Volume 4, Issue no. 3, June 2005

                                     GT Review vol.4 issue 3    ←  

 Volume 4, Issue no. 3, June 2005

Basic Social Processes   Barney G. Glaser with the assistance of Judith Holton

The goal of grounded theory is to generate a theory that accounts for a pattern of behavior that is relevant and problematic for those involved. The goal is not voluminous description, nor clever verification.  As with all grounded theory, the generation of a basic social process (BSP) theory occurs around a core category.

While a core category is always present in a grounded research study, a BSP may not be. BSPs are ideally suited to generation by grounded theory from qualitative research because qualitative research can pick up process through fieldwork that continues over a period of time. BSPs are a delight to discover and formulate since they give so much movement and scope to the analyst’s perception of the data. BSPs such as cultivating, defaulting, centering, highlighting or becoming, give the feeling of process, change and movement over time.   They also have clear, amazing general implications; so much so, that it is hard to contain them within the confines of a single substantive study. The tendency is to refer to them as a formal theory without the necessary comparative development of formal theory. They are labeled by a “gerund”(“ing”) which both stimulates their generation and the tendency to over-generalize them.

In this paper, we shall first discuss the search for, and criteria of, core variables and how they relate to BSPs. Then we go on to a section on several central characteristics of basic social processes. Lastly, we discuss the relative merits of unit vs. process sociology.

 

Adventuring: A grounded theory discovered through the analysis of science teaching and learning   Katrina M. Maloney

The grounded theory of adventuring, derived from the substantive area of science teaching and learning, explains both why scientific thinking is an evolutionarily important trait and illustrates a common thread throughout a variety of teaching and learning behaviors. The core concept of adventuring incorporates the categories of exploring, mavericking, and acquiring and applying skills that are the hallmarks of positive science education. Learning science is difficult due to the higher order cognitive skills required. This study explains how we could be teaching and learning science in a way for which our brains are best suited, and in ways that reach all learners, and encourages the use of adventuring in all classrooms.

Doing Best for Children: An emerging grounded theory of parents’ policing strategies to regulate between meal snacking Ruth Freeman, Richard Ekins & Michele Oliver

Changes in children’s lifestyle from structured family meals to unstructured between meal sugar snacking has been recognised as a risk factor in childhood obesity.  Parental insights into children’s between meal snacking and their experiences of regulation are important if an understanding of sugar snacking is to be gained in the field of childhood obesity.  The aim of this study was to use grounded theory techniques to analyze the qualitative data obtained from participants and to generate an emerging theory of snack regulation.  A series of focus groups with parents and their children were conducted.  Data were analysed using grounded theory techniques.  The core category that emerged from the data was ‘doing best’.  Parents used the behavioural strategy of policing as a consequence of doing best.  Parents had to balance time availability, disposable income, energy levels, parental working patterns and family life with the child’s food wishes and social needs.  Balancing such contextual constraints influenced the style of policing.

 

Managing Collaborative Synergy in the Crane Industry Keith Ng Y.N.

This study explores the key factors vital to Principal-Distributor Collaboration (PDC) in the context of the crane industry in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. It explains the social processes that Principals use to address differing interests throughout the course of the PDC.

Applying Glaser’s (Glaser, 1978, 1992, 1998, 2001) emergent approach to grounded theory, 150 interviews were conducted with 50 participants from these countries. The main professional concern of participants throughout the course of the PDC was the need to achieve corporate objectives, within a certain time frame, whilst also having to rely on the cooperation of key managers from the partnering firm. Key decision makers continuously resolve their professional concern through the social process of Managing Collaborative Synergy (MCS). The theory of MCS suggests that the way in which Principal firms manage the PDC is by giving attention to the three interdependent dimensions of Competitiveness Initiating, Confidence Building and Conformance Setting.

 

The Grounded Theory Bookshelf Alvita Nathaniel

                                      GT Review vol.4 issue 3

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