Discovery Logic and Grounded Theory Approach to Qualitative Research

Speaker
Karen Locke
W. Brooks George Professor of Business Administration, College of William and Mary

When
-

Where
Newell-Simon Hall 1305 (Michael Mauldin Auditorium)

Description

Pick up a qualitative research article in the domain of management and organization studies, and the probability is high that you will find a citation to Glaser and Strauss (1967). Their work, The Discovery of Grounded Theory, is a familiar landmark to most researchers who perform and/or who read qualitative studies. Perhaps because it is widely cited, it is through the idea of grounded theory that many quantitatively trained researchers gain their introduction to qualitative methods. Despite its pervasive presence, there is not a good understanding of the specific procedures underlying the approach and the way that these relate to grounded theory’s discovery logic. This talk outlines grounded theory’s key operational procedures within the context of a logic of discovery, highlighting the character of misunderstandings often associated with them.

Speaker's Bio

Karen Locke, Ph.D., is W. Brooks George Professor of Business Administration at the College of William and Mary’s school of business. She joined the faculty there in 1989 after earning her Ph. D. in organizational behavior from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Locke’s work focuses on developing a sociology of knowledge in organizational studies and on the use of qualitative research for the investigation of organizational phenomena. Her work appears in journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Organizational Research Methods, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Management Inquiry, and Studies in Organization, Culture and Society. And, she has authored Grounded Theory In Management Research and co-authored Composing Qualitative Research, both books published by Sage. She is recipient of the 2003 Robert McDonald Award for the Advancement of Research Methodology from the Academy of Management Research Methods Division. Her current work continues her interest in the processes of qualitative researching and focuses on exploring and explicating their creative and imaginative dimensions. Dr. Locke has served as an associate action editor for Organizational Research Methods and is a member of the editorial board Academy of Management Journal. She recently served on the Academy of Management Board of Governors.

Host
Sara Kiesler