IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jbusin/v2y2022i3p21-338d895050.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Work–Life-Balance Policies for Women and Men in an Islamic Culture: A Culture-Centred and Religious Research Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Mahmoud Abubaker

    (School of Business, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS13HB, UK)

  • Mousa Luobbad

    (Faculty of Management, Al Aqsa University, Gaza City P.O. Box 4051, Palestine)

  • Ismael Qasem

    (Faculty of Commerce, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza City P.O. Box 108, Palestine)

  • Chris Adam-Bagley

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO171BJ, UK)

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the nature of Work–Life Balance (WLB) policies offered within a developing country (Gaza; Palestine) by two telecommunication companies. Firstly, the cultural context is described, in which two semi-public companies have developed a particular set of family-friendly policies, which have attempted to serve the needs of employees of a country enduring blockade and bombardment. Then, ideas are developed exploring why the adoption of Work–Life Balance (WLB) policies in these organisations may have taken a particular pathway. Using the value assumptions of an Islamically informed critical realist approach, qualitative studies have been undertaken in which 20 managers and 42 employees (one third female) have been interviewed in two semi-public companies during a time of turbulence (2015 to 2021) in the political economy of Gaza. These interviews have been subjected to systematic qualitative analysis and interpreted from the methodologies of critical realism and auto-ethnography. The reasons for the provision of WLB benefits identified by respondents were often different in kind and degree from those found in studies in Western countries. These assumed reasons also differed between managers and professional employees. Generally, WLB benefits supported women in an Islamic and Arabic culture in ways which were resonant with cultural settings, but which also reflected local political and union pressures, government regulations, and international influences. The reasons for the provision of WLB benefits identified by respondents were often different in kind and degree from those found in studies in Western countries. These reasons also differed between managers and professional employees. Generally, WLB benefits supported women in an Islamic and Arabic culture in ways which were resonant with cultural and religious settings. This study, the first of its kind in a Muslim, Arabic culture deserves replication with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahmoud Abubaker & Mousa Luobbad & Ismael Qasem & Chris Adam-Bagley, 2022. "Work–Life-Balance Policies for Women and Men in an Islamic Culture: A Culture-Centred and Religious Research Perspective," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jbusin:v:2:y:2022:i:3:p:21-338:d:895050
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7116/2/3/21/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7116/2/3/21/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miles K. Davis, 2013. "Entrepreneurship: an Islamic perspective," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 20(1), pages 63-69.
    2. Muna M. Khoury, 2021. "Work-Life Balance Constructs and Job Satisfaction: Evidence from the Palestinian Investment Sector," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 14(2), pages 1-13, February.
    3. John W. Budd & Karen Mumford, 2004. "Trade Unions and Family-Friendly Policies in Britain," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 57(2), pages 204-222, January.
    4. Doaa Althalathini & Haya Al-Dajani & Nikolaos Apostolopoulos, 2022. "The Impact of Islamic Feminism in Empowering Women’s Entrepreneurship in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 39-55, June.
    5. M. Joseph Sirgy & Dong-Jin Lee, 2018. "Work-Life Balance: an Integrative Review," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(1), pages 229-254, March.
    6. Den Dulk, Laura & Groeneveld, Sandra & Ollier-Malaterre, Ariane & Valcour, Monique, 2013. "National context in work-life research: A multi-level cross-national analysis of the adoption of workplace work-life arrangements in Europe," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 478-494.
    7. Jawad Syed, 2008. "A context-specific perspective of equal employment opportunity in Islamic societies," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 135-151, January.
    8. Ajnesh Prasad, 2019. "Autoethnography and Organization Research," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-05099-3, April.
    9. R. Arzu Kalemci & Ipek Kalemci Tuzun, 2019. "Understanding Protestant and Islamic Work Ethic Studies: A Content Analysis of Articles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 999-1008, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Heejung Chung & Hyojin Seo, 2024. "Flexibility Stigma Across Europe: How National Contexts can Shift the Extent to which Flexible Workers are Stigmatised," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 174(3), pages 945-965, September.
    2. Kato, Takao & Kodama, Naomi, 2015. "Work-Life Balance Practices, Performance-Related Pay, and Gender Equality in the Workplace: Evidence from Japan," IZA Discussion Papers 9379, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Shahid Qureshi & Sarfraz Mian, 2021. "Transfer of entrepreneurship education best practices from business schools to engineering and technology institutions: evidence from Pakistan," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 366-392, April.
    4. Shen-Tsu Wang, 2016. "Analysis of Life Context of On-Line Group-Buying Population by Dynamic Decision," Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Management Studies, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 3(3), pages 173-181.
    5. Suzan Lewis & Deirdre Anderson & Clare Lyonette & Nicola Payne & Stephen Wood, 2017. "Public sector austerity cuts in Britain and the changing discourse of work–life balance," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 31(4), pages 586-604, August.
    6. Alex Bryson & P Willman, 2007. "Union Organization in Great Britain," CEP Discussion Papers dp0774, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Anna Anastasopoulou & Eftichia Vraimaki & Panagiotis Trivellas, 2023. "Recovery for Resilience: The Mediating Role of Work–Life Balance on the Quality of Life of Women Employees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Berg, Peter & Kossek, Ellen Ernst & Baird, Marian & Block, Richard N., 2013. "Collective bargaining and public policy: Pathways to work-family policy adoption in Australia and the United States," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 495-504.
    9. Ariane Pailhé & Anne Solaz, 2019. "Is there a wage cost for employees in family‐friendly workplaces? The effect of different employer policies," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(5), pages 688-721, June.
    10. Syed, Jawad, 2008. "An Islamic perspective of industrial relations: the case of Pakistan," MPRA Paper 13684, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Tanja van der Lippe & Laura den Dulk & Katia Begall, 2024. "Flextime/Flexspace for All in the Organization? A Study of the Availability, Use, and Consequences of Flexible Work Arrangements for Low and High SES Employees in Nine European Countries," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Norasmah Othman & Radin Siti Aishah Radin A Rahman & Hanim Kamaruddin, 2022. "Competences of Rural Women Entrepreneurs and Their Quality of Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-14, August.
    13. Alicia Blanco-González & Francisco Díez-Martín & Giorgia Miotto, 2023. "Achieving Legitimacy Through Gender Equality Policies," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, May.
    14. Rupietta, Kira, 2015. "How does Part-time Work Affect Firm Performance and Innovation Activity?," Working papers 2015/05, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    15. Wiza MUNYEKA & Ashika MAHARAJ, 2023. "All’s (or Not) Fair in Work and Life? Focus on Females in Information and Communications Technology Through the Prism of Work-Life Balance," CECCAR Business Review, Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania (CECCAR), vol. 4(8), pages 48-63, August.
    16. Joon-ho Kim & Seung-hye Jung & Bong-ihn Seok & Hyun-ju Choi, 2022. "The Relationship among Four Lifestyles of Workers amid the COVID-19 Pandemic (Work–Life Balance, YOLO, Minimal Life, and Staycation) and Organizational Effectiveness: With a Focus on Four Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-31, October.
    17. Pawan Budhwar & Yaw Debrah, 2009. "Future research on human resource management systems in Asia," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 197-218, June.
    18. KATO Takao & KODAMA Naomi, 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 16063, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    19. Cristina López-Duarte & Marta M. Vidal-Suárez & Belén González-Díaz, 2018. "The early adulthood of the Asia Pacific Journal of Management: A literature review 2005–2014," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 313-345, June.
    20. Parera-Nicolau, Antonia & Mumford, Karen A., 2005. "Labour Supply and Childcare for British Mothers in Two-Parent Families: A Structural Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 1908, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jbusin:v:2:y:2022:i:3:p:21-338:d:895050. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.