The diving bell and the butterfly: the need for grounded theory in developing a knowledge-based view of organizations.

Abstract

This article addresses the methodology that can be applied when researching the field of academic research management, in which the adoption of a knowledge-based view (KBV) is especially appropriate. In particular, it discusses whether the adoption of a grounded theory approach (GTA) in this type of research is justifiable, given the contested character of the KBV constituents. GTA, so it is argued, is especially useful for investigating such a field because of three interrelated arguments: (a) that KBV and related debates provide insufficient theoretical guidance, (b) that the research managers’ experience and viewpoints should form the basis of theory development and relevancy, and (c) that the concepts of knowledge and management are obscure. Adopting a GTA does not completely remove the KBV perspective from the methodological discussions. Instead, it may be useful for modifying the GTA outcomes, thus engendering theoretical plausibility, applicability, and credibility.