Interim Dissertation Proposal Framework

Student Name: Abith Ganesh E-mail Address: abithganesh@gmail.com Student No: 1163466

Dissertation Working Title: An Investigation into the Work-life balancing Issues of employees in a banking organisation. ABN AMRO, Mumbai, India. Research Problem Area: The importance of this research would help the researcher to improve the managerial skills and to know more about the employees and work policies, which will be essential once the researcher takes up a position in a managerial role in a banking organisation. The key areas that will be explored will be the factors that influence the performance of employees in order to assess the balance of work and the family issues. Whether flexible working hours would be essential to help employees improve their performance at work, socially interact and spend time for personal commitments outside work. Research Question: Does employee perception improve as a result of work-life balance practices in the banking organisation? Research Objectives:  To explore the employees work and family conflicts.  To examine the view of employees on the importance of flexible working hours.  Study into the flexible working policies implemented by the banking organization  To examine the reasons for employees to engage or to not engage in Work-life balance Initiatives.  Determine the problem of employees caused by poor work-life balancing practices.

Proposed Approach to Primary Research: Proposed Data collection method A proposed plan is set to obtain data with the aid of census and sending questionnaires to all the 188 employees working in ABN-AMRO about their experiences on how work and family issues are balanced. Research Population The research population would be based upon all the 188 employees working in ABNAMRO bank based in Mumbai, India. (July 2011). The technique that will be used to collect data would be based on census. y Sampling Frame: The sampling frame is the employees working in ABN-AMRO bank, Mumbai, India. Ethical Issues Confidentiality of the data collected relating to ABN-AMRO bank and its employees.

Limitations to the Research 1) Difficultly in assessing whether the details provided by the employees is a true reflection of actual events.

Keywords associated with the Research Work-life balance and job satisfaction, work family conflicts,

Key academic references consulted to Date  Singh, A. (2010). A Study on the Perception of Work-Life Balance Policies Among Software Professionals: The IUP Journal of Management Research, IX (2).

 Farid A. Muna and Ned Mansour.( 2009). Balancing work and family life: the reader as acrobat. Journal of Management Development, 28. (2); 121- 133.

 Melissa A. Warner and Peter A. Hausdorf. (2009). The positive interaction of work and family roles. Journal of managerial psychology, 24. (4); 372-385.

 Noreen Heraty and Michael J. Morley.( 2008). Complexities and challenges in the work family interface. Journal of managerial psychology, 23. (3); 209-214.

 Moore F. (2007). Work life balance: contrasting managers and workers in an MNC. Employee Relations, 29. (4); 385-399.

 Cieri H.D, Holmes B, Abbott J & Pettit T (2005), Achievement and challenges for worklife balance strategies in Australian organizations, International Journal of Human resources Management, 16(1), 90-103.

 Humphreys P.C, Fleming S and ODonnell O (2000), Balancing work and family life, The role of Flexible working arrangements, Dublin, Ireland: Institute of Public Administration.

 Grady G, McCarthy A, Darcy C, Kirrane M (2008), Work-Life Balance Policies and Initiatives in Irish Organisations- A Best Practice Management Guide, Published by Oak Tree Press.

 http://www.inc.com/top-workplaces/2010/how-to-improve-your-employees-work-lifebalance.html (Accessed on 7th March, 2011)

 http://e-articles.info/e/a/title/Performance-Linked-to-Work/Life-Balance/ (Accessed on 7th March, 2011)

Appendix The Watson Box

What?
Exploring the employee work and family conflicts. Determine the problems caused by poor work-life balancing practices. Flexible working hours and policies. View of the employees on the importance of flexible working hour practices. Enables the researcher and the organisation to measure gaps in the work and family pressures

Why?
The current working environment and practices are analysed.

How conceptually?
The research will be drawn up on the work-life Balance theories and concepts.

How-practically?
Data obtained through face-to-face, telephone and questionnaire Surveys. Sources of information gained through Academic journals, text books, newspaper articles and Internet articles