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Lillian T. Eby talks with
ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions about
this month's Fast Moving Front in the field of Economics
& Business.
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Article: Work and family research in IO/OB: Content
analysis and review of the literature
(1980-2002)
Authors: Eby,
LT;Casper, WJ;Lockwood, A;Bordeaux, C;Brinley,
A
Journal: J VOCAT BEHAV, 66 (1): 124-197 FEB 2005
Addresses: Univ Georgia, Dept Psychol, 228 Psychol Bldg,
Athens, GA 30602 USA.
Univ Georgia, Dept Psychol, Athens, GA 30602 USA.
Univ Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74104 USA.
(addresses have been truncated)
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Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
The field of work-family scholarship has burgeoned in recent years and more
than ever, families today face a myriad of challenges in balancing the
stresses associated with work and family life. As a comprehensive review of
the literature, this monograph provides "one-stop shopping" for academics
and practitioners interested in understanding what we know about the
intersection of work and family life.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
"The breadth of information obtained
from these 190 empirical studies was
difficult to condense and
synthesize."
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Yes, this is the first comprehensive narrative review and content analysis
of the work-family literature. While other reviews exist, they are more
narrowly focused on a specific topic area (e.g., flexible work
arrangements, work-family conflict). This monograph fills an important gap
in the literature by integrating research findings associated with 190
published studies.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman's terms?
This publication discusses what we know about the positive and negative
aspects of work and family life, and how the interplay between these two
important life domains influence how people feel about their work, careers,
and families.
How did you become involved in this research and
were any particular problems encountered along the way?
The breadth of information obtained from these 190 empirical studies was
difficult to condense and synthesize.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
In the monograph we provide a critique of the existing work-family
literature and suggest numerous ideas for future research on the topic.
This agenda for future research is likely to influence the trajectory of
research studies on the topic of work-family issues for some time to come.
Do you foresee any social or political implications
for your research?
Organizations are increasingly concerned about how to attract and retain
the best talent. The cost of health care also continues to rise. Efforts to
help employees effectively manage their work and family life is a major
concern for many organizations. It can provide a competitive advantage in
terms of human resource management and help deter the negative consequences
of employee stress.
Lillian T. Eby, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA, USA
Principal Investigator
Project MERITS (Managing Effective Relationships in Treatment
Services)
Associate Editor, Personnel Psychology
Fellow, Institute for Behavioral Research
KEYWORDS: LITERATURE REVIEW; WORK-FAMILY; WORK AND
FAMILY; WORK AND NONWORK; GENDER.
