Family Diversity

Author(s):

  • Teresa J. Rothausen-Vange

Document type: Encyclopedia Entry

Appears in: Work and Family Encyclopedia

Year: 2005

Topic:

  • Changing Families
  • Diversity
  • Family
  • Race
  • Roles

Discipline:

  • Business and Management

Abstract:

When we talk about “family” in organizations or in work-family research, we conceptualize and measure it in ways that imply our default definition of family. Most often, this definition is spouse and children. Explicit in this definition is the notion that members must be related by a legally recognized marriage, by birth, or by adoption. Yet, many families do not fit this definition and are therefore left out of much of the discussion of work-family. In addition, families differ by many more variables than the marital status of the adults in the family and the numbers and ages of children. In this entry, I will review concepts and measures of family to point out issues of family diversity that arise in organizations and in work-family research.

Link: Family_Diversity encyclopedia