A brief teaching note on the thematic analysis for dissertation project works

A brief teaching note on the thematic analysis for dissertation project works (information from perplexity.ai)

My question: "Briefly highlight the main ideas on the rationale, the main application domain and usage steps of thematic analysis in the MBA and Housing Studies dissertation project works."

The reply: "Thematic analysis is a qualitative research method used to systematically organize and analyze complex qualitative data by identifying patterns or themes that emerge from the data. Its rationale lies in its flexibility, accessibility, and transparency, making it suitable for exploring complex research questions across various fields, including MBA and Housing Studies dissertations. The approach can be used inductively (themes emerge from the data itself) or deductively (themes are guided by existing theory or literature).

Rationale

Thematic analysis provides a rigorous yet flexible way to interpret qualitative data deeply and meaningfully. It allows researchers to explore participants' views, experiences, and opinions by identifying overarching thematic patterns. This makes it particularly beneficial in dissertations aimed at understanding subjective or social phenomena, such as organizational behavior in MBA projects or housing issues in Housing Studies.

Main Application Domain in MBA and Housing Studies

In MBA dissertations, thematic analysis is often applied to analyze interview transcripts, focus group discussions, or textual data related to management practices, leadership, decision-making, or organizational culture. In Housing Studies, it is used to explore lived experiences, social issues, policy impacts, or perceptions related to housing conditions, urban development, or social housing.

Usage Steps

The commonly followed steps of thematic analysis (based on Braun and Clarke's approach) are:

1. Familiarization with Data: Immersing oneself by reading and re-reading data to gain a holistic understanding.

2. Generating Initial Codes: Systematically coding interesting features across the data set.

3. Searching for Themes: Sorting codes into potential themes that represent meaningful patterns.

4. Reviewing Themes: Refining themes for coherence and distinctiveness, ensuring they accurately represent the data.

5. Defining and Naming Themes: Clearly articulating what each theme captures and naming them.

6. Producing the Report: Writing the final analysis linking themes back to research questions and literature.

This stepwise process helps ensure transparency and rigor in qualitative analysis, applicable across diverse research topics in MBA and Housing Studies dissertations."

A useful video to study: thematic analysis.

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.