3 Places & 2 Stages: How to Understand the Causes of and Minimize Inter-Role Conflict Through a Systematized Method of Role Categorization.

Abstract: The overall purpose of this paper is to examine the causes of inter-role conflict in order to be able to offer suggestions on how it can be mitigated and or prevented. This was done by analysing the existing body of literature concerned with role theory and work-life balance, and combine the insights drawn from these fields with the theory of the three places in order to create an overarching framework that can be used to study inter-role conflict in a more holistic way than is currently being covered by traditional work-life-balance literature. Data was collected through a qualitative study based around 20 semi-structured interviews and resulted in the creation of a framework that distinguished life-related roles after their ability to mitigate inter-role conflict.