Study-work-life balance of international students in the context of temporal boundaries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/jise.v7i2.1212Keywords:
boundary management, segmentation, integration, study work life balance, temporal boundariesAbstract
The goal of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of study-work-life balance among international students who were separated from their family both geographically and temporally. Using 10 semi-structured interviews with postgraduate students and thematic analysis, several themes were identified. These included boundary management shifts due to study/work demands and time zone differences. In addition, students reported social and personal challenges (in terms of family’s expectations, relationships maintenance, socialization in host country). Temporal boundaries contributed to social withdrawal and isolation among students, many of which were heavily reliant on their own family network for support. The findings strengthen the argument that time difference impacts the boundary management and social experience of international students.
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References
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Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., & Ramia, G. (2008). Loneliness and international students: An Australian study. Journal of Studies in International Education, 12(2), 148-180. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1028315307299699
Stahl, G. K., & Caligiuri, P. (2005). The effectiveness of expatriate coping strategies: The moderating role of cultural distance, position level, and time on the international assignment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(4), 603–615. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2005-08269-001.html
Sivunen, A., Nurmi, N., Koroma, J. (2016). When a one-hour time difference is too much: Temporal boundaries in global virtual work. System Sciences (HICSS), 511-520. https://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/hicss/2016/5670/00/5670a511.pdf
van Bekel, M., van Oudenhoven, J.P., & Gerritsen, M. (2017). Expatriate contact with a local host: An intervention to increase social support. Human Resource Development International, 20(3), 215-235. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13678868.2016.1248720
Whiting, L. S. (2008). Semi-structured interviews: guidance for novice researchers. Nursing Standard, 22(23), 35-40. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18323051
Yeh, C.J., & Inose, M. (2003) International Students reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 16, 15-28. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0951507031000114058
Bai, J. (2016). Perceived support as a predictor of acculturative stress among international students in the United States. Journal of International Students, 6(1), 93-106. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1083271.pdf
Barriball, L., & While, A. (1994). Collecting data using a semi-structured interview: a discussion paper. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19, 328-335. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1994.tb01088.x
Belford, N. (2017). International students from Melbourne describing their cross-cultural transitions experiences: culture shock, social interaction, and friendship development. Journal of International Students, 7(3), 499-521. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1140256.pdf
Bird, E. L. (2017). Student and staff perceptions of the international postgraduate student experience: a qualitative study of a UK university. Journal of International Students, 7(3), 329-346. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1129114.pdf
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Briggs, P., & Ammigan, R. (2017). A collaborative programming and outreach model for international student support offices. Journal of International Students, 7(4), 1080-1095. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1160791.pdf
Clark, S.C. (2000). Work/ family border theory: A new theory of work/family balance. Human Relations, 53, 747-770. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0018726700536001
Cummings, J.N., Espinosa A., & Pickering, C.K. (2009). Crossing spatial and temporal boundaries in globally distributed projects: A relational model of co-ordination delay. Information Systems Research, 20, 420-439. https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/isre.1090.0239
Daly, J., Kellehear, A., & Gliksman, M. (1997). The public health researcher: A methodological approach. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.
Derks, D., Bakker, A.B., Peters, P., van Wingerden, P. (2016). Work-related smartphone use, work-family conflict and family role performance: the role of segmentation preference. Human Relations, 69, 1045-1068. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0018726715601890
Feldman, D. C., & Thomas, D. C. (1992). Career management issues facing expatriates. Journal of International Business Studies, 23, 271–294. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490268
Fontaine, G. (1986). Roles of Social Support Systems in Overseas Relocation: Implications for Intercultural Training. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 10, 361-378. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0147176786900180
Geeraert, N., Demoulin, S., & Demes, K. (2014). Choose your (international) contacts wisely: A multilevel analysis on the impact of intergroup contact while living abroad. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 38, 86-96. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0147176713000837
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18, 59-82. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1525822X05279903
Harvey, T., Robinson, C., & Welch, A. (2017). The lived experiences of international students who’s family remains at home. Journal of International Students, 7(3), 748-763. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.570031
HEA (2016). Higher Education System Performance 2014-2016. Dublin: HEA.
Kusek, W. A. (2015). Evaluating the struggles with international students and local community participation. Journal of International Students, 5(2), 121-131. https://jistudents.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/jis-2015-vol-5-no-2-book.pdf#page=21
Lowe, J. & Gayle, V. (2007). Exploring the work/life/study balance: the experience of higher education students in a Scottish further education college. Journal of Further and Higher Education, (31), 225-238. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03098770701424942
Martinez, E. Ordu, C., Della Sall, M.R. & McFarlane, A. (2013). Striving to obtain a school-work-life balance: The full-time doctoral student. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 8, 40-59. http://informingscience.com/ijds/Volume8/IJDSv8p039-059Martinez0375.pdf
Ong, D., Ramia, G. (2009). Study-Work-Life Balance and the welfare of International Students, Labour & Industry: A Journal of The Social and Economic Relations of Work, 20, 181-206. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10301763.2009.10669399
Pookaiyaudom, G. (2015). Assessing different towards the importance of a work life balance: a comparable study between Thai and international programme students. Procedia - Social and Behavioural Sciences, 174 (2015), 267-274. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815007089
Salgado, J.F., & Bastida, M. (2017). Predicting expatriate effectiveness: The role of personality, cross-cultural adjustment, and organizational support. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 25, 267-275. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijsa.12178
Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., & Ramia, G. (2008). Loneliness and international students: An Australian study. Journal of Studies in International Education, 12(2), 148-180. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1028315307299699
Stahl, G. K., & Caligiuri, P. (2005). The effectiveness of expatriate coping strategies: The moderating role of cultural distance, position level, and time on the international assignment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(4), 603–615. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2005-08269-001.html
Sivunen, A., Nurmi, N., Koroma, J. (2016). When a one-hour time difference is too much: Temporal boundaries in global virtual work. System Sciences (HICSS), 511-520. https://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/hicss/2016/5670/00/5670a511.pdf
van Bekel, M., van Oudenhoven, J.P., & Gerritsen, M. (2017). Expatriate contact with a local host: An intervention to increase social support. Human Resource Development International, 20(3), 215-235. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13678868.2016.1248720
Whiting, L. S. (2008). Semi-structured interviews: guidance for novice researchers. Nursing Standard, 22(23), 35-40. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18323051
Yeh, C.J., & Inose, M. (2003) International Students reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 16, 15-28. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0951507031000114058
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Published
2019-06-15
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Articles
How to Cite
Study-work-life balance of international students in the context of temporal boundaries. (2019). Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 7(2), 63-79. https://doi.org/10.32674/jise.v7i2.1212
