A Review of work and family research : from a challenge to a collision

Our conceptual paradigm of work and family has shifted in the past decade from one that viewed managing work and family as a challenge to a contemporary view that we are facing a ‘collision’ (Pocock, 2003) between work and family. This review of work and family research begins to explore the shifting conceptualisations, outlining demographic developments before examining key research themes of work and family balance, work and family conflict, and flexibility as a potential means of achieving work and family balance. Changing work patterns in Australia, such as casualisation, working longer hours and non-standard hours, are investigated as potential contributors to a work and family collision and the pattern to downshifting explored as one strategy adopted by families to attain the best fit between work and family and avoid a collision.10 page(s