HAILEY COLLEGE OF COMMERCE

Business Research Methods

Task: 1
Submitted To: Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Janjua Shb.
Submitted By:
Muhammad Muaz Bc 20-689
Muhammad Zohaib Bc 20-652
Muhammad Ahmad Bc 20-654
Muhammad Adnan Bc 20-659
Work-Life Balance, Job Satisfaction, and Job
Performance of SMEs Employees: The Moderating
Role of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors

Identification of broad problem

A problem statement for “the work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance of SME
employees and the moderating role of family-supportive supervisor behaviors” could be
formulated as follows:
"Despite the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for economic growth
and development, there is a lack of understanding of how work-life balance, job satisfaction,
and job performance of SME employees are affected by family-supportive supervisor behaviors.
The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between family-supportive supervisor
behaviors and work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance among SME employees,
and to explore how these relationships may vary depending on individual and organizational
factors."

Identifying ways of preliminary investigation

There are a number of ways to conduct a preliminary investigation into the topic of work-life
balance, job satisfaction, and job performance of SME employees and the moderating role of
family-supportive supervisor behaviors. The author used these methods include:
Literature review:
Reviewing existing research on the topic can provide a good starting point for
understanding the current state of knowledge and identifying gaps in the literature
that need to be addressed.
 Surveys:
Surveying a sample of SME employees can provide insight into their experiences
with work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance, as well as their
perceptions of family-supportive supervisor behaviors. Surveys can be administered
online, by phone, or in person, and can include both closed- and open-ended
questions.
By conducting a preliminary investigation is indicating that the study in the article is using a
quantitative research approach, which involves collecting and analyzing numerical data to test
hypotheses and generalize findings. It mentions that the study has developed and distributed
structured questionnaires to around 600 employees who work in SMEs in Indonesia, which is a
common method used in quantitative research. The study used a non-probability sampling
method, specifically purposive sampling, which is a technique in which the researcher
deliberately chooses certain individuals who can provide the desired information based on
certain criteria. The sample size was taken to be 400, with a consideration of the adequacy of
the sample statistically, with a power of 0.8 with an alpha of 0.05.
It also indicates that the demographic profile of the respondents was mostly male, aged 26-35,
had one child, were senior high school graduates, and had 2 to 10 years of experience. The
study also mentions that the construct measurement items are reflective in nature, which
means that the questions in the survey are intended to measure the subjects’ perceptions,
beliefs, or attitudes about the phenomena being studied.
The authors also get support a literature review on the topics of work-life balance, job
satisfaction, job performance, and family-supportive supervisor behaviors to gain an
understanding of the current state of research in these areas.

Building problem statement:

A problem statement is a clear and concise description of a problem that a research project
aims to address. Here is an example of a problem statement related to the topic of work-life
balance, job satisfaction, and job performance of SME employees, and the moderating role of
family-supportive supervisor behaviors:

"Despite the importance of SMEs in most economies, little is known about the impact of family-
supportive supervisor behaviors on work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance
among SME employees. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between family-
supportive supervisor behaviors and work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance
among SME employees and to determine whether family-supportive supervisor behaviors
moderate this relationship."
This problem statement clearly states the issue that the research project aims to address, which
is the lack of understanding about the impact of family-supportive supervisor behaviors on
work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance among SME employees. It also states
the specific research question that the project aims to answer, which is to investigate the
relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviors and work-life balance, job
satisfaction, and job performance among SME employees and to determine whether family-
supportive supervisor behaviors moderate this relationship.

Literature Review & theoretical framework

Research questions & objectives

Research questions are specific and focused questions that a research project aims to answer.
They are used to guide the research and to ensure that the project stays on track.
Here are some examples of research questions that could be used to investigate the topic of
work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance of SME employees, and the moderating
role of family-supportive supervisor behaviors:
 1. How do family-supportive supervisor behaviors impact work-life balance among SME
employees?
2. To what extent does job satisfaction among SME employees depend on family-
supportive supervisor behaviors?
3. How do family-supportive supervisor behaviors affect job performance among SME
employees?
4. Is there a moderating effect of family-supportive supervisor behaviors on the
relationship between work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job performance among
SME employees?

Research objectives are specific, measurable statements that define what a research project
aims to achieve. They provide a clear roadmap for the research and serve as a guide for the
design and implementation of the study.
Here are some example research objectives for a study on the topic of work-life balance, job
satisfaction, and job performance of SME employees, and the moderating role of family-
supportive supervisor behaviors:
1. To determine the relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviors and
work-life balance among SME employees.
2. To investigate the relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviors and job
satisfaction among SME employees.
3. To examine the relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviors and job
performance among SME employees.
4. To test the moderating effect of family-supportive supervisor behaviors on the
relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction among SME employees.
5. To determine the moderating effect of family-supportive supervisor behaviors on the
relationship between work-life balance and job performance among SME employees.
6. To test the moderating effect of family-supportive supervisor behaviors on the
relationship between job satisfaction and job performance among SME employees.

A theoretical framework

A theoretical framework is a set of concepts and theories that provide a perspective for
understanding a research problem. In the topic of work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job
performance of SME employees, and the moderating role of family-supportive supervisor
behaviors, a theoretical framework could be based on a variety of different concepts and
theories.
 The theoretical framework that you provided in the literature review is based on the
Social Exchange Theory (SET), which suggests that when organizations provide benefits
to employees, such as work-life balance, employees will reciprocate by exhibiting
positive behaviors such as high job performance and job satisfaction. The theory
proposes that this relationship is strengthened when supervisors provide family-
supportive behaviors to their employees.

Additionally, the conceptual model that is presented in the literature review, showing
the causal relationships among the study variables. Such as, the relationship between
family-supportive supervisor behaviors and work-life balance, job satisfaction and job
performance.

Additionally, the concept of job performance is also outlined in the literature review as
an important aspect of the study. High-performing employees are seen as essential for
the success of small and medium-sized enterprises and organizations implement various
strategies, such as work-life balance, to improve performance.

Overall, this theoretical framework provides a logical base and explanations for the
research problem and objectives. It helps connect the research questions with existing
knowledge and theories in the field, and provides a foundation for the design and
implementation of the study.

Hypotheses
A hypothesis is a statement or prediction about a relationship between variables that a
research study aims to test. In a study on the topic of work-life balance, job satisfaction, and job
performance of SME employees, and the moderating role of family-supportive supervisor
behaviors, some potential hypotheses could be:
1. Family-supportive supervisor behaviors will positively influence work-life balance among
SME employees.
2. Family-supportive supervisor behaviors will positively influence job satisfaction among
SME employees.
3. Family-supportive supervisor behaviors will positively influence job performance among
SME employees.
4. Family-supportive supervisor behaviors will moderate the relationship between work-
life balance and job satisfaction among SME employees, such that the relationship will
be stronger when family-supportive supervisor behaviors are high.
5. Family-supportive supervisor behaviors will moderate the relationship between work-
life balance and job performance among SME employees, such that the relationship will
be stronger when family-supportive supervisor behaviors are high.
6. Family-supportive supervisor behaviors will moderate the relationship between job
satisfaction and job performance among SME employees, such that the relationship will
be stronger when family-supportive supervisor behaviors are high.
These hypotheses align with the research objectives and theoretical framework provided in
the literature review and predicts the relationship between the variables that the research
wants to explore. The hypotheses will be tested and evidence will be gathered in the
research to support or refute these statements.