Sh¿ron F.L" Hunter - MSpace - University of Manitoba

Abstract
The purÞose of the pr*s+nt research \{,18 t¡r r.:urrr_ii.tçt
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expìoratory study to examlne the attrltlon of pnofesslonal vromen
from organlzatlons. Factors both wtthln and ¡rutsl¡l+ of th+
organ I zat I on ç¡ere addressed to determl ne the i r I nf I uence on
women's declslon to leave thelr careers, The data were collected
from 23 professlonal lromen through focus group lntervlews. The
results were sorted uslng ihe Ethnograph computer program and
analyzed using content analysis. Factors affecilng altrition
rates of professional women were examined within the context of
phenomenologlcal theory. The gulding assumption of this research
was that organizational structures in our society are ',masculine"
and as such partlclpate ln an ethos not shared by the majonlty of
fema I es.
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