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4. Funded Research Projects

4.15 An Exploratory Study on Burnout among Communication
Practitioners in Austria and Hong Kong (completed

project)

Principal Investigator: Prof. Kara Chan
Convenor of Environment, Health and Sustainability
Working Group of LEWI and

Professor of Communication Studies
Source of Funding: LEWI seed money

Brief Introduction:

An exploratory qualitative study was conducted to examine both stressors and

benefits resulting from technologies among practitioners in the advertising, public
relations, and journalism industry in Hong Kong and Austria. Results suggest that

technologies allow an instant availability, which facilitates communication
processes as well as information exchange. Particularly notable is that modern

technologies enable employees to organise their work with greater temporal
and spatial flexibility, thus creating an opportunity for better balancing work
and private life. And yet evolving technologies have not come without a cost;

especially the pressure to constantly be available via technologies constitutes a
major source of stress, which increases the risk of experiencing prolonged work

stress and its adverse consequences on employee health and well-being.

HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY | David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies 40