Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Article Title

Constructing Space and Time for Work and Family: A Structuration Perspective on Bed and Breakfasts

Authors

Jennifer A. Butler, University of Wisconsin - La CrosseFollow
Daniel P. Modaff, University of Wisconsin - La CrosseFollow

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how bed and breakfast owners communicatively construct privacy while operating a business out of their personal home. One hundred eighty-two B&B owners from 20 U.S. states and 20 countries responded to an electronic qualitative questionnaire that, in part, explored the issue of privacy. Three themes emerged from the data, including: traditional organizational structures, perception of availability, and banking of time and space. These themes revealed that the owners of the nontraditional businesses relied upon recognizable organizational structures used in more traditional organizations to create and maintain private space and time. They also engaged in communication with their guests that simultaneously enabled and constrained their sense of privacy. Finally, the owners reported using intrapersonal communication strategies that allowed them to account for the lack of privacy during peak-season, though these strategies may have unintended consequences in terms of family roles and mental and physical health.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Recommended Citation

Butler, J. A., & Modaff, D. P. (2015). Constructing Space and Time for Work and Family: A Structuration Perspective on Bed and Breakfasts. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 39(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.56816/2471-0032.1065