Work-To-Life Conflict and Enrichment Among International Business Travelers: The Role of International Career Orientation
Liisa Mäkelä, Ulla Kinnunen, Vesa Suutari
Human Resource Management · 2015 · Volume 54 · Issue 3
Abstract
The present study examines the direct and moderating effects of an international career orientation in the relationship between frequency and duration of international business traveling and work-to-life conflict and enrichment. In addition, the effort-reward imbalance that potentially features in the international business traveler's job was examined in relation to work-to-life conflict and enrichment. The study was conducted among 232 Finnish people in jobs requiring international business travel. A moderated hierarchical regression analysis shows that travel of considerable duration and a pronounced effort-reward imbalance had direct links to work-to-life conflict. In contrast, low effort-reward imbalance and a strong international career orientation had direct links to work-to-life enrichment. In addition, having a strong orientation to an international career decreases work-to-life conflict when a job requires very frequent traveling, but the moderation effect was not found in relation to duration of traveling. Our findings indicate that interventions aimed at reducing work-to-life conflict and increasing work-to-life enrichment among international business travelers should focus on fostering a balance between efforts and rewards at work. The extent of employees’ internationalism should also be considered when recruiting people into jobs involving international business travel. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords
international business traveler, work-to-life conflict, work-to-life enrichment, effort-reward imbalance, career orientation
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