The ever-growing number of women in the contemporary workforce is presenting numerous challenges to organisations, employees and their families. The aim of this study was therefore twofold, namely, to explore how 21st century career-oriented women attach meaning to their different life roles, as well as how they visualise integrating these over the next decade. A modernist qualitative methodology and grounded theory were applied. Rich, interesting data was obtained from which four themes were inferred implying career-oriented women still placing importance on the traditional mother role. The article concludes with indicating key implications of the findings and recommendations. <b>Opsomming</b> Die steeds groeiende aantal vroue in die kontemporêre arbeidsmag bring enorme uitdagings vir organisasies, werknemers en hul gesinne mee. Die doel van hierdie studie was derhalwe tweeledig: om te verken hoe 21eeuse beroepsgeoriënteerde vroue betekenis aan hul onderskeie lewensrolle gee, asook hoe hulle visualiseer om hierdie rolle gedurende die komende dekade te integreer. ’n Modernisties kwalitatiewe metodologie en begronde teorie is aangewend. Ryk en interessante data is verkry waaruit vier temas afgelei is wat impliseer dat beroepsgeoriënteerde vroue die tradisionele moederrol steeds belangrik ag. Die sleutelimplikasies van die bevindinge asook aanbevelings sluit die artikel af

This article offers a leadership. It offers a leadership model for enhancing service delivery within local government. Applying modernist qualitative methodology, particularly a combination of casing and grounded theory, the study offers the Retro Advanced Leadership Model which comprises (1) management of leadership performance, (2) legislative imperatives, (3) the achievement of realistic goals, and (4) continuous maintenance and monitoring of achievements. Key implications and recommendations are provided.

This article reports on the fndings of a qualitative study in which the construction of integrity of some business leaders was explored. Data were gathered through ten in-depth interviews with six South African business leaders commended to be champions of integrity. A grounded-theory approach to the data analysis elicited fve themes. These themes and their interrelatedness are discussed in this article and a conceptual framework of integrity is proposed. Integrity is conceptualised as a multifaceted and dynamic construct based on a moral foundation and inner drive that is managed by cognitive and affective processes manifesting various integrity-related behaviours

Denzin and Lincoln (1998), two renowned scholars in qualitative research, are correct when they point out that a quiet methodological revolution has been taking place in the social sciences and humanities, resulting not only in a blurring of disciplinary boundaries but also in the mutual focus on an interpretive, qualitative approach to research and theory. Qualitative research has a long and distinguished history in the intellectual enterprise. Well known is the pioneer work in sociology undertaken by the "Chicago school" in the 1920s and 1930s during which the importance of qualitative research for the study of human group life was established. In anthropology, during the same period, the path-breaking studies of Boas, Mead, Benedict, Bateson, EvansPritchard, Radcliffe-Brown and Malinowski outlined the execution of the fieldwork method, wherein the researcher/observer went to a foreign setting to study the customs and habits of another society and culture (cf. Denzin & Lincoln 1998). Qualitative research soon invaded other social disciplines. The extent of this invasion of the social sciences and its related professional fields, and the host of textbooks, journals, Web sites, international conferences, research monographs and readers that have consequently been published in the mid-1970s are nothing but remarkable! Among the professional areas that have thus far responded enthusiastically to qualitative methods and theory are: anthropology, sociology, education, psychology, criminology and criminal justice, social work, health, human development, family studies, communications, information studies, gerontology, industrial psychology and organisational and management studies. Merriam and associates (2002: xv) are correct when they conclude: "… qualitative research is an accepted methodology in all the social sciences and applied fields of practice".In this special edition of the Journal of Industrial Psychology that is devoted to qualitative studies undertaken by local industrial psychologists and other colleagues working in the management and organisational fields, it seems appropriate, if not necessary, (i) to take a brief look at the nature of qualitative research abroad, (ii) to take stock of the state of the art in South Africa, and (iii) to obtain a sense of the status of qualitative research in the management and organisational field as well as South Africans' approach to qualitative research in these two areas.While this is a pleasant task, qualitative research's longdistinguished history, the divergent disciplines, philosophies, theories and traditions that contributed to this research style over a century, and the current key issues, like its "double crisis", namely the inclusion of the Other and the legitimation of the field, make this a demanding undertaking. However, a few cautionary words are in order. First, in tackling these three tasks, it must be cautioned that the article can at best scratch the surface, resulting in a discussion that is far from exhaustive, and represents, in the final anal...

The literature on synergy suggests that synergy is systemic and hence should be viewed in the context of processes, but that an integrative definition of this phenomenon does not exist. Against this background the article explains synergy as a concept describing the systemic processes whereby business units of diversified organisations may generate greater value through working as one system rather than working as separate entities. Through the application of grounded theory in a modernistic qualitative context and the use of a case study a substantive theory is presented for leading change towards synergy in a diversified organisation that has business units in three continents