I believe Chan & So (2017) used a grounded theory research design to complete their study. First, the purpose statement identifies a process to explore and the need to fill a gap in present theories. Second, the researchers collected data through interviews, from multiple people with different experiences and perspectives. Third, the researchers analyzed data using multiple stages of coding. Finally, the researchers described the categories and themes found within the data and their relation to each other in theory, and they developed a theory which they explained in text and through visual means. (Plano-Clarke & Creswell 2015, p. 297 – 298)
The researchers asked two research questions. First, “Can servant leadership training be a part of a secondary school co-curriculum program?” (2017, p. 19) Second, “How is servant leadership developed in learners at a secondary school?” (2017, p. 19) The authors of the study were justified in using grounded theory as the research design addressed the purpose of their study. The purpose of the study was to, “explore a possible pathway to cultivate servant leadership attributes among learners in secondary schooling.” (Chan & So, 2017, p. 19) Moreover, Chan & So recognized the need to develop a broad theory addressing the development of servant leadership in secondary learners, aged 15 to 17 as there was a hole in recent research. Plano-Clark & Creswell explain the purpose of grounded theory is, “to generate theory about a process, action, or interaction.” (2015, p. 301) Thus, Chan & So research design successfully addressed the study’s purpose, which allowed them to create a “Framework of Servant Leadership Development for Adolescent Learners.” (Chan & So, 2017, p.19)
What research design was used to guide the study? Was it justified?
2/3. The authors could have been clearer of their research design as it could easily be mistaken as a case study.
Does the qualitative research design address the study’s purpose?
3/3
References
Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31. Retrieved from http://www.sltpjournal.org/uploads/2/6/3/9/26394582/03chan_so_vol_4_issue_1.pdf
Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Hi Joshua,
Thank you for sharing your evaluation of the research design in Chan and So’s (2017) article.
If I was peer-reviewing this study I would have asked the authors to be more explicit about the study design. Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) state that “well-written research reports always include one or more sentences that identify the researchers design for conducting the qualitative study” (p. 287).
Given that Chan and So (2017) didn’t provide this information the reader is left wondering what design was used and it is much harder to evaluate the methods and procedures without knowing the overall plan. However, my understanding is that because the goal was to present a servant leadership training framework then this appears to be more of a grounded theory study like you have suggested above.
References:
Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.
Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.