Purpose -The purpose of this article is to compare and contrast the workers and managers of an Anglo-German MNC, focusing on how each group attempts to maintain an acceptable work-life balance. Design/methodology/approach -The article is based on a two-year-long ethnographic study, including in-depth interviews, participant-observation and archival research. Findings -Although the bulk of the company's work-life balance initiatives focus on the managers, and the managers display greater loyalty to the company, the workers are better able to achieve work-life balance. Neither group displays a more positive attitude to their work; however, the managers focus more on achieving status and the workers on personal satisfaction.Research limitations/implications -The findings challenge assertions that "flexible" working practices are good for work-life balance, that managers are better able to maintain a good work-life balance than workers, and that the development of an appropriate work-life balance policy assists in ensuring company loyalty and positive attitudes to work. Practical implications -This article suggests that flexible working may contribute to poor work-life balance, and that success may be less an issue of developing work-life balance policies and more of encouraging a healthy attitude towards work. Originality/value -This article focuses on the occupationally stratified aspects of work-life balance, comparing managers and workers within an organisation.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the paradox that represents a shortage of women in management and senior leadership positions around the world, while research has consistently shown that having women in positions of influence leads to noteworthy organizational benefits, as guest editors for this special issue, the authors provide an overview of four key streams of cross-cultural research on gender – women in international management, anthropology and gender, women’s leadership, and women’s entrepreneurship – which have been fairly well-developed but remain underexplored. Design/methodology/approach Each author led the review of the scholarly literature stream that aligned most with personal research areas of expertise, while particularly focusing each literature review on the status of each body of work in relation to the topic of women and gender in international business and management. Findings The authors encourage future work on the role of women and gender (including gay, lesbian, and transgender) in cross-cultural management, and the influence of cross-cultural matters on gender. In addition to new research on obstacles and biases faced by women in management, the authors hope to see more scholarship on the benefits that women bring to their organizations. Practical implications New research could aim to provide specific evidence-based recommendations for: how organizations and individuals can work to develop more gender diversity in management and senior positions around the world, and encourage more women to start and grow bigger businesses. Social implications Scholars can lead progress on important gender issues and contribute to quality information that guides politicians, organizational leaders, new entrants to the workforce. Originality/value This is the first paper to cover these topics and review the body of work on cross-cultural research on women in international business and management. The authors hope it serves as a useful launch pad for scholars conducting new research in this domain.

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Sexual orientation may influence certain types of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in women such as endorsing an extreme ideal of thinness. However, homosexual and heterosexual women reported more similarities than differences.

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