The dual‐career phenomenon has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. This lifestyle often generates stresses and strains, at home and at work, for couples juggling multiple demands, which can have negative consequences for organisations. While most empirical research into this lifestyle has been conducted in the United States and Britain, very little has been carried out in Australia. This particular study, based on data from an Australian sample of 121 lawyers and accountants, was therefore aimed at analysing the levels of stress, work‐family conflict and overload among dual‐career and single‐career couples. The results confirm that dual‐career couples experience higher levels of stress, work‐family conflict and overload than single‐career couples. To enhance labour productivity and organisational effectiveness, human resource managers therefore need to take account of the potential for dual‐career stress, overload and conflict, and respond flexibly to dual‐career employee status.

The UN-designated International Year of the Family 1994 highlighted the need for legislative and employer initiatives in response to the delicate balancing act experienced by workers with family responsibilities, and especially women (Smith and Pike, 1994). Despite subsequent organizational initiatives to bring about a more``family-friendly'' working environment, many employees remain dissatisfied with corporate life, and are seeking a better balance between their career and home responsibilities (Marshall, 1995;Stroh et al., 1996;Greenhaus et al., 1997). This disenchantment is prompting growing numbers of employees to consider small business as an alternative livelihood.Small business creation has been encouraged by governments worldwide as a catalyst for economic growth. Studies in Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Norway and the USA have consistently shown that, for a third of people starting a small business venture, the primary reason is to achieve greater control over their lives, with their control preferences influencing every aspect of business management (Holmes, 1999). However, Gerber (1986) contends that most novice small business owners end up enslaved rather than liberated by the move to career independence.Women have increasingly been attracted to entrepreneurship, not merely for selffulfilment but also as a vehicle for greater flexibility in managing family responsibilities (Still and Chia, 1995). Many are establishing small enterprises with their spouses or life partners. Such enterprising couples who work in and share ownership of, commitment to, and responsibility for their business, have been termed``copreneurs'' (Barnett and Barnett, 1989). While Australian statistics are available on small business and women in small business (Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business, 1998), it is difficult to estimate the number of`c opreneurial'' business partnerships. Nevertheless, they are believed to represent a rapidly growing segment of the business population. Due to comparable economic and social forces, the Australian trend is likely to mirror that of the USA, where it has been estimated that the number of businesses run by husbands and wives working together full

Presents findings from a study investigating the career transitions of a sample of dual‐career managerial couples within Australian organizations. Results confirm that job changes are complex processes, which are determined by biographical factors such as sex, age, parental status, stakeholder influence and career salience. However, they are very much influenced by work factors such as the culture of the employing organization. Recommends more flexible career paths, employment practices and managerial conventions, to facilitate the career development of the growing numbers of dual‐career couples, and to enhance labour retention and organizational productivity.

Discusses the gendered culture of management education and its role in perpetuating a gendered culture of management, which in turn inhibits the equitable progression of women through the ranks of management. Reports findings from a recent Australian survey which revealed a masculine bias in management education, which disadvantages both female and male learners. Perceived gender paradigms of male educators may result in women learners being more disadvantaged than men, and issues of concern to male students can cause much greater concern to their female counterparts. The research led to the production of an award-winning video, Gender Issues in Management: Capitalising on Awareness of Diversity. This constitutes an additional teaching resource for management educators, trainers, consultants and others working on diversity issues.

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