Abstract
The study examines the perceptions of the women and their family members regarding the factors enabling them to achieve high positions in the workplace. It also seeks to understand the influences the women’s career has on her children and family life. The conceptual basis of the research is the work-family role conflict theory and role enhancement perspective. In addition, the study compares the Israeli women strategies for balancing work and private life as they relate to the family structure to the cultures in the countries around the globe. Twenty-two life-story interviews were conducted with high positioned Israeli women, some of their husbands and children by means of qualitative–phenomenological method. It was found that the women’s personal characteristics were of crucial importance for their successful coping with multiple roles. The family support and especially that of the husband was important. In addition, simultaneous growth of career and family created marital happiness and a sense of fulfillment. Regarding children’s perceptions, it seems that they differentiated between physical caretaking, given by other agents, and education and emotional connection given by the parents. However, there still existed the role conflict which found expression in the mother’s guilt, the daughter’ feeling of deprivation and the daughter’s conflict regarding the choice of a profession. The findings suggest that family and work perceived as inseparable by the participants created the work-family dynamic balance. Overall it can be concluded that the benefits women and their families gained from combining multiple roles outweigh their negative effects.
Recommended Citation
Shalom-Tuchin, Bosmat
(2013)
"Combining Multiple Roles among High Position Women in Israel, as Seen by the Woman, Her Husband and a Child,"
Journal of International Women's Studies: Vol. 14:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol14/iss1/5