David E. Gray has produced a 4th edition of his successful textbook Doing Research in the Real World.  This useful handbook for social science researchers includes the addition of entirely new chapters on Visual Research Methods, Digital Research Methods and Getting Started Using NVIVO, along with other chapters updated to reflect developments in digital research tools. This has been done whilst also retaining a comprehensive overview of research methods in the social sciences. The purpose of this book remains to assist researchers and their supervisors in navigating the complex decisions involved in the design and execution of research projects and does this in a clear and approachable way.

/pdf/doing-research-in-the-real-world-1u94cs89xt.pdf

Doing Research in the Real World

Making time off predictable and required (need for managers to take time off and be refreshed)

The study explores work-life balance and organisational commitment of employees working in American software companies in Ireland. The researcher developed a conceptual framework examining external factors, individual factors, different types of benefits and mediators for utilising work-life balance programmes.

The researcher chose an exploratory phenomenological research approach for this study. Seven employees participated in semi-structured interviews, from 4 different organisations. The researcher sought a balance of male and female participants, parents and individuals without children, managers and employees.

The results indicate that work-life balance and organisational commitment cannot be viewed in isolation. The main differences were found between working parents and individuals with no children with regards to their perceived experience of worklife balance and organisational commitment. In addition, the influence of technology and flexible working provided challenges and opportunities to workers. While workers were conscious of the negative effects of technology, specifically with regard to switching off after work, commitment levels were not affected by this. Further influence factors, such as organisational culture or quality of work contributed towards employee commitment.

The developed framework proved useful throughout the research and together with the empirical findings contributed to the growing collection of literature on worklife balance and organisational commitment.

A qualitative investigation into the relationship between work–life balance and organisational commitment: Evidence from American software companies in Ireland

Lena Spreckelmeyer

Papers

A qualitative investigation into the relationship between work–life balance and organisational commitment: Evidence from American software companies in Ireland