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GROUNDED THEORY

GROUNDED THEORY. Chapter 9. Introduction. Grounded theory is a research method that seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered and analysed There is a continuous interplay between data collection and analysis. The purpose of grounded theory.

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GROUNDED THEORY

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  1. GROUNDED THEORY Chapter 9

  2. Introduction • Grounded theory is a research method that seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered and analysed • There is a continuous interplay between data collection and analysis Grounded theory

  3. The purpose of grounded theory • The purpose of grounded theory research in business and management is to develop new concepts and theories of business-related phenomena, where these concepts and theories are firmly grounded in qualitative data • It allows for the emergence of original and rich findings that are closely tied to the data Grounded theory

  4. Defining grounded theory • ‘The discovery of theory from data – systematically obtained and analysed in social research’ (Glaser & Strauss, 1967: 1) • ‘The methodological thrust of grounded theory is toward the development of theory, without any particular commitment to specific kinds of data, lines of research, or theoretical interests . . . Rather it is a style of doing qualitative analysis that includes a number of distinct features . . . and the use of a coding paradigm to ensure conceptual development and density’ (Strauss, 1987) Grounded theory

  5. Grounded theory and the literature review • As a general rule, grounded theory researchers should make sure that they have no preconceived theoretical ideas before starting the research • Many people think that this means ignoring the literature • But this is not so - the intention is to make sure that researchers are not constrained by literature when coding • Researchers should make sure that they do not impose concepts on the data – those concepts should emerge from the data Grounded theory

  6. Some approaches to grounded theory • Two main variants: • Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) book provides one coding paradigm (context, conditions, interactions, conditions and consequences) • Glaser’s (1978) book provides 18 coding ‘families’ giving many more options • Glaser accused Strauss and Corbin of being too restrictive and of forcing data and concepts into a preconceived mould • However the Strauss and Corbin (1990) variant is the most widely used Grounded theory

  7. How to do grounded theory • Open coding • Summarizing some text by the use of a succinct code • Constant comparison: constantly compare and contrast qualitative data in the search for similarities and differences • Axial coding or selective coding • Refine the conceptual constructs • Theoretical coding • The formulation of a theory Grounded theory

  8. Critique of grounded theory • Advantages: • It has intuitive appeal for novice researchers, since it allows them to become immersed in the data at a detailed level • It gets researchers analysing the data early • It encourages systematic, detailed analysis of the data and provides a method for doing so • It gives researchers ample evidence to back up their claims • It encourages a constant interplay between data collection and analysis • It is especially useful for describing repeated processes e.g. the communications processes between doctors and patients, or the communications processes between information systems analysts and users Grounded theory

  9. Critique of grounded theory (2) • Disadvantages: • First time users can get overwhelmed at the coding level • Open coding takes a long time • It can be difficult to ‘scale up’ to larger concepts or themes • Because it is a detailed method, it can be difficult to see the bigger picture • Tends to produce lower level theories only Grounded theory

  10. Evaluating grounded theory studies • Is there a clear chain of evidence linking the findings to the data? • Are there multiple instances in the data which support the concepts produced? • Has the researcher demonstrated that they are very familiar with the subject area or, as Glaser puts it, are steeped in the field of investigation (Glaser, 1978)? • Has the researcher created inferential and/or predictive statements about the phenomena? • Has the researcher suggested theoretical generalizations that are applicable to a range of situations? Grounded theory

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