Betty S. Coffey

Formal Organizational Initiatives and Informal Workplace Practices: Links to Work-Family Conflict and Job-Related Outcomes:

Many organizations have implemented a variety of initiatives to address work-family conflict issues. This study investigates the impact of formal and informal work-family practices on both work-to-family and family-to-work conflict (WFC, FWC) and a broad set of job-related outcomes. We utilized structural equation modeling to analyze data from the 1997 National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW). Results showed that negative career consequences and lack of managerial support were significantly related to work-to-family conflict. These were significant predictors of conflict even when accounting for the effects of work schedule flexibility. Work-to-family conflict was linked to job dissatisfaction, turnover intentions and stress, while family-to-work conflict was linked to stress and absenteeism. There were no apparent differences between women and men in terms of the observed relationships.

Board Diversity and Managerial Control as Predictors of Corporate Social Performance

While it is widely assumed that greater diversity in corporate governance will enhance a firm’s corporate social performance, this study considers an alternative thesis which relates managerial control to corporate philanthropy. The study empirically evaluates both board diversity and managerial control of the board as possible predictors of corporate philanthropy. The demonstration of a positive relationship between managerial control and corporate philanthropy contributes to our understanding that corporate social performance results from a complex set of economic and social motives. Possible future research and managerial implications are discussed.

Service Learning in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) Integrative Project Course: An Experience in China.

Service learning is a teaching method used by business faculty to link the learning goals and objectives of an academic course with meaningful community service. Although service learning has been advanced in business education in the United States and other Western countries, little has been reported on its use outside the Western context. In this article, the authors describe an experience with the introduction and implementation of a service-learning project in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in south China. Preliminary feedback shows that students, faculty, and community partners have reported numerous benefits from the service-learning experience similar to those reported in the Western context.

Perspectives on work–family issues in China: the voices of young urban professionals

Young Chinese urban professionals anticipating entry into the workforce were interviewed and surveyed on their experiences with and expectations about balancing work and family issues. The objectives of our study were to assess the salience of the work–life issue for this understudied population, identify actions that the employee and the employer (manager) might take to address the issue of work–family balance, and identify contextual factors that enhance and inhibit an individuals efforts to balance work and family. Results of this study suggest that the challenge of balancing work and family is a significant issue for this generation of young Chinese professionals. Also, they likely have different experiences and expectations than has been indicated from previous studies of work–family issues in the context of China. Our study has practical relevance not only for individuals, but also for managers and organizations that want to consider potential family-friendly policies or other strategies to recruit and retain new professionals entering the Chinese workforce.

Career Issues for Women Association Executives Mentors, Pay Equity; and Boards of Directors

This article reports the results of a study of the experiences of women association executives: the challenges those women face in their current positions, the career issues that affect women managers, and the ways in which they manage their organizations. Three major issues surfaced in the interviews: (1) the importance of career development and mentors, (2) the prevalence of pay inequity, and (3) the challenges of developing working relationships with board members. Mentors were particularly important to these women in the early stages of their career, for career-oriented advice. Many women are working for less money than their male counterparts (a womans starting pay often was based on her past salary rather than the value of her current position). Several women reported that their board of directors felt that they could “get more for less” from a woman executive.