A brief teaching note on the steps involved in the coding approach of grounded theory

A brief teaching note on the nine steps involved in the coding approach of grounded theory (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "Please describe briefly the coding approach of grounded theory in 9 steps, for part-time MBA and Housing Studies students to do their dissertation projects. Also briefly describe the main characteristics and analytical values of the deliverables produced from these 9 steps."

The reply: "The coding approach of grounded theory can be described in 9 steps suitable for part-time MBA and Housing Studies students doing dissertation projects:

1. Formulate open-ended research questions: Start with broad questions that guide initial data collection.

2. Data collection and initial coding: Collect qualitative data (interviews, observations) and start open coding by labeling data segments closely to their meaning.

3. Open coding: Break down data into discrete concepts by constant comparison of incidents, creating initial codes.

4. Theoretical sampling: Use emerging theory to guide further data collection to explore developing categories.

5. Axial coding: Compare and relate codes to each other to form categories, clarifying relationships among themes.

6. Selective coding: Integrate and refine categories, focusing on a core category that explains the main phenomenon.

7. Theoretical saturation: Continue sampling and coding until new data confirms existing theory and no new properties emerge.

8. Theoretical coding and model development: Develop a conceptual model or theory explaining how categories relate, often using existing theoretical frameworks.

9. Write grounded theory: Present a clear, integrated theory grounded in data that explains the studied social process or phenomenon.

Main Characteristics and Analytical Values of Deliverables:

• Rich, data-grounded theory: A substantive theory directly derived from participants' experiences.

• Conceptual clarity: Clear, well-defined codes and categories that explain relationships in the data.

• Core category development: A central explanatory concept capturing the main process or phenomenon.

• Theory integration: Deliverables present integrated models that explain how key categories interact.

• Iterative refinement: Analytical depth through constant comparison and memo writing ensures validity.

• Practical relevance: Theories are inductively developed and context-specific, guiding real-world understanding or action.

• Transparency: Memos and coding decisions document the researcher's analytical process.

This 9-step coding approach and its deliverables help MBA and Housing Studies students generate robust qualitative theories rooted in empirical data, suitable for complex social phenomena like consumer behavior, housing issues, or organizational processes.

This summary integrates descriptions from multiple recent grounded theory guides highlighting the cyclical and comparative nature of the method tailored for dissertation research."

My question 2: "Please describe a bit more on the following types of coding in grounded theory: open coding, axial coding, selective coding, broader category and core category."

The reply: "Here is a brief description of the types of coding in grounded theory and the concepts of broader category and core category:

Open Coding

Open coding is the initial phase of grounded theory coding. It involves a detailed, line-by-line examination of qualitative data (e.g., interview transcripts), breaking down the data into discrete parts or segments. Researchers assign codes — short labels or phrases — that capture the meaning or concept of each segment. The goal is to stay open and inductive, generating many initial codes without preconceived theories. This process helps identify a wide range of ideas and perspectives directly from the data.

Axial Coding

Axial coding follows open coding and focuses on relating codes to each other. It groups and organizes the many open codes into broader categories that represent patterns or themes in the data. Axial coding explores relationships between codes and elucidates connections, helping to build a coherent structure from fragmented codes. Essentially, it reassembles the data by connecting categories around subcategories, explaining how they interact.

Selective Coding

Selective coding is the final coding phase where the researcher narrows the analysis to one or a few central categories. It involves integrating and refining categories around a core category that explains the main research phenomenon. Selective coding connects the major themes into a unified theory, highlighting the most consequential categories and their relationships within the emerging grounded theory.

Broader Category

A broader category is a conceptual grouping formed during axial coding by clustering related open codes. It represents a theme or concept that is more abstract, encompassing individual codes under a unified idea. Broader categories help to organize fragmented data and clarify patterns underlying the coded data.

Core Category

The core category is the central, most significant category identified through selective coding. It captures the primary phenomenon or process being studied and integrates all other categories around it. The core category provides the main explanatory framework for the emerging grounded theory, guiding the story and meaning of the data as a whole.

These coding types and category concepts form the analytic backbone of grounded theory, enabling researchers to move from raw data to a coherent, data-grounded theory."

Useful videos to study in class: open, axial and selective coding.

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