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GROUNDED AND ETHNOGRAPHY DESIGN
Grounded and Ethnography Design
Sylvester Lawrence
Liberty University
BUSI815
Dr. Katheryn Meagher
Aug 3, 2025
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Abstract
This study examines the use of grounded theory and ethnography to analyze factors affecting
the persistence and withdrawal of business doctoral students. Grounded theory is an inductive
method that supports the development of theories through ongoing data collection and
analysis, making it suitable for investigating complex or less examined topics. Ethnography,
derived from anthropology, focuses on studying cultures and social settings through direct
interaction with participants. The research aims to establish a grounded theory describing the
social and psychological elements influencing doctoral retention in business programs. By
analyzing doctoral students' experiences and interpretations within institutional and cultural
frameworks, the study seeks to offer insights into effective support measures. Methodological
challenges, including determining saturation in grounded theory and recognizing cultural details
in ethnography, are managed using practices such as memo writing, peer debriefing, and ethical
protocols. The results are intended to clarify the factors influencing doctoral students’ academic
experiences and suggest ways to support their continued enrollment and achievement.
Key words: grounded, ethnography, doctoral, students, challenges, purpose
Introduction
The persistence and withdrawal of business doctoral students is a topic of interest
because it affects academic and professional fields. Examining the factors that influence
whether doctoral students continue or discontinue their studies can offer educational
institutions information relevant to student retention. This research uses grounded theory and
ethnography to examine the social and psychological processes affecting doctoral students.
Grounded theory involves formulating theories through ongoing data collection and analysis,
making it appropriate for complex or under-researched areas. Ethnography, derived from
anthropology, focuses on studying cultures and social environments through direct participant
engagement. By integrating these methodologies, this study seeks to identify the mechanisms
influencing doctoral students' persistence and withdrawal, with the goal of informing support
strategies.
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Description of Grounded Theory
Grounded theory is a qualitative research methodology focused on developing new
theories grounded in data collected from participants who have experienced a process
(Shrestha, 2024). Grounded theory employs an inductive methodology in which data collection
and analysis are conducted concurrently, facilitating the emergence of theories through
continuous comparison and purposeful sampling (Creswell & Poth, 2024). Furthermore,
Creswell and Poth (2024) stated that rather than testing established hypotheses, grounded
theory constructs theoretical frameworks directly from the data, with ongoing data gathering
and analysis refining the resulting insights. The approach compares data, samples until
saturation, and records insights into theory development.
It is ideal for studying complex or under-researched topics, creating new frameworks,
understanding participant views, prioritizing processes, and adapting to changing research
questions (Tomaszewski et al, 2020). A primary feature is the concurrent processing of data
collection and analysis; this approach enables ongoing refinement of the research in response
to emerging findings. Additionally, data is constantly compared to identify similarities and
differences, allowing the development of categories and concepts to occur (Tomaszewski et al,
2020).
Ethnography Design
Ethnography is a qualitative research methodology developed from anthropology,
emphasizing the study of cultures, groups, or social environments from an insider’s viewpoint
(Creswell & Poth 2024). Its principal objective is to gain in-depth understanding of the social
meanings, practices, and behaviors within a specific community or context by engaging directly
with participants in their natural settings (Lim, 2024). Researchers immerse themselves in the
community for long periods, joining daily activities to gain deeper insight. Additionally,
researchers collect detailed descriptions of behaviors, interactions, and cultural norms through
interviews and detailed field notes (Lim, 2024).
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This approach is particularly well-suited for investigating cultural practices,
contextspecific behaviors, and complex social processes, as it facilitates the generation of
detailed and nuanced descriptions that prioritize participant perspectives (Lim, 2024). It enables
researchers to comprehensively understand the meanings and experiences of the group under
study (Lim, 2024). This design is suitable when exploring cultural practices and social norms.
Additionally, ethnography enables researchers to examine the world through the perspectives
of participants, making it an effective approach for comprehending their interpretations and
lived experiences (Raj et al, 2024).
Challenges
Grounded theory researchers encounter significant challenges in discerning when
categories have reached saturation and when the emerging theory is adequately thorough
(Creswell & Poth, 2024). It is important for the researcher to recognize that the primary result of
the study is a theory developed from data, rather than simply the absence of new concepts. The
data should have specific components: a core phenomenon, casual conditions, strategies,
conditions on context, and consequences (Creswell & Poth, 2024). Strategies to address these
challenges include extensive memo writing for reflexivity, peer debriefing, strategic theoretical
sampling, and clearly defining saturation criteria (Ide & Beddoe, 2023). Additional challenges
surround the avoidance of bias and maintaining objectivity during research. Grounded theory
involves the development of new theories from data and researchers may unintentionally
influence the process through assumptions (Ide & Beddoe, 2023). Researchers can eliminate
this by using memo writing to reflect personal biases and decision-making throughout the
process and continually questioning and documenting how personal perspectives might
influence the analysis.
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Ethnography
The challenge lies within the lack of understanding of the concept and what is needed to
obtain authentic research. Researchers should recognize that culture is a core concept in this
theory, understand cultural anthropology, social-cultural systems, and common cultural study
concepts (Creswell & Poth, 2024). To help eliminate these issues, researchers should build
rapport, respect cultural norms, show genuine interest, start observation with minimal
intrusion, and use gatekeepers to gain access and approval (Schmid et al, 2024). Additionally,
ethnography requires the researcher to pay close attention to ethical issues. Issues such as
respect, reciprocity, deciding who owns the data are essential to the process (Creswell & Poth,
2024). Researchers are expected to clearly articulate the objectives of their studies, foster a
constructive relationship with participants, and exercise caution to avoid misleading informants
during information gathering (Creswell & Poth, 2024).
Problem Statement
Despite widely recognized high attrition rates among business doctoral students, little is
known about the social and contextual factors shaping their persistence or withdrawal. Existing
research offers limited understanding of how these students handle academic challenges,
institutional support, and personal motivations. To address this gap, this study aims to develop a
grounded theory explaining the processes influencing doctoral retention in business
programmes, with the goal of informing effective support strategies.
Research Question
Grounded Theory Research Question
What are the social and psychological processes that influence business doctoral
students’ decisions to persist or withdraw from their programs?
Ethnography Research Question
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How do business doctoral students experience and interpret their journey through the
doctoral program within their institutional and cultural context?
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this grounded theory study is to understand the social and psychological
processes that in influence business school doctoral students’ decision to persist or withdraw
from their programs. This study aims to generate a substantive theory that explains how these
processes interact and impact students' persistence, with the goal of informing strategies to
support doctoral students throughout their academic journey. At this stage in the research, the
central phenomenon is to identify what the decision-making process or emotional journey may
be for a doctoral student as they navigate challenges in the pursuit of completing a business
doctoral degree.
Conclusion
This study used grounded theory and ethnography to examine factors influencing
business doctoral students’ persistence and withdrawal. Grounded theory enabled the
development of theories from ongoing data analysis, while ethnography provided insights into
students’ experiences in their institutional and cultural settings. Results underscore the
significance of addressing both social and psychological processes to boost retention and
emphasize that support strategies must be informed by students' own perspectives. The
research also outlines methodological challenges and solutions, such as memo writing and peer
debriefing. Overall, these findings offer practical recommendations for improving doctoral
student retention and suggest further research is needed to enhance support mechanisms.
References
Creswell, J. W. & Poth, C. N. (2024). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five
approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN:
9781544398396.
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Ide, Y., & Beddoe, L. (2023). Challenging perspectives: Reflexivity as a critical approach to
qualitative social work research. Qualitative Social Work.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250231173522 (Original work published 2024)
Lim, W. M. (2024). What Is Qualitative Research? An Overview and Guidelines. Australasian
Marketing Journal, 33(2), 199-229. https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582241264619
(Original work published 2025)
Raj, A., Gogoi, B., & Dutta, M. (2024). The essence of ethnography: from theory to practice. P.K.
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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386076455_THE_ESSENCE_OF_ETHNOGRA
PHY_FROM_THEORY_TO_PRACTICE
Schmid, E., Garrels, V., & Skåland, B. (2024). The continuum of rapport: Ethical tensions in
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https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941231224600 (Original work published 2024)
Shrestha, P. (2024). Grounded theory as a qualitative research method. Research Gate.
http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36446.24647
Tomaszewski, L. E., Zarestky, J., & Gonzalez, E. (2020). Planning qualitative research: Design and
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https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920967174 (Original work published 2020)
