I am working on my PhD research proposal, which is an exploratory design. Due to the insufficient existing study on the related issue, I plan to develop hypotheses and concepts through grounded theory (from both academic & non-academic resources, including magazines and articles from notable media) to serve as the guideline for the focus group. While the transcript of the focus group will then be analysed through thematic analysis to confirm the hypotheses built from the grounded theory.
Does this appear to be appropriate?
Hi. Not an expert on these concepts, but it seems that you are overcomplicating it. If there are academic papers on the topic of interest then you can use these to inform a research question. An overview of these papers together with the rationale and study aims forms an introduction to your research. You would not generate any hypotheses as the design is qualitative (i.e., focus groups). The introduction informs your research question.
Grounded theory is a very complicated form of research study. However, it can be very stimulating. It requires hard work and due diligence. For starters, your literature review phase becomes like a mini study on its own to form the validation on why you have chosen this method. Hence ensure that you have enough comparative literature to support your hypothesis. Your data collection will also have to be very comprehensive with a multi-modal method of analysis. You may also require different datasets and analysis thereof. Focus groups alone may not suffice. Perhaps mix with further interviews and/or quantitative as well. This can ensure multiple validity. However, it is hard work, but very rewarding. I wish you best of luck.
Grounded theory involves the collection and analysis of data. The theory is “grounded” in actual data, which means the analysis and development of theories happens after you have collected the data. It was introduced by Glaser & Strauss in 1967 to legitimize qualitative research.
see this study :
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/01443571011024610/full/html
In addition to the above advice - you will also need to be clear which grounded theory approach you are utilising - classic Glaserian or constructivist (some purist grounded theorists only recognise the Glaserian approach as being grounded theory). In addition to books by Glaser and Strauss, Corbin and Strauss and Charmaz, you may find this book helpful - The Sage Handbook of Grounded Theory.
I agree with several of the others that Grounded Theory alone should be adequate for your work. In addition, using a single focus groups is problematic, because you have no idea whether the things you hear are merely unique to that one group.
You might, however, consider a focus group among your previous participants as a form of "member checking" (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
The flow chart shows that you want to test a hypothesis, and overall it appears to be a mixed-method study, and therefore it is not just an exploratory design. An exploratory design is qualitative. The intended data collection from academics and non-acedimics will be part of the exploration in the qualitative phase. If you include LR, then it can be considered as data triangulation of qualitative research. From qualitative research, you can generate a grounded theory or develop a framework or even a model. Usually, qualitative studies do not focus on hypothesis testing.
However, if you are keen to develop a hypothesis from the qualitative finding, then the suggestion is to proceed with the quantitative phase to test the hypothesis. Good luck with your studies.
Alternatively, you can also conduct focus groups to generate themes and, using those themes, can develop a questionnaire for interviews.
To add to the above, I'd like to recommend the following course that I attended this year, I was familiar with GT beforehand but it was incredibly helpful and informative: https://the-sra.org.uk/Shared_Content/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=GT050321
As Artur points out, above, you are overcomplicating things.
Applying GT to a little-explored topic is a fair choice.
What is your topic anyway?
I understand from your schematic that you intend to take a grounded theory about what is going on in some context to a focus group who will talk about it, and then you will analyse what they say via TA.
Seems to me that you are under the impression that you need to cram methods into a Ph.D. project. Not necessarily so.
Go with one method; GT is probably best; however, it really depends on what your research topic is.
While agreeing with the others, above, that GT alone might suffice; in principle, you could do as you have suggested. But would this add value to your study?
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