Showing papers on "Grounded theory published in 2009"

Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method

Abstract: This article examines the function of documents as a data source in qualitative research and discusses document analysis procedure in the context of actual research experiences. Targeted to research novices, the article takes a nuts‐and‐bolts approach to document analysis. It describes the nature and forms of documents, outlines the advantages and limitations of document analysis, and offers specific examples of the use of documents in the research process. The application of document analysis to a grounded theory study is illustrated.

Qualitative description – the poor cousin of health research?

Abstract: The knowledge and use of qualitative description as a qualitative research approach in health services research is limited. The aim of this article is to discuss the potential benefits of a qualitative descriptive approach, to identify its strengths and weaknesses and to provide examples of use. Qualitative description is a useful qualitative method in much medical research if you keep the limitations of the approach in mind. It is especially relevant in mixed method research, in questionnaire development and in research projects aiming to gain firsthand knowledge of patients', relatives' or professionals' experiences with a particular topic. Another great advantage of the method is that it is suitable if time or resources are limited. As a consequence of the growth in qualitative research in the health sciences, researchers sometimes feel obliged to designate their work as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography or a narrative study when in fact it is not. Qualitative description might be a useful alternative approach to consider.

Working with Qualitative Data

Abstract: Introduction: Qualitative Data Analysis in Context Theory, Grounded Theory and Analysis Engaging with Literature Research Design Using Documents in Research Generating Data through Questions and Observation Transcribimg and Representing Data Identifying Themes, Codes and Hypotheses Images and Texts Video and Audio Data Using Technology Writing and Presenting Analysis Concluding Remarks

Putting the ‘theory’ back into grounded theory: guidelines for grounded theory studies in information systems

Abstract: Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the use of grounded theory in information systems research. Grounded theory is a qualitative research method that seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered and analysed. The purpose of this paper is to suggest guidelines for grounded theory studies in information systems. Our guidelines are based on a framework for theorizing in grounded theory studies that focuses on conceptualization and theory scope. Our hope is that the guidelines will help to raise the quality and aspirations of grounded theory studies in information systems.

Researching sensitive topics : qualitative research as emotion work.

Abstract: There is a growing awareness that undertaking qualitative research is an embodied experience and that researchers may be emotionally affected by the work that they do. Despite the interest in the emotional nature of qualitative research, there is very little empirical evidence about the researchers' experiences of undertaking qualitative research. A grounded theory analysis of one-on-one interviews with thirty public health researchers working on a qualitative project provided both theoretical and empirical evidence that qualitative researchers undertake emotion work throughout their research projects. The findings provide examples of researchers doing emotion work in their research projects; highlight some of the consequences of emotion work and offer some suggestions for researcher self-care.

Funds of knowledge and discourses and hybrid space

Abstract: The findings reported on in this manuscript emerged from a design experiment conducted at a low-income urban middle school intended to support the teacher in incorporating pedagogical practices supportive of students‘ everyday knowledge and practices during a 6th grade unit on food and nutrition from the LiFE curriculum. In studying the impact of the design experiment we noticed qualitative shifts in classroom Discourse marked by a changing role and understandings of the funds of knowledge students brought to science learning. Using qualitative data and grounded theory we present an analysis of the different types of funds of knowledge and Discourse that students brought into science class. We focus on how the students‘ strategic use of these funds augmented the learning experience of the students and the learning community as well as the learning outcomes. We discuss the implications these funds of knowledge and Discourses had on the development of three related third space transformations: physical, political, and pedagogical.

Using triangulation to validate themes in qualitative studies

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide instructional guidance on how to increase validity and reduce subjectivity in qualitative studies, such as grounded theory. The paper also demonstrates how different techniques can help management research by including informants/managers in a time efficient way.Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes how three complementary triangulation methods can be used for validation and exploration of concepts and themes in qualitative studies. Tree graphs, concept mapping, and member checking are applied in a managerial case study, complementing a conventional grounded theory approach.Findings – The paper suggests that naturalistic inquiries, such as grounded theory and thematic analysis, can use mixed methods and multiple sources and coders in order to offset biases and to validate and sort findings. The case study presents three different perspectives on how an organization comprehends diversity as a strategic issue.Originality/value – The paper sugges...

Achieving trustworthiness in qualitative research: a pan-paradigmatic perspective.

Abstract: In this article, as two researchers from different traditions in qualitative research (consensual qualitative research and grounded theory), the authors present their shared views on the critical elements of trustworthiness in qualitative data. In addition to making specific recommendations about the integrity of data, the balance between participant meaning and researcher interpretation, and clear communication and application of the findings, they identify ways in which these issues are difficult to negotiate within and across different qualitative approaches. The authors present examples from various qualitative studies, emphasize the need for a shared language to reduce confusion between qualitative traditions and with researchers from a more strictly quantitative orientation, and recommend particular approaches to establishing trustworthiness in qualitative research.

The Research Audit Trial - Enhancing Trustworthiness in Qualitative Inquiry

Abstract: Positivist and interpretivist researchers have different views on how their research outcomes may be evaluated. The issues of validity, reliability and generalisability, used in evaluating positivist studies, are regarded of relatively little significance by many qualitative researchers for judging the merits of their interpretive investigations. In confirming the research, those three canons need at least to be re-conceptualised in order to reflect the keys issues of concern for interpretivists. Some interpretivists address alternative issues such as credibility, dependability and transferability when determining the trustworthiness of their qualitative investigations. A strategy proposed by several authors for establishing the trustworthiness of the qualitative inquiry is the development of a research audit trail. The audit trail enables readers to trace through a researcher's logic and determine whether the study's findings may be relied upon as a platform for further enquiry. While recommended in theory, this strategy is rarely implemented in practice. This paper examines the role of the research audit trail in improving the trustworthiness of qualitative research. Further, it documents the development of an audit trail for an empirical qualitative research study that centred on an interpretive evaluation of a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) student administrative system in the tertiary education sector in the Republic of Ireland. This research study examined the impact of system introduction across five Institutes of Technology (IoTs) through case study research that incorporated multiple evidence sources. The evidence collected was analysed using a grounded theory method, which was supported by qualitative data analysis software. The key concepts and categories that emerged from this process were synthesized into a cross case primary narrative; through reflection the primary narrative was reduced to a higher order narrative that presented the principle findings or key research themes. From this higher order narrative a theoretical conjecture was distilled. Both a physical and intellectual audit trail for this study are presented in this paper. The physical audit trail documents all keys stages of a research study and reflects the key research methodology decisions. The intellectual audit trail, on the other hand, outlines how a researcher's thinking evolved throughout all phases of the study. Hence, these audit trails make transparent the key decisions taken throughout the research process. The paper concludes by discussing the value of this audit trail process in confirming a qualitative study's findings.

A Qualitative Meta-Analysis of Computer Games as Learning Tools

Abstract: Drawing on grounded theory approach and a qualitative meta-analysis, this chapter intends to systematically review and synthesize the theories, methods, and findings of both qualitative and quantitative inquiries on computer-based instructional games. A major purpose of this literature review and meta-analysis is to inform policy and practice based on existing studies. Four major recurring themes concerning the effectiveness of computer-based instructional games have emerged from a comparative analysis with 89 instructional gaming studies and are discussed with the support of exemplar research. The chapter will assist practitioners and policymakers in understanding the “best practices” and key factors of a computer game-based learning program.

Issues in the mentor-mentee relationship in academic medicine: a qualitative study.

Abstract: Purpose To explore the phenomenon of the mentor–mentee relationship and to characterize this relationship among people who have obtained early career support from a government funding agency, in order to facilitate the development of future mentorship programs. Method A qualitative study was completed involving clinician scientists who were awarded early career support from a provincial funding agency (Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and their mentors. Individual, semistructured interviews were completed, and transcripts of interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach.

Framing Experience: Concept Maps, Mind Maps, and Data Collection in Qualitative Research

Abstract: Traditionally, qualitative data collection has focused on observation, interviews, and document or artifact review. Building on earlier work on concept mapping in the social sciences, the authors describe its use in an exploratory pilot study on the perceptions of four Canadians who worked abroad on a criminal justice reform project. Drawing on this study, the authors argue that traditional definitions of concept mapping should be expanded to include more flexible approaches to the collection of graphic representations of experience. In this way, user-generated maps can assist participants to better frame their experience and can help qualitative researchers in the design and development of additional data collection strategies. Whether one calls these data collection tools concept maps or mind maps, for a generation of visually oriented social science researchers they offer a graphic and participant-centric means to ground data within theory.

Informal Family Business in Africa

Abstract: Employing grounded theory based on comparative case studies of informal microfinanced businesses in East Africa, we build a theoretical foundation for studying the establishment and evolution of family firms in emerging markets. We show that East African entrepreneurs not only use both strong family and strong community ties to establish and grow businesses, but they also use strong community ties to counterbalance the obligations that strong extended family ties create. In addition, we show that economic informality presents opportunities for some entrepreneurial businesses but not others to cycle rapidly from opportunity to opportunity as they maneuver toward higher value-creating ventures.

The Long Now of Technology Infrastructure: Articulating Tensions in Development*

Abstract: Designing e-infrastructure is work conducted today with an eye toward long-term sustainability. Participants in such development projects find themselves caught with one foot in the demands of the present and the other in a desired future. In this paper we seek to capture participants’ formulation of problems as they go about developing long-term information infrastructure. Drawing from cross-case ethnographic studies of four US e-infrastructure projects for the earth and environmental sciences (cyberinfrastructure), we trace nine tensions as they are framed and articulated by participants. To assist in understanding participants' orientations we abstract three concerns – motivating contribution, aligning end goals, and designing for use – which manifest themselves uniquely at each of the ‘scales of infrastructure': institutionalization, the organization of work, and enacting technology. The concept of "the long now" helps us understand that participants seek to simultaneously address all three concerns in long-term development endeavors.

Becoming a nurse: a meta-study of early professional socialization and career choice in nursing.

Abstract: Title. Becoming a nurse: a meta-study of early professional socialization and career choice in nursing. Aim. This paper is a report of a meta-study of early professional socialization and career choice in nursing. Background. The current and growing shortage of nurses is a global issue, and nursing recruitment and retention are recognized priorities internationally. The future of nursing will lie in the ability to recruit and retain the next generation to the profession. Data sources. Studies were identified through a search of the CINAHL, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts, PubMed; Medline and Embase databases from 1990 to 2007. Review methods. Studies were included if they gave insight into the experience of choosing nursing as a career, used qualitative methodology and methods, and were published in English. Analysis was undertaken using Paterson et al.’s framework for qualitative meta-synthesis. Results. Ten primary studies were included in the review. Their methodologies included: ethnography (4); descriptive qualitative (3); grounded theory (2); and phenomenology (1). The location of the research was Canada (3), United Kingdom (2), United States of America (2), Australia (1), Japan (1) and Sweden (1). Three main themes were identified: influence of ideals; paradox of caring and role of others. Conclusion. Career choice and early professional socialization are influenced by multiple factors. In future recruitment and retention strategies to address the critical nursing shortage, it is important to consider the role of mentors, peers and role models in the formulation of career expectations, and career choice decisions. It is also necessary to consider the role of mentors, peers and role models in the formulation of career expectations, and career choice decisions.

Encouraging Critical Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions.

Abstract: Critical thinking is a highly desirable goal of online higher education courses. This article presents qualitative data from a mixed-method study that explores how asynchronous discussions within online courses influence critical thinking among students. In this study, online discussions were related to higher levels of critical thinking, but qualitative data indicate that the way discussions are used and facilitated is vital for encouraging critical thinking. Online discussions typically have the purpose of creating a space and time for informal, open-ended thinking to occur. Critical thinking appears to be best encouraged among students when a more consistent emphasis is placed on the discussions, and when instructor facilitation is less frequent but more purposeful.

Family Capital: How First-Generation Higher Education Students Break the Intergenerational Cycle.

Abstract: Individuals who attain a higher education, whereas both their parents did not, embody the realization of social mobility. They are referred to as first-generation higher education students. Previous analyses had often portrayed them as succeeding despite their family background. This research suggests that although they face many challenges, their families are often facilitators of their success. In-depth, semistructured interviews were used to collect data from Israeli first-generation students (N= 50). We employed a grounded theory approach, and our analysis reveals that breaking the intergenerational cycle of educational level inheritance involves day-to-day family life that prioritizes education through nonmaterial resources. We conceptualized this investment of nonmaterial resources as family capital. A better understanding of this role is valuable for designing efficient policy.

Managing sustainability with the support of business intelligence: Integrating socio-environmental indicators and organisational context

Abstract: In this paper we explore how management of sustainability in organisations can be supported by business intelligence (BI) systems. We suggest that BI has an important role to play in helping organisations implement and monitor sustainable practices. We pay particular attention to one phase of any BI project, the information planning phase, i.e., the systematic way of defining relevant information in order to integrate it in reporting activities. Using grounded theory, the main contribution of our study is to propose a conceptual model that seeks to support the process of integration of socio-environmental indicators into organizational strategy for sustainability.

Abduction: The Logic of Discovery of Grounded Theory

Abstract: This essay is a contribution to the question whether grounded theory methodology (in the variant of STRAUSS & CORBIN) contains an abductive research logic as developed in the work of Charles Sanders PEIRCE. After going through the works of STRAUSS and CORBIN I answer the question with a resounding yes. But it does not only contain the logic of abductive reasoning but also that of qualitative induction. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1001135

Supporting a grounded theory with an audit trail: an illustration

Abstract: An audit trail can enhance the rigor and transparency of qualitative research. It can serve as a means of holding up to scrutiny the methodological and theoretical decisions made throughout the research process. However, what constitutes an audit trail is often narrowly conceived and inadequately explained. This article elucidates the process of creating an audit trail as a trustworthiness technique applied to the grounded theory methodology. In particular, it presents, as an illustration, an audit trail that supports a theory of stakeholder collaboration developed from a study of community‐based antipoverty projects in Jamaica. The antipoverty projects were supported by social funds – special grants from the national government to non‐governmental and community‐based organizations, which sponsored and organized the projects.

Social Networks and the International Student Experience: An International Community of Practice?

Abstract: An implicit perception of international students is that they have difficulty in becoming involved in social exchange with other students who do not share their “culture” and language. This picture of a group of students isolated and disadvantaged by their lack of contact with “UK culture” is questioned in this article. Data from a recent research project suggests that international students form a strong international community that supports their learning and provides them with a supportive learning environment. Thus, contrary to perceptions, the strength of this international community challenges the view that international students need to develop social and academic exchange with UK students to get the most from their university experience. The international community of practice described here presents a picture of a more positive and active international student experience, with international students as the providers of support and knowledge within a supportive and purposeful student community.

Mobile word-of-mouth – A grounded theory of mobile viral marketing

Abstract: Mobile devices as personal communication tools are used as platforms for viral marketing within existing social networks. Although there is some evidence on the usefulness of mobile viral marketing from the marketers’ perspective, little is known about the motivations, attitudes, and behaviors of consumers engaged in this marketing instrument. The purpose of this research is to better understand the motivations behind a consumer's decision to engage in mobile viral marketing strategies. The outcome is a grounded theory of mobile viral marketing with respect to the consumer and his social network, decomposing the mobile viral effect and identifying the determinants of reception, usage, and forwarding of mobile viral content. This result helps researchers and marketers to better understand the critical components of mobile viral marketing strategies and prepares the ground for further research in this emerging field.

“Putting My Man Face On”: A Grounded Theory of College Men's Gender Identity Development

Abstract: The theory that emerged from this constructivist grounded theory study of 10 college men’s experiences depicts their gender identity as developed through constant interaction with society’s expectations of them as men. In order to try to meet these perceived expectations, participants described putting on a performance that was like wearing a mask or “putting my man face on.” They described a process of learning societal expectations, putting on a mask to conform to these expectations, wearing the mask, and struggling to begin taking off the mask.

Demystifying theoretical sampling in grounded theory research

Abstract: Theoretical sampling is a central tenet of classic grounded theory and is essential to the development and refinement of a theory that is ‘grounded’ in data. While many authors appear to share concurrent definitions of theoretical sampling, the ways in which the process is actually executed remain largely elusive and inconsistent. As such, employing and describing the theoretical sampling process can present a particular challenge to novice researchers embarking upon their first grounded theory study. This article has been written in response to the challenges faced by the first author whilst writing a grounded theory proposal. It is intended to clarify theoretical sampling for new grounded theory researchers, offering some insight into the practicalities of selecting and employing a theoretical sampling strategy. It demonstrates that the credibility of a theory cannot be dissociated from the process by which it has been generated and seeks to encourage and challenge researchers to approach theoretical sampling in a way that is apposite to the core principles of the classic grounded theory methodology.

Host Students' Perspectives of Intercultural Contact in an Irish University

Abstract: Given the increasing numbers of international students in Ireland and the lack of attention afforded to host culture students in existing research on intercultural relations in higher education, a grounded theory study was conducted in an Irish university exploring host (Irish) students' perspectives on intercultural contact. The study focused on students' construction of cultural difference within the educational environment, the factors influencing intercultural contact, and students' experiences of such contact. The findings suggest that although nationality and age are used to differentiate students, the concept of “maturity”—underpinned by values and behaviors relating to academic motivations, responsibilities, and authority—is central to students' construction of cultural difference on campus.Diverse factors identified as impacting upon students' intercultural acquaintance prospects and relational development are presented and discussed. The findings highlight the complexity of promoting meaningful ...