I'd recommend reading some stuff on an abductive approach, particularly Making sense of qualitative data: Complementary research strategies by Coffey and Atkinson (1996).

An abductive approach is exploratory but is usually guided by existing theoretical frameworks and knowledge, but is not testing these frameworks or trying to fit your findings into preexisting theoretical frameworks. Instead, it's challenging them, and there's room for theoretical contributions.

Differs from inductive in that you're not going in with no preconceptions, your research is guided by a preexisting framework.

Hello,

Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis: A Hybrid Approach of Inductive and Deductive Coding and Theme Development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5, 1.

Article Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis: A Hybrid Approa...

Lapadat, J. C. (2010). Thematic Analysis. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research.

http://sk.sagepub.com/reference/download/casestudy/n342.pdf

Is there anything of help here?

Very best wishes,

Mary

I also recommend Fereday and Muir-Cochrane's "hybrid approach," because it allows you to begin the coding process with a pre-determined coding system, but also to update that coding system as you encounter new content during the coding process.

Note that Braun & Clarke (2006) explicitly allowed for the use of a "deductive" approach to Thematic Analysis that begins with a pre-determined coding system, but all the examples I have ever see them give in their work are based on inductively producing the coding system by reading the data.

Jamie Thompson, Mary C R Wilson and David L Morgan,

thank you very much for your answer. My apologies for the late reply, unfortunately, my email alerts were turned off and I just noticed your answers. I now decided to opt for an abductive approach. The hybrid approach paper was extremly helpful in guiding my argumentation. Thank you all!