Coding Procedure

Grounded theory analysis involves making sense of participants and objects that researchers interact with while searching for patterns and integrating the data to build a theme and eventually develop a theory. Coding is a salient tool to the grounded theory research process; mainly, there are three types of coding that are employed in the grounded theory: Open, Axial, and Selective coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). Charmaz (2006) elaborated more on coding referring it to categorising segments of data with a short name that simultaneously summarises and accounts for each piece of data and behaves as focal link between collecting data and developing an emergent theory to explain the data. So it acts as a means for selecting, separating, and sorting the data to help the researcher in the analysis stage. The subsequent section will

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Initial coding or open coding is characterised by being open to all possibility of interpretations and explore whatever theoretical possibility that could be detected in the data (Charmaz, 2006); in a sense, the grounded theories search for concepts with an open mind. Inductively new themes are to be recognised and coded to compose a so-called codebook. Moreover, this phase would require the researcher to try to stay open, remain close to the data, keep codes simple and precise, build short codes, preserve actions, and compare data with data (Charmaz, 2006). Nvivo software is found to be helpful in this open coding phase as it organises the researcher’s thoughts and helps in the comparative analysis part to build the basis of coding.

Open coding is also known as substantive coding, and it is the first level of abstraction procedure done in a grounded theory research. In this coding, collected data from different fields is conceptualized on a continuous basis. This coding is done for everything which is observed in data collected procedure, and its primary aim is to identify the problem and assess if all the data needed to resolve the problem is available or not. The problem with this type of coding procedure it gives rise to many concepts, and most of these concepts are written on the field margins. A researcher has to conduct continuous comparison between different codes developed by him during the research study and group them continuously into relevant concepts, simultaneously sharpening of the codes, sorting and discarding of redundant codes is done by GT researcher (Goulding, 2002).

Axial Coding

After building the foundations of the coding scheme, comes the grouping of the coded themes into categories and sub-categories in a process called axial coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). Creswell (2007) indicated that the main purpose of axial coding is to sort, synthesise, and organise massive amounts of data and rearrange them in a better representation that could easily be identified and categorised. In this phase, the strategy is on how the main categories and sub-categories are to be established to give a systematic approach as much as possible. Occasionally, there will be a theme that will necessitate more attention from the researcher; nonetheless, the selection of these themes has to be based on certain logic that supports the selection;

otherwise, it would be difficult to draw a conclusion and solid conceptualisation if the selection is biased. Evidently, the conceptualisation of theory and understanding of the context of the phenomenon under study are materialised in this phase.

Axial coding was proposed by Strauss and Corbin in year 1990. In this procedure codes are once examined and then they are put back in a specific manner after open coding is done. This specific method is for making connections between different categories to which codes belong. Axial coding reduced the effort of a GT researcher to a great extent and also provided theoretical base for development of a model which was later known as paradigm model. Paradigm model or coding paradigm was proposed by Strauss and Corbin in year 1990. This model has four interrelated categories involved with it namely conditions, actions, consequences and reactions). Axial coding and paradigm model are closely connected with each other. According to this

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categorized into reactions. Their impact on the subject and associated environment would be categorized in consequences (Strauss and Corbin, 1997).

Selective Coding

Selective coding is the final stage of coding where categories and sub-categories from previous coding stages are interrelated to compose the emerging theory or model (Creswell, 2007). Strauss and Corbin (1998) expounded that the process of selective coding deploys a codes selection method involving those codes that have a high correlation with the main theme and related to research question to be conceived as highly related codes.

Those codes are characterised by high frequency occurrences that will construct the core themes. After applying this process, a theory or model will emerge that best represents the data that have been gathered during the data collection.

Selective coding is the third type of coding which is done at a later stage of GT research approach. In this method core variables of the entire research study are determined first (although they are practically tentative core variables because they can change a bit at a later stage). Then according to these core variables of the research study coding is done so that they naturally enter in their respective categories. Basically, core variables of the research study guide the coding procedure and concepts are practically ignored by the researcher.

Using selective coding procedure a researcher can get the results in an exceedingly fast manner and enhances the horizons and scope of the research study. A grounded theory is not highly concerned about the accuracy of data, and it is also easily fit for the situation like abstract studies, time, place and

people related studies etc. theoretical sampling is also a deductive part of selective coding procedure, and it is generally used by abstract research studies. Older notes and records made by a researcher (open codes) are also used by selective coding procedure to go over entire research study in a rapid manner and extract relevance between codes and categories. Theoretical codes are also used by GT researchers because they act as a mode to integrate different concepts, which are broken with each other and give rise to a theory which is seamless, plausible and sensible to every reader.

Research ethics is an extremely salient issue for researchers as it preserves participants' rights as well as those of the researcher. Most researchers are guided by ethical principles from the very early stages of the study. The following section will elaborate on ethical issues in the paper under review.

3.8 Ethics

Ethics in research is a vital factor, not only does it give the authors recognition, it also preserves continuity and sequence of knowledge. Without it, a lot of history would be lost, and chaos of knowledge would be created. Ethical issues need to be considered from the very first stage of research, including the research design and data-collection stage; hence, it is an integral part of the research. Due to the importance of ethics in research, data collection, and trading, many organisations have devoted time and money to it. For example, the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) published a detailed policy regarding retrieval, exchanging, use, and processing of information.

Furthermore, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) published a research ethics framework; below are listed the six prime ethical issues that

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 Integrity and quality should be integrated part when designing, reviewing and undertaking the research.

 The purpose, methods, and intended possible uses of the research should notify the research staff. Participants should know what risk (if any involved) they will be facing. Some variation is allowed in very specific and exceptional research contexts for which detailed guidance is provided in the policy guidelines.

 Anonymity of respondents as well as the confidentiality of information provided by research participants should be respected.

 Voluntary participation (free from any obligation) is an essential aspect that should be granted to all participants involved in a research.

 Any harm that might reach research subjects should be avoided by all cost.

 Any conflicts of interest should be either fully or partially transparent to all participants and the independence of research must be clear.

(Research Ethics Framework, 2005)

Apparently, there are other principles that are also as crucial as these principles mentioned above, like for instance plagiarism and anonymity. To stress on the ethics issue in this research a letter explaining the research and its purpose will be handed to the participants. Additionally, a letter of informed consent will be filled by the participants after they read their rights. All the names in this study will be anonymous unless something needs to be disclosed. Then permission from the participant is to be extracted. The author will be recording all the interviews unless declined by the participant. Though the research nature (referring to the technology related research rather than organisational or culture research, which demand a depth knowledge about personal details of participants life) does not reflect any harm to its participants; however, the confidentiality was a main issue that was taken fully by the author. The

anonymity of participants work and their identity was respected and was not disclosed to anybody except the researcher. Codes were given to each participant to ensure the ultimate confidentiality.

The author will disclose the research methods used which is qualitative-method;

additionally, he will reveal the main source of information, mainly corporate documents and different type of interviews via telephone or face-to-face. This complies with ethics principle for showing what kind of data underpins the research and how it was collected. The study always refers to the specific organisation used in the study as ABC to abide by the anonymity principle unless permission is taken to reveal the name of the case study. Moreover, some scripts might be exposed in the article under general titles like Manager-IT; nonetheless, some of the scripts it could reveal the participant identity especially if he/she is well known to support such ideas; that will be taken in consideration.

3.9 Summary

This chapter discussed the research methodology in general and address the stance of this research to each part of methodology. It also briefly visited research criteria, types, and strategy. Afterward, it moved to discuss philosophical issues such as ontology and epistemology. Next, it explained various methods used in business researches like quantitative and qualitative.

The author has focused on this research’s stance from the philosophical stance till the data collection with justification of each selection. Final part, the researcher stressed on the prime methodology used, which was GT and its analysis techniques.

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