University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Three factors that influence working class families with school-age and teenage children to work off-schedule shifts: Independence, power, and prestige

Harter, Martha Jean O'Dell

This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/23179

Description

Title
Three factors that influence working class families with school-age and teenage children to work off-schedule shifts: Independence, power, and prestige
Author(s)
Harter, Martha Jean O'Dell
Issue Date
1996
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
DeStefano, Lizanne
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Sociology, Individual and Family Studies
  • Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations
Language
eng
Abstract
  • A qualitative case study research approach was used to examine the nature of family and work relationships in off-schedule shift work families with school-age and teenage children living at home. This research was conducted for the purpose of answering three questions: (a) What factors influence parents to choose to work off-schedule shifts and to relate to the family in the ways that they do? (b) What factors enable the family to meet its family and work commitments? and (c) What ways of relating to family and work are being modeled within the family? By means of establishing trusting relationships with two off-schedule shift work families over an extended period of time, an in-depth portrayal of the manner in which family members relate with one another and those at work in the course of day-to-day living was revealed.
  • This examination of the nature of work and family relationships differed in both its focus and methodology from past research studies. First, this study had as its sole focus, the off-schedule shift work family with school-age or teenage children living at home. Second, data were gathered from all family members through in-depth individual and family interviews, participant observation, and family documents. Third, more than 100 interactions with each family were conducted over a time span of 8 consecutive months. And fourth, a thick description of each family member's current thoughts, feelings, and actions within the context of their past and future work and family relationships was presented.
  • Findings revealed that independence, power, and prestige influenced parents to choose to relate to work and family in the ways that they do. Resources within the community and workplace in conjunction with family members' willingness to trust enabled the family to meet its commitments to work and family. Parents in off-schedule shift work families modeled a lifestyle of hard work, productivity, perfection, and self-reliance. Based upon these findings, implications for future research and for the community, the workplace, and the family as they interrelate were suggested.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/23179
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1996 Harter, Martha Jean O'Dell

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Education
Dissertations and Theses from the College of Education