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The paper will concentrate on the Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM) from the point of view of the contemplative social sciences (CSS). It will analyze how the mind is engaged in the construction of concept and what the role is of the consciousness of the mind's work in creating a theory that is based on the analysis of empirical data. We will review the research and analytical methods that could be inspirations for Contemplative Grounded Theory (CGT): constructivist grounded theory, classic grounded theory, transformational grounded theory, sociological introspection, holistic ethnography, mindful inquiry and transformational phenomenology, and contemplative qualitative inquiry.

We can find in many classical books from grounded theory (GT) some seeds of contemplative thinking, and we can reconstruct them (Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Glaser, 1978; Strauss, 1987). We would like to develop the inspirations more and perhaps change the sense of GT after the contemplative turn. We would like to show the possibilities of using CGT in research and also its limitations. Some empirical examples from research and analysis will be given to show how contemplation could be used in GT.

Grounded theory (GT) is an inductive paradigm-based research method that focuses more on data depth and quality than the generalizability of results to a broader population and is substantially different from conventional hypothetico-deductive research approaches. GT has become a popular research approach in several social science fields including tourism and hospitality. By reviewing the development of GT and its associated philosophical underpinning, this chapter compares three widely used GT approaches advocated by Glaser (Classical GT), Strauss and Corbin (Straussian GT), and Charmaz (Constructivist GT). Given the various interpretations and approaches to GT, this chapter therefore offers an overview of the key distinguishing characteristics of these approaches to GT so as to facilitate more thoughtful approach selection in keeping with philosophical positions, research questions, and research objectives. This chapter then proposes a step-by-step guideline of the application of this method through an illustrative example in tourism. The chapter concludes with a critical reflection on this widely used qualitative research method and considers possible future developments.

In this chapter honouring Professor Kathy Charmaz, her scholarship and her mentorship, I explore the impact of her work on my thinking and research. Specifically, I focus on the translation of her constructivist principles into my, and others', grounded theory methodological practice. Following the introduction, the chapter commences with a reflection upon coming across constructivist grounded theory (CGT) for the first time almost 20 years ago, and my excitement at finding a methodology that so well aligned with my social justice-oriented research. Already ‘seduced’ by (classical) grounded theory, I had been uncomfortable and wrestling with its problematic philosophical underpinnings, and Kathy's work provided an intriguing solution. This section also briefly reviews CGT's main features, including Kathy's central emphasis on critical reflexivity, interpretation and context, the researcher–participant relationship and the co-construction of knowledge with participants, whilst maintaining a focus on conceptual development. In Section Three, I examine the ‘translation’ of Kathy's constructivist principles into my and others' reflexive grounded theory methodological practice, focusing particularly on issues of researcher positionality/ies and participant involvement. I also consider the ways in which I am further extending these ideas in my ongoing CGT research, including in relation to researcher self-disclosure. In the concluding section, I observe that Kathy's scholarship not only put grounded theory on a new epistemological basis but also established constructivist GT's axiological foundation. I end with a reflection upon the legacy of her ‘curiosity and wonder’ as a scholar of the social world, her legendary mentorship and her generosity of spirit.

This paper seeks to develop a conceptual model that enables understanding of consumer purchase decisions in relation to the first customized products, including steps of the decision process, determinants, and consequences of each step.

The classic grounded theory approach was used.

The study found that the process consists of six steps called knowledge learning and preliminary information searching, problem recognition, budget setting, detailed information searching and solution creating, purchase involvement, and use and post‐purchase. The process is distinct from the process of traditional models of consumer decision mainly from three aspects: the process starting from “knowledge learning and information searching”, not from “problem recognition”, while “problem recognition” is the second step; information searched in the process mainly on components of products, with little on products; and the process includes a step “solution creating”, but without steps “alternative evaluation” and “choice”. The consequences of the first step consist of knowledge mastered, market information acquired, pre‐decisions, perceived value of customized PC, positive attitude towards customized PC, and self‐confidence, which are the main determinants of the following steps. Besides these determinants, others included are interest, curiosity, work with computers as tools, sources of knowledge and information on PC, and income.

The study provides a foundation for future quantitative research on determinants of consumers' purchasing the first customized products and provides insights into marketing: for example, target consumers of customized PC are characterized at least by having great self‐confidence in their capability to make an effective decision in purchasing customized PC, and having mastered enough PC knowledge.

Across a variety of domains, consumers are demanding increased customized products. While consumer decision making has become a prominent research topic in various fields of marketing and consumer science over the past decades, surprisingly little research has examined consumer purchase decisions in relation to the first customized personal computer (PC) and factors influencing such a process. The study may fill this gap.

Anselm is perhaps best known for creating the grounded theory method with Barney G. Glaser. The Discovery of Grounded Theory was a cutting-edge book that fueled the qualitative revolution. I agree – strongly – with Norm Denzin and Yvonna Lincoln (1994, p. ix) that a qualitative revolution has taken place in the United States. The Discovery book arrived on the sociological scene at just the right time. Quantitative research had become systematic and quantitative researchers saw their work as “scientific.” The worship of a narrow conception of science abounded. By the time Anselm studied at Chicago, qualitative scholars had moved from life histories to case studies and established a rich ethnographic tradition that shaped Chicago School sociology in the 1940s. Yet, by the time Barney and Anselm wrote The Discovery of Grounded Theory in 1967, quantification was becoming entrenched as “the” sociological method. The ethnographic tradition was losing ground.

The purpose of this paper is to posit a hierarchical classification of enactments, practices and virtues that comprise an emerging adaptive leadership response to the prevailing volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) conditions.

Reports and discusses the findings of two neo-classical grounded theory research studies to theorise augmented leadership repertoires for VUCA worlds. The first study was conducted with eight large regional and multinational organisations in Australia. The second is an on going, longitudinal study undertaken with 18 regional, national and multinational organisations in New Zealand.

The first neo-classical grounded theory study in Australia identifies a set of emerging leadership practices labelled, “Zeitgeist – Integrating Cognition, Conscience and Collective Spirit”, as part of such a repertoire. The preliminary results of the second neo-classical grounded theory research extension in New Zealand, results in the further grounded theorising of the ensemble leadership repertoire (ELR), which is an emerging and hierarchical classification of leadership enactments, practices and virtues for prevailing times. The classification is robust because of its methodological similarities and conceptual congruence with other emerging and well-accepted classifications like, for example, character strengths in positive psychology.

The grounded theorising provides a core category of the ELR which has its origins in substantive context. It lists 93 enactments inducted from leaders’ key phrases. These enactments in turn aggregate in relational sets through the process of constant comparison to describe 14 practices, which in sets of dyads and triads describe the five zeitgeist leadership virtues of being present, being good, being in touch, being creative and being global.

The purpose of this paper is to take conceptual and methodological steps towards the elaboration of the critical grounded theory (CGT) method.

Starting from conceptual issues with mapping everyday discourses and practices in their broader societal context in organisational ethnography, cultural political economy (CPE) is proposed as a suitable theoretical framework for integrating the cultural dimension of discourses and imaginaries into political-economic analyses of organisation and management. The CGT method is introduced for empirical operationalisation.

Grounded theory tools for working with ethnographic data can be employed within critical approaches such as CPE although they originate from positivist social science. The need to combine ethnographic fieldwork with substantial theoretical work and/or critical discourse analysis may be met by CGT, which affords the ethnographic strengths of grounded theory without, however, bracketing the critical-theoretical insights of CPE.

The usefulness of CGT has been tentatively tested, but requires thorough meta-theoretical and methodological development, which is what is undertaken here.

CGT expects and takes account of the social implications of its employment in the field.

First steps towards a new critical method for organisation and management studies are taken. Although originating from concern with CPE, the CGT method may appeal to a wider audience of critical scholars across the social sciences.

This paper aims to examine the feasibility of artificial intelligence (AI) performing as chief executive officer (CEO) in organizations.

The authors followed an explorative research design – classic grounded theory methodology. The authors conducted face-to-face interviews with 27 participants that were selected according to theoretical sampling. The sample consisted of academics from the fields of AI, philosophy and management; experts and artists performing in the field of AI and professionals from the business world.

As a result of the grounded theory process “The Vizier-Shah Theory” emerged. The theory consisted of five theoretical categories: narrow AI, hard problems, debates, solutions and AI-CEO. The category “AI as a CEO” introduces four futuristic AI-CEO models.

This study introduces an original theory that explains the evolution process of narrow AI to AI-CEO. The theory handles the issue from an interdisciplinary perspective by following an exploratory research design – classic grounded theory and provides insights for future research.

The purpose of this paper is to describe accomplishments and conundrums in a midcareer program of research with roots in the Strauss and Corbin seminars at UCSF in the early 1990s. My use of grounded theory methods in a succession of studies, all focused on family caregiving during cancer treatment, has generated theory on family caregiving skill, a phenomenon that was underconceptualized in the early 1990s. However, my successive grounded theory studies have raised a number of methodological conundrums pertaining to researcher perspective. I describe two here. First, how can a researcher develop grounded theory through successive studies without becoming so analytically enmeshed with previous study results that what gets noticed in new data is limited? Second, how strong a presence can a researcher's clinical perspective have in an analysis without violating the tenets of grounded theory? I argue that recent scholarship in grounded theory provides new ways of thinking about these conundrums.

The purpose of this study is to develop a model for business to business salesperson performance (SP) with a service ecosystems perspective.

To achieve the research aims, classical grounded theory was used. The data was gathered through in-depth interviews with 20 sales managers and main sales actors.

After coding and analyzing the data, salesperson institutional performance is introduced as a core category including three main dimensions of regulative, normative and cognitive-cultural performance. Multi-level factors determining SP are identified and performance results are introduced in a multi-level long term way. The sales actors, macro variables, actors’ orientations and sales method are introduced as circumstances, while salesperson stressors are presented as covariants deterring the fulfillment of salesperson’s activities.

This study focuses on the contributions of the salesperson in the alignment of institutional arrangements or the results of their being institutionalized, as well as determining the factors and variables affecting it.