Cross-Cultural Work-Family Cross-Cultural Work-Family Interfaces:Interfaces:

Dual Career CouplesDual Career Couples

Jaymee FroyaldeJaymee FroyaldeSam LamSam Lam

Hisayo MurayoshiHisayo MurayoshiSteve NguyenSteve NguyenKenneth TrinhKenneth Trinh

Countries of ComparisonCountries of Comparison

USA & Japan

TopicsTopics

• USA Dual Careers HouseholdsUSA Dual Careers Households

• US ExpatriatesUS Expatriates

• Japanese Dual Career HouseholdsJapanese Dual Career Households

• ComparisonComparison

• Implications on International Human Implications on International Human Resource ManagementResource Management

DefinitionDefinition

• Dual Career Households: a household Dual Career Households: a household in which the couple each has a in which the couple each has a career path of their very own. career path of their very own.

USA Topics of DiscussionUSA Topics of Discussion

• Overview of USAOverview of USA

• Overview of Dual Career Couples in Overview of Dual Career Couples in the USAthe USA

• Current USA Expatriate System and Current USA Expatriate System and TrendsTrends

USA OverviewUSA Overview

• Land Mass 9,161,923 sq km Land Mass 9,161,923 sq km

• Government: Constitution-based federal Government: Constitution-based federal republic, strong democratic traditionrepublic, strong democratic tradition

• Population: 293,027,571Population: 293,027,571

• Diversity: white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Diversity: white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4% (2000)Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4% (2000)

USA EconomyUSA Economy

• GDP: $10.99 trillion GDP: $10.99 trillion

• most technologically powerful economymost technologically powerful economy

• Labor Force 146.5 millionLabor Force 146.5 million

• per capita GDP: $37,800 per capita GDP: $37,800

US Dual Career StatisticsUS Dual Career Statistics

• Represents 54% of married couples Represents 54% of married couples in the USAin the USA

• Represents 45% of US labor forceRepresents 45% of US labor force

Benefits of Dual CareerBenefits of Dual Career

• Extra IncomeExtra Income

• Flexibility of Leaving, Transition Flexibility of Leaving, Transition Through, or Re-Entering Labor ForceThrough, or Re-Entering Labor Force

• More EqualityMore Equality

• Happier SpousesHappier Spouses

Disadvantages of Dual Career Disadvantages of Dual Career HouseholdsHouseholds

• Reduction of Job Mobility for SpousesReduction of Job Mobility for Spouses

• Work-Family ConflictsWork-Family Conflicts

• Household Responsibilities/AllocationHousehold Responsibilities/Allocation

Issues in PerspectiveIssues in Perspective

• Working and Well-BeingWorking and Well-Being

• Working-Family ConflictWorking-Family Conflict

• Work-Family Spillover and Cross OverWork-Family Spillover and Cross Over

• Division of LaborDivision of Labor

• Prioritizing CareersPrioritizing Careers

Spillover EffectsSpillover Effects

PositivePositive NegativeNegative

Family-Family-WorkWork

Positive Positive relationships relationships energize and energize and improve workimprove work

DisagreemeDisagreements leads to nts leads to poor poor performancperformance e

Work-Work-FamilyFamily

Experience Experience makes one makes one more more interestinginteresting

Workload Workload leads to leads to distraction distraction and and irritabilityirritabilityhttp://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/wfnetwork/rft/wfpedia/wfpDECent.html

US Dual Career ExpatriatesUS Dual Career Expatriates

• Definition: an employee, with a Definition: an employee, with a spouse who has a career of their spouse who has a career of their own, that is sent to another country own, that is sent to another country for an assignment abroad.for an assignment abroad.

US Dual Career Expatriate US Dual Career Expatriate DataData

• 70% of expatriates has a partner/spouse 70% of expatriates has a partner/spouse that has a career of his/her own.that has a career of his/her own.

• 91% of married female expatriates are 91% of married female expatriates are in category of “dual-career couples” vs. in category of “dual-career couples” vs. only 50% of malesonly 50% of males

Current Trends of US based Current Trends of US based CompaniesCompanies

• More females are considered for oversees More females are considered for oversees assignments (80% of women don’t turn assignments (80% of women don’t turn down assignments.)down assignments.)

• Short-term expatriate assignments are on Short-term expatriate assignments are on the risethe rise

• Companies are still slow to address dual-Companies are still slow to address dual-career couple issuescareer couple issues

Problems with Current Problems with Current SystemSystem• Concerns about spousal/dual career Concerns about spousal/dual career

issues - #1 reason for rejecting issues - #1 reason for rejecting assignmentassignment

• Pay systems aren’t “dual-career” Pay systems aren’t “dual-career” orientedoriented

• Women expatriates still aren’t taken Women expatriates still aren’t taken seriously despite what research shows – seriously despite what research shows – that they possess valuable talent in IA’sthat they possess valuable talent in IA’s

Overview of JapanOverview of Japan

• LocationLocation: Eastern Asia, island chain between the : Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan,

east of the Korean Peninsulaeast of the Korean Peninsula

• PopulationPopulation:127,330,002:127,330,002

(July, 2004)(July, 2004)

• GDPGDP: $3.582 trillion (2003 est.): $3.582 trillion (2003 est.)

Time Use of Workers by Time Use of Workers by Working HoursWorking Hours

MenMen Women Women

HouseworkHousework 0.37 0.37 3.57 3.57

Child CareChild Care 0.03 0.03 0.18 0.18

WorkWork 6.85 6.85 4.20 4.20

Tertiary Activities 6.15Tertiary Activities 6.15 5.42 5.42

Primary Activities 10.60Primary Activities 10.60 10.62 10.62

TotalTotal 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00

Gender impact of Gender impact of work-family measures work-family measures

• Reduction of working hoursReduction of working hours

• Non-core tracks in corporationsNon-core tracks in corporations

• The child-careThe child-care leave system leave system

Financial compensation Financial compensation

• The child allowance The child allowance

• Deduction for dependents Deduction for dependents

• Child rearing allowance Child rearing allowance

Recommendations the Recommendations the Japanese government policyJapanese government policy• Increased efforts towards further reduction of Increased efforts towards further reduction of

working hours.working hours.• Rapid elimination of the wage gap between men Rapid elimination of the wage gap between men

and women.and women.• Quick resolution of various issues concerning part-Quick resolution of various issues concerning part-

time workers.time workers.• Efforts to heighten public awareness of work-family Efforts to heighten public awareness of work-family

policies.policies.• Comprehensive measures to assist economically Comprehensive measures to assist economically

disadvantaged families.disadvantaged families.• Spurring on economic growth with a view to Spurring on economic growth with a view to

lowering the unemployment rate.lowering the unemployment rate.

Japan Vs. United States Japan Vs. United States Dual Career CouplesDual Career Couples

• Housework AllocationHousework Allocation

• ChildcareChildcare

• Family Support PoliciesFamily Support Policies– JapanJapan– United StatesUnited States

Housework AllocationHousework Allocation

• Determinants of the amount of housework:Determinants of the amount of housework:– EarningsEarnings– Hours workedHours worked– ChildrenChildren

Child CareChild Care

• Who takes care of the children?Who takes care of the children?

• Children’s educationChildren’s education

Family Support Policies in Family Support Policies in JapanJapan

• Child Care LeaveChild Care Leave

• Family Care LeaveFamily Care Leave

• Night WorkNight Work

• OvertimeOvertime

• Part-Time Work LawPart-Time Work Law

Family Support Policies in Family Support Policies in United StatesUnited States

• Family and Medical Act LeaveFamily and Medical Act Leave

• Individual employers offer family Individual employers offer family policies to support dual earner couplespolicies to support dual earner couples

What This MeansWhat This Means

• US lacks family support policies; US lacks family support policies; therefore, IHRM must take the therefore, IHRM must take the initiativeinitiative

• There is a certain need for family There is a certain need for family support policy to dual career Japanese support policy to dual career Japanese expatriatesexpatriates

Summary-United StatesSummary-United States

• We all have our assumptions on the cultural differences between We all have our assumptions on the cultural differences between Japan and America but the truth is that both are similar in many Japan and America but the truth is that both are similar in many cultural aspects of societal roles between men and women. cultural aspects of societal roles between men and women.

• Regardless of the changing societal norms, the process of Regardless of the changing societal norms, the process of expatriations brings forth a universal challenge of co-existence of expatriations brings forth a universal challenge of co-existence of ethnic values and beliefs for Americans who settle in an Eastern ethnic values and beliefs for Americans who settle in an Eastern culture.culture.

• Several factors can lead to an array of conclusions on Japanese Several factors can lead to an array of conclusions on Japanese and American culture but more importantly, the social skill of and American culture but more importantly, the social skill of communication is the very reason in which a transition from a communication is the very reason in which a transition from a comfortable place to a foreign place is successful for a dual career comfortable place to a foreign place is successful for a dual career family. American companies need to emphasize more on the family. American companies need to emphasize more on the linguistic part of the expatriation processlinguistic part of the expatriation process

Summary-JapanSummary-Japan

• In many instances the value of compensation plays a big role in In many instances the value of compensation plays a big role in regards to the welfare of the family for them to consider the move regards to the welfare of the family for them to consider the move to a new world.to a new world.

• And for others, its all about the support for their family and And for others, its all about the support for their family and extended family that will help them make that leap of faith extended family that will help them make that leap of faith towards expatriation.towards expatriation.

• Thus, the support has to be consistent and reliable enough where Thus, the support has to be consistent and reliable enough where the simplest issues like schools, malls, and leisure is simplified the simplest issues like schools, malls, and leisure is simplified enough for them to take the job.enough for them to take the job.

• The government also needs to play a bigger role in changing its The government also needs to play a bigger role in changing its view of women in the workforce and the way they are view of women in the workforce and the way they are compensated.compensated.