ABSTRACT
Methodological issues for improving the robustness of work-family research are
reviewed. Special attention is given to the complexities of understanding
relative demarcation of work and nonwork (family) boundaries, as globalization
spreads rapidly in different parts of the world. Four issues are examined in
depth, and a framework is proposed for understanding the contrasting
perspectives of various research methods. These methods are to be undertaken
at different stages of research to understand the interactions between work and
family. It is argued that the methods are equally important, and their
employment should be carefully monitored at different stages of the research
project. Recent trends in demographic shifts in the West are reviewed, and their
research implications for work-family research are discussed.
