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1、Border and Boundary TheoryA concept paper for NC 1030located and submitted by Holly SchrankOctober 20, 2006The following material was downloaded from http:/wfnetwork.bc.edu/encyclopedia_entry.php?id=220 on October 20, 2006. Permission to use any or all of it should be sought from the authors listed
2、below. Desrochcers, Stephan, & Sargent, Leisa (2003). Boundary/Border Theory and Work-Family Integration, A Sloan Work and Family Encyclopedia EntryStephan Desrochers , University of Maine Farmington- Department of Psychology, Leisa Sargent , University of Melbourne- Department of Management Date: 9
3、/09/03Basic Concepts & Definitions Researchers have long recognized that work and family are not separate spheres, but are interdependent domains or roles with permeable boundaries (Kanter, 1977; Pleck, 1977). Some have gone beyond recognizing this linkage to advocate initiatives that allow working
4、families to integrate these domains (e.g., Bailyn, Drago, & Kochan, 2001). But others have expressed concerns over the blurring boundary between work and family that workers can experience if there is too much work-family integration in their lives, which can occur if arrangements such as working at
5、 home and using mobile technologies tend to keep work constantly accessible (Chesley, Moen, & Shore, 2001; Galinsky & Kim, 2000; Shamir, 1992). Work-family border theory (Clark, 2000) and boundary theory (Ashforth, Kreiner, & Fugate, 2000) address the integration and blurring of boundaries in work a
6、nd family life. These theories contribute to the study of work-family linkages by describing the conditions under which varying degrees of work-family integration are likely to improve or diminish individual well-being. Both address how people construct, maintain, negotiate and cross boundaries or b
7、orders, the lines of demarcation (Clark, 2000) between work and family. Next, we examine the theories more closely.Boundary theory is a general cognitive theory of social classification (Zerubavel, 1991; 1996) that focuses on outcomes such as the meanings people assign to home and work (Nippert-Eng,
8、 1996) and the ease and frequency of transitioning between roles (Ashforth et al., 2000). In contrast, work-family border theory is devoted only to work and family domains. The outcome of interest in this theory is work-family balance, which refers to satisfaction and good functioning at work and at
9、 home, with a minimum of role conflict (Clark, 2000, p. 751). It also differs from boundary theory in that its definition of borders encompasses not only those psychological categories but also tangible boundaries that divide the times, place and people associated with work versus family.Aside from
10、these and other minor differences, the two theories share a set of propositions (Clark, 2000; Ashforth et al., 2000, Kreiner, 2002; Nippert-Eng, 1996):keeping work and family separate makes it easier to manage work-family borders;integrating work and family facilitates transitions between these doma
11、ins;either strategy can improve the well-being of employees, depending on the characteristics of employees (e.g., time management skills, being a self starter, or social influence at home and work), the idiosyncratic meanings they attach to work and family (e.g., the extent to which they see these a
12、s similar roles), their preferences for integration versus segmentation, contextual factors (e.g., family friendly workplace norms and policies, long or irregular work hours, or social support from supervisors, coworkers and family), and the fit between their preferences and the boundaries allowed b
13、y their social context.Integration versus segmentation. Boundaries are clearer and more easily maintained when roles are separated. On the other hand, more integrated role sets can make role transitions less difficult, but they can also confound the demands of these roles, increasing the chance of r
14、ole blurring. Work-family blurring, or work-family boundary ambiguity, can be defined as the experience of confusion or difficulty in distinguishing ones work from ones family roles in a given setting in which these roles are seen as highly integrated, such as doing paid work at home (Desrochers, 20
15、02). The integration-segmentation distinction is not a dichotomy, but a continuum in boundary theory.Integration is believed to occur through two mechanisms: flexibility and permeability. Flexibility refers to the malleability of the boundary between two or more role/domains-its ability to expand or
16、 contract-to accommodate the demands of one domain or another (Ashforth et al., 2000; Clark, 2000; Hall & Richter, 1988). For example, a female telecommuter might be called upon to play the role of mother at any point or place during the day. Permeability involves the extent to which a boundary allows psychological or behavioral aspects of one role or domain to enter another (Ashforth et al., 2000; Clark, 2000; Hall & Richter
