Leadership has become a buzzword in today’s age. It has received a prominent position in research. The hunt for leadership is an endless process, which makes it more challenging. There is an indispensable need for further research and refinements in the field of leadership. There are some core characteristics of leadership. The most important is entrepreneurial skills and behaviours of a leader. These behaviours are characterized by solving problems in a creative way, creating opportunity, coping with uncertainty, and personal commitment and motivation to make things happen.
My prospective research theme possibly may be entrepreneurial leadership. Where my research interest could be women entrepreneurship and the possible research topic may ‘Women entrepreneurship in Pakistan- A road never built or Women entrepreneurship- motivational factors in developing and developed countries.
Carrying out research is a challenging process and requires efforts. where theme of research is directly related or based on knowledge creator interest and understandings. The most challenging part of research is selection of methodological approach that best suits one’s research. So it becomes inevitable to understand the available research methodological approaches and select the most congenial approach. Here I put my research theme in four different approaches and will evolve the best approach that fulfils my research requirements and better understanding of the particular research methodological approach based on the research rationale. This prospective research thesis have three rationale purposes: a. Understanding the factors and dynamics that drive or deter women entrepreneurship. b. exposing those forces and challenges in women entrepreneurship. c. Render theoretical hypothesis for booming women entrepreneurship. Reaching to research goals I will interact with all close stakeholders as the research will be based on causes and effects, so the best fit methodological approach starts with grounded theory.
1. Grounded Theory
A scientific branch, based on the idea of systematically collecting and analysing data from the study area instead of starting from “grand theories”; mainly associated with the analytical view or the systems view.
In my proposed theme of research grounded theory approach can be followed. Where new areas can be explored and new theories can be developed based on non-quantitative data by following inductive approach. The inductive approach in this case can be helpful in exploring stakeholders stances of women entrepreneurship, issues they face and strategies for future development of women entrepreneurship. The result may become sets of cause-effect relations or systems structures. The exploratory research involves in this study is compatible to inductive research methods. The theory was developed by two sociologists Anselm Strauss and Barney Glaser (Glaser & Strauss 1967; Strauss 1987 ; Glaser 1978, 1992). They attempted to go further than simply describing social phenomena in natural settings, and to develop theory based on analysing relationships and interactions among various components of a given social setting (Brower 1995). Using this research methodology is to derive theory from data. Such a theory represents more reality than theory derived from speculation and contemplation. Hence, grounded theories, as they are drawn from data, are likely to offer insight, increase understanding and provide a meaningful guide to action (Strauss & Corbin 1998). It generally consists of three stages: data collection, three-step coding procedures, and gaining closure (Strauss and Corbin 1998).
As the nature of this study is to be exploratory based on the research questions it will answer, therefore grounded theory can be taken in to considerations for the study. Grounded analysis allows observations of human interactions in different social patterns, systems, processes, situations and challenges, and thus suits to answer “How” and “what” questions in a meaningful way. I’m also aware of the fact that for grounded analysis to be more effective I need to focus to receive premier understanding and knowledge for inductive research methods.
There are three main approaches to grounded theory analysis. First approach is an open-ended process with flexibility relying on constant comparison and inductive analysis in order to discover theory. The theory is supposed to be fully grounded on data based on constant comparative method. The second approach for grounded theory is to incorporate the idea of socially evolved reality in to grounded analysis. The third approach Strauss and Corbin (1998) proposed three stages of coding activities as the core of grounded analysis: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. It starts with an open ended process and considered as the first stage to “open up the text and expose the thoughts, ideas, and meanings contained there” (Strauss and Corbin 1998: 102). These ideas, concept and codes are characterized in groups such as native or vivo and sociological codes. Where native codes shows thoughts and expressions those are unique to the settings. Researchers use these terms in analysis when they are important and define unique notions that could not be explained easily in day to day language. Sociological codes are “concepts taken from social science literature or terms that analysts invent to describe the behavioural and social phenomena that they observe” (Brower & Jeong 2008: p 829).
In the second stage that is called axial coding is “the process of relating categories to their subcategories, receives its name axial because coding occurs around the axis of a category, linking categories at the level of properties and dimensions”. Strauss and Corbin (1998: 123). Axial coding is basically employing and reassembling the code to a specific group or category to describe the relationship in a particular phenomenon. Brower and Jeong (2008: 828) proposed, “if open coding is about breaking down or fragmenting the data, in axial coding we begin to reassemble the categories and, more importantly, begin assembling relationships among the categories we have created in open coding.” After doing this we move to the third and final stage of selective coding. In this stage a theory is emerged and refined based on integrating different element of grounded theory and produce the final results and information i.e. the main theme of the research. According to Strauss and Corbin (1998: 156) refining the theory “consists of reviewing the scheme of internal consistency and for gaps in logics, filling in poorly developed categories and trimming the excess ones, and validating the scheme.”
To sum it up grounded theory starts with some pre-understanding and formulating research question and early concepts. Then it comes the designing method for collecting date e.g. interviews. After data collection the researcher analyse the data. This process allows researcher to start generating theory in relation to his/her question. Based on the developed and initial theory the sample is designed that is called theoretical sampling. The process to collect and analyse data and engage it in a theoretical sampling process are vital features of constant comparative analysis. This comparative process continues until the researcher reaches to vividness. Here comes a point where the data unable to produce new ideas and insights. This process of analysing data also involves three stages of coding i.e. open coding, axial and selective coding. Coding is followed by the final reporting and descriptions.