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

Author

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  • 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
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
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    8. 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.
    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.

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