Work-Family Conflict Related to Culture and Gender

Citation:

Mortazavi, Shahrnaz, Nisreen Pedhiwala, Maggie Shafiro, and Leslie Hammer. 2009. “Work-Family Conflict Related to Culture and Gender.” Community, Work & Family 12 (2): 251–73.

Authors: Shahrnaz Mortazavi, Nisreen Pedhiwala, Maggie Shafiro, Leslie Hammer

Abstract:

In recent years, the growing number of multinational companies and a more diversified workforce on both national and international levels has contributed to increased investigation of work and family across cultures (e.g., Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux, & Brinley, 2005). The purpose of this study is to further the understanding of individual experiences of work-family conflict across three different countries and cultures (Ukraine, Iran, and the US). One hundred thirty employees from Ukraine, 154 from Iran, and 192 from the US constitute the research sample. The relationship between gender, nationality, and cultural values of horizontal individualism and collectivism measured at the national and individual levels (idiocentrism and allocentrism), with work and family demands and work-family conflict are examined. We found no difference in the amount of conflict experienced across Ukraine, Iran, and the US. This research showed that there is a negative relationship between work-to-family conflict and horizontal allocentrism (collectivism) at work and family. Idiocentric (Individualistic) employees reported less family-to-work conflict at work.

Keywords: individualism, collectivism, gender, cross-cultural, horizontal idiocentrism, allocentrism, work, family, conflict

Annotation:

Topics: Gender, Households, Multi-National Corporations, Nationalism Regions: Americas, North America, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Eastern Europe Countries: Iran, Ukraine, United States of America

Year: 2009