When work keeps us apart: a thematic analysis of the experience of business travellers

Abstract

When work keeps us apart: A thematic analysis of the experience of business travellersWhilst business travel is deemed important for organizational success and economic outcomes, little is known about the actual process of business travelling from the perspective of individuals who undertake such travel on a regular basis. Thus the current qualitative study examined how business travellers (three women and eight men) attempt to find a balance between work and family, by focusing on how time together and time apart are experienced. The results can be interpreted and framed within work/family border theory in that business travellers' borders are less defined and less permeable, thus requiring them to border-cross more frequently. This necessitates a process of negotiation with key border-keepers (their spouse/partner). Business travellers also undertake compensatory behaviours to make up for their time away from family. In order to find a work/family balance they go through a process of adapting, negotiating and tailoring their lives around their work commitments to alleviate worklife conflict.

Work and Family Interface in the International Career Context

“…Experience of stress caused by work travel is common among travellers, and research also indicates negative outcomes for spouses (Dimberg et al 2002;Mayerhofer et al 2004;Nicholas and McDowall 2012;Orthner and Roderick 2009;Stewart and Donald 2006;Westman et al 2008b). Experience of stress caused by work travel is common among travellers, and research also indicates negative outcomes for spouses (Dimberg et al 2002;Mayerhofer et al 2004;Nicholas and McDowall 2012;Orthner and Roderick 2009;Stewart and Donald 2006;Westman et al 2008b).…”

“…The multiple roles of IBTs mean they need to develop coping strategies if they are to find a work-family balance, and to prevent stress, dissatisfaction and marital difficulties (Nicholas and McDowall 2012). The multiple roles of IBTs mean they need to develop coping strategies if they are to find a work-family balance, and to prevent stress, dissatisfaction and marital difficulties (Nicholas and McDowall 2012).…”

“…Models commonly used to explain both negative and positive work-family interactions are antecedent and outcome models, and spillover-crossover models . Some of these perspectives have already been applied in the context of international business travelling, at least to some extent, but there remains a limited number of studies on how frequent international business travel affects the integration of work and family concerns Mäkelä et al 2012;Nicholas and McDowall 2012). Some of these perspectives have already been applied in the context of international business travelling, at least to some extent, but there remains a limited number of studies on how frequent international business travel affects the integration of work and family concerns Mäkelä et al 2012;Nicholas and McDowall 2012).…”

Governability assessment of the Galapagos Marine Reserve

“…Coding implied finding common ideas, by examining, identifying, categorizing, and reporting data sets, as an iterative process of inductive line-by-line coding (Constas, 1992;AronsonJ 1994;Chi 1997;Braun and Clarke 2006;Nicholas andMcDowall 2012, Zinda, 2012). After reading and marking the text, some significant passages were extracted (Seidman, 2006;Rubin and Rubin, 2005) and coded to conceptualize the ideas related to important aspects of the research (Rubin and Rubin, 2005).…”

“…It was used to identify common emerging themes or patterns within data that are important to describe the phenomenon under study. By carefully reading and re-reading the data, we examined, identified, categorized, analyzed, and coded datasets (Constas 1992;Chi, 1997;Nicholas and McDowall 2012;Zinda, 2012).…”