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Investigating the impact of digital health technology adoption on female physicians’ work–life balance in Bahrain

Sharifah Alharoon (Department of Innovation Management and Technology, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain)
Fairouz M. Aldhmour (Department of Innovation and Technology Management, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain and Department of MIS, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan)

International Journal of Organizational Analysis

ISSN: 1934-8835

Article publication date: 11 July 2024

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of digital health technology adoption on female physicians’ work–life balance (WLB) in Bahrain. This study also examines the impact of two moderating variables: career stage, based on the kaleidoscope career model (KCM) and the presence of domestic workers, based on Becker’s theory of the allocation of time.

Design/methodology/approach

An electronic quantitative survey was administered to female physicians working in Bahrain. The survey gathered data on various aspects of digital health technology, WLB and demographic characteristics such as age and the presence of domestic workers. From a target population of approximately 1,000 female physicians in Bahrain, 102 participated in the survey.

Findings

The authors found that the effect of digital health technologies on WLB is positive in general and specifically for the early-career stage; however, it harms WLB in the middle and late-career stages. This is consistent with KCM predictions. In addition, there is no moderating effect of having domestic helpers.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the theoretical understanding of the effect of technology on WLB by expanding the traditional model (KCM) to include an economic model of how female physicians allocate their time between work and home responsibilities, including the effect that a domestic worker can have on this allocation. Beyond these theoretical contributions, this paper is also the first to study technology and WLB in the health sector in Bahrain following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

Citation

Alharoon, S. and Aldhmour, F.M. (2024), "Investigating the impact of digital health technology adoption on female physicians’ work–life balance in Bahrain", International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-10-2023-4043

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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