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Grounded Theory

Grounded Theory is a qualitative research

methodology
Designed to help social scientists generate
theory
Is not hypothesis and problem oriented
Outline
Definition of grounded theory
History
When do you use Grounded Theory?
Grounded theory Concepts
Data collection methods
Steps of Grounded Theory Research Article Example
GT Process
Activity 1
Advantages of GT
Summary
Activity 2
References
DEFINITIONS
A qualitative research method that
uses a systematic set of procedures to
develop an inductively derived
grounded theory about a
phenomenon
(Strauss & Corbin ,1998 p24)
Grounded Theory is the study of a
concept! It is not descriptive study of
a descriptive problem (Glaser,2010)
Def...

Most grounded theorists

believe they are theorizing
about how the world is rather
than how respondents see it?
(Steve Borgatti).
History

Two sociologists, Barney G. Glaser and

Anselm L Strauss, developed grounded
theory in the late 1960s.
Glaser and Strauss developed a
pioneering book that expounded in detail
on their grounded theory procedures,
The Discovery of Grounded Theory(1967).
Cont...
Glaser and Strauss later diverged in
their view of GT (Glaser, 1992).
Glaser's view of GT remained closer
to the initial emergent ideals (Glaser,
1992) (Dick, 2005).
The remainder of this presentation
is based on Glaser's view of GT.
 When do you use Grounded
Theory?
When you need a broad theory or
explanation of a process.
Especially helpful when current
theories about a phenomenon are
either inadequate or nonexistent
(Creswell, 2008).
When you wish to study some
process, such as how students
develop as writers (Neff,1998)
Grounded Theory Concepts

GT's important aspects:

Used for theory generation rather
than theory verification

Based on induction rather than

deduction
 Grounded Theoryknowledge science
verification circles are not to scale theory
generation inductive methods grounded
theory
Data Collection In GT

Semi-structured, formal interviews

Informal interviews
Notes From:

Internal meetings
Phone conversations
Social functions
Training sessions
Scanning of documents

Relevant administrative materials.

Recruiting and training manuals.
Client presentation books and feedback
received.
Provide information about the organizations
distinct socialization practices
Grounded Theory Process

Phase Output
Open Coding Categories & properties
Line by line
Word by word

Selective Coding Selective coding begins

when a core category has
been found.
Cont...

Phase Output
Sorting database of
Sorting memos showing
emergence of theories

Communicable form of
Write up theory
Open coding

GT starts with open coding.

The researcher enters the open coding phase
with no preconceptions about what is to be
found or what is to be studied.
Example;

Pain relief is a major problem when you have

arthritis. Sometimes, the pain is worse than
other times, but when it gets really bad, It hurts
so bad, you don't want to get out of bed. You
don't feel like doing anything. Any relief you get
from drugs that you take is only temporary or
partial.
Example:

Pain relief is a major problem when you have

arthritis. Sometimes, the pain is worse than
other times, but when it gets really bad, It
hurts so bad, you don't want to get out of
bed. You don't feel like doing anything. Any
relief you get from drugs that you take is only
temporary or partial.
Cont..

One thing that is being discussed

here is PAIN.
Implied in the text is that the speaker
views pain as having certain
properties, one of which is
INTENSITY: it varies from a little to a
lot.
Cont

When it hurts a lot, there are

consequences: don't want to get
out of bed, don't feel like doing
things.
In order to solve this problem, you
need PAIN RELIEF.
Cont

One AGENT OF PAINRELIEF is

drugs.
Pain relief has a certain
DURATION (could be temporary),
and EFFECTIVENESS(could be
partial).
Tabulation: Open Coding

Categories Properties
Pain Intensity
Agent of Pain Pain Relief
Relief
(Drugs)
Duration Temporary
Effectiveness Partial
Example: Research Article

Relationship management with

Millennial generation of public
relations agency employees.
Tiffany Derville Gallicano

Volume 39, Issue 3, September 2013

pg 222-225
Research Question:

How do Millennial
practitioners who work at
public relations agencies
describe their generation of
public relations
practitioners?
Examples of Open Codes Properties
participants Open Codes
words

Seeking Wanting Seeking

experience
Ambitious experiential credentials
Hungry for learning Feeling
responsibility ambitious
Want to be next Seeking
big thing
Driven excitement
Ready to roll Being eager
Always looking
for a new thing
Original text Open codes Properties

Want to feel Craving

valued and immediate Desiring
appreciated feedback and attention
Want to be being Wanting to
recognized motivated by impress
Want feeling Wanting a
feedback appreciated mentor
Want to be
rewarded for
good work
Selective Coding

Selective coding begins when a core

category has been found.

Integration is simply the emergent

connection between categories and
properties based on theoretical codes,
and it just happens, because the world is
integrated and we are discovering the
world not creating it! (Glaser, 1992).
Selective & Axial Coding

Axial Coding (Strauss & Corbin,

1990)
-Putting data back together by
making connections across codes,
categories, concepts.
Selective Coding focuses on
particular concept and data revisit.
Open Codes Axial Codes Selective
Axial & Selective CodingCodes
Wanting Believing Wanting to
experiential they are ready make a
learning; to be set loose difference
Craving on accounts
immediate Seeking
feedback and external
being validation
motivated by
feeling
appreciated
Activity!!!
Sorting
Sorting the memos that one has taken
during open and selective coding.
Memo refers to whats being observed in
the data.
Ideas. Relationship between codes,
emergent concepts etc.

Intended to produce a structured,

coherent and integrated packaging of
the recorded ideas.
Writing up
The structure of the write-up, just emerges
from sorting memos.
There are no rules about how a memo should
look; memos should be free-flowing, stream of
consciousness and constant throughout
analysis.
...the analyst starts with no idea of an outline
and thereby lets the concepts outline
themselves through emergence.
When the sorting of all the memos is done, it is
just obvious when to write and what to write
about and how to present the integrated
picture (Glaser, 1992).
Advantages of GT

High Ecological Validity

Ecological Validity is the extent to which
research findings accurately represent real-world
settings.
Novelty
Gts are not tied to any pre-existing theory. Gts
are often fresh and new.
Parsimony
Parsimony is about using the simplest possible
description to explain complex phenomenon.
Activity!!!
 1

are the written record of ideas about

codes and their relationships as they emerge
during analysis.

Memos
 2

Is grounded theory an inductive or a

deductive theory?

Inductive Theory
 3

What are the four stages of coding in GT?

Open Coding
Selective Coding
Sorting
Write up
 4

Do qualitative researchers normally

formulate hypotheses in advance? Why or
Why not?

No
because hypotheses result in a theory that is
ungrounded from the data
 5

State any three tools for data collection in GT.

Interviews
Scanned Documents
Notes
References

Allan, G. (2003). A critique of using grounded

theory as a research method, Electronic Journal
of Business Research Methods. 2(1) pp1-10
Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in the
methodology of Grounded Theory. Sociology
Press , 1978.
Strauss A, Corbin J. Basics of Qualitative
Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and
Techniques. Sage, 1990.
Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded
Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative
Analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
References

Re-inventing grounded theory: some questions

about theory, ground and discovery. British
Educational Research Journal, 32 (6), 767
795.Strauss, A. (1987).
Examples of Grounded Theory: A Reader. Sociology
Press, 1993.Glaser BG (ed).
The Grounded Theory Perspective I:
Conceptualization Contrasted with Description.
Sociology Press , 2001.Glaser BG.
Relationship management with Millennial
generation of public relations agency employees.
Volume 39, Issue 3, September 2013 pg 222-225