Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research

Introduction: This paper explores how the analytic software MAXQDA2022 (VERBI Software) can be used to significantly facilitate a grounded theory study that utilized qualitative data obtained through in-depth interviews. The research describes a recent study examining the impact of enterprise education on students pursuing Professional Higher Education (PHE) at a large vocational educational institution.

Goals and Method: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how MAXQDA’s various tools can be effectively applied in conjunction with the grounded theory methodology. This methodology encompasses a series of systematic steps for data collection, coding and analysis, sampling, memo writing and constant comparison, leading to the generation of conceptual categories and substantive theory building. The study consisted of 14 cases, combining the in-depth contributions of entrepreneurship students and academics accessed via convenience, purposive and theoretical sampling. A sequence of coding paradigms was applied, atomizing the data into unique data incidents that were then analysed through a flowing emergent process of reflexive memoing and utilizing constant comparison of data incidents to incidents, codes to codes, codes to categories, and categories to categories, until a substantive theory emerged. To facilitate this process, various MAXQDA tools were utilized including creative and hierarchical coding, code matrix browser, maxmaps, two case and hierarchical case models, and summary grids.

Results: A parsimonious model emerged from the research, supported by a set of propositions explaining the entrepreneurial decision-making inclinations of the students towards pedagogical learning, enterprise learning, research acumen, self-efficacy and employability.

Conclusion: The study provided new insights into how students can successfully build upon their self-efficacy through the integration of learning incidents, critical self-reflection and proficient tutor support. MAXQDA allowed for an evidence-based research process that provided an audit trail, identifying how each data incident acquired within the research was analysed, contributing to a final process-based substantive model.