work time between men and women because equality and work-family reconciliation have been either absent as potential regulatory rationales or subordinated to the dominant pursuit of labour market flexibility and efficiency. In the EU, this subordination stemmed from institutional, legal, and political constraints existing at the time of the Directive’s adoption and subsequent review. In Poland, domestic and external pressures also privileged economic discourses and the adoption of EU norms enabled progressive flexibilization of the Polish working-time regime, while preserving opportunities for long work-hours. Although recent policy emphasis on equality and the promotion of work-family reconciliation for all workers is promising, curbing long hours and better incorporation of care work are required for socially sustainable and equal working-time regimes. / Graduate

本研究以已婚社會工作員為對象，瞭解已婚社會工作員的工作與家庭衝突對其家庭生活滿意度的影響。研究透過兩種管道進行資料的蒐集：一種是由台灣社會工作專業人員協會與台灣兒童暨家庭扶助基金會協助樣本的提供；另一種是使用線上問卷，共回收154份有效問卷。本研究有幾點發現：首先，已婚社會工作員面臨了工作與家庭的衝突，且工作干擾家庭的情況較嚴重。其次，已婚社會工作員在家庭生活滿意度的不同構面中，以家務處理滿意程度最低。再者，已婚社會工作員不會因性別的不同在工作與家庭衝突和家庭生活滿意度兩方面有所差異。在工作特質變項上，已婚社會工作員的工作年資愈少、擔任第一線社工員、每週工作時數和每月加班時數愈多者，工作與家庭衝突的情況愈嚴重。在工作投入與勝任感方面，已婚社會工作員對社工專業愈投入，其家庭干擾工作的程度愈低，亦不會因此產生工作干擾家庭的感受；當已婚社會工作員愈難獲得合適的工作作息且愈無法勝任工作時，工作與家庭衝突的程度愈高；而已婚社會工作員對社工專業愈投入者，其家庭生活滿意度愈高。此外，已婚社會工作員的工作與家庭衝突程度愈高，家庭生活滿意度就會愈低。最後，針對研究結果，研究者提出以下建議：已婚社會工作員應瞭解自我角色的情況，在家務處理上取得配偶和家人的支持，並學習有效的時間管理與適度的自我調適；實務界則應正視社會工作員的工作壓力負荷量大的問題。 / This research takes married social workers as research subject to understand how the conflict between work and family affects their family life satisfaction. Our data was collected from two measures. Some are provided by the Taiwan Association of Social Workers and the Taiwan Fund for Children and Family while the rest comes from 154 effective questionnaires collected by an online survey. Through this research, we discovered the followings. First, married social workers do encounter work-family conflicts and their family lives are rather interfered by their work. Second, in terms of different factors of the family life satisfaction, married social workers stand at the lowest level in the satisfaction of house work management. Furthermore, married social workers, regardless of sex, share the same experience regarding work-family conflicts and the family life satisfaction. In terms of the variable of job characteristics, the work-family conflict is much more severe if married social workers have less years of job experience, act as frontline social workers, or have more weekly work hours and overtime hours per month. On the aspect of work devotion and job competency, as they devote more to become professional social workers, their family lives are less likely to be interfered by their work, and thus they don't have the feeling of interference. If they have more trouble balancing between work and rest and become less competent in their jobs, the work-family conflict would be more serious. Meanwhile, if more devotion is put into becoming professional social workers, the family life satisfaction would be higher. In addition, when married social workers suffered from more severe work-family conflicts, their family life satisfaction becomes lower. This research provides several suggestions based on the research result. Married social workers should know more about their roles in work, gain supports from their spouses and family members on housework management and learn better skills on time management and self-adjustment. In practical view, the problem of work stress and overload in social workers should be emphasized.

Behavioural and emotional problems in children have been linked with a number of deleterious effects for the child, their family and the community at large. Research has demonstrated that targeting parents through behavioural family interventions is an effective way of ameliorating the negative long term effects of early behaviour problems. A number of evidence-based interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing dysfunctional parenting practices and reducing the severity and intensity of behaviour problems however less than 10% of parents’ access parenting services and even fewer access evidence-based interventions. Some researchers now advocate that a population approach that emphasizes prevention rather than treatment and considers parenting in its broader ecological context is required to increase parental access to evidence-based parenting interventions and reduce population levels of disruptive behaviour problems. One important context that affects parenting is the workplace. Changing economic and demographic climates mean the majority of parents are now employed and must balance the competing demands of work and family commitments leading to increased levels of work and family conflict as functioning in one domain invariably effects functioning in the other. High levels of work and family conflict have been shown to increase psychological distress and dysfunctional parenting and are associated with a range of negative organisational outcomes such as increased turnover and absenteeism. Additionally, levels of work and family conflict are highest in parents of young children indicating that balancing work and parenting is particularly difficult at a point in a child’s life where there is greatest development plasticity. This thesis argues that one way to improve parents’ access to services and to reduce work and family conflict is to provide support to working parents in the form of a workplace parenting intervention. Such an intervention has the potential to ease the burden on working parents, increase parental access to evidence-based parenting support and reduce population levels of disruptive behaviour problems. This research comprises of a randomised controlled trial of Workplace Triple P, a variant of Triple P- Positive Parenting Program that is tailored to the specific needs of working parents. Two studies are presented. Study 1 examined the utility of a model that posits that the relationship between parental exposure to disruptive behaviour problems and occupational stress is mediated by family-work conflict. Data analyses supported the hypothesised model. The relationship between parental exposure to disruptive behaviour problems and occupational stress was fully mediated by family-work conflict. The results of this study provide a rationale for examining parenting in a workplace context by demonstrating that disruptive behaviour problems in the children of employees are related to higher levels of occupational stress and that reducing disruptive behaviour and family-work conflict should result in reductions in occupational stress. Study 2 built on the findings of Study 1 by evaluating the effectiveness of Workplace Triple P, a workplace parenting intervention that aims to assist parents to more effectively manage work and family demands. Using a sample of teachers balancing work and parenting commitments, a randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing Workplace Triple P to a waitlist control condition. Results indicated that participants who completed the Workplace Triple P intervention reported improvements in five key outcome areas: disruptive behaviour problems, parenting style and satisfaction, personal adjustment, work and family conflict and occupational wellbeing. Specifically, compared with participants in the waitlist control condition participants in the intervention condition reported that their child displayed lower numbers of disruptive behaviours and engaged in problem behaviour less frequently, that they themselves engaged less in verbose, over-reactive and lax parenting styles, that they felt more confident in dealing with a range of behaviour problems across a range of home and community settings and enjoyed parenting more. Participants in the intervention condition also reported lower levels of personal anxiety and depression. The intervention was also effective at improving work-related variables. Participants who completed the Workplace Triple P intervention reported lower levels of work-family conflict, family-work conflict and occupational stress, as well as reporting increased levels of occupational efficacy. No changes were reported for participants in the waitlist control condition. Participants in the intervention condition were reassessed at 4-months post intervention. Results indicated that all intervention gains were maintained. Together these studies contribute significantly to our understanding of work-family interface by providing insight into the mechanisms by which family life exerts an influence on occupational stress and by demonstrating that a workplace parenting intervention has the potential to improve functioning both family and occupational domains. The findings have significant implications for assisting parents more effectively manage work and family demands, for increasing parental access to services, and informing family-friendly policies and practices. Research, clinical and policy implications are discussed.

Cette thèse porte sur la genèse de la politique familiale en Corée du Sud. Cette recherche présente dans un premier temps comment les mesures politiques en direction de la famille se sont développées depuis les années 1990. La démocratisation politique et sociale de la société coréenne a entraîné l’apparition de lois et de dispositifs dans le domaine de l’égalité entre les sexes et de la conciliation entre vie familiale et vie professionnelle. Le phénomène de la baisse de natalité était plus directement à l’origine de la naissance de la politique familiale dans les années 2000. Malgré le retard notable, le domaine de la politique familiale a évolué rapidement. Le ‘centre du soutien pour la famille saine’ est un exemple significatif et également symbolique de cette évolution récente, avec toutes ses limites. Malgré les efforts de l’Etat, ce centre affiche de nombreuses lacunes. Les dépenses réelles d'aides aux ménages sont faibles et les centres se contentent d'apporter un soutien d'ordre moral et préventif. On constate également la vulnérabilité de la condition des femmes dans leur travail professionnel et l’inégalité entre les femmes. Une minorité de femmes peuvent bénéficier du progrès acquis dans ce domaine. La dernière partie de la thèse situe le cas coréen dans les comparaisons internationales. Dans cette perspective, les typologies de la politique familiale et les expériences d’autres pays comme la France, le Japon, ou les pays d’Europe du Sud sont examinées. On peut constater le caractère résiduel des politiques menées en Corée du sud. Si la politique familiale y est désormais devenue explicite, elle demeure très limitée. L’auteur souligne donc le caractère limité de l’effort de l’Etat qui s’explique, en partie, par le maintien absolu du principe de la solidarité intrafamiliale. La raison de cette limite de la politique familiale réside en somme dans sa finalité même. Les institutions dans le domaine de la famille n’ont pas pour objectif de s’attaquer à l’origine des maux familiaux, mais d’aider les familles à les résoudre eux-mêmes ou en s’appuyant sur les réponses du marché. / This doctoral thesis deals with the genesis of family policy in South Korea. In the first chapter, we discuss in which context policies in support of family have appeared in Korea since 1990’s. It’s a political and social democratization which brought about the expansion of laws and regulations in the fields of gender equality and work-family balance. The decrease of birth rate influenced more directly the development of family policy in 2000’s. Despite its late development, family policy progressed rapidly. The ‘healthy family support center’ is a symbolic example of this recent change. However, despite of state’s efforts, this center is flawed. The direct financial support for inhabitants is too weak and the centres only offer moral and preventive supports. Women are still facing vulnerable conditions in their job and inequality between women is still important. Few women can benefit from this new development in family policy. The last part of the thesis positions South Korea in the comparative literature. In order to do this, diverse typologies of family policy and experiences of different countries like as France, Japan and South Europe are examined. In short, we can see residual characteristic of Korean welfare system. From now on, the family policy in South Korea became explicit, but still very limited in its applications. The thesis notes the limited effect of public interventions in the domain of family. Among the main reasons, the author underlines the maintenance of family support obligation principle. The reason of the limits of Korean family policy lies in its purpose itself. Main institutions of the field of family do not aim to attack the roots of family problems, but to help the family to solve them herself or through the market.