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From the Editors: What Grounded Theory Is Not

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Abstract

Editor's Note. Three years ago, I invited Robert (Bob) Gephart to write a "From the Editors" column designed to help authors improve their chances of success when submitting qualitative research to AMJ. Judging from the increasing number of quali- tative studies that have been accepted and pub- lished in AMJ since that time, I would like to think that his article, "Qualitative Research and the Academy of Management Journal," has had a pos- itive impact. Continuing in this tradition, I asked Roy Sud- daby—an excellent reviewer (and author) of quali- tative research—to tackle another "big issue" that the editorial team has noticed with respect to qual- itative submissions to AMJ: overly generic use of the term "grounded theory" and confusion regard- ing alternative epistemological approaches to qual- itative research. Like Bob before him, Roy has, I believe, produced an analysis that will greatly ben- efit those who are relatively new to qualitative re- search or who have not yet had much success in getting their qualitative research published. Hope- fully, Roy's analysis will help even more authors to succeed, thus allowing AMJ and other journals to continue to increase the quality of insights pro- vided by rich qualitative studies of individual, or- ganizational, and institutional phenomena. Sara L. Rynes

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... Historically, manual analysis -either with pen-and-paper or basic word processing systems -has been a common approach to the handling of qualitative data (Maher et al., 2018). The goal of this relatively unstructured approach is to facilitate researcher immersion -a sense of 'drowning' -in the data to allow the discovery of new or unexpected understandings (Maher et al., 2018;Suddaby, 2006). Despite the benefits of a highly manual approach, there are costs regarding researcher time and energy, which can paradoxically constrain the development of insight. ...
... Unlike positivist models of scientific inquiry where researchers maintain a degree of distance from the object of inquiry, in an interpretative model 'the researcher is considered to be an active element of the research process, and the act of research has a creative component' (Suddaby, 2006, 638). Thus, there is a constant immersion or 'drowning' in the data (Suddaby, 2006) and several iterations between data collection and analysis, with ongoing analysis guiding the following stages of data collection and creative interpretive insights grounded in data. ...
Chapter
Qualitative researchers need to make judgements regarding how to engage with data during analysis. Computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) is one approach that provides solutions to challenges associated with more traditional techniques. Despite the benefits of a highly manual approach (e.g. immersion in the data), costs arise regarding researcher time and energy. In addition, tensions have emerged regarding best practices in contemporary qualitative research, and the place for and ideal uses of manual approaches versus CAQDAS. We explore how CAQDAS can address these challenges, outlining qualitative coding methods and the role of specific variants of CAQDAS in this process. These benefits and downsides of using CAQDAS in qualitative analysis outlined are particularly highlighted for novice researchers.
... To the extent the choice of method proves itself a positive motivator to the researcher's commitment, the autonomous preference of the researcher is welcomed 34 (Walsham, 2006;Jones & Alony, 2011). QGT is assessed fit to this research project by virtue of its capacity to inquire and scrutinize experiences and events without explicit hypotheses (Suddaby, 2006). To the extent the present research represents an effort to studying human experiences and the corresponding recalling of those experiences by partakers in the public consultation meetings in the framework of TR030, QGT is an effective research method. ...
... According to Suddaby (2006) In the framework of the current study, the five-steps constant comparison approached developed by Boeije (2002) was adopted and modified in accordance the specific features of the present sample. As the participants in this study were classified according to their participation in the public hearing process in the capacity of (1) strategizing team-members or (2) publics, only a three-stages approach was found adequate for the needs of the current data analysis: ...
Thesis
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The present study is an effort to tap the relationship between narrative practices and strategy-making in the context of city planning of Tirana (TR030). It tries to do so by providing answers to the following questions: How strategy emerges from stories narrated by contending parties in an urban planning context? What power devices are accommodated in the stories of strategy? What rationality serves as a selection criterion for effective strategic storytelling? Coupling narrative paradigm with qualitative grounded theory this inquiry extracts a conceptual framework for describing and explaining the triumph of the narrative rationality of the strategy�makers and the justification and mystification of a pre-set imagination of the future of the city. Three are the major findings of the study. First, for a narrative rationality to succeed in a social setting, a narrative ecosystem must be established in advance. Second, good reasons underpinning narrative rationality are informed by values embedded in stories. Third, the narrative effect of the stories is only warranted by a unitary narrative rationality farmed in a friendly ecosystem. Keywords: Strategy-as-practice, narrative practice, narrative ecosystem, narrative rationality, power relations.
... For the moment, I occupy this role. Over the years I have been a persistent advocate for the role of theory in management research (Suddaby, 2006(Suddaby, , 2014a(Suddaby, , 2014b). Here's why I believe HRMJ is the ideal platform for you to submit your theoretical work and how your theory contributions can help advance the field. ...
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... Through interpretivism, we focused on understanding the meaning of the qualitative data and how it was situated in the norms, culture, and values of undergraduate field biology courses. Because presenting qualitative data in counts violates the underlying assumptions of interpretivism (Suddaby, 2006) and can result in the loss of meaning in qualitative data (Petticrew and Roberts, 2006, p. 153), we did not quantify overall code frequencies in our data. Instead, we center student narratives and discuss associations between themes and theoretical constructs to provide instructors and researchers insight into the possible experiences of UEM students in field biology courses. ...
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... This is because qualitative research encompasses a diverse range of research methodologies, including interviews, observation, and document analysis. Therefore, the idiosyncratic nature of each type of research can lead to variability in the presentation of the data (Sandelowski, 1995;Suddaby, 2006;Trotter, 2012;van Rijnsoever, 2017). Consequently, the focus of the present study is on the specific sample size for data saturation, as such studies lack a clear determination of this particular range. ...
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This systematic literature review examines data saturation in qualitative research within the context of entrepreneurship studies from 2004 to 2024. Data saturation, a critical concept in ensuring the rigor of qualitative research, remains inadequately defined in terms of sample size and assessment criteria across various studies. This review synthesizes 11 empirical studies, focusing on strategies such as stopping criterion, code frequency counts, and comparative methods for determining saturation. It identifies sample sizes ranging from 7 to 39 interviews, with an average saturation occurring between 10 and 12 interviews. Furthermore, the study explores the influence of different sampling methods and homogeneity of study populations on saturation outcomes. Despite the reliability of existing methods, the findings underscore the need for greater transparency and consistency in reporting saturation criteria. The review offers valuable insights for entrepreneurial researchers aiming to design qualitative studies, emphasizing the importance of tailored saturation standards based on research objectives and methodologies. This research contributes to a clearer understanding of data saturation in entrepreneurial studies and highlights the necessity for further empirical investigation into saturation across diverse qualitative methods.
... Therefore, the role of creativity in the GT process should not be underestimated and the quality of both poles of the researcher-data equation needs to be appreciated to fully determine the "creative interplay" between the researcher and data (Suddaby, 2006, p.638). Ultimately, the researcher's analytic ability and theoretical sensitivity (generating theoretical categories from analytical codes and establishing relationships between these categories) lie at the core of GT (Stol et al., 2016) and developing grounded theory (Suddaby, 2006). In the next section, embracing the work of Riemer & Peter (2024), we conceptualize an LLM (ChatGPT) as a 'style engine', and specifically as a 'creative assistant' archetype, to appreciate its potential value-in-use for OAS coding. ...
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This paper reports on the 4th phase of a multi-phase ‘human-in-the-loop’ approach to conducting systematic literature reviews (SLRs) and explores the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into the Grounded Theory (GT) methodology to advance qualitative research techniques. Utilizing a 'human-in-the-loop' approach, we use a Large Language Model (LLM) (specifically ChatGPT4) to perform Open, Axial, and Selective (OAS) coding on a set of DevOps research abstracts. We visualize the ChatGPT4-generated coding output (10 categories and 7 relationships) as a DataOps conceptual model, organized around the core category (‘Adapting to Agile and DevOps Practices’). We conclude the paper with an evaluation of our coding output and a reflection on our ‘human-in-the-loop’ approach. Our work highlights two considerations for human-AI collaboration: (i) enhancing the efficiency and creativity of qualitative data analysis and (ii) prompting a re-evaluation of the researcher’s role/responsibility in enhancing methodological transparency.
... discussing and debating discrepancies in coding and interpretation until an agreement is reached) (Campbell et al. 2013). At the end of our research process, we observed signals of saturation in the form of repetition of information at the first-order level and confirmation of existing conceptual entities at the second-order level (Suddaby 2006). However, given the nascent character of the phenomenon, reaching full saturation and completely fleshing out the conceptual domain of maintenance of battery production was neither deemed feasible nor consistent with the exploratory nature of the study. ...
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... Interviews were conducted in participants' native languages to maintain data integrity, and were transcribed verbatim, with academic notes summarizing key points in English. This bilingual approach ensured the validity of the data collected (Gummesson 2000;Suddaby 2006). The study's focus on TM practices related to nepotism and cronyism was investigated through open-ended questions, with the data collection and Miles and Huberman (1994) and Corbin et al. (2015). ...
... Vargo and Lusch (2017) propose a triple-tiered theoretical hierarchy, which includes the following. First, metatheory reflects highly abstract theory that is typically more latent or less directly observable (Suddaby, 2006). For example, S-D logic's Foundational Premises reveal a high level of conceptual breadth as they apply to any marketing actor and the broader marketingor service systems within which they operate. ...
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... Interviews lasted between 30 and 60 minutes, dictated by the informants' schedule, availability, and responsibilities. The sample size was not determined a priori; instead, data collection ended when additional interviews did not add further significant insights (Corbin and Strauss 1990;Suddaby 2006). Interviews were analyzed in comparison with prior interviews to identify contrasts and similarities. ...
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... 45 Taylor (2012). 46 Bowen (2009) Suddaby (2006). 48 Eisenhardt and Graebner (2007); Tenzer, Pudelko, and Harzing (2014). ...
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... "Theoretical sensitivity" implies continuously comparing data with evolving concepts and theories (Tummers & Karsten, 2012). As Glaser and Strauss conceived, GT encourages an open but informed approach, gradually incorporating ideas from the existing literature (Suddaby, 2006) from which results can be discussed. Patton (2005) reminds us that, to be accepted by the field, the researcher must possess solid skills in the field being studied. ...
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... The data processing and analyzing process take place simultaneously. Qualitative data analysis is an iterative and reflexive process that involves a constant interaction between data collection and analysis, where during the data analysis process, orientation toward data collection for issues arising from the analysis (Suddaby, 2006;Akinyode & Khan, 2018). Data analysis involves transcribing simple audio recording data and translating focus group and interview transcripts from Arabic into English. ...
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... In the final step, "selective coding", we focused on the causal relationships in the transition to post-productivism, and inductively conceptualized the two primary drivers of the transition and the five sub-types. This approach enabled us to develop insights firmly rooted in the collected data (Suddaby, 2006) and formulate a framework that identify the drivers and outcomes of the post-productivist transition in rural China. ...
... Qualitative approaches enable the investigation of research phenomena from various perspectives, which enriches the existing theory, and present an opportunity for investigating micro-level mechanisms and processes (Richards, 2009). The qualitative approach also required a partially grounded theory approach, which provided a fresh understanding of the cyclical patterns of internationalization across the sample (Suddaby, 2006). Consistent with the partial grounded theory approach and to develop an a priori framework, we drew on the existing theory and aimed to generate an elaborated theory. ...
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... The initial notions that only showed up less than three times were moved, and the main ideas were extracted (See Figure 2). Second, data comparison and coding continued until a solid understanding of sub-groups was reached among four authors and could no longer extract additional information from the data (Glaser and Strauss, 2017;Suddaby, 2006). The data analysis strategy followed Gioia et al. (2010), and Yin (2012) for construct validity and reliability. ...
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... Semi-structured interviews -the interview method used in this study is helpful in situations where there is little or no available data from other sources as in developing countries Dworkin, 2012;Nunan et al., 2020;Rowley, 2012. This study continued collecting data until saturation had been achieved (Lincoln and Guba, 1985), which involves collecting data until new data stops adding new insights to the posed questions and new interviews or documents start to show repetition in the responses (Suddaby, 2006). ...
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... Como método de pesquisa, para captar os dados proveniente destes gestores, fez-se uso da Grounded theory (GT) (Glaser & Strauss, 2006), que vem ganhando espaço no campo dos estudos organizacionais (Silva, 2022). A GT vale-se dos dados empíricos para identificar categorias associadas às questões centrais do estudo e permite inclusive, identificar novas teorias (Suddaby, 2006). A GT se baseia em elementos (teoria fundamentada em dados) que surgem da análise dos dados e que aparentam relevância para a teoria. ...
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... A methodology based on the more constructivist perspective of grounded theory was used (Bryant 2017;Charmaz and Thornberg 2021;Clarke 2007;Elharidy et al. 2008;Heath and Cowley 2004;Rieger 2019;Strauss and Corbin 1998;Suddaby 2006), alongside interpretive research (Isabella 1990;Klein and Myers 1999;Scapens 2008;Thomas and Harden 2008;Walsham 2006). Twelve decision makers from different sectors related to internationalization were asked their opinion on the key strategies for successful internationalization. ...
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A tanulmány egy kutatásmódszertani áttekintés, amely alapként szolgált empirikus kutatásom során, amelyben a külföldi munkavállalás hatásait vizsgálom lokális szinten Gyergyóremetén. A munkamigráció a rendszerváltástól napjainkig meghatározó társadalmi jelenség, amelynek oka elsődlegesen a készpénzkereseti lehetőség, azonban egyre inkább mérvadó az önmegvalósítás esélye és az új, ismeretlen világ felfedezése is. Kutatásom során kvalitatív módszerként ismeretes félig strukturált interjúkészítést alkalmaztam, szem előtt tartva a megalapozott elmélet irányelveit.
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Past studies of the impact of the physical work environment on workers have generated mixed results in the organizational space literature. We apply an alternative perspective on how the workspace influences grounded in theorizing on place rather than space. Focusing on the corporate office, we explore the notion that organizations are best positioned to influence employees when they transform their work spaces into work places. Through a qualitative case study, we first uncover a time-spanning placemaking strategy that designers (i.e., organizational leaders) and users (i.e., employees) execute together to infuse place into organizational space. We also uncover place meanings that emerge in the corporate office, and describe outcomes of placemaking. Next, focusing on the longitudinal nature of our exploration which spanned both sides of the COVID-19 pandemic (pre-pandemic; lockdown; hybrid work), we reveal how place evolves with changing work contexts. Thus, our theoretical contribution is twofold: exploring place (including placemaking, place meanings, and place effects) in an under-explored work environment—the corporate office, and showcasing place as a dynamic phenomenon that responds to contextual forces. Practically, our findings illustrate the role place plays in the modern, virtual and physical, workplace. Potential challenges are discussed.
Article
While a large body of research explains how social movements elicit corporate change by focusing on confrontation of activists against targeted organizations, it remains unclear how the conflicts between activists and their primary targets affect non-target firms. Drawing on social movements research and non-market strategy literature, we examine how non-target firms respond to social contentiousness in the non-market environment in the context of the creation of automotive emissions controls in Japan in the early 1970s. Our findings challenge the somewhat linear assumption that confrontation and direct action against focal firms is a necessary condition for activists seeking change. Instead, our findings underscore the importance of also considering non-target firms in understanding the impact and influences of movements on the broader non-market environment. Moreover, our findings contribute to the non-market strategy literature by revealing that social value-based strategies can serve as an alternative way for corporate targets to exert influence in non-market environments. Specifically, we present a model that shows the linkages between intentional non-market strategies and strategic motivation in market competition, thus responding to calls to consider the linkage between non-market and market strategies.
Article
Counterfactual reflection (CFR)—thinking about “what might have been if”—can enhance learning from experience, but only if the CFR is high-quality. Yet, what shapes differences in CFR quality remains largely unknown. Because managers typically reflect on experiences by concomitantly considering relevant factors and their collective interdependencies, we suggest that CFR quality is causally complex. To investigate this possibility, we interviewed 129 managers. In these interviews, they reflected on recently concluded business-to-business negotiations. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, we find three equifinal configurations of negotiation factors associated with high-quality CFR and eight associated with low-quality CFR. Drawing on the interviews, we identify managers’ ability to disentangle causal linkages in their past negotiation and their motivation for high-quality CFR in the present as plausible mechanisms underlying differences in CFR quality. We find high-quality CFR only following experiences where managers possess high levels of both situation-specific ability and motivation. In contrast, experiences that leave managers feeling unable or unmotivated due to high satisfaction, indifference, or defensiveness, are linked to low-quality CFR. Overall, our study advances understanding of why there are differences in CFR quality by linking past experiences with managers’ abilities and motivation. From a managerial perspective, we suggest that organizations avoid “one size fits all” approaches to CFR. Instead, we recommend actionable measures for both reflecting managers and their supervisors to address the specific reasons that prevent managers from engaging in high-quality CFR after their negotiation experiences.
Article
The emergence of the supply chain management (SCM) discipline and its integration with other research fields, such as logistics, has sparked research that aims to combine scientific rigor with business utility. Calls for increased theory‐building and practically relevant research have driven the discipline's development. This article advocates the wider use of grounded theory methodology, providing practical guidance to ensure reliable theoretical contributions. The study employs a multi‐method approach (bibliometric analysis, mapping review, and state‐of‐the‐art analysis) to quantitatively review existing grounded theory research on logistics and SCM issues, investigate its methodological attributes, and outline its strengths and weaknesses. Based on these findings, guidelines are proposed for methodologically sound grounded theory building in the discipline. Derived from empirically grounded theory studies, these guidelines address issues that hinder the effective use of the method, such as misunderstanding its fundamentals, improper use of literature, coding challenges, inadequate research design, and difficulties in transitioning from analysis to theorizing. By adding an empirical perspective to supplement existing guidelines, the study aims to enhance the quality of SCM research. While grounded theory is not the only solution for advancing the discipline, its judicious use is advocated to bring rigorous, theory‐driven, and practice‐oriented contributions to logistics and SCM research.
Chapter
In this chapter, we will learn about the different types of literature reviews possible within and alongside a socio-technical grounded theory (STGT) study. First, we will address why a literature review is needed in a research project, listing some of its unique advantages in an STGT study. Next, we will learn about the two literature reviews—the lean literature review (LLR) and the targeted literature review (TLR)—performed in the basic and advanced stages of an STGT study respectively, including their coverage, purpose, timing, uses, and limitations. This will be followed by an overview of the grounded theory literature review (GTLR) as a full-scale review method using an emergent and iterative approach native to STGT that can be performed either as a standalone review study or conducted before or after an empirical STGT study. Next, we will briefly discuss other literature review methods popular in software engineering research including informal reviews and systematic reviews such as the systematic literature review (SLR) and systematic mapping studies (SMS). The chapter will conclude with a discussion of the potential interplay between STGT studies and systematic reviews, along with presenting a Literature Review Selection Guide to help researchers select the most appropriate literature review methods for their general review needs.
Article
This study explores how local managers, in practicing Human Resource management (HRM), may pursue their own interests that are out of line with the agendas of headquarters in multinational companies (MNCs). It is widely acknowledged that informal networks have an impact on HRM practices in emerging markets. While these networks are often regarded as beneficial for organizations in compensating for institutional shortfalls, they may also lead to corruption, nepotism, or other ethical transgressions. Indigenous scholarship on informal networks in emerging markets has highlighted how their impact occurs through a dynamic process; powerful placeholders deploy informal networks to entrench existing power and authority relations when managing people. Qualitative data were gathered through 43 in‐depth interviews and documentary evidence from MNCs operating in Jordan. MNCs are subject to both home and host country effects; we highlight how, in practicing HRM, country of domicile managers deploy the cultural scripts of wasta informal network to secure and enhance their own relative authority. HRM practices are repurposed by actors who secure and consolidate their power through wasta. They dispense patronage to insiders and marginalize outsiders; the latter includes not only more vulnerable local employees but also expatriates. This phenomenon becomes particularly evident during the performance appraisal process, which may serve as a basis for the differential treatment and rewards of employees. Consequently, this further dilutes the capacity of MNCs to implement—as adverse to espousing—centrally decided approaches to HRM.
Chapter
The current study sets out to provide a thorough overview of core qualitative research designs widely deployed in social sciences in general and management science in particular. A scoping review of 160 articles, following PRISMA, was conducted to expose the philosophical underpinnings, key characteristics, and practical applications of each design. The scoping review was geared towards investigating commonly used qualitative research designs through the lens of ontology, epistemology, and axiology. The study general analysis model provides a subtle understanding of the strengths and limitations of each design. Importantly, the study acknowledges the potential challenges associated with each design, such as issues of generalizability and researcher bias. In a few words, this scholarly work aims at arming researchers with the required knowledge to select the most appropriate qualitative research design for their specific research objectives.
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FREE DOWNLOAD LINK in the comments (expires on October 17th). Abstract: With the diffusion of Industry 4.0 technologies, firms can decentralize operational decisions, fostering a data-driven Digital Transformation (DT) across all organizational levels. Digitalized shopfloors can leverage an unprecedented availability of data for better and faster decision-making, resulting in enhanced operational performance. However, limited research has investigated the organizational and individual implications for those who run the manufacturing lines: production managers, supervisors, team leaders, and workers. By adopting a socio-technical framework, this study aims to disentangle the effects that digitalization has on shopfloors’ organizational structures, decision-making processes, and individual competencies, as well as the interdependencies among them. An exploratory approach was adopted, based on an empirical cross-country study involving 34 semi-structured interviews conducted in the Italian and Spanish automotive sectors. Analyzed through the lenses of information-processing, knowledge-based, and dynamic capability theories, our findings reveal through five propositions how digitalization induces a “polarization” of operational decision-making: shopfloors are run by knowledgeable data-empowered production managers and autonomous information-processing team leaders on the front line, with a reduced importance of supervisors. Upskilling needs appear for team leaders but not production workers, whose involvement, however, emerges as a key factor for a successful digitalization and overall performance in initial DT stages. This study contributes to literature on digitalization by exposing managerial tensions and dynamic capabilities, along with a deeper understanding of the micro-foundations of DT in terms of implications for shop-floor decision-makers. Managerial implications are directed at creating awareness about the centrality of production team leaders, and future research avenues are proposed.
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The study aims to determine the influence of academic performance to employability of the students in the field of education.The experimental research design will be structured for this study in which numeric score rating gathered the perception of the respondents observed in a structured pattern. This research design will deal at the problem of the study scientifically, to establish a clear cause and effect of Education Major students’ academic performance to their employability.The students’ perception on their employability in the field of education revealed that many disagreed their course is very important in their future work, and expressed that they are not more likely to work on a private school Majority of the students disagreed that they are more likely to work on a public school, and shared that their field of study is in-demand in terms of work opportunities in the education sector. Further, more students disagreed on the other indicators which are; they are confident that their skills and knowledge will match their work and confident that they will work in teaching or education sector, teachers are more likely to teach students than doing admin works, student skills are honed enough to move in an education work environment and they chose their field of study based on work demands of the education sector, teachers are more likely to do admin works than teaching students, students are more ready to teach and experience work environment, and lastly students already planned where they are going to work.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions and formation mechanisms of brand value on social media platforms within the prosumption logic based on the theory of value co-creation. By adopting a process-oriented mindset, this study deconstructs and applies the prosumption theory and the theory of value co-creation in the field of social media, thereby addressing the insufficiencies of previous research that focused primarily on the subject mindset. It offers reference ideas for social media brand managers to attract prosumers to engage in value co-creation. Design/methodology/approach The crawler technology and grounded theoretical method were adopted in this research paper. Findings Based on the logic of prosumption and the theory of value co-creation, the research finds that the brand value of social media platforms is composed of seven dimensions. The dimensions include brand recognition, brand perception quality, brand experience, brand value-in-use, brand relationship quality, brand loyalty and brand co-creation behavior. From the perspective of prosumption logic, the formation of brand value on social media platforms is a gradual accumulation process. This process involves prosumers participating in prosumption activities, progressing through several stages. Initially, it starts with “prosumption conditions”, which include brand recognition, brand perception quality and brand experience. It then moves to “prosumption processes,” characterized by brand value-in-use and brand relationship quality. Finally, it culminates in “prosumption outcomes,” represented by brand loyalty and brand co-creation behavior. From the perspective of value creation, the formation of brand value on social media platforms is a closed-loop process that includes “brand value identification and empowerment—brand value acquisition and transformation—brand value co-creation and relationship upgradation—brand value co-creation and stability—brand value feedback and iteration.” Originality/value The findings contribute to expanding prosumption and co-creation theory and enriching the prosumption logic frame. Meanwhile, it is conducive to encouraging prosumers to participate in the platform’s prosumption activities and jointly creating the brand value of the social media platform. This paper interprets prosumption through the lens of the value co-creation process.
Article
Purpose Performance management systems (PMSs) must remain dynamic and maintain the ability to withstand the high degrees of complexity brought about by digital technologies (DTs). Academics and practitioners have explored DTs and PMSs separately. This study aims to bridge the academic and practitioner discourse surrounding PMSs and DTs to promote knowledge diffusion and collaboration. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a mixed method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative content analysis, which were validated through semi-structured interviews with academics and practitioners. The authors first conducted a content analysis of the academic literature contained in the Scopus database and the practitioners' literature featured in the Nexis Uni database. Findings The combined academic-practitioners’ body of knowledge underscores the risk and environmental dimension, as well as the theoretical frameworks employed to explore digitally empowered PMSs. These findings were corroborated by 17 confirmatory interviews conducted with scholars and practitioners. Research limitations/implications Due to its scope, the research is limited to publications listed on Scopus and Nexis Uni. Additionally, its qualitative and interpretative nature presents some generalizability issues. Originality/value This study connects the intentions of scholars and practitioners concerning PMSs and DTs to promote collaborative efforts and knowledge diffusion. Moreover, considering the broader spectrum of insights, this manuscript postulates new avenues of research that address the key issues and concerns of both academics and practitioners. Finally, this article showcases PMs- and DT-appropriate theoretical frameworks that can inform practitioners’ discourse and work.
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This guide explains the focus, rigor, and relevance of qualitative research, highlighting its role in dissecting complex social phenomena and providing in-depth, human-centered insights. The guide also examines the rationale for employing qualitative methods, underscoring their critical importance. An exploration of the methodology’s strengths, such as its ability to offer contextual depth and holistic perspectives, is juxtaposed against challenges like constrained generalizability and potential researcher bias, accompanied by practical mitigation strategies. Covering a spectrum of qualitative approaches, including grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, action research, and general inquiry, the guide sheds light on diverse data collection and analysis techniques. Noteworthily, the guide underscores the crucial aspect of trustworthiness in qualitative research, detailing methods to establish credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. The integration of technologies like recording and transcribing tools with data analysis software and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning are also explored. Concluding with a discussion on ethical considerations, from participant recruitment to data stewardship, this guide serves as an essential resource that offers insightful, actionable guidance for conducting effective and impactful qualitative research.
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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a re-exacerbation of gender inequalities and violence against women was reported. For adequately responding to the causes of this situation and its aftermath, a detailed understanding of the gendered impacts of the pandemic and of subsequent developments is necessary. This aim may be supported by particularly using gender-sensitive modes of inquiry. Against this backdrop, we explore the methodological potential of grounded theory (GT) to explicitly guide gender-sensitive research. Given its methodological variations, we argue that an adequate handling of gender in GT can only be determined in relation to a researcher's positioning within the GT landscape. Thus, to assist readers in translating their gender sensitivity into GT practices, this article outlines various interpretations of GT elements, discussing their relation to gender. Furthermore, strategies addressing gender-related challenges are presented and underlined by, among others, studies on discrimination and violence.
Article
Job interviews involve an exchange of information between interviewers and applicants to assess fit from each side. But current frameworks on interviewers' job previews and applicants' self‐presentation do not completely capture these exchange processes. Using a grounded theory approach, we developed a theoretical model that spans both literatures by showing the complex relationships between job previews and self‐presentation in the interview. Our study also introduces a new way of categorizing applicant self‐presentation and reveals why interviewers and applicants choose to use certain strategies. Based on 43 qualitative interviews with applicants and interviewers, we identified five dominant applicant self‐presentation responses to job preview information: Receding from the Application Process, Reciprocating Reality, Exploiting the RJP, Resisting in Defiance, and Reciprocating Illusion. Furthermore, we found that applicants present many versions of themselves that not only include their actual, favorable, and ought self but also their anticipated‐future self. We also identify interviewers' and applicants' conflicting motives for presenting reality and illusion. Our work provides a deeper understanding of job previews and self‐presentation by providing a big‐picture, yet fine‐grained examination of the communication processes from the viewpoint of the applicant and the interviewer, illustrating implications for both parties and proposing new avenues for research.
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Grounded theory is an inductive, theory discovery methodology that allows the researcher to develop a theoretical account of the general features of a topic while simultaneously grounding the account in empirical observations or data (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). This article explicates the utility of a grounded theory approach to research on work organizations. Following a general introduction to the grounded theory method, the authors'review of the organizational literature using grounded theory illustrates the variety of issues and topics studied through this approach. The authors describe and explain specific strategies for conducting grounded theory research in and on organizations, including note taking and note writing, concept discovery, and concept definition and preliminary elaboration of theory. Throughout the article emphasis is placed on grounded theory's ability to facilitate understanding and to identify desirable improvements in work contexts.
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This article discusses management research and what makes it interesting. In a well-known paper, “That’s Interesting!” Murray Davis argued that what most makes scholarly work interesting is that it disconfirms some (but not all) of the assumptions held by its audience. Davis’ arguments about what constitutes interesting research are summarized, including something that engages readers’ attention, something that stands out for readers “in contrast to the web of routinely taken-for-granted propositions which make up the structure of their everyday life.” Some perspectives from a Brazilian scholarly journal, “Revisita de Administracao de Empresas,” are also presented.
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This article presents the results of a grounded theory analysis of observation, interview, and archival data collected at SEMATECH, a research, development, and testing consortium in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Three core categories of events and behaviors are described: (1) the factors underlying the consortium's early disorder and ambiguity, (2) the development of a moral community in which individuals and firms made contributions to the industry without regard for immediate and specific payback, and (3) the structuring that emerged from changing practices and norms as consortium founders and others devised ways to foster cooperation. We interpret results in terms of complexity theory, a framework for understanding change that has not been previously explored with detailed empirical data from organizations.
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This study of the complete life-spans of eight naturally-occurring teams began with the unexpected finding that several project groups, studied for another purpose, did not accomplish their work by progressing gradually through a universal series of stages, as traditional group development models would predict. Instead, teams progressed in a pattern of "punctuated equilibrium" through alternating inertia and revolution in the behaviors and themes through which they approached their work. The findings also suggested that groups' progress was triggered more by members' awareness of time and deadlines than by completion of an absolute amount of work in a specific developmental stage. The paper proposes a new model of group development that encompasses the timing and mechanisms of change as well as groups' dynamic relations with their contexts. Implications for theory, research, and practice are drawn.
Article
A qualitative and inductive study of eight organizational death is used to develop a model of how some dying organizations make the transition to death. The model focuses on the relationship between a dying organization and its members and on how leaders help orchestrate changes in the socially defined reality that members share about the organization's viability. The paper shows how the announcement that organizational death will occur encourages members to begin dismantling their organization. A key finding is that, contrary to leaders' predictions, members' efforts will often remain constant or increase after a closing is announced. A model to explain this phenomenon is created. The process of organizational death proposed here seems to best describe unambiguous organizational deaths that are announced in advance, those in which the organizations are dismantled through the efforts of their members, and those not characterized by severe conflict over the distribution of resources and obligations.
Article
Dramatic advances have recently marked the study of international joint ventures (IJVs). The progress has been mixed, however. Although several theoretical dimensions have been emphasized in the literature, researchers have not addressed certain crucial questions at the heart of the IJV relationship. Consequently, individually useful IJV studies have not coalesced into a collectively coherent body of work with an underlying theoretical structure. This weakness in theory development, I argue, may stem from the convergence of "hard" methodological approaches with "soft" behavioral variables. In proposing and justifying a research program toward deeper understanding of voluntary interfirm cooperation, I offer a theoretical framework for IJVs, develop a typology of theory-development approaches, and apply this framework and typology to demonstrate how a near-term shift in foci can accelerate rigorous IJV theory development.
Article
In this article I describe and compare ct number of alternative generic strategies for the analysis of process data, looking at the consequences of these strategies for emerging theories. I evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies in terms of their capacity to generate theory that is accurate, parsimonious, general, and useful and suggest that method and theory are inextricably intertwined, that multiple strategies are often advisable, and that no analysis strategy will produce theory without an uncodifiable creative leap, however small. Finally, I argue that there is room in the organizational research literature for more openness within the academic community toward a variety of forms of coupling between theory and data.
Article
Although many opinions have been expressed about the potential merits and pitfalls of conducting academic research inside organizations, empirical research on the question is nearly nonexistent. Consequently, the present study examined the origins, processes, and outcomes of 141 academic research projects that were conducted in (nonacademic) organizations and published in 4 top-tier industria organizational psychology and management journals over a 3-year period. Three outcomes were assessed: implementation of research findings, academic organizational relationship continuation, and research impact (as measured by other-author citations). Results suggested a number of relationships between the way projects began, the relative contributions of organizations and authors to the research process, and eventual outcomes. Suggestions for future research are offered.
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Interviewing in phenomenology and grounded theory: is there a difference? This paper explores the differences and similarities that may exist in respect of using the interview method in phenomenological and grounded theory methodologies. Baker et al. set out to differentiate between method in grounded theory and phenomenology and concluded that it was essential to ensure that the method matches the research question being asked. However, the paper, whilst clear in intent to differentiate between the methodologies of phenomenology and grounded theory, does little to help the researcher in the differences that may exist in carrying out such research using the same method, that is, interviewing. Interviewing has become synonymous with qualitative research and may become the accepted method of data collection irrespective of methodology. We postulate that the interview as a method of data collection may be inconsistent with the underlying principles of the methodology (phenomenology or grounded theory). Should this be the case then the interview as a means of collecting data may be viewed as generic and lack a clear connection to the methodological framework. Such a position could be consistent with a critique of qualitative nursing research on the grounds of rigour.
Article
This paper has presented practical details of a tested and tried procedure which it is hoped will be of use to researchers facing the problem of analysing qualitative data, and particularly to those interested in the use of grounded theory. Behind the presentation of this procedure lies a concern that the processes of research should be as open as possible, so that neither the processes of research nor their findings are subjected to mystifications which conceal their true nature from other researchers, from the subjects of research, or from those seeking to understand the research findings when they are reported. There is, of course, an element of risk in advocating such frankness, for the researcher who lays his procedures open to public scrutiny may suddenly discover that, like the emperor, he has no clothes. But it would seem, in general, that the interests of social research can only be furthered by more discussion of the details of research procedures, particularly those which are close to the creative centre of theory building.
Article
Debates regarding research methods in the social sciences are linked directly to assumptions about ontology, epistemology, and human nature. After reviewing a range of positions relating to these assumptions, we argue that the dichotomy between quantitative and qualitative methods is a rough and oversimplified one. Contemporary social science is dominated by commitments to research methods almost as ends in themselves, resulting in abstracted modes of empiricism based on both quantitative and qualitative methods. Qualitative research is an approach rather than a particular set of techniques, and its appropriateness derives from the nature of the social phenomena to be explored.
Book
Most writing on sociological method has been concerned with how accurate facts can be obtained and how theory can thereby be more rigorously tested. In The Discovery of Grounded Theory, Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss address the equally Important enterprise of how the discovery of theory from data--systematically obtained and analyzed in social research--can be furthered. The discovery of theory from data--grounded theory--is a major task confronting sociology, for such a theory fits empirical situations, and is understandable to sociologists and laymen alike. Most important, it provides relevant predictions, explanations, interpretations, and applications. In Part I of the book, "Generation Theory by Comparative Analysis," the authors present a strategy whereby sociologists can facilitate the discovery of grounded theory, both substantive and formal. This strategy involves the systematic choice and study of several comparison groups. In Part II, The Flexible Use of Data," the generation of theory from qualitative, especially documentary, and quantitative data Is considered. In Part III, "Implications of Grounded Theory," Glaser and Strauss examine the credibility of grounded theory. The Discovery of Grounded Theory is directed toward improving social scientists' capacity for generating theory that will be relevant to their research. While aimed primarily at sociologists, it will be useful to anyone Interested In studying social phenomena--political, educational, economic, industrial-- especially If their studies are based on qualitative data.
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Few other economists have been read and cited as often as R.H. Coase has been, even though, as he admits, "most economists have a different way of looking at economic problems and do not share my conception of the nature of our subject." Coase's particular interest has been that part of economic theory that deals with firms, industries, and markets—what is known as price theory or microeconomics. He has always urged his fellow economists to examine the foundations on which their theory exists, and this volume collects some of his classic articles probing those very foundations. "The Nature of the Firm" (1937) introduced the then-revolutionary concept of transaction costs into economic theory. "The Problem of Social Cost" (1960) further developed this concept, emphasizing the effect of the law on the working of the economic system. The remaining papers and new introductory essay clarify and extend Coarse's arguments and address his critics. "These essays bear rereading. Coase's careful attention to actual institutions not only offers deep insight into economics but also provides the best argument for Coase's methodological position. The clarity of the exposition and the elegance of the style also make them a pleasure to read and a model worthy of emulation."—Lewis A. Kornhauser, Journal of Economic Literature Ronald H. Coase was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Science in 1991.
Article
Using grounded theory as an example, this paper examines three methodological questions that are generally applicable to all qualitative methods. How should the usual scientific canons be reinterpreted for qualitative research? How should researchers report the procedures and canons used in their research? What evaluative criteria should be used in judging the research products? We propose that the criteria should be adapted to fit the procedures of the method. We demonstrate how this can be done for grounded theory and suggest criteria for evaluating studies following this approach. We argue that other qualitative researchers might be similarly specific about their procedures and evaluative criteria.
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This paper outlines a role-based approach for conceptualizing and investigating the contention in some previous research that technologies change organizational and occupational structures by transforming patterns of action and interaction. Building on Nadel's theory of social structure, the paper argues that the microsocial dynamics occasioned by new technologies reverberate up levels of analysis in an orderly manner. Specifically, a technology's material attributes are said to have an immediate impact on the nonrelational elements of one or more work roles. These changes, in turn, influence the role's relational elements, which eventually affect the structure of an organization's social networks. Consequently, roles and social networks are held to mediate a technology's structural effects. The theory is illustrated by ethnographic and sociometric data drawn from a comparative field study of the use of traditional and computerized imaging devices in two radiology departments.
Article
New medical imaging devices, such as the CT scanner, have begun to challenge traditional role relations among radiologists and radiological technologists. Under some conditions, these technologies may actually alter the organizational and occupational structure of radiological work. However, current theories of technology and organizational form are insensitive to the potential number of structural variations implicit in role-based change. This paper expands recent sociological thought on the link between institution and action to outline a theory of how technology might occasion different organizational structures by altering institutionalized roles and patterns of interaction. In so doing, technology is treated as a social rather than a physical object, and structure is conceptualized as a process rather than an entity. The implications of the theory are illustrated by showing how identical CT scanners occasioned similar structuring processes in two radiology departments and yet led to divergent forms of organization. The data suggest that to understand how technologies alter organizational structures researchers may need to integrate the study of social action and the study of social form.
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