• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.729-736
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• 2023

Traditionally, Germany, a conservative welfare state, has pursued a male breadwinner model based on gender division of labor. For a long time, Germany tried to address low fertility through economic support centered on cash benefits, but it was not successful. In 2007, the German government began to shift the paradigm of family policy for work-life balance under the slogan of "A mix of time policy, income transfer, and infrastructure." When the issue of low birth rates emerged as a national concern in Germany, there was a growing social sentiment that not only the government but also private companies should contribute to increasing fertility by providing family-friendly personnel policies and working conditions. Private companies have been voluntarily improving family-friendly working conditions beyond legal obligations, aiming to secure personnel and prevent turnover. Germany's fertility rate is currently rising toward the European average level in 2023, which can be attributed to the government's work-life balance policies and the participation of private companies. In terms of improving work-life balance policies in Korea, it has been proposed to change the perception of the need for fathers to participate in child care, to make parental leave compulsory for men, to guarantee employment for women after childbirth, to expand child care facilities, and to revitalize family-friendly policies in companies.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.93-116
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• 2011

This qualitative study focused on the dual earner families' work and family life to explore the possibility of ideal work-family balance. Seven employed married women and two men were interviewed about their work-family balance during two months in 2010. We described four representative cases of having difficulty in work and life balance. And we identified the three dimensions to make their work-family balance difficult. They are motherhood ideology, ideal worker, and the limit of men's housework participation. For ideal work-family balance, we suggested alternatives. First, the companies should make various work-life balance programs and allow their workers to use them actively. Second, the government should support the needs of work-life balance and carry out various family-friendly and child care polices. Third, husbands have to participate the housework much more and the model of 'good' parents need to be modified.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.234-246
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• 2014

This paper investigates how family-friendly the working environments of Korean community welfare centers are and analyze work-life balance of married female social workers. We conducted a mix-method exploiting survey and interviews in community welfare centers in four provinces (Seoul, Kyonggi, Kangwon and Kyongsang). 82 participants were involved in the survey and 10 in the in-depth interview. According to our analysis, the take up rate of maternity leave was comparatively high while flexible working hours and parental leave were substantially low. Working atmosphere of the center, difficulties in hiring replacements and peer pressure were found to be related to the low take up rates. Also the working hours and concentration of work in certain periods negatively effected work-life balance satisfaction. Lastly, we found a high need for welfare service related to child care provided by community welfare centers where participants-female social workers- worked at.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.81-101
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to examine support policies regarding work and family reconciliation, to suggest plans to improve workplace policies, and to suggest directions for further studies. This study looks at OECD's work-life reconciliation policies as well as family friendly workplace policies in Korea to find a way to enhance business' receptiveness and implementation of the policies. By examining women's labor conditions, this study finds that family friendly workplace policies are necessarily imminent in our society of low fertility and ageing. Along with the evaluation of benefit level and the effectiveness of current policies, this study uses data from interviews with working mothers who have had the experience of family friendly benefits. The results of the analyses suggest that the government should focus on improving the workplace environment in companies that do not show bias against the use of family friendly policies. In order to farm more successful policies, future studies are needed to analyze the changes of fertility, working conditions, support programs, and benefits.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.217-248
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• 2011

이 글은 싱가포르에 거주하는 한국인 기혼 여성을 대상으로 영구 이민이 아닌 체류이주 맥락에서 일과 가족 양립 문제의 어려움과 그 대응전략을 살펴보는 탐색적 질적 연구이다. 지난 십여 년간 꾸준히 증가한 해외 거주 한국인 중장기 체류자(sojourner)의 수는 2007년 기준으로 1백5십만 명을 넘어섰다. 그 중 상당수는 한국계 기업 파견 직원('주재원')이나 비한국계 다국적기업 혹은 현지기업 종사 이주자로 파악된다. 고학력 전문 기술직 이주자(highly educated professional/high skilled migrant)에 대한 연구가 매우 드문 한국의 맥락에서, 전문 기술직 체류자 중심으로 이주 한국인 사회가 구성된 싱가포르는 전문 기술직 이주자의 일과 가족 양립 문제뿐만 아니라, 체류자 사회(expatriate community) 전반적인 연구의 중요한 대상지로서의 장점이 크다. 연구 질문은 다음과 같다. 체류자로서 외국에서 일하며 살아가는 어려움은 무엇인가? 특히, 이러한 맥락에서 기혼 여성의 일은 어떠한 의미를 지니며 어떠한 대응전략을 마련하는가? 이 연구는 2006년부터 2007년 사이 수행한 전일제 전문직종 종사자, 파트타임 종사자, 전업주부 등 자녀를 둔 26명의 기혼 여성에 대한 심층면접 자료에 근거하여, 아내이자 어머니로서의 일과 가족 양립에 관한 체험적 경험(lived experience)을 탐색적으로 파악하였다. 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 전일제 전문직 종사자의 경우 가정친화적 근무 환경을 갖춘 직장으로의 이직, 남편과의 야간근무 조정 등을 포함한 다양한 전략들을 채택하였다. 파트타임 종사자의 경우 과거 한국에서 전일제 근무를 경험하고 현재 상대적으로 경제적 여유가 있는 경우는 전일제 근무로부터 벗어나는 '일시적 행복감'을 느끼는 경우가 많았다. 비교적 경제적 여유가 없는 경우, 어머니 역할 부족을 발견하는 계기가 되기도 했다. 이러한 어머니로서의 역할은 친지를 비롯한 한국어 구사를 할 수 있는 가사 보조 네트워크가 결핍된 체류이주 맥락에서 일하며 살아가는 것에서 있어, 비교적 쉽고 저렴하게 가사노동자를 고용하더라도, 어머니로서의 역할을 보조하는 데 큰 도움이 되지 않는다는 생각을 확인시켜준다.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.385-395
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• 2017

This qualitative research is conducted to explore the balancing experience of work and child care of North Korean female defectors. Five of North Korean female defectors from double income family in their 40's were selected and interviewed. The interview data were analyzed by a phenomenological qualitative method. The five categories were derived from the data and included as follows: , , , , . Based on the results of the research the suggestions for practical services, such as parenting education, career path development programs and policies with gender perspective were made. Limitations of the research and further research recommendations were suggested as well.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.23-37
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• 2011

This research tried to identify how different types of environments related with work-family reconciliation effects the amount of resource exchange between working mothers and their child. In this study, we applied theoretical concepts such as 'Defamiliarization'(rights of mothers to access the work force without any environmental obstacles) and 'Familiarization'(a movement trying to balance work with family and child). This study is an analysis of valid questionnaires filled out by 220 female respondent's who was holding a job and also had children attending elementary, middle, or high school at the time answering the survey questionnaire. Results of this survey are as follows. Mother's attitudes toward familiarization and child's school environments related with defamiliarization had critical effects on mother's perceived resource exchange. And in a further analysis, among the clustered groups of mothers the group which consists of mothers who try to work hardly on both work and family had the highest degree of the resource supplies to their child.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-18
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• 2012

This study analyzes the balance between work and family in married, working men and investigates their need to create this balance. Data from 253 married men was collected and analyzed. The index for the questionnaire was developed using the scale from the Second National Survey of Korean Families and related research. The results show that married, working men are slightly better at balancing their work and family lives than average. Furthermore, the effects of job-related variables were higher than the effects of other social-demographic variables. Job flexibility was the major variable that determined the balance between work and family. The highest need to balance between work and family was monetary support for caring and educating children. This paper concludes that in order to improve the work-family balance, the current working culture has to be changed, and various policies and strategies that encourage a family-friendly working culture must be implemented.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.117-126
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze the difference of working mothers' work-child rearing strain and their demand on special care services according to each mother's work conditions and childcare situation. 477 working mothers who have only one child each were gathered by the use of the purposive quota sampling method and analyzed with t-test, F-test, correlation, and multiple regression. The main results showed that working mothers had high work-child rearing strain and demand on special care services when their working conditions were inflexible and they were not satisfied with the care services for their child. The major variable which explained working mothers' demand on special care services was e their work-child rearing strain.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the balance of work-life and parenting experience of nurses. Methods: This qualitative study used the phenomenological methodology proposed by Giorgi. In-depth interviews were conducted on a total of 10 participants working at hospitals in Seoul and Gyeongnam province in 2017 to collect data. Results: Four main issues were deduced: "complex situation between work and parenting," "conflict situation of being in a double bind between work and parenting," "the power to endure both work and parenting," and "finding hope between work and parenting. Conclusion: The findings in this study provide an in-depth understanding on the work-life balance and parenting experience of nurses. These findings should help in the development of solutions to the conflict between work and family for nurses and enable them to develop effective strategies.