Grounded theory and inductive ethnography : a sensible merging or a failed encounter?

Uhan, Samo (author), Malnar, Brina (author), Kurdija, Slavko (author)

In the last decade the methodology of social research has been experiencing rapid growth. In this process, an important place has increasingly been taken by qualitative research methods which have also been foregrounded in fields that a couple of decades ago were exclusively reserved for quantitative research approaches. In the last few years attempts at merging and combining research approaches have been emerging within triangulation, along with the existence of more ambitious attempts at creating the so-called reflexive methodology. Based on this premise, this paper will address two methods: grounded theory (hereinafter GT) and inductive ethnography, with each of them employing its own specific way of solving quandaries faced by researchers who use qualitative methods in their work. The aim of this paper is to examine the potential of the research complementarity of GT and inductive ethnography in the context of the merging and combining of research approaches. First, we will look for answers by reflexively examining the properties of both approachesʼ research techniques which in the concluding part of the paper will end by identifying the methodological context enabling the coherent use of the two research approaches.

• Language: English
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2013
• Number of pages: Str. 642-657, 689
• Numbering: Letn. 50, št. 3/4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-75213
• UDC: 303.022
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 32133981
• Publication date in RUL: 21.12.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

Razvoj metodologije družboslovnega raziskovanja je v zadnjem desetletju nakazal številne spremembe v razumevanju raziskovalnih pristopov, predvsem na področju združevanja kvalitativnih in kvantitativnih metod. Pristop, za katerega se je uveljavilo ime refleksivna metodologija, pa večji poudarek namenja tudi spremembam v polju kvalitativne metodologije. Članek se v tem pogledu ukvarja z dvema uveljavljenima tehnikama, utemeljeno teorijo in induktivno etnografijo, ki vsaka zase ponujata specifične rešitve za ključna raziskovalna vprašanja v okviru kvalitativne metodologije. Ambicija članka je prepoznati raziskovalni potencial, ki nastane z združevanjem obeh pristopov. Vprašanja, na katera odgovarja članek, so povezana z dilemami o smiselnosti združevanja obeh pristopov, potencialnih prednostih, ki jih združevanje prinaša, ter, na koncu, identifikaciji metodološkega konteksta, ki takšen pristop sploh omogoča.