CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS
Proposal Submission Deadline: 31 July, 2009
Full Chapters Due: 31 October, 2009
Creating balance?! International Perspectives on the Work-Life
Integration of Professionals
to be published by Springer Publications Berlin/Heidelberg
Introduction and Purpose
Work-life balance and work-life integration are buzzwords of today's management practice and
theory. Of particular interest is the work-life integration of professionals because besides a
demanding and highly responsible job profile they frequently face work hours exceeding 50 hours
per week (Hochschild, 2000). Consequently, little time remains for other life domains such as family,
social life, health and recovery. It seems even more difficult for professionals to achieve a balance of
their life domains and find ways of integrating responsibilities and desired activities beyond work
(family, friends, leisure, etc.). Work-life integration of professionals thus is particularly interesting
because of the assumingly increased complexity regarding the interaction of life domains for this
group as compared to the 9am to 5pm worker (e.g. Brett/Stroh, 2003; Moore, 2007). This edited
book aims at addressing major issues about the work-life integration of professionals. Besides the
question about what work-life balance means for managers and other highly-qualified employees (cf.
Eikhof, Warhurst & Haunschild 2007) gender differences in the perception of work-life conflict and
related solutions and behavior are of particular concern (e.g. Linehan/Walsh 2000). Modern
technologies such as mobile phones and the World Wide Web are increasingly blurring the
boundaries between work and nonwork domains (Ilies et al. 2009) – empirical results about the
consequences of this development are controversial (e.g. Kelly/Moen 2007; Kylin/Karlsson 2008).
Among other topics of interest regarding the work-life interaction of professionals are the use,
implementation, and effectiveness of corporate work-life balance policies, the role of personal values
and personality characteristics as well as cultural differences.
Chapter proposals submitted for this book should address relevant questions such as:
– Determinants of a balanced professionals' life
– Blurring of the boundaries between work and life domains by modern technology
– Work-life integration initiatives and career advancement potential
– Use and effectiveness of corporate work-life balance policies
– The role of personal characteristics (values, personality, etc.) of professionals
– Gender and cultural differences regarding work-life integration at the professional level
– ...
Objective and Audience for the book
As issues of work-life integration gain momentum worldwide, researchers need to find a common
platform to share experiences and research findings in order to generate new knowledge for science
and practice. The book seeks to bring together the best possible worldwide representation of current
research on work-life integration issues for professionals. It aims at fostering exchange of theoretical
ideas, empirical findings, and insights that might be conducive to understanding the dynamics of the
topic to date.
The objective of this book will be to educate the scientific and business audience about work-life
balance issues with particular focus on the group of professional workers. As populations in which
the interaction and integration of life domains has been researched is highly heterogeneous this
book aims at drawing together perspectives on males and females in highly qualified positions.
We see the need for a comprehensive book that should be of interest for the following target
audiences:
– Researchers and scientists of management, education, psychology, sociology and related
fields
– Executives and managers in the areas of business strategy, organization and HRM
– Students of business and management, human resource management, education,
organizational psychology and related fields
Submission Procedure
Authors are invited to submit a short chapter proposal (300 – 500 words) clearly explaining the
mission and concerns of their proposed chapters until July 31, 2009. Authors of accepted chapter
proposals will be notified by August 10, 2009 and receive guidelines for the further preparation of
their full chapter. Full chapters (approx. 8.000 – 9.000 words) are due by October 31, 2009.
Inquiries and submissions can be emailed to Stephan Kaiser (stephan.kaiser@ku-eichstaett.de).
Editors
Stephan Kaiser: WHL & Ingolstadt School of Management, Germany
Web: http://www.akad.de/Prof-Dr-Stephan-Kaiser.509.0.html
Max Ringlstetter: Ingolstadt School of Management, Germany
Web: http://www.ku-eichstaett.de/Fakultaeten/WWF/Lehrstuehle/OP/about/mitarbeiter/MAR
Miguel Pina e Cunha: Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
Web: http://www.wook.pt/authors/detail/id/3932
Doris Ruth Eikhof: Stirling Management School, United Kingdom
Web: http://www.business.stir.ac.uk/staff/MissDorisEikhofN.htm
References
Brett, Jeanne M.; Stroh, Linda K. (2003): Working 61 plus hours a week: Why do managers do it? In: Journal of Applied
Psychology, 88, 1, S. 67–78.
Eikhof, Doris Ruth; Warhurst, Chris; Haunschild, Axel (2007): Introduction: What work? What life? What balance? Critical
reflections on the work-life balance debate. In: Employee Relations, 29, 4, S. 325–333.
Hochschild, A. (2000). The Time Bind. When work becomes home and home becomes work. New York: Holt.
Ilies, Remus; Schwind Wilson, Kelly; Wagner, David T. (2009): The spillover of daily job satisfaction onto employee's family
lives. The facilitating role of work-family integration. In: Academy of Management Journal, Jg. 52, H. 1, S. 87–102.
Kelly, Erin L.; Moen, Phyllis (2007): Rethinking the clockwork of work. Why Schedule Control May Pay Off at Work and at
Home. In: Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9, 4, S. 487–506.
Kylin, Camilla; Karlsson, Jan Ch. (2008): Re-establishing boundaries in home-based telework. In: Warhurst, Christopher;
Eikhof, Doris Ruth; Haunschild, Axel (Eds): Work less, live more. A critical analysis of the work-life boundary.
Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (Critical perspectives on work and organisations), 171–190.
Linehan, Margaret; Walsh, James S. (2000): Work-family conflict and the senior female international manager. In: British
Journal of Management, 11, 3, 49.
Moore, Fiona (2007): Work-life balance. Contrasting managers and workers in an MNC. In: Employee Relations, 29, 4, S.
385–399.