A comprehensive presentation based on a qualitative research methodology 'Grounded Theory, presented at Government College University Lahore, Pakistan.

1. Komal Raja Roll no. 513

2. Grounded Theory
 Grounded Theory is a qualitative research
methodology
 Designed to help social scientists generate
theory
 Is not “hypothesis” and “problem” oriented

3. 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

4. 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)

5. Def...
“Most grounded theorists
believe they are theorizing
about how the world ‘is’ rather
than how respondents see it?”
(Steve Borgatti).

6. 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).

7. 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.

8. 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)

9. Grounded Theory Concepts
GT's important aspects:
 Used for theory generation rather
than theory verification
 Based on induction rather than
deduction

10.  Grounded Theoryknowledge science
verification circles are not to scale theory
generation inductive methods grounded
theory

11. Data Collection In GT
 Semi-structured, formal interviews
 Informal interviews

12. Notes From:
 Internal meetings
 Phone conversations
 Social functions
 Training sessions

13. Scanning of documents
 Relevant administrative materials.
 Recruiting and training manuals.
 Client presentation books and feedback
received.
 Provide information about the organization’s
distinct socialization practices

14. 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.

15. Cont...
Phase
Sorting
Write up
Output
 Sorting database of
memos showing
emergence of theories
 Communicable form of
theory

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.


20. 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.

21. Cont…
 One AGENT OF PAINRELIEF is
drugs.
 Pain relief has a certain
DURATION (could be temporary),
and EFFECTIVENESS(could be
partial).

22. Tabulation: Open Coding
Categories
 Pain
 Agent of Pain
Relief
• (Drugs)
 Duration
 Effectiveness
Properties
 Intensity
 Pain Relief
 Temporary
 Partial

23. 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

24. Research Question:
How do Millennial
practitioners who work at
public relations agencies
describe their generation of
public relations
practitioners?

25. Examples of
participants’
words
Open Codes
Properties
Seeking
experience
Ambitious
Hungry for
responsibility
Want to be next
big thing
Driven
Ready to roll
Always looking
for a new thing
Seeking
Wanting
experiential credentials
Feeling
learning
Open Codes
ambitious
Seeking
excitement
Being eager

26. Original text
Open codes
Properties
Want to feel
valued and
appreciated
Want to be
recognized
Want
feedback
Want to be
rewarded for
good work
Craving
immediate
feedback and
being
motivated by
feeling
appreciated
Desiring
attention
Wanting to
impress
Wanting a
mentor

27. 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).

28. 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.

29. Open Codes
Axial Codes
Selective
Codes
Axial & Selective Coding
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

30. Activity!!!

31. Sorting
 Sorting the memos that one has taken
during open and selective coding.
 Memo refers to what’s 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.

32. 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).


33. Advantages of GT
 High Ecological Validity
 Ecological Validity is the extent to which




research findings accurately represent real-world
settings.
Novelty
Gt’s are not tied to any pre-existing theory. Gt’s
are often fresh and new.
Parsimony
Parsimony is about using the simplest possible
description to explain complex phenomenon.

34. Activity!!!

35. 1
are the written record of ideas about
codes and their relationships as they emerge
during analysis.
Memos

36. 2
 Is grounded theory an inductive or a
deductive theory?
 Inductive Theory

37. 3
 What are the four stages of coding in GT?
 Open Coding
 Selective Coding
 Sorting
 Write up

38. 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

39. 5
 State any three tools for data collection in GT.
 Interviews
 Scanned Documents
 Notes

40. 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.

41. 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