Grounded Theory: The Step-by-Step and Methodological Issues in Practice

Abstract

Purpose: This article aims to explore how the grounded theory (GT) was used in empirical research in the area of Organizational Studies. GT is a research strategy widely used in Business Administration studies both nationally and internationally. However, studies have little to do with how this research strategy is applied in practice and how researchers deal with difficulties that arise during the research process. Originality/value: This article presents how methodological issues not provided for in the research design proposed by the GT were overcome during the data collection and analysis phases. Design/methodology/approach: The article is based on research that aimed to understand the aging of executive women. In this article, the main codes, categories, and subcategories that emerged during the develop ment of the field research were exposed. In addition, we present the pro gress of theoretical sampling and the use of specific GT techniques, such as the flip-flop technique and the progress of the research question. Findings: As a practical implication, the article contributes to researchers who intend to use the GT, insofar they can take the step by step of using the method, as well as anticipating possible difficulties to be faced in the design of the research.

Implications for multinational enterprises from emerging market subsidiaries’ reverse knowledge transfer

“…Next, we reflected on the data by extracting important information from the dataset and then we compared the codes with the memos, looking for similarities, differences, frequent occurrences, sequences and connections (Easterby-Smith et al, 2018) to develop themes and thus conceptualize the information. We developed five themes to describe the important issues of the study phenomenon (Martin & Eisenhardt, 2010;Cepellos & Tonelli, 2020); the role of PC and subsidiary in RKT, RKT communication channel, RKT constraints, factors alleviating RKT process constraints and implications of RKT for MNEs.…”

“…, 2018) to develop themes and thus conceptualize the information. We developed five themes to describe the important issues of the study phenomenon (Martin & Eisenhardt, 2010; Cepellos & Tonelli, 2020); the role of PC and subsidiary in RKT, RKT communication channel, RKT constraints, factors alleviating RKT process constraints and implications of RKT for MNEs.…”

Risking Sustainability: Political Risk Culture as Inhibiting Ecology-Centered Sustainability

“…As described earlier, I am interested in how companies communicate political risk and sustainability, whether these two concepts are siloed or integrated, and if siloed, how we can understand this practice. In order to do so, I employed a grounded theory approach through which I explored the materials based on the assumptions that arose while first looking at the materials rather than coming into the project with a predetermined set of criteria (e.g., see Cepellos and Tonelli 2020;Kratochwil 2019). When treating the materials as representative of risk analysis more broadly rather than as individual company documents, I began to see that political risk and sustainability were often being siloed and treated separately.…”