An Example of a Grounded Theory Research Proposal

Abstract

This article is a derivative of my doctoral thesis at the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) School of Business Leadership (SBL) from 2001 to 2003. The electronic version of the thesis is available on the Unisa Institutional Repository.

The thesis was inspired by Mbeki’s (1998:239) assertion that “ex Africa semper aliquid novi! – something new always comes from Africa.”

The study was an inductive study using grounded theory, rooted in case study methodology based on Eisenhardt’s (1989) eight steps of building theory from case study research.

This article contributes towards sharpening insights of students who are challenged to write up research proposals.

The particular slant is for those students interested in qualitative research methodologies, particularly ‘grounded theory.’