Regular Research PaperFree Access

The Efficacy of Grounded Theory as a Methodology to Map the Strategic Behaviour of Small Organisations: A Reflexive Practitioner Evaluation

Alex Rizzo

Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Paola, Malta

E-mail Address: alex.rizzo@mcast.edu.mt

Corresponding author.

Search for more papers by this author

Ronald Aquilina

Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Paola, Malta

Search for more papers by this author

, and

Rose Falzon

Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Paola, Malta

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218495824500031Cited by:0 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

This collaborative paper aims to reflexively evaluate the versatile and comprehensive application of grounded theory, comparatively using two studies researching the strategic behaviour of small organisations within a small island state. The methodological stance adopted is that of practitioner researchers, critically analysing the research positioning and processes in two large grounded theory studies that mapped the competitive behaviours of some 100 small businesses in the small island EU state of Malta. The study evaluates grounded theory processes and actions taken in the two studies, depicting the systematic collection, comparison and analysis of the data gathered, concept generation, continuous interaction between actions and context, use of in-depth interviews combined with quantitative data, coding, mapping and categorisation of the data collected, and the use of MAXQDA as a viable software tool to carry out grounded theory. This practitioner research study comprises detailed practice-related implications for the use of grounded theory in researching small organisations, in a manner that a novice grounded theory practitioner can adopt and a manager in a small business can appreciate.

Keywords:

References

Alvesson, M. and Skoldburg, K. (2000). Reflexive Methodology. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Andrews, R., Boyne, G. and Walker, R. (2006). Strategy content and organizational performance: An empirical analysis. Public Adm. Rev. 66(1) :52–63. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Aquilina, R. (2014). IT strategizing of small firms in Malta: A grounded theory approach. DBA thesis, Robert Gordon University, Scotland. Google Scholar
Bakir, A. and Bakir, V. (2006). Unpacking complexity, pinning down the “elusiveness” of strategy. A grounded theory study in leisure and cultural organizations. Qual. Res. Organ. Manage. 1(3) :152–172. Crossref, Google Scholar
Beckinsale, M., Levy, M. and Powell, P. (2006). Exploring internet adoption drivers in SMEs. Electronic Mark. 16(4) :361–370. Crossref, Google Scholar
Beckinsale, M. J. J. and Ram, M. (2006). Delivering ICT to ethnic minority businesses: An action-research approach. Environ. Plann. C Gov. Policy 24(6) :847–867. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Birks, M. and Mills, J. (2022). Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, Los Angeles. Google Scholar
Bridge, S. and O’Neill, K. (2018). Understanding Enterprise: Entrepreneurs and Small Business, 5th edn. Red Globe Press, London. Crossref, Google Scholar
Bryant, A. and Charmaz, K. (2007). The Sage Handbook of Grounded Theory. Sage Publications, Los Angeles. Crossref, Google Scholar
Bryant, A. and Charmaz, K. (2019). The Sage Handbook of Current Developments in Grounded Theory. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Bryant, A. (2019). The Varieties of Grounded Theory. Sage Publications, London. Crossref, Google Scholar
Chandler, A. (1962). Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the History of American Industrial Enterprise. MIT Press, Cambridge. Google Scholar
Chao, C. and Chandra, A. (2012). Impact of owner’s knowledge of information technology (IT) on strategic alignment and IT adoption in US small firms. J. Small Bus. Enterp. Dev. 19(1) :114–131. Crossref, Google Scholar
Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory. A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis, 2nd edn. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Charmaz, K. and Thornberg, R. (2021). The pursuit of quality in grounded theory. Qual. Res. Psychol. 18(3) :305–327. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Chong, S. (2004). Electronic commerce adoption by small and medium sized enterprises in Australia: An empirical study of influencing factors. Proceedings of the 12th ECIS Conference, Turku, Finland. Google Scholar
Corbin, J. and Strauss, A. (2014). Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, 4th edn. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks. Google Scholar
Creamer, E. (2022). Advancing Grounded Theory with Mixed Methods. Routledge, London. Google Scholar
Creswell, J. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches, 2nd edn. Sage Publications, Los Angeles. Google Scholar
Curran, J. and Blackburn, R. (2001). Researching the Small Enterprise. Sage Publications, London. Crossref, Google Scholar
Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. (2008). Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, Los Angeles. Google Scholar
Elliott, N. and Lazenbatt, A. (2005) How to recognize a ‘quality’ grounded theory research study. Aust. J. Adv. Nurs. 22(3) :48–52. Crossref, Google Scholar
Etherington, K. (2016). Personal experience and critical reflexivity in counselling and psychotherapy research. Couns. Psychother. Res. 17(2) :85–94. Crossref, Google Scholar
Falzon, R. (2011). Ethical dilemmas in therapeutic supervision: A narrative inquiry researching the Maltese context. EdD thesis, University of Bristol, UK. Google Scholar
Flick, U. (2009). An Introduction to Qualitative Research, 4th edn. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Fulford, H. and Rizzo, A. (2009). A conceptual model for the strategic orientation of small firms. J. Enterprising Cult. 17(1) :25–54. Link, Google Scholar
Gale, J. and Abraham, D. (2005). Introduction: Toward understanding e-business transformation. J. Organ. Change Manage. 18(2) :113–116. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Glaser, B. (1998). Doing Grounded Theory: Issues and Discussions. Sociology Press, CA. Google Scholar
Glaser, B. (2014). Choosing Classic Grounded Theory: A Grounded Theory Reader of Expert Advice. Sociology Press, CA. Google Scholar
Glaser, B. and Strauss, A. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Aldine, Chicago. Google Scholar
Goulding, C. (2006). Grounded Theory. A Practical Guide for Management, Business and Market Researchers. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Guba, E. G. and Lincoln, Y. (1989). Fourth Generation Evaluation. Sage Publications, CA. Google Scholar
Hambrick, D. (1984). Taxonomic approaches to studying strategy: Some conceptual and methodological issues. J. Manage. 10(1) :27–41. Web of Science, Google Scholar
Hibbert, P., Coupland, C. and MacIntosh, R. (2010). Reflexivity: Recursion and relationality in organizational research processes. Qual. Res. Organ. Manage. 5(1) :47–62. Crossref, Google Scholar
Holton, J. and Walsh, I. (2017). Classic Grounded Theory: Applications with Qualitative and Quantitative Data. Sage, Los Angeles. Crossref, Google Scholar
Karsten J. and Karen A. J. (2009). Using triangulation to validate themes in qualitative studies. Qual. Res. Organ. Manage. 4(2) :123–150. Crossref, Google Scholar
Kelle, U. (2005). ”Emergence” vs. “forcing” of empirical data? A crucial problem of “grounded theory” reconsidered. Forum: Qual. Social Res. 6(2) :27. Google Scholar
Levy, M., Powell, P. and Yetton, P. (2011). Contingent dynamics of IS strategic alignment in small and medium-sized enterprise. J. Syst. Inf. Technol. 13(2) :106–124. Crossref, Google Scholar
Locke, K. (2001). Grounded Theory in Management Research. Sage Publications, Los Angeles. Google Scholar
Lumpkin, G. and Dess, G. (1996). Clarifying the entrepreneurial orientation construct and linking it to performance. Acad. Manage. Rev. 21(1) :135–172. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Martin, P. Y. and Turner, B. A. (1986). Grounded theory and organizational research. J. Appl. Behav. Sci. 22(2) :141–157. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
McLeod, J. (2001). Qualitative Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Sage Publications, CA. Crossref, Google Scholar
McMahon, R. (2001). Deriving an empirical development taxonomy for manufacturing SMEs using data from Australia’s business longitudinal survey. Small Bus. Econ. 17(3) :197–212. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Miles, R. E. and Snow, C. (1978). Organizational Strategy, Structure and Process. McGraw Hill Book Company, New York. Google Scholar
Mintzberg, H. (2007). Tracking Strategies. Towards a General Theory. University Press, Oxford. Google Scholar
Morse, J., Bowers, B., Charmaz, K., Clarke, A., Corbin, J., Porr, C. and Stern P. (2021). Developing Grounded Theory: The Second Generation Revisited, 2nd edn. Routledge, London. Crossref, Google Scholar
Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative Research Evaluation Methods, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, CA. Google Scholar
Pinsonneault, T. (2011). Competing perspectives on the link between strategic IT alignment and organizational agility: Insights from a mediation model. MIS Q. 35(2) :463–486. Crossref, Google Scholar
Polanyi, M. (1966). The Tacit Dimension. Routledge, London. Google Scholar
Porter, M. (1980). Competitive Strategy. Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. The Free Press, New York. Google Scholar
Punch, K. (2016). Developing Effective Research Proposals, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Rubin, H. and Rubin, I. (2012). Qualitative Interviewing. The Art of Hearing Data, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, CA. Google Scholar
Runyan, R., Droge, C. and Swinney, J. (2008). Entrepreneurial orientation versus small business orientation: What are their relationships to firm performance? J. Small Bus. Manage. 46(4) :567–588. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2016). Research Methods for Business Students, 7th edn. Pearson, Harlow. Google Scholar
Silverman, D. (2009). Doing Qualitative Research, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Smith, S. (2006). Encouraging the use of reflexivity in the writing up of qualitative research. Int. J. Ther. Rehabil. 13(5) :209–215. Crossref, Google Scholar
Stern, P. (2007). On solid ground: Essential properties for growing grounded theory. The Sage Handbook of Grounded Theory, eds. A. Bryant and K. Charmaz . Sage Publications, Los Angeles, pp. 114–126. Crossref, Google Scholar
Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1997). Grounded Theory in Practice. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research. Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar
Street, C. T., Gallupe, R. B. and Reich, B. H. (2010). Predicting patterns of information systems alignment in entrepreneurial organizations. AMCIS 2010 Proceedings, Paper 156. Google Scholar
Tallon, P. and Pinsonneault, A. (2011). Competing perspectives on the link between strategic IT alignment and organizational agility: Insights from a mediation model. MIS Q. 35(2) :463–486. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Tie, Y., Birks, M. and Francis, K. (2019). Grounded theory research: A design framework for novice researchers. Sage Open Med. 7 :1–8. Google Scholar
Tracy, S. (2010). Qualitative quality: Eight big-tent criteria for excellent qualitative research. Qual. Inq. 16(10) :837–851. Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Wosket, V. (1999). The Therapeutic Use of Self: Counselling Practice, Research and Supervision. Routledge, London. Google Scholar
Yin, R. (2008). Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 4th edn. Sage Publications, London. Google Scholar