Work-life profiling : exploring profiles and subgroups via multidimensional scaling

• Main Authors: Neo, Jie Shi, Phang, Riyang, Toh, Eugene Kai Siang
• Other Authors: Hesan Ahmed Quazi
• Format: Final Year Project
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: DRNTU::Business::General::Social aspects
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/10442
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This exploratory research examines the combinative impact of an individual’s job, comparative perceptions, demographics, dispositional factors, and their preferred worklife benefits. Specifically we examined its impact on the popular work-life belief that greater job flexibility leads to better work-life balance. 261 employees from different companies participated in an online survey, and data obtained were analyzed using Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS). PAMS revealed two latent dimensions (profile patterns), from which we developed a nine box matrix for post-hoc analysis and discussion. Results revealed job flexibility does not positively affect all subgroups identified. We propose a new approach understand employees’ unique characteristics that may offer explanations to the numerous mixed and divergent findings in the work-life literature, and argue that an ecological approach, supported by statistical advances, can help enhance and expand current knowledge of work-life.