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Examining the Relationship between Work-family conflict and Organisational role stress among women professionals in Chennai city.

Mrs.R.Muzhumathi, Prof.Dr. K. Jawahar Rani,

Abstract

The aim of the present research paper is undertaken to address specific problems of women professionals in Chennai city related to work family conflict and organisational role stress. Work-family conflict is an inter-role conflict that arises due to conflicting roles required by organisations and from one’s family. This issue is of great importance as far as employee’s performance and ultimately organisational performance is concerned. Sometimes severe contradictory roles results in work-family conflict that leads to stress. The word stress has given new meaning to this century. Every individual is under stress, it’s neither bad nor does it always hamper the functioning (or) performance. This paper investigates the intensity of Work-family conflict creating ORS among women professional in Chennai city and to identify the relationship between ORS among women professionals. The data were collected from 491 women professionals using anonymous questionnaire. The results of the research found that stress among women are greatly depending on work- family conflict. Doctors were more stressed than any other and there is no significant relationship between ORS among women professionals. The introduction of more flexible work schedules produced positive benefits for employees and a stress management training programme are some of the recommendations provided.

Key words: Organisational role stress, Women

Professionals, Work-family conflict.

Research Scholar, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal, INDIA. Mobile No: +919445101990

E-Mail: muzhumathi@ymail.com.

Department of MBA, St.Joseph College of Engineering, Chennai, INDIA. Mobile No: +919442113770

E-Mail: jawaharrani@gmail.com.

1. Introduction

There is continuous change in the organisations as well as individuals life, meeting all these changes is difficult for both employees and organisations. These changes create WFC, so if family and work life of an employee is disturbed, then ultimate performance of the employee and organisation is affected. Work family conflict means inter-role conflict which arises due to incompatible roles in work and family domain (Carmeli, 2003).WFC is a common problem faced by majority of employees and results in negative outcomes such as fatigue, absenteeism, organisational role stress. Stress contains both good and bad aspects (Abushaikha & sheil, 2006). Stresses in the work place have greater impact on home-life than vice versa (Wiley, 1987; Hall & Richter, 1988; Frone et al, 1992; Swanson et al, 1998. The work-family field has been dominated by role theory which predicts that multiple roles lead to role stress, which in turn results in strain (Kahn et al., 1964) that is one of the causes of work-family conflict (greenhaus and Beutell., 1995).Work-family conflict consists of two dimensions: Work-family conflict (i.e., work interfering with family) and family to work conflict (i.e., family interfering with the work).These dimensions have been identified as distinct, reciprocal constructs that have independent antecedents and out comes (Frone, Russel & Cooper,
1992; Frone, Yardley and markel, 1997. Therefore the recent trend in research has been to model these dimensions separately. Work-family relationships are complex, multi-dimensional and require multi-level investigation. When expectations and demands from work and family are incompatible they result in the form of inter-domain conflict called work-family conflict (Netemeyer et al., 1996.).The underlying assumption is that high level of interference from one role to a second role makes meeting the demands of second role more difficult (Frone et al, 1992.) work

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to family conflict is primarily caused by work-related stressors (Frone et al, 1997).“Stress management training may rapidly reduce stress symptoms; it also has the advantage of being inexpensive and easy to implement” (Sauter et al., 1999). Thus Otis & Pelletier (2005) consider it important to study harmful effects of stress.
This study targets the women professionals working in Chennai city and examines their work- family conflict experiences. The aim of the present research is under taken to identify the variables which cause organisational role stress among women professionals and find out the relationship between Work-family conflict and Organisational Role Stress. This comparative study is very helpful for the organisations to determine significance of Linkage between WFC and ORS. So that causes can be correctly identified and coping strategies can be implemented to resolve stress related problems at the work place and beyond.

2. Review of Literature

The purpose of this literature review is to present
the real meaning of information concerning stress and work-family conflict experienced by women professionals. “Organisations must revisit current work processes, systems, structures and practices to determine which ones lead to work inefficiencies which in turn may create un necessary stress and overwork for employees”(Thompson, Andreassi, & prottas,2003).
2.1Work -family conflict
Work-family conflict is defined as “… a form of inter-role conflict in which work and family demands are mutually incompatible, meeting demands of both the domains is difficult”(Higgins, Duxbury & Lyons,2007).
Empirical evidence confirms that work-family conflict is often a severe stress factor at work leading to various negative out comes including impaired well-being (Karatepe & Tekinkus, 2006). Taylor, Decampo and Blancero (2009) found that supervisor support, work climate for family and job characteristics (job autonomy, intrinsic rewards, skill utilization, job security and stake in the job) affect work-family conflict.
Hypothesis.1: There exists a significant difference between Work-family conflict and organisational role stress consist of following dimensions (IRD, RS, REC, RE, RO, RI, PI, SRD, RA and RIN).
Hypothesis.2: There exists a significant difference in Work-family conflict among women professionals (Lecturers, Bank officers, Doctors and Engineers).
2.2 Stress
“Stress is defined as a non specific response of the body to a stimulus or event” (Kavanagh, 2005).In English, stress is defined as the “pressure or anguish resulting from difficult situations” (Alves et al.,
2004).”Stress refers to workers not being able to adapt to work and therefore involves some Biological and psychological reaction” (Hsieh, Huang & Su.,
2004).
Work stress has been frequently related to work- family conflict because repeated exposure to job stressors are generally related to less satisfying family relations (Repetti, 1989; Higgins et al, 1992; parasuraman et al., 1992).
Stress on job can be stated as the outcome of an individual due to the working environment from which he feels unsecure. There are lot of reasons causing stress, work-family conflicts and work overload is one of the reason identify by (Stamper & Johlke, 2003).
Hypothesis 3: There exist significant differences in Organisational role stress among women professionals consisting of following dimensions (IRD, RS, REC, RE, RO, RI, PI, SRD, RA and RIN).
Hypothesis 4: There exist relationship between ORS and work family conflict among women professionals.
Hypothesis 5: There exists a significant difference between ORS and work family conflict among bank officers.
Hypothesis 6: There exist a significant difference between ORS and work family conflict among doctors.

3 Research Methodology and Instruments

The role of women in the work place has been expanding steadily in addition to the representation of women in managerial ranks is increasing. Hence the researcher was interested to collect data from women professionals.
In determining the size and nature of sample, women have been selected from different categories of lecturers, bank officers, doctors and Engineers from all regions of Chennai city. The sample size is
491. The people indicate, 56 respondents were

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Doctors, 83 Lecturers, 153 Bank officers & 199IRD

9.42

5.30

9.12

4.44

7.24

4.79

8.952

0.00

Engineers. The quota sampling has been chosen as itRS

8.89

5.50

8.58

4.74

7.36

4.41

3.835

0.022

is more ideal and suitable for selecting the samplRe EC

8.05

5.67

8.10

4.40

6.72

4.52

4.615

0.010

from the above categories. The study measure ORSRE

8.84

5.37

8.22

4.61

8.45

4.32

0.492

0.612

and work-family conflict issues faced by theRO

8.85

5.49

8.82

4.77

7.28

4.47

5.448

0.005

RI

8.24

6.13

8.46

4.81

7.32

5.05

2.512

0.082

respondents. This is a descriptive research because itPI

8.66

5.18

8.71

4.95

7.90

4.99

1.336

0.264

aims at describing the relationship between ORS andSRD

8.13

5.32

8.16

4.74

6.95

4.92

3.131

0.045

work family conflict. The instrument used forRA

6.92

4.61

7.81

5.04

6.32

4.67

4.670

0.010

collecting data “Organisational role stress scale”. TheRIN

8.26

5.51

8.00

4.81

6.91

5.01

2.806

0.061

ORS scale is a comprehensive tool to elicit data about

different role stressors afflicting a respondent. It

covers a range of stressors that may be experience by
an occupational group.
Organisational Role Stress: the dimension of ORS are inter-role distance (IRD), Role Stagnation (RS), Role Expectation Conflict (REC), Role Erosion (RE), Role Overload (RO), Role Isolation (RI), Personal Inadequacy (PI), Self-Role Distance (SRD), Role Ambiguity (RA), Resource Inadequacy (RD). To measure the ORS, the tool developed by Udai Pareek (1982) was used. In the work-family conflict scale, developed by Greenhaus and Cornelly (1981) was adopted.

4 Data Analysis and Findings.

4.1.1 Analysis of work-family conflict and
Organisational Role Stress.
Work role stressors such as Overload and personal-professional conflicts are known to create boredom in the work domain that spills over into the family domain (Fu and Shaffer, 2001); this process appears to operate straight forwardly into one direction; however it has been suggested that exposure to stress and mechanical works may increase the level of stress.
Hypothesis 1: There exists a significant difference between work family conflict and ORS.

Table.1

T-test showing difference between work-family conflict and ORS
From the above table it is observed that out of 10 variables 6 variables have significantly contributed towards work-family conflict among women professionals. From the independent “T” test analysis it could be noted that there is significant difference between Work family conflict and ORS (IRD, RS, REC, RO, SRD, and RA).
While observing mean values it could be noted that those who are having higher work-family conflict had higher IRD, REC, RS, RO, RE, and Rin. Empirical evidence also confirms that work-family conflict is often a severe stress factor at work leading to various negative outcomes, including impaired well-being (Karatepe & Tenkinkus, 2006).IRD, REC, and RO are significant at 0.01 levels. RS, SRD and RA are significant at 0.05 levels. Hence the tested hypothesis is that “there would be a significant difference between WFC and ORS” is partially accepted. The results implied that women who are having more work-family conflict feel highly stressed. Impact of work-family conflict was studied among working women in Taiwan and findings showed that WFC was strongly linked with lower job satisfaction, greater stress and more physical ailments (Lu-2007).
4.1.2 Analysis of work-family conflict among women professionals.
Home and work are two different worlds for working women and are often in conflict. Women assuming multiple roles resulting in work-family conflict. On professional front she is expected to be committed, dynamic, competitive, straight forward, non-essential and act in a “business like” manner and at home , she is expected to be sweet, soft, sensitive, adaptable, gentle, unassertive, domesticated (Misra,1998). These contradictory expectations cause the confusion, tension and create lot of problems. WFC is considered to be an important issue in today’s business world (burke & EI-Kot, 2010; Grandy, Cordeino & Crouter, 2005). Recent studies highlight the conflict experienced by individuals

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between their roles in family and at work, which leads to WFC (widerzal-Bazyl, 2007).
Hypothesis 2: There exists a significant difference in work-family conflict among women professionals (Lecturers, Bank officers, Doctors and Engineers).

Table.2

‘T’- test showing the difference in work- family conflict among women professionals.
*Significant at 0.01 Level; **S Significant at 0.05
Level; NS – Not Significant.
It is inferred from the above table that work family conflict between lecturers and bank officers showing the‘t’ value as -1.184 is significant at 0.05 level, it is observed that there is no significant difference between lecturers and bank officers on the scores of work family conflict. Work-family conflict between lecturers and doctors showing the‘t’ value as
0.111 is significant at 0.05 level; it is observed that there is a significant difference between lecturers and doctors. Work-family conflict between lecturers and engineers showing the‘t’ value as -1.638, it is observed that there is significant difference between lectures and engineers on the scores of WFC. It would be noted that engineers had more WFC than lecturers. Since the outcome of‘t’ value is not significant, there would be no significant difference between lecturers and engineer’s.
Work family conflict between bank officers and doctors showing the‘t’ value as -2.714 ,it is observed that there is significant difference between bank officers and doctors on the score of WFC. Doctors had more WFC than bank officers. Since the outcome of‘t’ value is significant at 0.01 level, there would be
a significant difference between bank officers and doctors. Work family conflict between bank officers and engineers showing the‘t’ value 0.537 it is observed that there is significant difference between bank officers and engineers. It could be noted engineers got more WFC than bank officers, since the outcome of‘t’ test is significant at 0.01 level ,there is significant difference between bank officers and engineers.
Work family conflict between doctors and engineers showing the ‘t’ value as -0.537 ,it is observed that there is significant difference between doctors and engineers on the score of WFC doctors had more WFC than engineers, since the outcome of
‘t’ test is significant for WFC ,there would be no
significant difference between doctors and engineers.
Ahsan, Abdullah, fie and Alam (2009) identified stress including factors in academic staff include: Work overload, home work interface, role ambiguity and performance pressure. Banks are among the top ten high stress work places in India. Bankers are under a great deal of stress due to many antecedents of stress such as overload, role ambiguity, role conflict, responsibility for people, participation, lack of feedback, keeping up with rapid technological change. Besides the fact that work-family conflict is bound to be a common phenomenon among doctors. Work demands are expected to be relatively salient in influencing work-family conflict particularly the work interference with the family dimensions because they accompanied by processes that hinder the performance of family roles needed for participation in family activities (Voydanoff, 2004.). Like doctors, software engineers’ work also tends to be high-pressure and the work flow is regulated by the tyranny of deadlines and project timelines and they are struggling to meet unrealistic deadlines. Along with the access to international travel and the ability to mingle with people of different cultures has also arrived deep isolation of late hours. This pattern of work is largely responsible for the high level of stress that affects wok family issues.
4.1.3 Analysis of organisational role stress among women professionals.
Work stress is increasingly recognised as one of the most serious occupational hazards reducing workers satisfaction, productivity and increasing absenteeism and turnover (Gianakos, 2007.)
Hypothesis 3: There exist significant differences in
Organisational role stress among women

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Varia

professionals consisting of following dimensions
(IRD, RS, REC, RE, RO, RI, PI, SRD, RA and

Table.3

“T’ test showing difference between designation and

ORS

83 153 56 199 ‘t’

4.1.4 Analysis of relationship between ORS and work family conflict among women professionals.
One of the pioneers of research on ORS, Pareek (1993) has reiterated that the performance of a role in an organisation has built in potential for conflict due to which stress may start rearing its head. Such stress

bles

Lecturers Bank officers Doctors Engineers

value Sig

can contribute to various dysfunctional outcomes for the organisation like job related tensions.
Hypothesis 4: There exist relationship between ORS and work family conflict among women professionals.
It is inferred from the above table that “t” results are significant at 0.05 levels for IRD. Hence the formulated hypothesis stating that “there would be significant difference between lecturers, bank officers, doctors, engineers on ORS “is partially accepted. While observing the mean values, it could be seen that lecturers had higher IRD, RS, REC, RI, SRD and RIN. The bank officers had higher RE, RO, RA. Doctors had higher RO and Engineers had higher PI than their counter parts.
Duxbury et al., (2001) reported that participating simultaneously in two tasks needed time and energy which cause work family conflict among teachers. Long working hours engenders causes of turnover and work stress. A number of role based factors such as lack of power, role ambiguity and role conflict (Burke, 1988; Nelson and Burke, 2000) can be stressful for bank officers. A British medical association (BMA) report (2000) suggests that many senior doctors suffer high levels of stress as a result of their work which directly hampers their ability to provide high quality care to patients. Ramirez et al,
1996 conducted a study on 1133 consultants working in the U.K. in this study, work overloads and influenced home life; poor administration and resources; administrative responsibilities and dealing with patient’s pain were perceived as sources of stress. Stress is high in software profession due to their nature of work, target, achievements, night shift, over work load. Madhavi. C and Vimala. B (2011) the study establishes that the role stress dimensions experienced by the women software engineers make a significant impact upon their work family issues. Stress is high in software engineers because of the nature of work, target, achievement, night shifts, over work load.

Table.4

Stepwise multiple regression analysis on the criterion
variable work related stress and work-family conflict among women professionals.

Details

regarding contributed variable

R

R2

Ad.R2

SE

F

Work-

family conflict

0.123

0.157

0.023

0.39

7.446*

Table.4a

Details

regarding contributed variable

B

SE

Beta

T

Work-family

conflict

2.84

0.001

0.132

2.27**

*Significant at 0.01 Level; **S Significant at 0.05
Level; NS – Not Significant.
From the above table it is inferred that R2 value as
0.157, which means 16 percent of variance on stress is explained by work family conflict. Beta value of WFC is 0.132. The obtained ‘T’ value 2.27 is significant. Hence the stated hypothesis that “there exists some relationship between ORS and work family conflict among women professional” is accepted.
With a growing number of women participating in the labour force and with rise in dual-career families, an increasing number of individuals are bearing multiple role responsibilities. When there is limited time and energy to accomplish those role responsibilities it can be experienced as conflict. Along with the demographic changes, advance in technology have contributed to individuals increased role demands, that has, in some instances, resulted in

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increased stress and pressure at work and at home. (Parasuraman & Greenhaus, 1997; Valcour, 2005).
4.1.5 Analysis of relationship between ORS and work family conflict among Bank officers.
Hypothesis 5: There would be significant difference between ORS and work family conflict among bank Officers.

Table.5

Stepwise multiple regression analysis on the criterion
variable ORS and work family conflict among bank officers.

Details

regarding contributed

variable

R

R2

Ad.R2

SE

F

Work-

family conflict

0.183

0.33

0.27

0.4

5.207**

Table.5a

Details

regarding contributed variable

B

SE

Beta

T

Work-family conflict

-1.10

0.005

-0.183

-2.282**

*Significant at 0.01 Level; **S Significant at 0.05
Level; NS – Not Significant.
From the table 5, shows stepwise multiple regression analysis among bank officers. The obtained R2 value is found to be 0.33, which means
4.1.6 Analysis of relationship between ORS and work family conflict among Doctors.
Hypothesis 6: There would be significant difference between ORS and work family conflict among doctors.

Table.6

Stepwise multiple regression analysis on the criterion
variable ORS and work family conflict among doctors

Details

regarding contributed variable

R

R2

Ad.R2

SE

F

Work-

family conflict

0.275

0.74

0.57

0.34

4.326**

Table.6a

Details

regarding contributed variable

B

SE

Beta

T

Work-family conflict

-6.74

0.003

-0.272

-2.08**

*Significant at 0.01 Level; **S Significant at 0.05
Level; NS – Not Significant.
From the table 6, shows stepwise multiple regression analysis was carried out among doctors.

2

that 33 percent of variance on stress is contributed by
The obtained R
value is found to be 0.74 which
work family conflict. Beta value of WFC is -0.183. Further ‘T’ value -2.282, which is negatively significant at 0.05 levels. Therefore the stated hypothesis that “there would be significant difference between ORS and work family conflict among bank officers.
Banking sector had gone under swift and striking amendments like policy changes due to globalization and liberalization, growing competition due to the entrance of private sector banks and innovative technologies. Owing to these changes; the banking sector employees are experiencing a high level of pressure and stress. The advent of new technological changes, especially the extensive use of computers in banking sector has changed working patterns of bank employees. These changes have affected the social, economical and psychological domains of the banking sector employees and their relations. Thus above discussed factors are potential attributes to source occupational stress.
means 74 percent of variance on stress is contributed
by work family conflict. Beta value of WFC is -
0.272. Further the table indicated the‘t’ value -2.08 is negatively significant at 0.05level. Hence the formulated hypothesis stating that “there exists a significant difference between ORS and work family conflict among doctors” is accepted.
Since the medical profession is “people-intensive”
and emotionally demanding (Swanson &power,
1998), it is expected that doctors would be highly involved in their jobs. High involvement, in turn,
would be positively and strongly related to work- family conflict particularly the work interference with family component. Thus compare to other profession doctor had more work-family conflict.

4.2 Findings of the study

1) Women professionals with high work-family conflict had higher IRD, RS, RE, RO and RIN.
2) Among the situational variable, WFC had

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contributed more among the women Professionals.
3) Among the organisational role stressors role overload is the most contributed variable among women professionals.
4) SRD is the most contributed variable among lecturers.
5) Role erosion is the most contribute variable among doctors.
6) Personal inadequacy is the most contributed variable among engineers.

5 Discussion

This study tested that WFC creates stress. The findings and the data empirically proofs the facts detailed in the literature review ‘there is no-one-size- fits” all solution to the issue of work-life conflict. So different policies, practices, strategies will be needed to reduce work-life conflict examined in this study (Higgins, Duxbury &Lyons, 2007). An organisation would follow the strategy which will reduce the symptoms of work-life conflict and the causes of stress.
Hypothesis 1: WFC is often more experienced than FWC (Garies, Burnett, Eztel & Berkman, 2009; Anderson et al., 2009). Studies carried out in U.S propose that WFC is more experienced. Since continuous work demands create stress (Yang, hen, Choi, & zou, 2000).However, the results from H1
and‘t’ test analysis reveals that there exist
relationship between WFC & ORS.
Hypothesis 2: The hypothesis stated that there exists significant difference in WFC among women professionals. Doctors had more WFC than other professional. When doctors perceive their work load to be more than they handle, they are likely to experience exhaustion and fatigue, which may negatively influence their motivation to respond to the demands of the other domains such as family as argued by (Aryee et al., 2005).
Hypothesis 3: In the present trend all the professionals were experiencing stress. Findings of the H3 state that there is no significant difference in ORS among women professional. All the professionals were experiencing stress. Due to the
challenges in education and heavy demands made by society on teachers for different roles. Stress is sure
to overpower and affect the mental health of the women. Human resources occupy unique and sensitive position in banking sector. Role ambiguity, role conflict, lack of leadership support these are all
the significant causes of job stress of bank
employees. Symptoms like fatigue, emotional burnout, marital and family discard an even clinical
depression regularly afflict more than half of the doctors. The problems are so pervasive that 60% of doctors report having considered leaving the medical profession (Gernmy j 2006). The study found that long working hours at the desk and job related pressure creates lot of physical discomfort and mental tension (Kerala state women’s commission, 2010) for the software professionals.
Hypothesis 4: As hypothesized, the results reveal that there exists relationship between ORS and work family conflict among women professionals since the R2 value is 0.157 which means 16% of variance in stress by WFC. And‘t’ value is 2.27 .Hence WFC creates stress among women professionals. Long working hours have been shown to positive impact on WFC (Fu and Shaffer, 2001).It is common to see that the more time spent in the work domain inevitably results in less time available at home, rendering the mountain of responsibilities associated with family roles more conflict (Beauregard,2006). Hypothesis 5: The findings of the hypothesis reveal that R2 value is 0.33 which means 33% of variance
on stress is contributed by stress, and the‘t’ value is -
2.282 which is negatively significant at 0.01 level, so the hypothesis was accepted. For the bank officers the incessant pressure of achieving the targets and meeting the productivity levels to surpass the competitors have been the underlying force for demanding from employees in excess. This pressure creates stress.
Hypothesis 6: Findings of the hypothesis reveal that R2 value is 7.04 with variance of 74% which means stress is contributed by WFC. And‘t’ value is -2.08 which is negatively significant. So the hypothesis was accepted. Doctors had more stress compare to other professions. Wu, Zhu, Li, Zang Wang M (2008) in china found that main significant predictors of exhaustion were role overload, responsibility, physical environment and self-care.

6 Implications

Various causes and effects of stress on doctors must bring to light the magnitude of their problems
,in order that methods can be designed by doctor themselves, as well as management systems in place
to stream line work policies and ensure that stress level in doctors are maintained at acceptable level. Banks should organize stress management program focuses on employee’s at all hierarchical levels. For
software engineers, Companies have to understand
the requirement of managing stress among women to make the environment conducive which can retain talented women; management must provide continuous learning, coaching, counseling, and

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opportunities for self development. Stress management seminars should be organized by unit management to promote mental health of academic staff and should develop computer software for easy processing, storage and retrieval of student’s results. The supportive behavior of family members can help to safe guard WFC experienced by working women.

7 Conclusion and Future research

World over a dual-career women faces the obvious dilemma of work-family conflict. As a mother-wife she must conform to the traditional ideal of hard working women ready to subjugate her own interest to family’s happiness and in her occupational role she must be result-oriented, persistent and innovative. This study indentifies indices under the broad variable (WFC) that constitute the sources of stress to women professionals. The results reveal that doctors had more WFC that lead to stress and women professionals with high WFC had higher IRD, RS, RE, RO, RIN. The sources of conflict are dependent on the availability of various support systems within and outside the family as well as the organisation where she works. Since the role conflict problems are living and dynamic in nature, there can be no final and permanent solution to those problems. As more and more women would be adding on a new role to the traditional role of a home maker, the incidence of different types of role conflict would be more common in future. Future research would be aimed at the further development of the forms of role conflict, examination of the extent of each and determination of their causes and consequences.

8 Acknowledgment

With a profound sense of gratitude and indebtness the author thank her guide Prof. Dr.K.Jawaharrani whose inspiration, guidance and encouragement has enabled to pursue and complete the research and also thank her parents, husband, kid, father-in-law, mother-in-law for their encouragement, moral support and co-operation towards completing this research work.

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