Jones, Jo (2009) Work/life Balance and Border Theory: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The objective of this study was to achieve a better understanding of work/life balance, that is low work/life conflict and high work/life satisfaction, using Clark’s border theory as a framework. Research examined the factors influencing work/life balance, as well as consideration of cross-cultural factors influencing work/life balance for people from individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Clark’s theory consists of eight propositions, and this study aimed to test one of these: specifically, the fourth proposition which contends that people who have central participation in both the work and home environment will have better work/life balance than those who do not. Central participation is defined as when individuals have identification and influence in the work or home environment. Data were collected from 64 males and 176 males (N = 240) from a wide variety of family situations and workplaces. Participants were both Indigenous Australians and Anglo-Australians who were employed and married, single or partnered, living in remote, rural and metropolitan areas. Participants completed Boundaries between home and work, Strength of borders, Role conflict and Work/family balance questionnaires which determined whether they had central or peripheral participation in family and work domains, and their overall levels of balance resulting from work/family conflict and work/family satisfaction. Results indicated that Anglo-Australian participants reported highest levels of work/life balance when they were central participants in the family and work domains. However, Indigenous Australians did not fit the model as they only required central participation in one domain to report high levels of work/life balance. They also reported significantly less work/life balance when they were central participants in both domains. Limitations of the research and implications of the findings are discussed, and directions for future research are provided.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Majella Albion |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Nov 2025 01:18 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Nov 2025 01:18 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52451 |
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