LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Chapter 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.5. Grounded Theory analysis of Interview Data
The data analysis in this thesis follows the steps outlined by Charmaz (2014) and it deals with a vast quantity of findings (transcripts). The analysis begins with reading and re-reading the transcript data and then coding the first few transcripts for important issues mentioned by interviewees. In GT, the analytical process of coding is devised into a set of iterative phases.
Glaserian, Straussian and Constructivist GT entail different phases and terminology for coding.
The data analysis employs coding divided in three-stages. In line with the CGT, the analysis proceeds in an iterative sequence of data collections and analysis. Memo writing is central to this process (Charmaz 2014; Strauss & Corbin 2015). Diverse coding approaches and written memos formats are employed during the analysis phases in order to support the identification of concepts
169 and categories. According to Charmaz (2006, p. 43),
“…coding is the process of labelling a line, sentence or paragraph of interview transcripts or any other piece of data (such as segment of audio tape, video record, etc.) with a short and precise name. During coding, the researcher generates the bones of analysis which will then be integrated and assembled at the stage of theoretical coding, which is crucial for identifying emergent concepts for further analysis and subsequent theory development Charmaz” (2006 p. 45)
Constructivist GT involves a process of initial line-by-line, focused and theoretical coding, and these coding terms are based on levels of conceptual analysis and development (Charmaz 2014).
Below is a summary of the steps outlining the purpose of coding:
1) Initial Line-by-line Coding - to identify key issues that appear within the transcript.
Identification of Codes and Concepts - the first of the three stages of coding, initial coding, lead to the creation of codes (or labels) that are important to the complete body of the data collected.
As the open coding stage evolves, the same labels are re-utilized to code similar responses of new interviewees. It allows identifying useful initial codes (based on their frequency and significance) to formulate categories. When the open coding phase is complete, the emerging core categories are identified using focused coding. How to encode interview data as open code and then focused encode an example with a specific category.
2) Focused Coding - relates relationships between categories. Focused coding helps organize code and concepts established in the open coding phase into higher-level categories, while the final stage of coding is the theoretical coding which makes the core categories identified during the focus coding process more saturated. The use of memos, which include reflections on concepts and categories and constant comparisons between key codes are useful for the theoretical coding.
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In each refinement and status ration process, the analysis changes from a simple description to a conceptualization.
3) Theoretical coding – it allows identification of emerging concepts which provides the basis for the process of theory development. The theoretical coding does not rely on preliminary conceived codes but on the ones which emerge in the data under investigation. In this way they allow clear conceptualization of the new knowledge into connected theoretical concepts and their inclusion in thorough frameworks.
The constant comparison method is a very important component of the CGT studies because it allows the progression of the conceptual framework development exceeding the analysis of qualitative data beyond mere description into the development of substantive theory (Charmaz 2014).
Following the procedure proposed by Birks and Mills (2015), in the present research the analysis entails constant comparison between coding results at the same analytical levels (inter-code, inter- category, inter-concept comparison, as well as comparison between categories and codes, concepts and categories, and comparison between concept and the existent theoretical foundations).
To record the process of CGT, coding and analyzing the data flow simultaneously. A three-column table is employed where the first column holds transcripts divided by questions from the topic guide and interviewee responses, the second column contains information about the researcher’s interpretation of the text and the third column presents the code label, which has been used as a reference point to identify similar patterns in proceeding transcripts.
Based on the original table used for coding, the researcher has created a second table by collecting her interpretations column two of the original table and assembling them into a new table under
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the code labels from the code label section of the original coding table. This procedure allows creating a more refined table illustrating the interpretations from each individual interview and the code labels associated with those interpretations. The codes identified have been described using reflexivity with the meaning the researcher has ascribed to them and with information about how extant literature helped define those particular codes.
When analyzing transcripts, the researcher has simultaneously written memos that represent the researcher’s own thoughts that were triggered from the interviewees’ story lines. Bryant and Charmaz (2019) advises researchers to begin compiling memos immediately after the initial coding phase. Following the work of Saldana’s (2020, p. 33), the researcher approached writing memos as “whenever anything related to, and significant about the coding or analysis of the data comes to mind, stop whatever you’re doing and write the memo”.
When coding interview data, the researcher has searched the literature with the aim of validating the codes and their descriptions and exploring their fit within extant literature and knowledge about value co-creation via social media. While coding, the researcher has written memos that materialize the author’s individual understanding and analytical treads induced from the analytical experience attained from this research. The entire process has been iterative and on-going. The process has been iterative and involving repeated reading and re-reading the data transcripts and codes, as well as further refinement of the codes and memo writing, while developing the knowledge on the research topic. Certain codes have been modified by comparing content to later interviews and by reading extant literature related to the code identified.
The process is completed upon attaining theoretical saturation, and by integrating memos and concepts. The researcher then moves towards intermediate coding, which involves integrating categories of codes.
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Upon finishing the analysis of the first interview transcript, the researcher has created categories that hold the various codes identified and their meaning. Upon completion of coding for the first interview, the researcher has continued coding and reflecting all subsequent interviews. This process has allowed for the refinement of codes and categories. When new codes have emerged, the researcher has been cognizant that there might be some overlap between existing and new codes and that some codes might need to be merged. The final coding frame received after review and refinement of the codes is presented in Table 3.2 below.
Table 3. 2. Coding Frame.
Code Conceptualizatio n
Example from interviews
Frequency Discussed
by N
participant s
Discusse d across the interview s
Value co-
creation understanding
Defining and clarifying the concept of co- creation
“Co-creation is working together toward expected service” Interviewee 6
24 49
Value co-
creation mechanism
Explanation of how VCC works
“It involves working on the ideas provided by the customers and
18 26
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users of social media and collaborating with the internal team to execute those ideas” Interviewee 22
Use of
technology
The
implementation of technological solutions in the VCC process
“Modern
technologies like the Internet and social media allow effective co- creation of value in our industry”
Interviewee 18
24 67
Role of
employees
The importance of employees needed for the effective VCC process
“You need young skillful employee with creative attitude”
Interviewee 8
14 28
Teamwork and Innovation
The abilities of employees to support
innovation through collaboration
“collaborating with the internal team to execute those ideas”
Interviewee 22
18 46
174 between team
members Online
comments on experience of service
The comments posted by users related to their experience with the service
“They directly share what they think about their stay”
24 63
Online engagement
The engagement of customers created through digital medium
“70% is the increased average for the engagement and co- creation after using the social media”
Interviewee 18
24 72
Insightful suggestions
Recommendation s from customers
on the
advancement of the touristic service
“Our customers want to help create an experience they want, with a hotel they already like".
Interviewee 6
12 22
Participation in contests
Diverse contests and rewards used as a means for
“competitions and rewards to increase the engagement rate
11 14
175 enhancing the
VCC potential
and collaboration ...”
Interviewee 17 Social Media
Analytics
The capabilities to analyse data from social media
“the analysis of the social media data”
Interviewee 23
23 36
Real time interaction with customers
The ability to connect to real and potential customers.
"Live interaction with attractive content – its real time and the friendly space that give to all users that you can present it as your customers want". Interviewee 14
24 54
Instant Feedback
The hotels
quickly receive feedback and information from their guests.
"Real time response for the Quick Clarifications and requests (Water – Reservations- Beach access)" Interviewee 13
22 39
Data Collection and Analysis
Gathering information
“Data collected through social media
15 21
176 through social
media and
analysing it for the hotel’s purposes
platforms are very useful. These are analyzed from the perspective of revenue generation, improvement in service delivery, branding, and gaining visibility, among others. All of these contribute to value creation”.
Interviewee 23 Periodic
Monitoring and Review
The ability to monitor and
review the
customers’
opinions
“Social media technology has various aspects such
as tracking,
monitoring, etc.”
Interviewee 23
12 15
Informed decision making
Strategic and tactical decisions grounded on the
“… decisions to implement the new strategies - they all
18 41
177 available
information basis
are targeted towards co-
creation”Interviewee 23
Brainstorming Collective effort to generate and discuss ideas
“co-creation is about brainstorming
together” Interviewee 7
10 19
Inter-
departmental collaboration
The collaboration between
employees from different
departments
“Through digital team and PR, we design the posts”
Interviewee 7
14 31
Innovation from hotels
Implementing innovation from
the hotel
organizations
"It is mandatory tools for innovation.”
Interviewee 1
15 21
Engagement progress
The evolution of the engagement levels
“differentiation between the levels of engagement”
Interviewee 20
21 48
Feedback The mechanisms “we also collect 17 33
178 mechanism employed to get
feedback from customers
physical feedback from the customers which is then merged with the reviews obtained through the direct feedback”
Interviewee 21 Interactive
Communicatio n
Interactive communication with customers through social media platforms
“enable your
customer to co-create through interactive way and sharing their experience”
Interviewee 2
18 23
Content strategy
The strategy employed for creating and managing content in social media
"Content strategy ….
offers the different insights and attracts different
audiences".Interview ee 13
8 15
Influencers and Bloggers
The use of influencers and bloggers in the
“through the
influencers and bloggers.”
14 23