This week I started reading the second of the dissertations suggested by Farzin. This second study has convinced me that I absolutely would like to do the same kind of study. The difference is that this study focuses on Hispanic women and it is looking at business leaders. I would be looking at Black males and I do not wish to look at one group. I want to look at a cross-section and I would like my population to include participants who have overcome hardship of some kind such as Jeff Henderson. Jeff is the chef that went from prison to being the Chief Chef of the Bellagio.

The study I am reading is called “The Operative Paradigm of Hispanic American Women Business Leaders: A Narrative Qualitative Study”. The study was written by Diana P. Salas. The Salas study convinced me that what I want to look at has merit and it also provided a model of using narrative as a method of inquiry. I read the introduction and part of the literature review. I have been having a hard time thinking about what I should include in my introduction and what I literature I should review. There is not much literature on Success Factors of African American Males that is not looking at a particular population such as leaders or college students. That is not what I wish to do. I wish to look at everyone who meets my criteria of rising above hardship.

Salas gave me a few ideas but I certainly could use any help. My goal is to complete the reading of the study this week. Again the idea in reading these was to determine if this is the kind of study I wished to do. I have determined that. I wish to move forward. So, after this week I will be ready to start. I will send you a copy of the Salas study that I am reading.