| Author: | Cheung, Wai Man |
| Title: | The effects of technology accessibility, self efficacy and social support on work family conflict and life satisfaction |
| Degree: | D.B.A. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Subject: | Work and family. Employees -- Effect of technological innovations on. Quality of life. Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Graduate School of Business |
| Pages: | 167 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | With the increasing importance and popularity of information and communications technologies (ICT) (e.g., mobile phones) and tools (e.g., electronic mail), our daily work and family lives have changed. The boundary between work and family seems to have blurred although not much research has been conducted on the impact of technology on the relationship between work and family. To fill this research gap, this study has the following four objectives: (1) to develop a model of the role of work-family conflict as a conduit for the influence of technology accessibility and self-efficacy on life satisfaction; (2) to empirically test this model with a sample of employees in Hong Kong and China; (3) to offer suggestions for organizations to manage the work-home interface of employees; (4) to offer future research directions on how technology accessibility may affect work-home dynamics. A quantitative and multi-source design was used to test (a) whether technological accessibility predicts work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC); (b) whether self-efficacy predicts FWC and WFC; (c) whether social support resources moderate the relationship between technological accessibility and WFC as well as between technological accessibility and FWC; (d) whether work-family conflict mediates the relationships of technology accessibility and self-efficacy on life satisfaction. Data were collected from 283 employees of two companies along with their spouses or family members. The sample included Chinese from Hong Kong (182) and Guangzhou (101). Hierarchical multiple (moderator) regression analyses were used to test relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable as well as to clarify the effect of the moderating variables and the mediating variables. The results showed that technological accessibility between the employee and business associates was a prime predictor of WFC. The technological accessibility between the employee and family members was a prime predictor of FWC. Self-efficacy was a predictor of FWC but not of WFC. Consistent with past research, WFC was found to be a negative and significant predictor of life satisfaction; contrary to past research, the relationship between FWC and life satisfaction was not significant. Supervisor support and coworker support did not moderate FWC, family members also did not moderate WFC. There was no mediating effect of WFC/FWC between life satisfaction and technological accessibility as well as no mediating effect between self-efficacy and life satisfaction. However, technological accessibility between employee and business associates had an indirect effect on life satisfaction through WFC. This study contributed to the existing literature by using an integrated approach to consider technological accessibility between the employee and business associates or family members, family and work support resources as well as WFC and FWC. The impact of technological accessibility between the employee and business associates on WFC and the impact of self-efficacy on FWC could lead to important modifications in company work policies and training programs to improve the overall performance of the employee and organization as a whole. Policies could be modified to minimize employees being accessed by business associates after office hours. Training programs that enable employees to improve their self-efficacy should be considered. Finally, the ICT communication between employees and family members during office hours should be minimized to enable employees to focus on work and to improve working efficiency. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b25259556.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 4.1 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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