Social changes including an increase in dual-earner families, declining fertility, and growing problems of work-life 'balance' are underway as more women, particularly mothers, enter and remain in paid employment. The authors explore this in a number of European countries (Britain, France, The Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Portugal).

Gender equality has been one of the defining projects of European welfarestates. It has proven an elusive goal, not just because of political opposition but also due to a lack of clarity in how to best frame equality and take account of family-related considerations. This wide-ranging book assembles the most pertinent literature and evidence to provide a critical understanding of how contemporary state policies engage with gender inequalities.

These are just some of the questions this controverisal book asks in its analysis of the European labour markets. By bringing together contributions from all over Europe, Women, Work and the Family in Europe outlines the similarities and differences between countries in terms of the problems of reconciling work and family. In doing so it questions the division of labour, not just in the labour market but also in the home, reviewing, for example, fatherhood and the effect of work commitments on men's time spent with their families. Contributions range from a study of family policies to the care of the elderly; from home working to gender roles, motherhood and class. Clearly written, systematic and comprehensive, this book reflects the growing interest in the European context and will appeal to students of social policy and European studies as well as all those involved in women's studies and sociology. Ruth Emerek, University of Aalborg, Denmark, Susan Mc Rae, Oxford Brookes University, Yvonne Hirdman, Sweden, Eileen Drew and Evelyn Mahon, both at Trinity College,

Comprises 13 essays grouped under three headings: fathering and providing; role allocation and role change; and workplace organization and policy, which examine men's attitudes towards work and family responsibilities. Discusses how the traditional role of fathers as providers is evolving to include their role as nurturants and how men have begun to adjust their work to accomodate their families. Shows how parenting and household responsibilities are considered within the workplace and the occupational structure.

Organizations today are facing heightened challenges in their efforts to perform effectively. These challenges are reflected in the failure of many long-standing organizations and the shortened tenure of senior level executives. There is increasing agreement that the unique competitive advantage organizations have today lies in their people, their human resource management practices and their cultures. All other elements of production can be readily obtained, bought or copied. We are now in the era of human capital; to be successful organizations need to unleash the talents of their people. Fortunately we now have considerable understanding of what high performing organizations look like. However, a large gap still exists between what we know and what managers actually do. With contributions from a team of leading academics and practitioners, Building More Effective Organizations provides an extensive survey of human resource management and the organizational practices associated with the high performance of individuals.

This collaborative study provides a subtle and multi-layered understanding of the transition to parenthood within a cross-national comparative framework.

The Second Edition of this best selling book provides a comprehensive examination of the role that gender plays in work environments. This book differs from others by comparing women′s and men′s work status, addressing contemporary issues within a historical perspective, incorporating comparative material from other countries, recognizing differences in the experiences of women and men from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Relying on both qualitative and quantitative data, the authors seek to link social scientific ideas about workers′ lives, sex inequality, and gender to the real-world workplace. This new edition contains updated statistics, timely cartoons, and presents new scholarship in the field. It also provides a renewed focus on reasons for variability in inequality across workplaces. In sum, the second edition of Women and Men at Work presents a contemporary perspective to the field, with relevant comparative and historical insights that will draw readers in and connect them to the wider concern of making sense of our dramatically changing world.