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Chapter 3. Methodology

3.2 Study design

3.2.4 Data collection and analysis – empirical phase 2

3.2.4.2 Observations

In study phase 2, my observations focus specifically on insightful subunits – my cases-within-a-case – where the entrepreneur and resource-providing stakeholders interact. I use the same procedures and protocol as in phase 1 (see Appendix 4) to conduct and record my observations, and I am now specifically interested in understanding each particular instance of the entrepreneur-stakeholder cooperation. There are significantly fewer occasions of observations in phase 2, compared to phase 1.

Looking ahead, as phase 2 cases are already selected and partially analyzed at the time of writing up of this chapter, I hereby acknowledge that there were no case-relevant observations conducted on interactions with external stakeholders. That is because the respective instances of cooperation between the entrepreneur and resource-providing stakeholders were retrospectively finalized by the time of phase 2 data collection.

Therefore, in the account of my phase 2 data, presented in this chapter, the account for recorded observations material is rather limited, and it comprises the notes on interactions with internal stakeholders partaking in respective cases.

3.2.4.3 Documents study

As earlier discussed, the inductive longitudinal phase 1 results in identification of the pool of potential phase 2 cases. The documents become an important triangulation tool in interpreting and understanding the individual (non)perceptions upon my study’s categories of interest at the start, during, and at the end of entrepreneur-stakeholder cooperation. Documentation also helps me understand the roles on resource-providing stakeholders in the respective cases. In Appendix 5, I provide an account on documentation that was processed as phase 2 data.

Staying true to my inductive-abductive approach, in study’s phase 2 I extract the data from documents as a part of theoretical sampling based on concepts that in study’s phase 1 have proven relevant to my research interest (Strauss and Corbin, 1990;

Charmaz, 2005). By now, the study’s theoretical frame of reference is defined, making it possible for me to conduct my theoretical sampling in abductive fashion. Practically, I review and code the documents – words, paragraphs, phrases – similarly to any other source of my data.

3.2.4.4 Working with phase 2 data

In study’s phase 2, I examine bootstrapping exchanges within the specific cooperation with resource-providing stakeholders so as to understand the conditions for bootstrapping behaviors and, based on this understanding, develop the conceptual model for examining bootstrapping behaviors and their possible outcomes. These specific instances of cooperation will become my phase 2 cases – cases-within-a-case, as

per research design. Phase 2 cases are selected based on phase 1 empirical findings and the theoretical frame of reference.

Once the data for phase 2 is collected with help of the three types of interventions described in this chapter, I code the data with inspiration from Gioia methodology (Gioia et al., 2013). My analysis of coded material is sensitized by findings from phase 1, and the study’s theoretical frame of reference. I develop and follow the below step-by-step data analysis guide:

1. I read and reread my raw data – interview transcripts, notes from observations, and notes from studied relevant documentation – several times.

2. I first check whether or not, and in what way, my data speaks to the study’s interest – resource needs, conditions for bootstrapping behaviors, and outcomes. I also check whether the data related to the above categories of interest can be triangulated from multiple sources of evidence and studied from individual perspectives.

3. I develop the initial codes emerging in my data, with inspiration from Gioia methodology. I first check again, by reading through the raw data and consulting senior colleagues, whether or not, and in what way, my data speaks to the study’s interest. I decide to use the raw data excerpts as initial codes. I ask myself which of the data excerpts illustrate the extensive resource needs and bootstrapping behaviors to address such needs, and in what way, and demonstrate the involvement of resource-providing stakeholders that could be asked about my potential cases-within-a-case.

4. I then develop a pool for potential suitable cases for further investigation in phase 2, and confirm with the entrepreneur that key resource-providing stakeholders can be approached for interviews. The empirical Chapter 6 will start with a presentation of the selection of two cases-within-a-case. I identify the textual material related to the two cases – observation notes and documents – and then repeat the semi-structured interviews with the entrepreneur, now focusing specifically on the selected cases. I approach the resource-providing stakeholders relevant to the cases, and interview them.

5. I repeat the above steps #1 to #3, now focusing on data relevant to the cases.

In this iteration of steps, I refine the raw data excerpts – the initial codes – as illustrated in Figures 8 and 10 in Chapter 6. Note that I present a representative selection of raw data codes in the respective figures, while I conduct and record the extensive coding in a working Excel document.

6. I reduce the raw data codes to a manageable number of common themes. Here, my study’s key categories of interest become meaningful. While sorting my data into meaningful segments, I make sure to consider and separate the perspectives of both parties – the entrepreneur and resource provider.

7. Once the codes are connected and themes are developed, I build my aggregate concepts that codes and themes represent – the bootstrapping’s conditions, bootstrapping behaviors, and bootstrapping’s outcomes (see Figures 8 and 10 in Chapter 6).

The process of selecting the cases, a descriptive presentation of data, and its analysis will be offered in Chapter 6. The process of observing, asking about, and documents study at phase 2 was ongoing for 12 months, and resulted in following analysis-ready material:

- Observation notes – 2,160 words/6 pages.

- Picture material from original drawings, presentations, whiteboard notes – 24 pages.

- Audio-recorded interviews (in Swedish) – 15 hours.

- Material transcribed and translated into English – 53,699 words/156 pages.

- Synthesized data in the form of my immediate reflections, footnotes, and the like – 8,950 words/26 pages.

- Documentation relevant for my study’s phase 2 purposes (the list of documents accessed and analyzed is presented in Appendix 5).

To conclude my methodological Chapter 3, I summarize the methodological chapter and outline its implications for my empirical work.