he last two decades have witnessed phenomenal changes as regards to the status and work of women in India. Women's Entrepreneurship development has emerged particularly in the wake of increasing globalization, with the support of progressive social economic and political cross currents, technological advancement and the media.
In the 1950s, only those women who had no male feeders within their family became themselves income generators. In the 1960s, women began to start small business enterprises at home. Those were activities for self occupation rather than for achieving financial autonomy. In the 1970s, livelihood and their career choices became equally important for many women. In Entrepreneurial roles, the women increasingly wanted their enterprise to grow and succeed. Women often joined their father's or husband's business as contributing partners on an equal footing in 1980s. They made their personal choices, stood up for their convictions and had the courage to make new beginnings. The women in 1990s increasingly learnt to live alone, travel alone and if required to feed their children alone. In the 21 st century even more opportunities arise for women and they increasingly venture to build enterprises.
Despite being fact that the role of women has undergone a paradigm shift in the past years in terms of better access to higher education, employment, political empowerment and economic independence. Although women have succeeded in overcoming all these hurdles that hampers their growth prospects but their role and position in terms of parenting and homemaking remains unchanged (Winn 2004).
The time and energy required for playing domestic roles often creates conflicts between the women domestic and entrepreneurial role. Many studies have revealed that family life had a dramatic impact on the progress of female entrepreneurs irrespective of their job profile in the corporate or non corporate sector. The female chooses entrepreneurial carrier with wide range of expectations. The present paper aims to understand and identify the factors that create conflict between the work life balances and to present a more realistic picture of the same.
Conceptual Framework of Work Life balance "You will never feel truly satisfied by work until you are satisfied by life!" -Heather Schuck (Founder and CEO of Glamajama) Work life balance is a term used to describe the balance between the domestic responsibilities and entrepreneurial role. It was coined to denote the unhealthy lifestyle that people are living and way they were choosing their work over their personal life thus ignoring other relevant areas of life such as friends, families and hobbies etc. In other words it is all about efficiently managing the juggling act between the job and other responsibilities that are important to us. Clark (2000) has defined balance as "satisfaction and good functioning at work and home with a minimum of role conflict." Further visualizing that although it is difficult to alter several aspects of work and home, but an individual can make some efforts to manage the balance and minimizes the gap between them in order to create a desired balance. Fig. 1 II.
The personal and professional life of women can be simply termed as the two sides of the same coin. In our Indian traditional culture women by birth play variety of roles such as being a sister, daughter etc, while after being grown up when she is married it is the traditional fact being followed in India that a women not only marries from a man but his entire family and she is expected to handle all the domestic/household chores in an efficient manner apart from their professional responsibilities even if she is into some business or job profile. But as we all know that "Life is not a grand harmony; conflicts do arise. The role conflict arises since they have to perform numerous tasks in at least three capacities i.e. being an employee or owner, a wife and a mother.
Besides managing their job work/business work they have to look after the domestic responsibilities too e.g. looking after the husband, parents and children too. Especially married women had to play a much responsive role in by devoting equal time in order to satisfy all the parties. If they are unable to discharge their duties in an efficient manner their family will be unhappy.
Such a disparity between an individual and her surrounding environment will results in stress when there is alleged failure to face the constraints or demand encountered which will further cause imbalance, violent behaviour and coping mechanism. Thus coping mechanism is the ultimate resort to remove the stress which can often be termed as work life balance in other context.
In the year 1991, Rita Sood shared her view in the book. "Changing Status and Adjustment of Women":
This book describes about women belonging to lower middle income and lower income families are normally taking up job essentially due to economic compulsions. Some of the women employees expressed their view that they are working for their soul satisfaction rather than due to economic necessity.
In the year 1992, Simon shared her views in the paper. "Parental Role Strains, Salience of Parental Identity and Gender differences in Psychological Distress": This study describes that parents role stress has a differential impact on the men and women's level of psychological distress. The main argument is that the quality of parent child relationship will have a greater impact on women's distress than on men's because family role identified for women are stronger as compared to men and they are considered more socialized than men to feel the responsibility of their family relationship.
In the year 1995, Anup. K. Singh and Punam Sahgal shared their views in the paper. "Men and Women in transition Patterns of Stress, Strain and Social Relations": This study reveals that men experienced greater role erosion than women, single carrier have higher well being and working women display higher irritability, anxiety and depression.
In the year 1996, Eknath, Suryaprabha, Kopay shared their views in the paper. "Married working Asian Indian women stress involved in caring for children working outside the home": The study reveals that moderate to high levels of stress is observed in cases of women with younger children and women whose husbands did not help with household responsibilities.
In the year 2005, Louise Heslop shared views in the paper. "How Single and Married Women organize to get the food on the table every day: Strategies, Orientations, Outcomes and the Role of Convenience foods": The study have examined that the work and family results, for example, part impedance, anxiety strain and life fulfillment are identified with a few procedures and introduction.
In the year 2006, Lan Day shared views in the paper. "Wearing out the work ethic: Population ageing fertility and work life balance": The study have shown that arrangements focused on expanding parental leave and youngster consideration procurement advances a more prominent adaptability inoccupation.
In the year 2010, Krishna Reddy and Vranda expressed their view in the paper "Work Life Balance among married women employees" The analysis in the paper discuss the issue of Family Life and Work family struggle are more prone to apply negative impact in the family area, bringing about lower life fulfillment and more prominent clash inside the family.
In the year 2010, Niharika and Supriya expressed their view in the paper "Gender differences in perception of work life balances" The analysis in the paper the work based variables and family related components that are considered to add to work life equalization. Work based variables are flexi time, alternative to work low maintenance and flexibility to telecommute and the family related variables are tyke care office and adaptability to deal with crises at home.
In the year 2013, Mani.V shared her view in "Work Life Balance and Women Professionals" According to the researcher, the paper highlights the central point impacting the work life parity of Ladies Experts in India. For Example Part Clash, Absence of Acknowledgement, Authoritative Governmental issues, Sex Separation, Elderly and Youngerly consideration issues, Nature of well being, Issues in Time Administration and Absence of Fitting in social well being.
In the year 2013, G.Shiva shared his view in "Study on Work Family Balance and Challenges faced by working women" According to the researcher, "Ladies experts in high position in their office have return from office in right time, cook, clean and take care of their family issues. This makes them more push and prompts some wellbeing issues. The main source of anxiety emerges in light of correspondence with prevalence.
? What factors are responsible for the conflicts between the domestic and entrepreneurial role? ? How the perception/attitude of family members does affects the working of the women entrepreneur? c) Need of the Study Since women career expectations are crashed by the social expectation as our society bared women with several demands and they are expected to play variety of conflicting roles. At the same time the stress of both the domestic and entrepreneurial responsibilities generate work family conflicts (Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985). To maintain the balance between the work and family life is very essential for their career and sustainability in the market. Several researches reveal the fact that work life conflicts and imbalance are some of the causes of poor health and impaired well being. Hence the present study seeks to identify the dual conflicting domestic and entrepreneurial role and assess the need for maintaining work life balance. d) Research Objectives 1. To understand the perception/attitude of family members towards the work of women entrepreneur. 2. To evaluate the dual conflicting responsibilities between the domestic and entrepreneurial role. 3. To give suitable suggestions to minimize the dual role conflicts and managing the balance between the work and family life efficiently.
The concerned study is based on the field work survey method. For the purpose of the study a sample of 80 women entrepreneurs will be selected randomly from the Kota district of Rajasthan as sample respondents being engaged in the business of beauty parlor, fancy store, readymade clothes, food processing etc. The primary data are collected through the questionnaire whereas the secondary data are collected from the several research reports, journals, websites and DIC has been found of great relevance in selecting the women entrepreneurs.
In the year 2004, Masako SETO et al shared their views in the paper. "Effects of work related factors and work-family conflict on depression among Japanese working women living with young children":
The study focus on analyzing the impacts of business related components and Work Family conflicts on depressive symptoms among working ladies living with youthful youngsters in a Japanese City.
IV.
Before marriage
After the birth of first child
Most of the respondent takes care of their children by themselves. Source: Primary Data Majority of the respondents do not feel that their work have any effect on their relationship with their husband and children. Respondents' reveals that their husband occasionally asks their wives to stop business.
The following suggestions are being provided in order to avoid the dual role conflicts and maintaining the work life balance-? The family members of the women entrepreneurs should encourage them by sharing the household responsibilities, moral support, making suitable adjustment etc for smooth running of their firms. Required assistance and help should be provided to them whenever required in both monetary and emotional terms. ? For maintaining work balance it is very essential that the efforts should be done by both the partners so that they get enough time to spend with each other as well as with their family. So in order to avoid role conflicts co-partnership is very essential.
? The women entrepreneurs are required to set their priority in terms of their work and domestic chores which in turn will save their lot of time and will avoid the situation of chaos and they can focus on other relevant areas. ? The professional life of the women entrepreneurs should not affect their personal life so they should devote their timings accordingly like business work should not be done after working hours and vice versa. ? They should often take break from their work and plans a small vacation or trip in order to avoid the job stress. This will keep them fresh and active also
Husband's absolute superiority
Husband superiority they will get some leisure time to spend with their family and friends. ? The personal satisfaction is one of the important ingredient for maintaining a stable and balanced ingredient for maintaining a stable and balanced life. If the person is not satisfied in her personal or professional life then he/she cannot maintain work life balance.
VI.
Imperative lessons have been drawn from these entrepreneurial women for those who wish to set to up their own business. There is no denying from the fact that aspects of the entrepreneurial experiences prove to be extremely worthwhile given their propensity to fulfill the majority of caring and household roles and connected duties. It is necessary that the women entrepreneur should understand the advantages and disadvantages of setting and controlling their own venture. Various aspects such as guilt of not spending enough time with family and relatives, Child care arrangement and the ordinary challenge of becoming the entrepreneur and homemaker may prevent women to enter into entrepreneurship business.
Accumulating ground level business women who have to an extent manage to strike a workable balance between the household and business work and discuss about the pros and cons of doing entrepreneurial work. If such women are lost to the system then the new and innovative thinking which women add to this global environment will be lost and the economy will suffer heavy consequences for this.
S. No | Role Conflicts | Strongly agree | Agree | Partially agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Total |
1 | Feels that you have less time to attend the wedding | 40 (50.0) | 30 (37.5) | 5 (6.25) | 3 (3.75) | 2 (2.5) | |
2 | Your husband and family members have to put up with inconveniences | 10 (12.5) | 10 (12.5) | 29 (36.25) | 23 (28.75) | 8 (10.0) | |
because of your enterprise | |||||||
3 | You cannot be a good spouse while running business | 38 (47.5) | 7 (8.75) | 25 (31.25) | 6 (7.5) | 4 (5.0) | |
4 | Your children are deprived of motherly attention | 5 (6.25) | 30 (37.5) | 2 (2.5) | 36 (45.0) | 7 (8.75) | |
5 | You are not able to spend enough time with your family | 19 (23.75) | 22 (27.5) | 28 (35.0) | 20 (25.0) | 9 (11.25) | |
6 | You forgo your hobbies and entertainment | 15 (18.75) | 9 (11.25 | 23 (28.75) | 29 (36.25) | 4 (5.0) | |
7 | Children's because of your lack of time to education suffers | 20 (25.0) | 39 (48.75) | 13 (16.25) | 7 (8.75) | 1 (1.25) | |
attend to their studies | |||||||
8 | You feel you are overloaded with domestic and enterprise workload | 7 (8.75) | 11 (13.75) | 12 (15.0) | 44 (55.0) | 6 (7.5) | |
9 | You feel that you are hampered from giving your best to the | 25 (31.25) | 15 (18.75) | 13 (16.25) | 20 (25.0) | 7 (8.75) | |
enterprise | |||||||
10 | You feel that you will not be able bear children because of | 10 (12.5) | 10 (12.5) | 25 (31.25) | 33 (41.25) | 2 (2.5) | |
managing business | |||||||
11 | You have not been able to have close ties with friends and relatives | 6 (7.5) | 17 (21.25) | 23 (28.75) | 30 (37.5) | 4 (5.0) | |
12 | You feel that you could have earn more profits in business | 8 (10.0) | 13 (16.25) | 19 (23.75) | 37 (46.25) | 3 (3.75) | |
13 | You would like to lead a more cultural and traditional life | 5 (6.25) | 8 (10.0) | 11 (13.75) | 34 (42.5) | 22 (27.5) |
S.NO | Sharing of Responsibilities | Large | Some Extent | Nil | Total |
1. | Extended by family | 40 (50.0) | 22 (30.0) | 18 (22.5) | 80 |
2. | Husband | 20 (25.0) | 43 (53.75) | 17 (21.25) | 80 |
3. | Domestic maid, full time | 18 (22.5) | 45 (56.25) | 17 (21.25) | 80 |
4. | Children | 27 (33.75) | 40 (50.0) | 13 (16.25) | 80 |
5. | Domestic maid, part time | 31 (38.75) | 44 (55.0) | 5 (6.25) | 80 |
Source: Primary Data |
S.NO | Working Hours | No of Working Hours | Percent |
1 | 9 Am to 5 Pm | 22 | 27.5 |
2 | 9 Am to 12 Noon | 18 | 22.5 |
3 | 2 PM to 6 PM and 6 PM to 10 PM | 8 | 10.0 |
4 | 10 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 8 PM | 7 | 8.75 |
5 | Any time that is convenient to you | 15 | 18.75 |
6 | Whenever required | 10 | 12.5 |
Source : Primary Data |
S.NO | Start Working | No of respondents | Percent |
1 | Before marriage | 4 | 5.0 |
2 | After marriage | 13 | 16.25 |
3 | After the birth of first child | 45 | 56.25 |
4 | After the birth of all child | 15 | 18.75 |
5 | Any other | 3 | 3.75 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data | |||
Most of the sample respondents start their business after marriage i.e. after the birth of their first child |
S.NO | Response | respondents No of | Percent |
1 | Relative respondent or separately living with | 5 | 6.25 |
2 3 | Maid servant Relatives or maid servant jointly | 9 7 | 11.25 8.75 |
4 | They are left alone with no management | 22 | 27.5 |
5 | You stay with children to look after them | 37 | 46.25 |
Total | 80 |
S.NO | Response | No of Respondents | Percent |
1 | Full satisfactorily | 37 | 46.25 |
2 | Satisfactory | 24 | 30.0 |
3 | Partially satisfactory | 6 | 7.5 |
4 | Dissatisfactory | 5 | 6.25 |
5 | Totally dissatisfactory | 8 | 10 |
Total | 80 |
S.NO | Response | No of respondent | Percent |
1 | Yes | 28 | 35.0 |
2 | No | 52 | 65.0 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data |
S.NO | Response | No of Respondent | Percent |
1 | Yes | 47 | 58.75 |
2 | No | 33 | 41.25 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data | |||
Most of the respondents get enough time to spend with their | |||
husband and children while working. |
S.NO | Type of | No of | Percent |
Time | Respondents | ||
1 | Part time | 31 | 38.75 |
2 | Whole time | 49 | 61.25 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data |
husband and children | |||
S.NO Response No of Respondents Percent | |||
1 | Yes | 18 | 22.5 |
2 | No | 62 | 77.5 |
Total | 80 |
respondent | ||||
S.NO | Prejudice | No of respondents | Percent | |
1 | Great prejudice | 3 | 3.75 | |
2 | Prejudice | 7 | 8.75 | |
Neither | ||||
3 | prejudice favorable | not | 33 | 46.25 |
attitude | ||||
4 | Favorable | 37 | 41.25 | |
Total | 80 | |||
Source: Primary Data |
work by the Respondent | |||
S.NO | Family | No of | Percent |
members | respondents | ||
1 | Yes | 14 | 17.5 |
2 | No | 66 | 82.5 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data | |||
Majority of the family members did not like the outside working | |||
of the women entrepreneurs. |
Spouse attitude on outside work by | |||||
the respondent | |||||
4% 9% | Great prejudice | ||||
41% | Prejudice | ||||
46% | |||||
Neither prejudice | |||||
nor favourable | |||||
S.NO | Time | No of respondents | Percent | ||
1 | Once in a week | 30 | 37.5 | ||
2 | Once in a month | 18 | 22.5 | ||
3 | Once in two month | 4 | 5.0 | ||
Other family member attitudeon outside work by the | 4 5 | Once in six month Once in a year | 8 7 | 10.0 8.75 | |
respondent | 6 | There is no regularity | 13 | 16.25 | |
17% | Total | 80 | |||
Source: Primary Data | |||||
Yes | |||||
83% | No | ||||
Frequency to meet family and | |||||
friends | |||||
once in a week | |||||
16% | once in a month | ||||
9% | 37% | once in two month | |||
10% | once in six month | ||||
5% | 23% | once in year there is no regularity |
S.NO | Response | No of respondents | Percent |
1 | Strongly agree | 14 | 17.5 |
2 | Agree | 53 | 66.25 |
3 | Partially agree | 7 | 8.75 |
4 | Disagree | 4 | 5.0 |
5 | Strongly disagree | 2 | 2.5 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data |
Respondent opinion on sharing of | ||||
domestic work by their husband | ||||
9% | 5% 3% | Strongly Agree | ||
17% | Agree | |||
Partially Agree | ||||
66% | Disagree | |||
Strongly Disagree | ||||
S.NO | Response | No of respondents | Percent | |
1 | Suit the whole family | 19 | 23.75 | |
2 | Suit the children but do not suit the husband | 34 | 42.5 | |
3 | Suit your husband but not the children | 23 | 28.75 | |
4 | Suit others but not suit yourself | 3 | 3.75 | |
5 | Suits none in the family | 1 | 1.25 | |
Total | 80 | |||
Source: Primary Data | ||||
Respondent working hours 4% 1% Suits the whole family | ||||
24% | Suits the children but | |||
29% | notsuit the husband Suit the husband but not | |||
the children | ||||
Suit other but not | ||||
42% | yourself | |||
Suit none in the family | ||||
Respondent feels that their work timing mostly suit their children but not their husband. |
S.NO | Response | No of respondents | Percent |
1 | Career | 11 | 13.75 |
2 | Home | 37 | 46.25 |
3 | Career,Occupation and Home | 19 | 23.75 |
4 | Leisure/religious activities | 8 | 10.0 |
5 | Any other | 5 | 6.25 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data | |||
Women feels more satisfied at their home than any other place. |
S.NO | Response | No of respondents | Percent |
1 | To a great extent | 11 | 26.25 |
2 | To a considerable extent | 39 | 48.75 |
3 | To some extent | 23 | 28.75 |
4 | Not at all | 7 | 8.75 |
Total | 80 | ||
Source: Primary Data |
Women Entrepreneur' | |
8% | |
23% | |
26% | |
43% | |
21 | |
22% 33% Discouragement of Husband to 25% 20% stop Business Often Occasionally Rarely | Volume XVII Issue VI Version I ( H ) |
Never | |
Source: Primary Data |
To a great extent | |||
To a considerable | |||
extent | |||
To some extent | |||
Not at all | |||
S.NO | Response No of respondents | Percent | |
1 | Often | 18 | 22.5 |
2 | Occasionally | 26 | 32.5 |
3 | Rarely | 20 | 25.0 |
4 | Never | 16 | 20.0 |
Total | 80 | ||
S.NO | Response | No of respondents | Percent |
Strongly agree Agree Partially agree Disagree Strongly disagree TotalV. | 6 36 32 4 2 | 7.5 45.0 40.0 5.0 2.5 |
Equal partnership among Spouses | ||||
5% | ||||
8% | Strongly agree | |||
Agree | ||||
41% | 46% | Partially agree | ||
Disagree | ||||
S.NO | Type of Relationship | No of respondents | Percent | |
1 | Husband's absolute superiority | 9 | 11.25 | |
2 | Husband superiority | 60 | 75.0 | |
3 | Co partnership | 10 | 12.5 | |
4 | Wife superiority | 1 | 1.25 | |
Total | 80 | |||
Source: Primary Data | ||||
13% 1% | 11% | |||
75% | ||||
Most of the respondent feels husband superiority in their relationship. |
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Work Life Balance and Women Professionals. Global Journal of Management and Business Research Interdisciplinary 2013. 13 (5) .
Effects of Work Related Factors and Work-Family Conflict on Depression Among Japanese Working Women Living with Young Children. Environmental Health & Preventive Medicine 2004. 9 p. .
Gender differences in perception of work life balances. Management Journal 2010. 4 (5) p. .
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