Managerial Aspirations and Work-Family Support: Within- and Between- gender Differences

Abstract

Drawing on the gender role theory and extant research on perceived organizational work-family support, we examine within- and between-gender differences in the effect of perceived organizational work-family support on affective organizational commitment. While traditional gender roles demand men to take on work roles and women to fulfill family roles, individuals even within their own gender may differ in how salient their socially ascribed roles are based on their managerial aspirations. Using a sample of 581 male and 754 female employees who are married in South Korean organizations, we hypothesize and show that the positive impact of perceived organizational work-family support on affective organizational commitment is stronger for men with low managerial aspirations compared to men with high managerial aspirations. However, for women, managerial aspirations do not alter the influence of perceived organizational work-family support. These results underscore the necessity to examine both within- and between-gender differences in the context of perceived organizational work-family support.