Profiling grounded theory approaches in information systems research

Abstract

Studies claiming to use the Grounded theory methodology (GTM) have been quite prevalent in information systems (IS) literature. A cursory review of this literature reveals conflict in the understanding of GTM, with a variety of grounded theory approaches apparent. The purpose of this investigation was to establish what alternative grounded theory approaches have been employed in IS, and to what extent each has been used. In order to accomplish this goal, a comprehensive set of IS articles that claimed to have followed a grounded theory approach were reviewed. The articles chosen were those published in the widely acknowledged top eight IS-centric journals, since these journals most closely represent exemplar IS research. Articles for the period 1985-2008 were examined. The analysis revealed four main grounded theory approaches in use, namely (1) the classic grounded theory approach, (2) the evolved grounded theory approach, (3) the use of the grounded theory approach as part of a mixed methodology, and (4) the application of grounded theory techniques, typically for data analysis purposes. The latter has been the most common approach in IS research. The classic approach was the least often employed, with many studies opting for an evolved or mixed method approach. These and other findings are discussed and implications drawn.