RELATING INDIVIDUAL DEMOGRAPHICS, WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AND DECISION MAKING STYLES OF FACULTY MEMBERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study examines the work-family conflict and decision making styles of faculty members in higher education sector of Pakistan. This describes the impact of work-family conflict on decision making styles of faculty members. Study also highlighted the role of individual demographics in predicting the work-family conflict and decision making styles. Three hypotheses are generated for the present research work including; (i), work-family conflict has significant impact on the decision making styles of faculty members; (ii), there is significant difference of work-family conflict of faculty members based on gender, marital status and university sector; and, (iii) there are significant differences of preferred decision making styles of faculty members based on gender, marital status and university sector. Questionnaire method is utilized to collect data from the targeted sample.  A total of 489 questionnaires were distributed from which 352 received back with a response rate of 72%. Simple linear regression analysis is utilized to test hypotheses H₁ while t-test analysis, Mann Whitney U test, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test are used to study hypotheses H₂ and H₃. Results of the regression analysis for hypothesis H₁ suggest that work-family conflict negatively predicts rational and intuitive decision making styles and positively predicts avoidant and spontaneous decision making styles while no association found with dependent decision making style. Comparative analysis based on individual demographics for hypotheses H₂ and H₃ describes that gender; marital status and sector of employment of faculty members influence their work-family conflict and decision making styles. All of the hypotheses were partially supported based on the current research findings. This research work describes both academic and professional issues and its findings can be comprehensively utilized for the betterment of higher education sector of Pakistan.