Abundant research supports the view that for dual-career couples, women do a significantly higher proportion of housework than men and men place far more importance on their own careers than those of their partners. This paper identifies these two areas as prime sources of conflict and examines why, even for egalitarian couples, such conflict arises. The article also explores the notions of achieving balance between work and personal life, and of maintaining socially sustainable relationships. Changes that may be needed in career direction in order to achieve these two goals are suggested. Implications for careers practitioners are provided that may be of benefit for enhancing career development programs. These include changing the way that the problematic concept of career is viewed, and the benefits that men may derive in becoming equally responsible for household chores.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AgnewD. (1989). A world of women: An approach to personal and career development for women teachers in primary schools. In DeLyonH.MigniuoloF. (Eds.), Women teachers: Issues and experiences (pp. 67–82). Milton Keynes: Open University Press
2.
BaxterJ.GibsonD. (1990). Double take: The links between paid and unpaid work. Canberra, Australian Government Publishing Service
3.
BittmanM. (1991). Juggling time: How Australian families use time. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service
4.
BlumbergR. L. (1991). Gender, family, and economy: The triple overlap. Newbury Park: Sage
5.
CarlsonR.SchmuckP. (1981). The sex dimensions of careers in educational management: Overview and synthesis. In SchmuckP.ChartersW.CarlsonR. (Eds.), Educational policy and management: Sex differentials (pp. 117–130). New York: Academic Press
6.
CockburnC. (1991). In the way of women: Men's resistance to sex equality in organizations. Ithaca: ILR Press
7.
ColemanM. (1991). The division of household labour. In BlumbergR. L. (Ed.), Gender, family and economy: The triple overlap (pp. 245–260). Newbury Park: Sage
8.
DiamondE. E. (1987). Theories of career development and the reality of women at work. In GutekB. A.LarwoodL. (Eds.), Womens career development (pp. 15–27). Newbury Park: Sage
9.
FenstermakerS.WestC.ZimmermanD. (1991). Gender inequality: New conceptual terrain. In BlumbergR. L. (Ed.), Gender, family and economy: The triple overlap (pp. 289–307). Newbury Park: Sage
10.
GoodeW. (1982). Why men resist. In ThorneB.YalowM. (Eds.), Rethinking the family (pp. 131–150). New York: Longman
11.
GutekB.LarwoodL. (Eds.) (1987). Introduction: Women's careers are important and different. In GutekB.LarwoodL. (Eds.), Women's career development (pp. 7–14). Newbury Park: Sage
12.
HallD. T. (1990). Promoting work/family balance: An organisation - change approach. Organisational Dynamics, Winter, 5–18
13.
HequetM. (1995). Flat and happy?Training, 32(4), 29–34
14.
HerriotP. (1992). The career management challenge: Balancing individual and organisational need. London: Sage
15.
HobfollS. E.HobfollI. H. (1995). Work won't love you back. The dual career couple's survival guide. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Co.
16.
HubermanM. (1989). The professional life cycle of teachers. Teachers College Record, 91(1), 31–57
17.
KofodimosJ. (1993). Balancing act: How managers can integrate successful careers and fulfilling personal lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
18.
LewisS. (1992). Introduction: Dual-earner families in context. In LewisS.IsraeliD.HootsmansH. (Eds.), Dual earner families: International perspectives (pp. 1–18). London: Sage
19.
LimerickB. (1995). Accommodated careers: Gendered career paths in education. In LimerickB.LingardB., (Eds.), Gender and changing educational management (pp. 68–78). Rydalmere, NSW: Hodder Education
20.
LimerickB.HeywoodE. (1994). The family — mum, dad and 2.2 or a flexible ordering of social relationships?Journal of the Home Economics Institute of Australia, 1(1), 17–24
21.
LimerickD.CunningtonB. (1993). Managing the new organisation. Chatswood, NSW: Business and Professional Publishing
22.
LunneborgP. (1990). Women changing work. New York: Greenwood Press
23.
MachungA. (1989). Talking career, thinking job: Gender differences in career and family expectations of Berkeley seniors. Feminist Studies, 15(1), 35–58
24.
MacLeanR. (1992). Teachers' career and promotion patterns: A sociological analysis. London: Falmer Press
25.
NievaV. (1985). Work and family linkages. In LarwoodL., StrombergA., GutekB. (Eds.), Women and work: An annual review, 1, 162–190
26.
SadkerD. (1975). The feminist movement: Not for women only. Journal of Teacher Education, 26(4), 313–315
27.
ScheinE.H. (1978). Career dynamics: Matching individual and organisational needs. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Publishing
28.
van den BergheP. (1984). Family and work: A socio-biological view. In BrinkerhoffM. (Ed.), Family and work (pp. 31–41). Westport: Greenwood
