The grounded theory method is founded on a view of analysis whereby the research questions and potential hypotheses are not articulated at the outset; rather, the researcher initially seeks to gain familiarity with a research context, and only in later stages does the process become progressively more focused and targeted. As such, the grounded theory method uses familiar research tools and techniques (coding, sampling, classification) but in distinctive and innovative ways. As a result, the method is one of the most widely used-if not the most widely used-method in current...

Extensively updated and with eight new chapters, this remains the definitive resource on Grounded Theory for advanced students and researchers across the social sciences.