1. KM *891* Nipawan Mantalay 512152002 Work-Life Balance in the Multinational Company: A case study at Chiang Mai Lanna Business Services (CLBS) December 14, 2008

2. Definition of Work-Life Balance Frame and Hartog (cited in Moore, 2007) – employees feel they are freely able to use flexible working hours programs to balance their work and other commitments (family, hobbies, art, traveling, studies) Hobson (cited in Moore, 2007) – employees having the ability to fulfill both work and other responsibility Moore (2007) – a situation in which workers feel that they are capable of balancing their work and non-work commitment Hyman, and Summers (2004) – work including contractual hours of employment and unpaid activity e.g. extended and unpredictable times - Life initially referring to family-life Rodgers and Rodgers (cited in Burke 2000) – the term of “family-friendly” coined to describe firms attempting to support work-personal life balance

3. Two mains issues of Work-life Balance Studies I Family- life Hyman and Summers (2007) – employees can influence work-life balance In the financial service sectors, Scotland Human Resource management (2004) – demonstrate “Leeds City Council”, UK awarded for its good role model of well- work life balance for employees focusing on nine policies – annualized hours, compressed hours, employment break, flexible working time, home working, job share, self-rostering, term-time only working and variation in hours which result in a more satisfied and more productive workforce and a knock – on effect of Improved recruitment and retention Kay (2003) – study of how European families reconcile paid work commitments with the responsibilities of parenting and childrearing

4. II Gender Burke (2000) –MBA graduated people, Canada - examine the relationship of managerial and professional men ’s perception of organizational values and work-personal life balance in their workplace, work experiences, and indicators of work life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing Burke (2004) – male psychologists working fulltime, Australia organizational values supporting balance had no relationship with hours worked on job involvement Hughes and Bozionelos (2007) - 20 bus drivers, UK – work-like imbalance was the source of concern for bus drivers and there is the sign of dissatisfaction of the job because of inability to dedicate proper attention and time to their non-work activities

5. II Gender Toth (2005) – examines the gendered nature of work-life policies in and the work-life conflicts of managers in a multinational cooperation in Hungary -Attempts to introduce family-friendly policies still create gendered effects and gendered dilemmas for individual managers -Men and women have different perceptions of work-life balance and adopt different coping strategies to manage work and family commitments. -work-life balance is constructed as individual, rather than a corporate responsibility Which create gendered inequalities

6. II Gender Drew (2005) – examines the experience of and attitudes towards work- life balance of female and male managers in a major Irish organization for which WLB is now Strategic corporate objective -Many of the senior men have followed the breadwinner model by being able to delegate family and caring activities to their wives whereas this option is impossible for the majority of women in senior posts. So men seek WLB to resolve commuting/ working time issues while women want to avail themselves of more flexible Arrangements for family/quality of life reasons -Men and women have different perceptions of work-life balance and adopt different coping strategies to manage work and family commitments. -Both men and women in senior management realized that their careers would be seriously jeopardized by taking up work life balance

7. II Gender Walker, Wang and Redmond (2008) –discover that home-based business ownership in Australia can facilitate flexibility to afford lifestyle and the ability to balance work and family. -However, gender was not a determining factor why operators starts home-business even though advantages were more salient to women than men. The more important determining factor was the issue of dependants

8. Motivation to the Further Research * It is remarkable that in the previous studies, data were collected from variety of jobs, business organizations and genders, for instances, male and female senior managers, male psychologists, bus drivers, financial sectors, home-based business ownership. * Nevertheless, the key informants in the researches found were Europeans e.g. Scottish, British, Irish, Australian, Canadian. And in the multinational company, the participants were Europeans who are working within European settings, for example, Europeans workers who are working in Hungarian organizational context. * Therefore, it opens up an opportunity to conduct a further study on the topic of Work –life balance using different target groups, environment and business organization in order to gain a new insight from Thai perspective

9. Purpose of Study = This study aims to investigate the problem about Work- life imbalance that cause poor turnover and work performance using the multinational company in Chiang Mai Thailand, Chiang Mai Lanna Businesses Services as a case study = The target groups will be focused on German top directors and German Local manager as well as representatives of German, and Thai Staffs who are working in the Thai context

10. Research Methodology Theory in Use: Experiential Learning Theory by observing, interviewing, and handing out questionnaires to gather the information Kolb (cited in Floren, 2003) – “learning is the process whereby Knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” Learning from experience defined in four phases 1.Concrete experience 2.Reflective observation 3.Abstract conceptualization 4.Active experimentation In the first phase of problem investigation, the researcher will adopt the first two phases to find out the result of the study

11. Research Methodology Theory in Use: Experiential Learning Theory by observing, interviewing, and handing out questionnaires to gather the information from participants Likewise, Nonaka (2000) – experiences as one example of tacit knowledge to drive the process of knowledge creation Nonaka SECI model of knowledge creation and utilization 1.Socialization 2.Externalization 3.Combination 4.Internalization Similarly in applying the first two processes of Kolb’s model, the researcher will mainly focus on socialization process of Nonaka to investigate the problem of work- life balance from the experience of key informants

12. The Design of Interviewing Questions and Questionnaires Data-based approach to the Work-Life Balance introduced by Prof. Dr. Daniel Vloeberghs, Academic coordinator HR and Organizational Behavior, University of Antwerpen Management School  The situation within the company with regard to the combination family and business life are included in the instrument of the diagnosis e.g. -Daily life within the family and the company -Division of tasks, means and company arrangement -Common policy space: obstacles and incentives

13. The Design of Interviewing Questions and Questionnaires The researcher will also adopt some interview question used in Hughes (2007) including 1. Whether issues related to work life balance were of concern to Interviewees? 2. What are the relative importance of work life balance concerns over other sources of concern and dissatisfaction for these workers/ 3. What are the perceived link between concerns that were related to Work life balance and withdrawal attitudes ad behaviors?

14. The Design of Interviewing Questions and Questionnaires Based on Data-based approach to the Work-Life Balance the researcher will additionally create questions according to the findings of Other researchers Hyman and Summers (2004) seven major problems of work imbalance were found 1. unevenness of adoption across different sectors and organizations 2. A lack of formalizations of policies at organization level 3. A restriction of employee’s voice over the introduction and implementation of Policies 4. Policies are introduced primarily to meet business needs rather than those of employees 5. No evidence of reductions in working hours 6. The identification of tangible and intangible work intrusions into domestic life 7. Domestic responsibilities are still conducted primarily by women irrespective of their employment status

15. Duration: three months MonthsPlans November January December February - Literature Review - Find Research Methodology - Design Interview questions and questionnaires - Analyze data - Write the research paper - Turn in the paper

16. Work-life Balance in Multinational Company: A case study at CLBS, Chiang Mai, Thailand January 11, 2009 Nipawan Mantalay 512152002

17. Purpose of Study = This study aims to investigate the problem about Work- life imbalance that cause poor turnover and work performance using the multinational company in Chiang Mai Thailand, Chiang Mai Lanna Businesses Services as a case study = The target groups will be focused on German top directors and German Local manager as well as representatives of German, and Thai Staffs who are working in the Thai context = Sampled groups includes 1 German top director, 1 German local Manager, 1 German staff and 1 Thai staff

18. Methodology Action research 1. Identify problem 2. Collect data 3. 4. 5. Methods Theoretical Framework 1.observe 2.Interview 3.questionnaires 1.Critical theory 2.System thinking

19. Critical Theory (Carr, 2000) = refers to “a school of thought” associated with “the Frankfurt school” which is the title of the Institute for Social Research Two meanings = a self-conscious critique aiming at change and emancipation Of human beings from the situations that enslave them = critical theory aiming at producing a particular form of knowledge that seeks to realize an emancipatory interest, especially through a critique of consciousness and ideology = the theory is conformed to ideas in the mind of the researcher rather than the experience itself = critical theory attempts to place itself outside of philosophical structures and the confines of existing structures = Due to a way of thinking and recovering humanity’s self knowledge, Critical theory is based on Marxism for its methods and tools

20. Critical Theory (Carr, 2000) = the theory is critical only if is explainable, practical, and normative = it must explains what is wrong with current social reality, identify actors to change it and provide clear norms for criticism and practical goals for the future = critical theory is not to mirror “reality” but to change it.

21. Critical Thinking in Organization (Natale, and Ricci 2006) = critical thinking was firstly encouraged by philosophers in about 350 BC For example, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle = Dewey defined critical thinking as the suspension of judgment and a healthy skepticism = critical thinking is an ability to explore a problem, question, or situation to integrate all of the available information about the issue under review and arrive at a solution or hypothesis to justify one’s position. = The direction of the investigation through critical thinking is to evaluate and analyze the contents of an issue under review in order to understand its content from a rigorous and robust review process = Conversations in critical thinking are objective, thorough and incisive because the process is reflective in pointing out benefits and weaknesses in the propositions, arguments and results of the issue under review.

22. Critical Thinking in Organization (Natale, and Ricci, 2000) = the condition of critical thinking encourages the individual to explore And investigate the consumptions, biases, and end-results of the decisions of another, regardless of the position or veracity of the individual within The society = the application of the checklist on a routine basis can aid the organization in its training and development exercises, team selection processes, and overall reward structures to ensure that the best critical thinking concepts are embedded into the organizational culture to enhance individual and organizational performance

23. Characteristics of Critical Thinking in decision making process (Natale and Ricci, 2006) Information and the use of information can be critically evaluated by this following conditions (Petress cited in Natale and Ricci, 2006) 1.Sufficiency 2.Relevance 3.Reliability 4.Consistency 5.Recency 6.Access 7.Objectivity

24. Work-Life Balance Matrix WLB factors German staffs Individual Level/ Demographic effects Solutions: WLB Organiza- tional level / norms, cultures Nationality education gender age Germany Thailand System- thinking Working positions Working hours Job responsibilities Marital-status Thai staffs Working environment colleagues

25. Questionnaires & Interview questions