IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orisre/v29y2018i1p103-126.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Work–Life Conflict of Globally Distributed Software Development Personnel: An Empirical Investigation Using Border Theory

Author

Listed:
  • Saonee Sarker

    (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904)

  • Manju Ahuja

    (University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292)

  • Suprateek Sarker

    (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904; Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland)

Abstract

While a key motivation for globally distributed software development (GDSD) is to harness appropriate human capital, ironically, scant attention has been paid to addressing the human resource management issues faced by information technology (IT) professionals involved in this context. One particularly challenging human resource issue is that of work–life conflict (WLC) of the IT professionals involved in GDSD, who routinely experience overlaps and conflicts between their work and personal life domains. While WLC concerns are relevant in almost any contemporary environment, the GDSD context adds several layers of challenges arising from issues such as time differences, requirements instability, and the use of certain systems development methodologies. Recent research indicates that WLC issues go beyond individual concerns and are of strategic importance for talent retention. To develop a deeper understanding of these recognized challenges, we utilize Border Theory as a metatheoretical framework to develop and empirically test a model of organization-related and GDSD-related antecedents of WLC. In addition, we examine the impacts of WLC on job-related outcomes. Our study adopts a mixed-methods design, where an exploratory case along with a review of the literature is used to develop the research model. The model is then tested using a survey of 1,000 GDSD workers in three countries. We believe that our findings are not only of theoretical interest for the information systems discipline but also potentially helpful in improving the working conditions of the GDSD workforce. The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2017.0734 .

Suggested Citation

  • Saonee Sarker & Manju Ahuja & Suprateek Sarker, 2018. "Work–Life Conflict of Globally Distributed Software Development Personnel: An Empirical Investigation Using Border Theory," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(1), pages 103-126, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:29:y:2018:i:1:p:103-126
    DOI: isre.2017.0734
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/isre.2017.0734
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/isre.2017.0734?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nick Bloom & Tobias Kretschmer & John Van Reenan, 2009. "Work-Life Balance, Management Practices and Productivity," NBER Chapters, in: International Differences in the Business Practices and Productivity of Firms, pages 15-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Ilan Oshri & Julia Kotlarsky & Leslie P. Willcocks, 2009. "The Handbook of Global Outsourcing and Offshoring," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-25107-6.
    3. John Hulland, 1999. "Use of partial least squares (PLS) in strategic management research: a review of four recent studies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 195-204, February.
    4. Beauregard, T. Alexandra & Henry, Lesley C., 2009. "Making the link between work-life balance practices and organizational performance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 25224, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Mary C. Lacity & Vidya V. Iyer & Prasad S. Rudramuniyaiah, 2008. "Turnover intentions of Indian IS professionals," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 225-241, April.
    6. Sarma Nidumolu, 1995. "The Effect of Coordination and Uncertainty on Software Project Performance: Residual Performance Risk as an Intervening Variable," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 191-219, September.
    7. Richard B. Freeman & Kathryn L. Shaw, 2009. "International Differences in the Business Practices and Productivity of Firms," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number free07-1, June.
    8. Saonee Sarker & Suprateek Sarker, 2009. "Exploring Agility in Distributed Information Systems Development Teams: An Interpretive Study in an Offshoring Context," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 440-461, September.
    9. Freeman, Richard B. & Shaw, Kathryn L. (ed.), 2009. "International Differences in the Business Practices and Productivity of Firms," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226261942, July.
    10. Higgins, Christopher Alan & Duxbury, Linda Elizabeth & Irving, Richard Harold, 1992. "Work-family conflict in the dual-career family," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 51-75, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stefan Tams & Varun Grover & Jason Thatcher & Manju Ahuja, 2022. "Grappling with modern technology: interruptions mediated by mobile devices impact older workers disproportionately," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 635-655, December.
    2. Massimo Magni & Manju K. Ahuja & Chiara Trombini, 2023. "Excessive Mobile Use and Family-Work Conflict: A Resource Drain Theory Approach to Examine Their Effects on Productivity and Well-Being," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 253-274, March.
    3. Christoph Weinert & Tim Weitzel, 2023. "Teleworking in the Covid-19 Pandemic," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 65(3), pages 309-328, June.
    4. Christian Matt & Manuel Trenz & Christy M. K. Cheung & Ofir Turel, 2019. "The digitization of the individual: conceptual foundations and opportunities for research," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 29(3), pages 315-322, September.
    5. Le Tang & Rentao Miao & Lai Jiang, 2020. "Employee Political Skill, Supervisor-Subordinate Guanxi, and Work-Family Conflict: The Cross-Level Moderating Role of Family-Friendly Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-21, July.
    6. Christian Maier & Sven Laumer & Jason Bennett Thatcher & Jakob Wirth & Tim Weitzel, 2022. "Trial-Period Technostress: A Conceptual Definition and Mixed-Methods Investigation," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 489-514, June.
    7. Shanshan Zhang & Fengchun Huang & Yuting Zhang & Qiwen Li, 2023. "A Person-Environment Fit Model to Explain Information and Communication Technologies-Enabled After-Hours Work-Related Interruptions in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    8. Fatima R. KHATEEB, 2021. "Work Life Balance - A Review Of Theories, Definitions And Policies," CrossCultural Management Journal, Fundația Română pentru Inteligența Afacerii, Editorial Department, issue 1, pages 27-55, July.
    9. Tayyba Rasool & Nosheen Fatima Warraich & Muhammad Sajid, 2022. "Examining the Impact of Technology Overload at the Workplace: A Systematic Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, July.
    10. Sumantra Sarkar & Anthony Vance & Balasubramaniam Ramesh & Menelaos Demestihas & Daniel Thomas Wu, 2020. "The Influence of Professional Subculture on Information Security Policy Violations: A Field Study in a Healthcare Context," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 1240-1259, December.

    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. 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).
    2. Barrero, Jose Maria & Bloom, Nick & Davis, Steven J., 2020. "Why Working From Home Will Stick," SocArXiv wfdbe, Center for Open Science.
    3. He Lu Calvin Ong & Senthu Jeyaraj, 2014. "Work–Life Interventions," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(3), pages 21582440145, July.
    4. Stephan Humpert, 2014. "Working time, satisfaction and work life balance: A European perspective," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 64(4), pages 3-17, October-D.
    5. Nicholas Bloom & John Van Reenen, 2010. "Why Do Management Practices Differ across Firms and Countries?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 24(1), pages 203-224, Winter.
    6. Van Reenen, John, 2011. "Does competition raise productivity through improving management quality?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 306-316, May.
    7. Bloom, Nicholas & Van Reenen, John, 2011. "Human Resource Management and Productivity," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 19, pages 1697-1767, Elsevier.
    8. Yamamoto Isamu & Matsuura Toshiyuki, 2014. "Effect of Work–Life Balance Practices on Firm Productivity: Evidence from Japanese Firm-Level Panel Data," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 14(4), pages 1677-1708, October.
    9. Flores-Fillol, Ricardo & Iranzo, Susana & Mane, Ferran, 2017. "Teamwork and delegation of decisions within the firm," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-29.
    10. Del Bono, Emilia & Vuri, Daniela, 2011. "Job mobility and the gender wage gap in Italy," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 130-142, January.
    11. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Lutz Bellmann, 2020. "Management Practices and Establishment Performance under Non-Union Workplace Representation," CESifo Working Paper Series 8599, CESifo.
    12. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino, 2020. "Management Practices, Worker Commitment, and Workplace Representation," IZA Discussion Papers 13285, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Nicholas Bloom & Raffaella Sadun & John Van Reenen, 2010. "Recent Advances in the Empirics of Organizational Economics," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 2(1), pages 105-137, September.
    14. Jerbashian, Vahagn & Vilalta-Bufi, Montserrat, 2020. "The Impact of ICT on Working from Home: Evidence from EU Countries," GLO Discussion Paper Series 719, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    15. Panagiotis Barkas & Mauro Pisu, 2018. "Boosting investment in Greece," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1506, OECD Publishing.
    16. Andrea Lasagni & Annamaria Nifo & Gaetano Vecchione, 2015. "Firm Productivity And Institutional Quality: Evidence From Italian Industry," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 774-800, November.
    17. Francesco Scafarto & Simona Balzano, 2012. "The Role and Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intention at University Level: Theoretical Issues and New Empirical Evidence from Italy," DSI Essays Series, DSI - Dipartimento di Studi sull'Impresa, vol. 25.
    18. Agostino, Mariarosaria & Nifo, Annamaria & Trivieri, Francesco & Vecchione, Gaetano, 2016. "Total factor productivity heterogeneity: channelling the impact of institutions," MPRA Paper 72759, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Nicholas Bloom & Erik Brynjolfsson & Lucia Foster & Ron Jarmin & Megha Patnaik & Itay Saporta-Eksten & John Van Reenen, 2019. "What Drives Differences in Management Practices?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(5), pages 1648-1683, May.
    20. Thomas Kude & Sunil Mithas & Christoph T. Schmidt & Armin Heinzl, 2019. "How Pair Programming Influences Team Performance: The Role of Backup Behavior, Shared Mental Models, and Task Novelty," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 1145-1163, December.

    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:inm:orisre:v:29:y:2018:i:1:p:103-126. 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: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    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.