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If one looks back at the record of published articles in the SA

Journal of Industrial Psychology it becomes evident that the

largest majority of articles came from a quantitative and

positivist research paradigm. This state of affairs created to a

large extent a situation of imbalance of which we will

understand the repercussions only at a much later stage.

The quantitative paradigm seeks to explain phenomena from a

global perspective, as it tries to unravel the relationships

bet ween variables (constructs) by rigorously testing

hypotheses to ultimately explain, predict or to control these

variables. The research designs normally vary from highly

controlled experimental research designs through quasi-

experimental designs to ex post facto research designs with

very little experimental control. The focus here is on

generalisation – to understand the broad picture. This is

perhaps why this paradigm appeals to people in managing or

governing positions where it is important to have a broad

perspective on issues and trends.

The qualitative paradigm on the other hand seeks to understand

and to appreciate how people experience certain life events, to

interpret and learn how events affect them and also how people

adapt and adjust themselves to cope with these events.  The focus

of this kind of research is inward – on the quality of the

experience. Research strategies used in this paradigm are the

biography, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and

the case study with all kinds of variations within these broad

categories. The qualitative paradigm is useful in gaining

understanding of phenomena, to build theories or to elaborate

on existing theories.

From this short overview of both paradigms it is clear that they

are not contradicting one another, nor are they in competition –

they are merely complementing one another. Human Resource

Managers and Industrial Psychologists (as researchers and

scientists) need to understand both paradigms and should also

be able to command the operational side of these paradigms.

This issue introduces different approaches in the qualitative

paradigm and will therefore hopefully act as a reference source

for reporting future qualitative research. We trust that this

milestone edition under the capable guest editorship of Dr

Willem Schurink will break some of the barriers in the use of

qualitative research in the Human Resource Management and in

the Industrial Psychology fields.

GERT ROODT
Managing Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE ON THIS MILESTONE EDITION

1

SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 2003, 1 (3), 1

SA Tydskrif vir Menslikehulpbronbestuur, 2003, 1 (3), 1