Research Companion to Working Time & Work Addiction
R. Burke

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'Ronald Burke has put together a collection of state of the art research and writing about work hours and work addiction from around the world. This book is essential reading for academics, managers, human resource professionals and anyone else interested in identifying types of work addiction, learning about antecedents and consequences of workaholism, as well as how to help people achieve work-life balance. The contributions from top notch researchers and academics in the field provide a rounded view of how the interplay between career aspirations, work motivation and working conditions contribute to health outcomes and effectiveness at work.'- Astrid M. Richardsen, Norwegian School of Management, Norway'Research Companion to Working Time and Work Addiction captures the essence and intricacies of an important and fascinating topic - work addiction. In addition it explores the body of writing on work-hours that until this book existed quite separately from it.While a great deal is known about the effects of workaholism and the different types of workaholics, far less is known about its antecedents and causes - the focus of the current volume.As can be expected based on the breath of his knowledge and the consistent quality of his work, Ronald Burke, Professor of Organizational Behavior at York University in Canada, has done a terrific job of editing a book that presents both work addiction and working time in a way that is both scientifically sound and engaging. The twenty four contributors that wrote the fifteen chapters of the edited volume, some of them distinguished academics and other independent practitioners, come from six countries (USA, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Holland and Switzerland). All together they have done an excellent job of extending and refining our understanding of work addiction and working time in this collection of excellent conceptual and empirical chapters. In the preface to the book Prof. Burke tells us that the question why so many people work so many hours is always raised for him, as it is raised for many of us, when he leaves North America and visits countries like France, Italy and Spain, where people work far fewer hours but seem to be enjoying their lives at least as much. In the first part of the book he provides an overview of the answers to the question why people work hard, setting the stage for the more focused chapters that follow. The second part of the book addresses the definition and consequences of workaholism. The third part addresses the antecedents of workaholism and long work hours. The fourth part offers various solutions to both. The book is a must for all scholars and practitioners who are interested in this fascinating aspect of work life.'- Ayala M. Pines, Ben-Gurion University, Israel'This is an excellent and unique book which not only addresses the detrimental effects of long working hours and work addiction, but also investigates the causes and treatment of workaholism. An outstanding volume which includes both conceptual and empirical chapters from distinguished academics and practitioners from several countries. This is essential reading for all those interested in health and well being in the workplace and the establishment of satisfactory home and work life balances. The editor should be congratulated for this groundbreaking book.'- Marilyn J. Davidson, University of Manchester, UK'This book is overdue. Someone, somewhere, a long time ago, should have put this book together, because its value is incalculable. The pace ofchange in the workplace has vastly increased, and workers see their jobsas more complex and fragmented. What is the prognosis? Where is it allgoing? What can be done about it? If anything? This book is more a Handbook than a research companion, on all those aspects of the workplace that touch on or represent change, pace, workload, work addiction, work-life balance, job satisfaction, job involvement, stress, conflict, values, Type A behaviour and other personality disorders. What's more, it delves into some of the more unknown elements of these aspects of work, in different countries. Read it. You'll not be disappointed.'- Janice Langan-Fox, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia'This is a timely and needed book for all professionals who have concerns about issues related to quality of life and well being. This book is an original piece prepared by a team of international experts, written in an informative and scholarly manner, and presents in an effected form the accumulated wealth of knowledge on the theme. This is a solid book that can satisfy both the academic readership and the professional community. I truly and sincerely recommend it. It is a must for people who are interested in this subject.'- Simon Dolan, ESADE Business School, SpainThis Research Companion examines the effects of work hours on individual and family well-being and questions why people work hard and whether some can work too hard. It integrates contributions from two areas of research - work hours and work addiction - that have historically been pursued separately. Ronald Burke argues that while work hours have decreased for blue-collar workers, they have increased for professionals and managers, particularly in developed countries. He reveals that some employees need to work long hours while others do so willingly: people work long hours to meet individual needs and due to societal incentives such as materialism and consumerism. The book concludes that working long hours is only part of the story; why one works long hours and how one works these long hours emerge as powerful factors in determining the link between hours worked and well-being. The volume also includes recommendations for addressing a long hours culture at individual, family, organizational, community and societal levels