An international comparative study of work-family stress and occupational strain

As businesses continue to globalize, organizational research from an international perspective has become increasingly important. The area of work and family is no exception. To develop general models of the work and family interlace, we need a better understanding of work and family issues within different cultural contexts. Yet strikingly little work and family research has been conducted outside of the United States and other Western nations. In this chapter, data from the Collaborative International Study of Managerial Stress (CISMS), which includes a sample of managers from 18 diverse countries throughout the world, will be described. Descriptive data concerning the linkages between work-family pressure and several known correlates (work hours, number of children, job satisfaction, mental well-being, and physical well-being) will be presented. Differences in reported levels of each of these variables will also be described. First, we provide a brief review of the relevant existing literature.