Does extant work-family research generalize to African Nations? Meta-analytic tests

Abstract

This study explores the question of the generalizability of extant work-family research, most of which has been conducted in Western cultural contexts, to workers in African nations. We conducted a meta-analysis of African research (55 studies, N = 16,162), comparing means for work-family conflict (WFC) and enrichment (WFE) to those same means in Western studies, finding no difference. We also compared the magnitude of the relations between WFC and WFE and their common correlates (e.g., strain, support, and attitudes) in Africa with the West, finding some differences in effect sizes. We speculate these differences could be due to African contexts, specifically the influence of the family system, economic insecurity, and blurring of roles. We conclude with a caution against transporting Western work-family evidence to African workplaces without consideration of sociocultural factors.