Year
2021
Degree Name
Doctor of Business Administration
Department
School of Business
Abstract
This research applies a work-values perspective to investigate the work–life balance (WLB) of women managers in present-day Australia. Workforce transformation and societal changes, particularly the shift in societal expectations around the role of women over the past several decades, necessitate a fresh investigation into the phenomenon of WLB for this particular group, women managers.
Despite extensive literature on work values, WLB, and their potential relationship, there has been no research directly linking these topics. This research addresses this missing connection and proposes that WLB research should begin by exploring why women managers work and how the work values of women managers influence their WLB experiences. The conceptual framework for this research comprises these components: Schwartz’s four dimensions of work values, Reiter’s typology of WLB definitions, and the two value congruence theories of person–environment (PE) fit and self-concordance. This study explores the overarching research question: How do work values influence women managers’ perceptions of work–life balance? To guide the research, three specific investigative questions were developed. Q1: Why are women managers motivated to work? Q2: How do women managers view the meaning of work–life balance? Q3: What are the perceived influences in women managers’ work–life balance experiences, given their individual work situations?
Recommended Citation
Sun, Zhiling, Exploring individual women managers’ perceived work–life balance: A work-values perspective, Doctor of Business Administration thesis, School of Business, University of Wollongong, 2021. https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses1/1329
FoR codes (2008)
150310 Organisation and Management Theory, 150311 Organisational Behaviour, 150306 Industrial Relations, 150312 Organisational Planning and Management
Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong.