Work-family Conflict: A Study of Chinese Immigrants in New Zealand

This study of work-family conflict among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand arose in response to the growing ethnic diversity in the labour force. The research investigated the work-family experiences among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand. Only sparse attention within the work-family literature has been given to immigrants’ work-family experiences. However, the Chinese ethnic group is fast growing and a critical part of the current and future labour market in New Zealand. Therefore, the antecedents, consequences, and coping strategies of work-family conflict among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand require attention. Furthermore, the majority of work-family studies assume that individuals function within a single culture, and overlook the impact of acculturation, which refers to the process of immigrants adapting to a new culture. The present research included acculturation as a major contributor to the work-family nexus. This study makes an original contribution to the work-family literature by broadening our comprehension of work-family experiences among immigrant populations. First, the research investigated the antecedents and consequences of work-family conflict experienced by Chinese immigrants. Second, the potential role of acculturation in work-family experience among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand was also explored. Third, this research also investigated strategies used by individuals for coping with work-family conflict. The thesis was designed and conducted through four separate studies, which are presented in four research articles designed to examine the above issues, and aimed to describe work-family experiences among Chinese immigrants. Each is a peer reviewed publication, and has been accepted, resubmitted, or under-review in peer reviewed journals or premium conferences. Study 1 examined the antecedents of work-family conflict, and the mediation effects of work-family conflict on well-being among Chinese immigrants to New Zealand, along with the moderating role of acculturation (cross-sectional analysis, n=557), using structural equation modelling to test mediation and moderation effects. Overall, this study provided some evidence that both Chinese and New Zealand cultures could exert influences on the antecedents and consequences of work-family conflict among Chinese immigrants. Study 2 investigated the mechanisms linking acculturation, work-family conflict and subjective well-being (two-wave longitudinal analysis, n=264), using structural equation modelling to test two rival mediation models. The results suggested that subjective well-being mediated the effect of acculturation on work-family conflict, while acculturation did not directly influence work-family conflict. Study 3 examined the mediation effects of work interference with family (one direction of work-family conflict) between interpersonal conflict at work and well-being, as well as the moderation effects of acculturation (two-wave longitudinal analysis, n=264), using structural equation modelling to test both mediation and moderation effects. Overall, this study found that interpersonal conflict at work was a significant strain-based predictor of work interference with family, and strain-based work interference with family had more effects on well-being than did time-based work interference with family. In addition, visible artefact acculturation had little moderation effect on these relationships. Study 4 was a qualitative study exploring the antecedents and coping strategies of work-family conflict in the context of acculturation. Participants (33) were selected from the Study 2 and those who got the lowest 10% and the highest 10% of scores on the work-family Conflict Scales were selected for inclusion. The selection was designed in order to compare responses from the two extreme groups (high and low work-family conflict). This study found that most Chinese immigrants had a low level of value acculturation, and strongly held their traditional Chinese cultural values, which largely affected their coping strategies and the antecedents of work-family conflict. Overall, this thesis develops and extends previous research on work-family conflict by providing a broader understanding of complex work-family experiences among Chinese immigrants, such as the antecedents and coping strategies of work-family conflict in the context of acculturation. This broadened understanding paves the way for future work-family research among immigrant populations to continue to explore the role of value acculturation in their work-family experiences. The thesis also provides some practical recommendations for Chinese immigrants in aiming to balance their work and family demands, and for organizations to develop family-friendly policies to support immigrant workers, as well as for government to enact cultural awareness training to ensure their successful cultural adaptation

Moderating role of acculturation in a mediation model of work-family conflict among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand

This study examined the antecedents of work–family conflict (WFC) and the mediation effects of WFC on well‐being consequences among Chinese immigrants to New Zealand, along with the moderating role of acculturation. Four types of WFC were explored: time‐based and strain‐based work interference with family, and time‐based and strain‐based family interference with work. Data were collected from 577 Chinese immigrants in New Zealand, who had full‐time or part‐time work and lived with family members in New Zealand. The four types of WFC were differentially related to the antecedents and well‐being consequences, providing some evidence that both Chinese and New Zealand cultures may exert influences on Chinese immigrants' experiences of WFC. Both directions of WFC (work interference with family, and family interference with work) were related to job satisfaction and family satisfaction, and strain‐based WFC influenced their well‐being more than time‐based WFC. Most importantly, we found immigrants who were proficient in English perceived greater WFC and psychological strain

The Effect of Spiritual Leadership on Employee Effectiveness: An Intrinsic Motivation Perspective

Drawing on spiritual leadership theory and intrinsic motivation theory, we proposed a homologous multilevel model to explore the effectiveness of spiritual leadership on employees’ task performance, knowledge sharing behaviors and innovation behaviors at the individual level. With questionnaires rated by 306 pairs of employees and their supervisors in 26 teams from the energy industry in mainland China, we conduct multilevel analysis to examine our hypotheses. The results show that spiritual leadership was positively related to employee task performance, knowledge sharing behaviors and innovation behavior, when we controlled for possible confounding effects of moral leadership and benevolent leadership, and ruled out alternative explanation of ethical leadership. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Mindfulness older workers and relational leadership

There is scant research examining both the psychological (individual) and leadership (environmental) influences on older workers. We firstly examine the influence of older workers' mindfulness on their job engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Secondly, we address effective leadership approaches for older workers, comparing two positive relational leadership styles, leader member exchange and leader autonomy support (LAS). We survey 1,237 participants from 28 organisations in New Zealand and employ structural equation modelling to test our hypotheses using AMOS 24.0. We find that mindful older workers enjoy greater wellbeing and are discerning of the leadership styles that most benefit their engagement, satisfaction and intentions to stay within the organisation. We find that mindfulness has direct importance and LAS has indirect importance on advancing the wellbeing of older workers. Mindful older workers exhibit greater work wellbeing than non-mindful workers, but they also demonstrate greater expectations and discernment of the leadership styles they encounter

Optimization of the vancomycin administration regimen by clinical pharmacists based on a population pharmacokinetics model: a prospective interventional study

In vancomycin treatment, the rates of correct blood sampling and initial trough concentrations within the target range are very low. Studies of interventions by clinical pharmacists based on population pharmacokinetics (PPK) models are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the intervention effect of clinical pharmacist-mediated optimization of the vancomycin administration regimen based on a PPK model. Retrospectively enrolled patients constituted the control group, and prospectively enrolled patients constituted the intervention group. The vancomycin administration regimen, trough concentration, pharmacokinetic parameters, and clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. The control and intervention groups comprised 236 and 138 patients, respectively. Compared with those in the control group, the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and correct TDM sampling time rates in the intervention group were significantly higher (76.92% vs. 43.59%; 63.9% vs. 39.0%, both p \u3c 0.001). The rates of an initial trough concentration within 10–20 mg/L and an adjusted regimen were also significantly higher in the intervention group (55.80% vs. 30.51%, 71.95% vs. 39.18%, both p \u3c 0.001). The rate of an area under the curve (AUC) within 400–650 mg·h/L was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (52.7% vs. 36.6%, p \u3c 0.001). The eradication rates of Gram-positive bacteria were 91.4% in the intervention group and 81.3% in the control group (p = 0.049). Eight patients developed acute kidney injury (AKI) in the control group; however, no AKI occurred in the intervention group (p = 0.029). Intervention by clinical pharmacists can increase the rate of correct sampling time. Using the PPK model combined with Bayesian estimation, clinical pharmacists can greatly increase the trough concentration and AUCs within the target range, especially for adjusted regimens. Higher PK/PD target rates resulted in better Gram-positive bacterial eradication and reduced renal toxicity of vancomycin