Showing papers on "Grounded theory published in 1991"

Triangulation of Qualitative Methods: Heideggerian Hermeneutics and Grounded Theory

Abstract: This article proposes the use of two qualitative research methodologies-Heideggerian hermeneutics and grounded theory-as a way to understand complex human phenomena. The hermeneutic method uses "thick description," "paradigm cases," "exemplars," and "the-matic analysis" to discover meanings and ways of being (practices) in lived experiences. The aim of grounded theory methodology is to generate an analytic schema called "a substantive grounded theory' that conceptually explains basic social processes at a higher level of abstraction. While each has its own integrity and yields different outcomes, triangulation of these two qualitative methods in one study can illuminate clinical realities that elude alternative approaches. Hermeneutics reveals the uniqueness of shared meanings and common practices that can inform the way we think about our practice; grounded theory provides a conceptual framework useful for planning interventions and further quantitative research.

The NUDIST qualitative data analysis system

Abstract: Most computer approaches to qualitative data analysis have concentrated on coding and retrieval of text. This paper describes a research project which set out to support a range of methods for the analysis of unstructured data, with emphasis on the building and testing of grounded theory. It resulted in software whose innovations include: a) No limit to the number of coding categories and sub-categories, and no limit to the number of times a given text passage can be coded; b) The use of separate document and indexing databases, interrelated and of unlimited flexibility; c) Comprehensive hypermedia-like browsing tools for both document and indexing databases; d) Ability to search for words and lexical patterns occurring in text and to combine this with indexing of the text; e) Ability to handle off-line textual and non-textual data as well as on-line data; f) Ability to record textual comments in indexing categories — a memoing facility for emerging ideas and categories; g) Support and exploitation of hierarchical indexing systems; h) Mechanisms for creating new indexing categories out of existing ones, relating them to the data documents, and using them for further analyses. New goals of the project are to provide a number of artificial intelligence based information structuring and reasoning facilities which can be used to aid the organization and retrieval of qualitative data, and to extend the present capabilities of the software to express and test new ideas, concepts, generalizations and hypotheses about the data.

Goal theory vs. control theory: Contrasting approaches to understanding work motivation

Abstract: Control theory has been propounded as an original and useful paradigm for integrating a number of theories of human (especially work) motivation. This paper challenges that claim. First, it is shown that the original, mechanical control theory model is not applicable to human beings. Second, it is shown that the two approaches used by control theorists to remedy its limitations did not succeed. One approach involved incorporating propositions drawn from other theories with the result that there was nothing distinctive left that was unique to control theory. The other approach involved broadening the scope of control theory by adding deduced propositions; however, these propositions were inconsistent with what was already known about the phenomena in question based on empirical research. The control theory approach to theory building is contrasted with that of goal setting theory (Locke & Latham, 1990). Goal-setting theory is a “grounded theory” (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) which evolved from research findings over a 25-year period. Goal theory developed in five directions simultaneously: validation of the core premises; demonstrations of generality; identification of moderators; conceptual refinement and elaboration; and integration with other theories. It is hypothesized that the grounded theory approach is a more fruitful one than the approaches used by control theory.

The use of grounded theory for conceptual analysis in knowledge elicitation

Abstract: In many practical knowledge engineering contexts, interview data is the commonest form in which information is obtained from domain experts. Having obtained interview data the knowledge engineer is then faced with the difficult task of analysing what is initially relatively unstructured and complex material. It is argued that the knowledge engineer's task of analysing interview data conceptually as part of the knowledge elicitation process is similar to that of the social scientist analysing qualitative data. One implication of this is that a range of methods originally developed by social scientists for the analysis of unstructured and semi-structured qualitative material will be of assistance to the knowledge engineer. The background philosophical issues linking qualitative social science research and knowledge elicitation are outlined; both are characterized as fundamentally creative, interpretative processes. “Grounded Theory”, a social science methodology for the systematic generation of conceptual models from qualitative data, is described in detail. An example is presented of the use of Grounded Theory for the analysis of expert interview transcripts, drawn from a knowledge engineering project in civil engineering. The discussion focuses upon the processes used to move from an initial unstructured interview transcript to a core set of interrelated concepts, memos and models that fully describe the data.

AIDS family caregiving: transitions through uncertainty.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of AIDS family caregiving. Grounded theory provided the methodological basis for qualitative data generation and analysis. Extensive interviews were conducted with 53 individuals (lovers, spouses, parents of either adults or children with AIDS, siblings, and friends) who were taking care of a person with AIDS at home. Relevant features of the social context of AIDS family caregiving were explored. Findings revealed the basic social psychological problem of Uncertainty, a core category of Transitions Through Uncertainty, and five subcategories: Managing and Being Managed by the Illness; Living With Loss and Dying; Renegotiating the Relationship; Going Public; and Containing the Spread of HIV. Stages and strategies of each subcategory detailed individuals' responses to the challenges of AIDS family caregiving and elaborated the day-to-day experiences. Uncertainty as a critical challenge for individuals and families facing life-threatening illness is discussed in light of recent research.

A qualitative study of strategies for managing a hearing impairment.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of what hearing-impaired people are doing to deal with demanding auditory situations in everyday life. Twelve middle-aged subjects with clinical hearing impairments were interviewed monthly during 5 months. The interviews focused on the subjects' own descriptions of demanding auditory situations and what they did, thought and felt in these situations. Verbatim transcribed protocols were content-analyses according to Grounded Theory. Fourteen categories were grounded in the data, forming a model for dealing with demanding auditory situations, including two qualitatively different management patterns: 'to control the social scene' and 'to avoid the social scene'. The emerging core variable was socio-psychological: the hearing-impaired individuals strive to maintain the normal identity and to prevent their definition as deviant in interactions with heating people. The result of the inductive study was verified in a deductive study of 50 hearing-impaire...

A Prospectus on the Anthropology of Entrepreneurship

Abstract: The goal of this essay is to encourage the use of concepts and research methods borrowed from anthropology in the study of entrepreneurship. To that end, the author reviews research utilizing this approach and identifies its theoretical concerns. The anthropological focus on society and culture may be of use, the author argues, in developing theory in entrepreneurship. Common themes in the two research traditions include the accumulation of knowledge and skills, the use of informal networks to acquire access to resources, and opportunity structure. The last, for example, is reflected in studies of the occurrence of entrepreneurship within particular groups, and in the spatial clustering of entrepreneurs. The intangible assets that contribute to a firm's competitive advantages can also be viewed through an anthropological lens, since they are often based on social organization and cultural factors such as legitimacy. The use of grounded theory to guide field research is advocated.

Creating Sociological Awareness: Collective Images and Symbolic Representations

Abstract: Contents Foreword Irving Louis Horowitz Preface Acknowledgments I. Interaction 1. The Chicago Tradition's Ongoing Theory of Action/Interaction 2. Closed Awareness (With Barney Glaser) 3. Face-to-Face Interaction: Complex and Developmental 4. Structured Interactional Process II. Work 5. Work and the Division of Labour 6. Th e Articulation of Project Work: An Organizational Process 7. Sentimental Work (With Shizuko Fagerhaugh, Barbara Suczek, and Carolyn Wiener) III. Trajectory 8. Trajectory Framework for Management of Chronic Illness (With Juliet Corbin) 9. Illness Trajectories (With Shizuko Fagerhaugh, Barbara Suczek, and Carolyn Wiener) IV. Negotiation 10. Negotiated Order and the Coordination of Work(With Rue Bucher, Danuta Ehrlich, Melvin Sabshin, and Leonard Schatzman) 11. General Considerations: An Introduction 12. Paradigm and Prospects for a General Theory of Negotiation V. Social Worlds 13. A Social World Perspective 14. Professions in Process (With Rue Bucher) 15. Memo on Science and Policy Arenas: Some Summary Notes VI. Collective Images and Symbolic Representations 16. The Symbolic Time of Cities 17. Images of Immigration and Ethnicity VII. Identity 18. Transformations of Identity VIII. Body and Biography 19. Experiencing Body Failure and a Disrupted Self-Image (With Juliet Corbin) 20. Comeback: Th e Process of Overcoming Disability (With Juliet Corbin) 21. Body, Action-Performance, and Everyday Life IX. Policy 22. Medical Ghettos 23. Implications for Delivering Safe and Humane Care (With Shizuko Fagerhaugh, Barbara Suczek, and Carolyn Wiener) 24. A Model for Reorganizing Health Care Delivery (With Juliet Corbin) X. Method, Consultation, and Teaching 25. Criteria for Evaluating a Grounded Theory (With Juliet Corbin) 26. Tracing Lines of Conditional Influence: Matrix and Paths (With Juliet Corbin) 27. Research Consultations and Teaching: Guidelines, Strategies, and Style Subject Index Author Index

Introduction: At the Intersection of Organizations and Occupations

Abstract: Excerpt] The lack of research and, by extension, the paucity of empirically grounded theory on organizations and occupations have left unanswered questions that are critical for understanding the social organization of work in post-industrial economies. Under what conditions are organizations likely to bureaucratize professional tasks? What types of tasks are most likely to be affected by such bureaucratization and how do occupations adjust to such changes? Conversely, what forces have transformed organizations into breeding grounds for new occupations? How are organizations affected when they employ large numbers of professionals? What dynamics occur when the boundaries between occupation and organization begin to blur? Questions such these are grist for the papers in this volume. Our aim in assembling the papers has been to stimulate researchers and theoreticians to examine more closely the intersection between organizations and occupations. Like the authors of these papers, we believe that it is no longer wise for organizational and occupational sociology to develop as independent areas of theory and research. In fact, to continue to do so may mean that our understanding of the workplace will become increasingly unrealistic.

Methodological Orthodoxy in Qualitative Nursing Research: Analysis of the Issues

Abstract: In this analysis, the applicability of orthodox qualitative research traditions to the questions of nursing science is considered from a critical perspective. The theoretical traditions of ethnography, phenomenology, and grounded theory are examined in light of their relationship to the larger projects of anthropology, philosophy, and sociology. From that perspective, the questions inherent to nursing science are distinguished, revealing major departures from the process, product, and even purpose of the original inquiries. This analysis provides a platform on which the possibilities for a uniquely nursing approach to qualitative inquiry can be envisioned. In this spirit, ideas about what that methodological perspective might entail are proposed.

Ethical Issues in Social Work: Toward a Grounded Theory of Professional Ethics

Abstract: SOCIAL WORK exists because society is concerned about the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, the isolated, and the suffering. Most social services are carried out through orga nizations that structure and focus the actions of staff and that represent socie ty's concern for the needy (Jansson, 1988). The community entrusts power to social workers and others in such programs to use its resources and to implement delivery of services with caring and integrity (Leiby, 1978). Social workers are responsible for weighing the activities that should and should not be performed, deciding on the best uses of a community's limited resources, and discerning just and unjust procedures and policies to guide daily decisions (Reamer, 1982). Issues faced by social workers often involve questions of "what ought to be" in addition to "what is the case." Thus, ethical criteria and value judgments are core components of staff decision making, even if not often made ex plicit. Although facts and skills are im portant, ethical judgments cannot be dealt with on the grounds of factual in formation or professional skill alone, regardless of their scope or refinement (Rhodes, 1986). In an effort to properly handle ethical dilemmas, social workers should not ignore their own or the clients' present circumstances or worker alternatives and resources for action. However, such issues as the fair allocation of scarce resources, limitations on disclosing in formation about clients or consumers, just resolution of conflicting claims, or the appropriate role of the professional in guiding and limiting client choices are problems that are primarily ethical. Information and skill are not sufficient to solve them. These issues require thoughtful analysis in the context of participants' values and commitments. Thomas P. Holland Allie C. Kilpatrick

The professional values of English nursing undergraduates.

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to examine and describe what English nursing undergraduates internalize as professional values The method was qualitative, specifically, a grounded theory approach was used The sample comprised 12 senior baccalaureate nursing students from two educational institutions in the north of England Informants were volunteers who gave informed consent having been briefed on the purposes of the study and how their confidentiality would be protected Data were collected through audio-taped interviews and the constant comparative method was used to analyse data The findings revealed that informants perceived two concepts as central to their professional values These were respect for patients and ‘caring about the little things' They valued the rights of patients to be treated with respect, to know what was happening to them and to have a say in what happened to them They described the little things' as ‘an approach with patients that gets through to them, ‘getting out the mirror so they can see themselves’, ‘fixing their water so they can reach it’, worrying about someone's dentures or the cat they left at home They expected that their values would be in conflict with common hospital practice They valued ‘fitting in’ and ‘going along’ but retained their own ideas and values until such time as these could be implemented They perceived themselves as powerless to create change as new graduates They believed the overwhelming power resided in the hospital system and the ward sister/charge nurse. They were not inclined toward a career in hospital nursing

Expansion strategies of a mutual help organization

Abstract: Described a study of the expansion strategies of a successful self- and mutual help organization for persons with mental illness. Resource mobilization and behavior-setting theories were used as conceptual frameworks to guide the investigation. Collaborative methods and a grounded theory approach were used. Archives, reports of contacts outside of the organization, and naturalistic observations were data sources. Of particular interest are the processes used by the organization to mobilize internal and external resources and to start new mutual help groups. Results suggest that the organization mobilizes resources from a variety of sources, displays flexibility in securing resources and defining organizational roles, and creates underpopulated settings to encourage individual involvement. The strategies appear to avoid overtaxing resource pools, reduce role ambiguity, and encourage pluralistic participation. Discussion includes several potential explanations for the successful growth of the organization.

A symbolic awareness context identified through a grounded theory study of health visiting

Abstract: The purpose of the study, which is not yet complete, was one of theory building or conceptualization. This was needed because of a lack of information about how health visitors identify which approach to use within any particular situation. An overview of the method of grounded theory explains how data were collected and analysed. Then, one major aspect of the emerging theory--a symbolic awareness context which seems to surround and influence interactions between health visitors and their clients--is outlined. The analysis suggests that, when the interaction is examined in context, any one question, purpose or topic selected by health visitor or client as a specific focus, forms only a relatively small component part of the whole. Strategies which enhance openness and consonance within the context are detailed. The awareness context has implications for health visiting practice and organization.

Culture as text: The development of an organizational narrative

Abstract: An organization's culture is captured and understood as text. The use of grounded theory serves as a basis for an interpretative narrative that provides researchers with a method for presenting the everyday dramas members find important in organizations. The story‐form captures scenic elements, action, and characters. The narrative presented here acts as a means of displaying the cultural dialectic, cultural strain, and cultural sub‐texts.

Clients' perceptions: the use of case studies in developing theory.

Abstract: This paper describes some aspects of a study which looked at clients' perceptions of health visiting, and how, if at all, these related to their perceptions of health needs. The researcher explored the alterations of these perceptions over time, and also examined how they related to professional perceptions. The background to this study is described. The methods used are outlined. The study was carried out in two phases. The first phase used semistructured interviews and diaries to explore 41 parents' perceptions at one point in time. In phase two, a series of three semistructured interviews were completed over a 10-month period with 19 primiparous parents, commencing antenatally, and with 10 of their health visitors. Analysis was by the grounded theory method. The eight concept areas which emerged from the data are listed. The paper goes on to discuss the use of case studies in developing a substantive theory. Finally, some of the implications which this study has for health visiting practice are outlined.

A Qualitative Study of Middle School Students' Perceptions of Factors Facilitating the Learning of Science: Grounded Theory and Existing Theory.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore middle school students' perceptions of what factors facilitated their learning of science. Florida's Educational Reform Act of 1983 funded programs providing the state's precollege students with summer learning opportunities in science. mathematics, and computers. The programs were intended to encourage the development of creative approaches to the teaching of these disciplines. Under this program, between 50 and 60 high-achieving middle school students were in residence on the University of South Florida campus for 12 consecutive days of study in the World of Water (WOW) program. There were two sessions per summer involving a total of 572 participants. Eighi specially trained teachers were in residence with the students. Between 50 and 70 experts from the university, government. business, and industry interacted with the students each year in an innovative science/technology/society (STS) program. An assignment toward the close of the program asked students to reflect on their experiences in residence at the university and write an essay comparing learning in the WOW program to learning in their schools. Those essays were the base for this study. This was a qualitative study using a discursive approach to emergent design to generate grounded theory. Document review, participant observation, and open-ended interviews were used to gather and triangulate data in five phases. Some of the factors that middle school students perceived as helpful to learning science were (a) experiencing the situations about which they were learning; (b) having live presentations by professional experts; (c) doing hands-on activities: (d) being active learners; (e) using inductive reasoning to generate new knowledge; (f) exploring transdisciplinary approaches to problem solving; (g) having adult mentors; (h) interacting with peers and adults; (i) establishing networks; (j) having close personal friends who shared their interest in learning; (k) trusting the individuals in their learning environment, including adults and students; and (1) experiencing a sense of self-reliance. The preceding information was used to generate a series of hypotheses which were woven into a theoretical model. This model suggests that middle school science teacher education would be enhanced by helping prospective and in-service teachers develop and implement strategies that build trust, provide immersion in learning, and use inductive reasoning. This model is currently being used as the theoretical base to convert a traditional junior high school in the South to a middle school.

Stoma care: the patient's perspective.

Abstract: This was a qualitative study, the design of which was based on ideas from the grounded theory approach to data collection and analysis The study examined the concept of human needs from the perspectives of individuals who have an ileostomy or a colostomy and attempted to ascertain their evaluation of the way in which their needs were fulfilled during the time they spent in hospital Respondents consisted of a convenience sample of six individuals who had recent expenence of surgery involving the formation of a stoma Data were collected through unstructured, non-directive interviews Analysis of data involved identification of themes and categones that emerged from the transcripts of the interviews Findings indicated that while individuals' physical needs were met, their psychological and sociocultural needs were not identified This seems to imply that nurses may not be aware of the relevance of these needs to individuals who have an ileostomy or a colostomy Since respondents identified the existence of a good relationship with nurses as being conducive to the fulfilment of these needs, it could be inferred that nurses may lack the skills that are necessary to develop a good relationship with those who are m their care

Control theory and understanding motivated behavior: A different conclusion

Abstract: In the preceding article it was argued that control theory is not a useful paradigm for understanding work motivation. In doing so, three primary criticisms were presented: (a) that control theory, as originally formulated, does not adequately describe human behavior, (b) that modifications of control theory to describe human behavior have not been successful, and (c) that the use of logical deductions to develop a control theory model of work motivation is less efficacious than a grounded theory approach. In this reply, it will be shown that (a) the first criticism is not incorrect but is an inappropriate basis for criticism, (b) statements regarding modified control theory models are either inaccurate or premature, and (c) both inductive and deductive reasoning play an important role in theory development. In addressing these issues and in discussing the distinct advantages of current control theory models it will be shown that control theory does provide a viable paradigm for understanding work motivation.

Judging the Quality of Work-Related, Self-Directed Learning

Abstract: Provided in this exploratory study is a description of how one group of adult learners describe how they determine the quality of their work-related, self-directed learning activities. Data were collected from training and development professionals by means of focus groups and analyzed using the constant comparative method of data analysis. Five themes that emerged from the data are outlined, followed by a discussion of the issues and implications for research.

Structure and choice in the sociology of culture

Abstract: In the methodological appendix to my counterculture book I referred to an incipient crisis in ethnography brought about by the doubts of ethnographers regarding whether they know what they claim to know, and whether those claims do any good or any harm to what people in what quantities; and who cared about the resolution of these doubts. I also talked briefly about efforts at solution represented at that time by grounded theory, ethnomethodology, leftist advocacy, and the kind of reflexive, interpretive ethnography represented (among other representations) by my book.1

Creating Culturally Relevant Ways of Thinking about Diversity and Aging: Theoretical Challenges for the Twenty-First Century

Abstract: This chapter discusses “ways of thinking” as they affect the development of culturally, ethnically, and racially relevant theories in the field of gerontology. It provides a brief discussion of how existing ways of thinking—namely, the focus on social inequality—have influenced the development of theoretical perspectives with respect to diversity and aging. The chapter suggests some additional approaches and ways of thinking that may enhance the development of culturally relevant theoretical perspectives. It highlights issues of culturally relevant ways of thinking as they affect the development of theoretical perspectives on diversity and aging. The chapter also discusses three ways that may be useful in developing theoretical perspectives relevant to diverse aging populations: the use of grounded theory; the use of resources in the humanities as a basis for understanding and interpreting important themes in the lives of ethnic/minority elderly. It describes incorporating a life-course perspective in the study of ethnic/minority aged.

Techno-Sense: Making Sense of Computer-Mediated Communication Systems

Abstract: This study examined the impact of a computer-mediated communication system (CMCS) on two "high tech" organizations. One hundred and twenty persons par ticipated in semi-structured interviews or completed two critical incident forms. Grounded theory was used to analyze the interviews and the critical incident data, and naturalistic observations were used to provide depth and context to the discussion. The analysis of the data indicates that organizational members tend to give CMCS favorable reviews. However, the data also illustrated considerable variance in how or ganizational members view the impact of CMCS on interpersonal relationships, mes sage structures, task efficiency, the work environment, and information processing characteristics of organizations. Secondary or unanticipated effects of CMCS are iden tified and discussed as potentially having a significant impact on organizations.

Harmonizing: A North American Indian Approach to Management of Middle Ear Disease with Transcultural Nursing Implications

Abstract: This article is an expansion of a paper presented at the Qualitative Health Research Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, February 1991. Financial support for this research came from the University of New Brunswick Research Fund. I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Lisa Perley Dutcher in the collection of data and for sharing her insights about Canadian North American Indians.In a grounded theory study of Canadian Indian family management of persistent middle ear disease, harmonizing was identified as the major strategy employed in the process of learning to manage. This finding resulted in a recasting of the substantive theory of management identified in an earlier study of Caucasian families. Although families from both cultures advance and retreat on the continuum of learning to manage in response to the relationship with the health care system, the effects of the disease on the child, and the amount of disruption in family life, culture was found to influence the ways in which these families ...

Qualitative research methodologies: an overview.

Abstract: Qualitative approaches are becoming more widely used in nursing research. Though many different qualitative approaches exist, there are similarities in their assumptions, goals and design. Phenomenology, ethnography and grounded theory are inductive methods aimed at describing and explaining human phenomena. These methods offer nurses avenues for understanding human responses to health and illness.

Determinants of international CPA firm orientation among accounting students

Abstract: The purpose of this research was to investigate attitudes at one stage of the process of educating and orienting students to enter the profession of public accounting. More specifically, the research sought to investigate some of the determinants and trends of the strong preference for entering the larger, international accounting firms among upper-level undergraduate accounting majors at one large state university. Utilising a grounded theory research methodology including observations, interviews, and a research questionnaire, it was found that the socialisation process began well before entry into the profession. The results indicate that large sections of accounting students at the university have accepted the usefulness of international accounting firm experience as a basic underlying assumption in their cultural paradigm of the accounting profession. Student peers were found to be the most dominating force behind this socialisation process, though accounting professors and others provided significant informational input to the process.

The Leader as a Broker of Dreams

Abstract: The paper presents a grounded theory which explains how a personal vision becomes enacted into reality within a corporate arena. This enactment process is defined as leadership. The theory suggests that leadership is a political process. For enactment to occur in a manner which is engaging and inspirational, the leader must design and maintain through, patterned interactions, a support system. The interactions are brokerage transactions in which the leader modifies and clarifies intentions in response to technical, social, and environmental concerns expressed through exchanges with members of this support system. As this happens the leader matures. Vision also becomes converted into a social dream which is scripted for the purpose of implementation.

Service approaches and issues in Hispanic agencies

Abstract: This paper reports the findings of an exploratory qualitative study of Mexican-American social service agencies, their treatment approaches and service barriers Using the grounded theory approach, the perceptions of chief executive officers and clinical directors were compared in order to find common themes about cross-cultural practice with Hispanic clients Implications of this study are discussed with emphasis on issues of cross-cultural competency in practice