Qualitative Research Methods and Application: In-depth Exploration of Phenomenology and Grounded Theory

Note: I'll be on an academic tour to India from April 8-30, 2020. If your institute would like me to facilitate this workshop on campus, please be sure to get in touch with me via email at [email protected]

About the Workshop:

 This hands-on residential workshop is offered over a three-day time-frame using elements of didactic and experiential learning, with greater emphasis on the latter. It is not designed to be a lecture where students sit back and learn theory. They learn phenomenology and grounded theory by “doing” and not simply intellectualizing. In preparation for the workshop, students are expected to read and browse through papers and resources that are provided in advance.

While day one focuses on getting participants’ feet wet with basic terminology and lexicon, days two and three are the capstone of the workshop where students immerse in in-depth studies dedicated to phenomenology and grounded theory, starting with picking a concept (study phenomenon), crafting a concept paper, brainstorming possible research questions (RQ) and methodology, understanding how to do a literature review, and finally drafting a dissertation proposal.

The class will have access to an online Box folder where they may conveniently download study materials, papers, and publications that we will be referring to. The contents are copyrighted and should not be shared under any circumstances with unauthorized users. Sharing with fellow students, colleagues, faculty, and others within your own educational institutions is permitted.

Hermeneutic Phenomenology and Descriptive Phenomenology:

 The workshop will cover two popular methodologies in phenomenological research: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Descriptive Phenomenology (Amedeo Giorgi). We will also dedicate day three to an in-depth exploration of grounded theory: Formal Grounded Theory (FGT) and Grounded Theory Method (GTM).

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is a qualitative research methodology developed by Dr. Jonathan Smith, et al. at the University of Birkbeck, UK. It is built on three foundational pillars: phenomenology, hermeneutics, and idiography. The method is used to study and analyze the lived experiences of participants as they make sense of novel phenomena. It does not attempt to validate, hypothesize, theorize, taxonomize, or propose any definitive outcomes. Workshop participants will learn a turnkey, step-by-step approach to deploying IPA, using a variety of research questions and contexts.

Descriptive Phenomenology is a modified phenomenological design derived from Edmund Husserl's transcendental pure phenomenology formulated into a practical application-based model for qualitative research by Amedeo Giorgi. Descriptive phenomenology assists researchers in studying phenomenon through the lived-experiences of research subjects who lived and experienced the phenomenon. Examples of application and usage of descriptive phenomenology will be discussed. Semantic and epistemological identification of descriptive phenomenology will also be provided to assist workshop participants in crafting research questions and identifying design appropriateness in their research. 

Note: Given the heuristic, fast-paced nature of the workshop, it is expected that everyone take responsibility for his or her own learning, and come prepared. The facilitator will be available via email and phone after the workshop, in order to answer any queries, provide suggestions, and even serve as an external guide on students’ “dissertation advisory committees” (DAC) if needed.

Dr. Anil Behal, MSM, PhD

Dr. Anil Behal is the CEO of ORGDYNE Training & Consulting, LLC, a Philadelphia-based global firm dedicated to connecting people and ideas worldwide. As an avid social science researcher and scholar-practitioner, Anil has been at the forefront of deploying technology for cutting-edge initiatives, pioneering the first-ever “online” group relations conference in the Tavistock tradition in 2006, followed by a subsequent offering in 2007 to integrate the somewhat diverse group relations and NTL methodologies.

Anil earned a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems (OD) from the Fielding Graduate University, California. His research interests include applied communication theory, phenomenology, and the psychodynamics of groups and organizations. He is a passionate facilitator and academic coach who also consults with Lee Hecht Harrison, the global leader in talent mobility and outplacement. As a strong proponent of “Anekantavada” and pluralism, he works regularly with Fortune 100 companies in the US, including MNCs in India. He is currently professor, research and international outreach at the New Delhi Institute of Management.

Dr. Behal brings a very unique perspective that is grounded in praxis and pragmatism. He is an experienced consultant with a broad-based skill set in learning and development (L&D), organizational development (OD) and leadership coaching. Since 2016, he has been actively engaged in teaching new qualitative research approaches to doctoral students and faculty at several research institutes such as IIM-Trichy, IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM- Bangalore, IIM-Udaipur, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, Amity Institute for Behavioural Health and Allied Sciences, NOIDA (UP), Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore, Symbiosis International University, Pune, and MICA, Ahmedabad.

Email: [email protected]

Workshop testimonials and comments of doctoral students and research faculty in India:

“For someone who is an ardent native of the positivist island, this was quite an enlightening workshop. Dr. Behal divided the two-day event into four distinct sections: (i) introduction to the concept of phenomenology, (ii) phenomenology into practice via a concept from his own thesis namely “negative capability,” (iii) introduction to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) - which was complemented, again, by his own dissertation material, and (iv) participants of the workshop got a hands-on taste of doing IPA through a topic of common interest - “what was it like to be a participant of the phenomenology workshop?"

I was amazed by just how informative and eye opening this workshop was for me. Not only was the information taught at a perfect pace and in an informal way, so that everyone could understand what was being discussed, it also gave a clear structure to phenomenological study by using IPA. Workshop participants seemed to get a lot out of it and I was particularly impressed with how Dr. Behal made phenomenology appear so interesting and effortless. I would recommend it to any social science scholar who is ambitious and wants to see the world from a different lens.” –Prof. Dina Banerjee (OB & HRM, IIM-Udaipur)

 “It was a great learning experience to attend Anil's workshop. The workshop offers not just theoretical insights on phenomenology but the way Anil presented examples from his own thesis work improved practical understanding of doing phenomenology. I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop clarifying my concerns and listening to others'. The participative nature of the workshop made the learning experience more enriching. The two days for me were like a dialogical journey of qualitative research methods in general and phenomenology in particular. I wish Anil the best in his future endeavors of sharing the knowledge on phenomenology.” – Asst. Prof. Vijayta Doshi (OB & HRM, IIM-Udaipur)

 "Being just a beginner in the FPM program, I had a scant and limited understanding of phenomenology. This workshop not only introduced me to the nuances of phenomenology as a research method, it also ignited in me a curiosity to know the method better. Dr. Behal walked us through the intricacies of phenomenology in a highly interactive and engaging manner. With a bunch of participants that included seasoned researchers as well as amateurs, he kept us all involved and interested at every step of the workshop. He addressed elementary as well as the most intricate questions with the same finesse. His modesty, reflecting in the patient and empathetic approach that he has, is commendable. His encouragement and guidance are most valuable and have helped me gain clarity towards phenomenology as a method and research as a process. The experience of the workshop and the insights that I gained from it will definitely help me in the course of my FPM journey, and I am thankful to Dr. Behal for it.” –Arti Shrivastava (FPM doctoral scholar, IIM-Udaipur)

“Fortunately, I was the last participant who registered, and as fate would have it, I had been loaded with some work a day before the workshop was going to be held. I was in a dilemma as to still attend the workshop or let the work be given priority. I am grateful to my Professor who encouraged me to attend the workshop and indeed it was a life and research changing experience. I am not saying I suddenly attained self-actualization, but it changed my perspective about researchers, qualitative research, and phenomenology. I have re-entered my zone of research with new vigor and with a clearer concept. I would like to thank Dr. Behal for his wonderful and creatively crafted workshop, which enabled us all to learn through a diverse group. My key aspects of entering any workshop are to learn along with the group and that at least I remember one clear concept or ideology from it. I am thus satisfied that these core aspects were fulfilled in the 2-day workshop and I would gladly recommend everyone to definitely give it a chance to learn and enrich yourself.” –Khushboo Vachhani (T/A – OB & HR, IIM-Udaipur)

“I attended a two-day workshop on phenomenological research methods by Dr. Anil Behal at IIM-Udaipur. It was an intense affair and a great learning experience. Starting with a vague idea of the term phenomenology, and with very little practical experience of in-depth qualitative research, I could gain a reasonable understanding of this methodology. After going through the reading material shared by Dr. Behal before the workshop, I had several doubts. The discussions in the workshop and the insights brought in by the instructor clarified all those doubts. The participants came to workshop with diverse experiences and skills, leading to diversity in the questions that were asked, and Dr. Behal could clarify most of our doubts. He was always approachable and open to discuss things even outside the workshop hours. At the end of it, I am sure that I would want to use IPA in my research work in future, and whenever I do, I know where to start, what to read, and how to proceed. Thanks for the wonderful learning experience Dr. Behal.” --Deepak Maun, Doctoral Student (Innovations & Management in Education), IIM Ahmedabad.

“The two-day workshop on phenomenology was very interesting for me. It was a wonderful experience to participate in the workshop. The workshop was very intense and thought provoking. It was very insightful and transformative. Since my research is qualitative in approach, this workshop enriched my understanding of qualitative methods to be applied in the field. I learned things that I could actually put into practice. It is very helpful in approaching certain questions that are sensitive and evocative and to understand the people’s perceptions and experience of a situation, which is a challenging task for any researcher. Being a sociology student, I was aware of the phenomenology approach because I had a methodology paper in my Masters where a section of phenomenology was included, but this workshop opened my mind to this approach to a great extent. It was completely a new idea for me in the research. If not at present, I may apply this approach in my future research. It also provides a simple, basic tool, which can be applied in our everyday life when we face a situation of dilemma and confusion. It is only when we can tolerate the anxiety, fear, doubts and to engage with change in a non-defensive way, that we can find the solution to a situation and actually come out of it.

 We don’t realize then but such circumstances teach us a lesson about how to deal situations in life and make us a strong person. From this workshop, I personally learned the value of empathy for everyone. This workshop also brought me close to many of my fellow students, earlier with whom I had hardly interacted. The best part of the workshop was that it was lively and interactive till the very end. It was an opportunity to participate in the interaction and express my thoughts and opinions. I personally felt it boosted the confidence of the students to face the larger group and speak out. Unlike regular workshops, which are usually monotonous, this workshop created the atmosphere of a community. Dr. Behal is a very warm and welcoming person. He is a dynamic speaker, a good presenter, and knows very well how to engage with his audience. His enthusiasm and passion itself created such an atmosphere that I never felt tired and tedious till the end of the workshop. He really encourages the students to actively participate in the workshop and willing to share his knowledge and help the students in whatever way he can.” –Pooja Thapa (5th year PhD student, ISEC, Bangalore)

“I have attended this workshop by Dr Anil Behal and it’s very insightful and enriching. Dr. Behal introduced us to a whole new world of phenomenology in the most practical way possible. It is a very well designed workshop for people opting to do research using qualitative methods. Not just qualitative, but anyone who wants to research should attend his workshop and I strongly recommend it, as the two day workshop is a rich journey not just into phenomenology but into the process of qualitative research in general. He took us through various aspects of research beginning from literature review to thesis writing, which for a beginner like me was extremely. This workshop opened a plethora of research opportunities for most of us. Dr Anil Behal was very approachable and very patient with all the queries we had. The two-day workshop was as exciting in the end as it was in the beginning and was seldom boring. His personal journey of research is very motivating and overall this workshop has been a great experience.” –Keerthi Srilakshmi (Doctoral student, ISEC, Bangalore)

“On behalf of the participants, let me congratulate you for offering a very meaningful workshop which is a good catalyst for those who may consider getting into qualitative research. As shared by many of the participants, the experiential exercise helped us in clarifying how to state the research question, the nuances of identifying the phenomenon and of course, on the concept of negative capability which could help us as humans in many ways. Thanks a lot for sharing the reading materials and also other references.” (V.Vijaya, Associate Professor, IIM-Trichy)

“It was a wonderful experience to be part of a hands-on session on the phenomenological research methodology. Many of the participants of the workshop are still at the beginning of their research journey and hence, I am sure you have contributed immensely towards the future research at IIM Trichy. It was thoughtful of you to walk us through the step-by-step process of phenomenology by using your own work as well as works of other eminent scholars. I must say that your cheerful attitude and patient listening made the session more engaging!! Thank you once again.” (Padmavathi Shenoy, research scholar and PhD student- Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management, IIM-Trichy)

“Firstly, I thank you for sparing your time for directing me throughout this summer research work. It is a privilege to be working with you. The workshop has been very knowledgeable for me in terms of applying qualitative methodology with my research design. It has also been insightful on the nuances that it can have if not done with utmost care. You were a superb facilitator for the workshop. It has been your simple and subtle way of teaching that made my understanding of 'Phenomenology' refined. I am thankful to you for the experience.” (Farheen Fathima S.B., research scholar and PhD student, FPM-2016, OB & HRM, IIM-Trichy)

 “I have interacted with Dr. Behal for a very short time but that much has been enough to let me know how passionate about phenomenological research he is, as well as how very helpful a person he is. I am just a stranger, a random doctoral student who thought of connecting with him for some help in pursuing my research and he has gone out of his way to ensure that I get adequate material and information on the subject. He is very prompt in his replies, despite his hectic schedule. He is extremely helpful and very modest, considering his stature. It is very refreshing to have such a senior person with vast experience to be this considerate and resourceful. Thank you, Dr. Behal for all the help. I am really privileged to be in touch with you.” (Tanvi Mankodi, FPM doctoral student, HRM, IIM-Ahmedabad)

“Being a PhD research scholar, many a times I had come across the concept of phenomenology as a research methodology and had gone through different sessions on the same. This workshop was distinct in the way it was structured and delivered. Dr. Anil Behal succeeded in delivering such a powerful, sometimes dry concept in a very simple and interesting way, connecting it with his own doctoral thesis and participants' research topics. The interactive, inclusive and pragmatic pedagogy along with strong theoretical underpinnings created a perfect learning environment. Also, I would like to thank Dr. Behal for introducing such a potential construct – ‘negative capability’ and its immense application in the arena of research as well as in day-to-day life. Overall it was worth attending the session, as it was rigorous enough to capacitate the participants to look at the social reality from a phenomenological perspective. Thank you for spending two days with us and for being a fantabulous facilitator/tutor throughout. Looking forward to more discussions and programmes in the future.” (Divya Almitra, PhD student, TISS, Mumbai)

"I came to this course with a lot of questions on methods to be adopted in my proposed research work. I wanted to capture lived experiences and phenomenologically study the themes and present my interpretations and arguments based on a few identified social theoretical frameworks but did not have the clarity or the details and the outcomes. I was even agnostic of how this type of work can generate a wealth of theoretical outputs. Coming from an engineering background, it was a little hard to assimilate, but I had an intuition that this method is best suited for my research work. The workshop helped me gain understanding and strongly crystallize all my loose and superficial thoughts. After this workshop I embraced this method without any second thought. I will look forward to write one more testimonial once I conclude my research work, giving credit to you for this methodology without any second thought.” (Naveen Tarur, PhD student, TISS, Mumbai)

“I found the workshop on phenomenology conducted by Dr. Anil Behal at TISS, Mumbai very informative, insightful and relevant for my doctoral programme. It focused on both, the philosophical as well as the operational elements of phenomenology, which was immensely useful. The workshop design was highly interactive and the sessions were backed by a great of experiential sharing which created space for us to delve deep into phenomenology. I am thankful for the opportunity and look forward to exploring ways of enriching my study design using the concepts I learnt at Dr. Behal’s workshop.” (Anuradha Rajan, PhD student, 2014 batch, TISS, Mumbai)

 “Individually for me the phenomenology workshop which you conducted at TISS on 17th and 18th January 2017 was very useful. I am currently using phenomenology to collect data for my doctoral research. Through your lectures I could find answers to some of my problems. I also appreciate your offer to support and guide us all. Thank you. Your lectures were interactive and there was no tension in the class. We had a friendly, relaxed atmosphere throughout the workshop for which the credit goes to you. Looking forward for your guidance.” (Ujjwala Deshpande, PhD student, TISS, Mumbai)

“Dr. Behal carries a mix and match of academic and practitioner epistemic standpoints. It has been observed that mostly 'phenomenology' is being introduced to the scholars by keeping more of a theoretical underpinning. However, with Anil's skill-set, the understanding becomes more nuanced, beginning with his doctoral thesis to the experiences he encounters as a practitioner. At the end of the workshop, Anil navigates the researchers to come up with a group research objective pertaining to a lived experience of an individual or of a community. Thanks Anil for your wisdom.” –- Saurabh Das, FPM doctoral student, MICA, Ahmedabad

“When you learn a new concept, the facilitator has a dual role to play. They need to open the gates of knowledge for you in such a way that it excites you, but doesn’t intimidate you. The concept should motivate you, but at the same time not frighten you. This task was beautifully done by Dr. Anil Behal who conducted the phenomenology workshop for the FPM students at MICA in July of 2016. His interactive classes not only helped us drill further into certain concepts, but also helped novices like me to embark upon certain ideas. He has a knack to make the students feel at ease with his inclusive pedagogy and disarming humor. A facilitator who takes the efforts to guide you post the sessions and helps one track their progress in a constructive and comprehensive manner. More strength to guides like you, Anil.” --- Sindhu Eradi, FPM doctoral student, MICA, Ahmedabad

 “Phenomenology, as the word suggests, is a method which focuses on direct lived experiences and streams of consciousness. Before this workshop, I wasn’t familiar with the expression ‘hermeneutic circle’ and how it operates with cognitive stimuli. Now, I can distinguish between the ethnographic approach and phenomenological analysis. Other terminologies such as ‘inter-subjectivity’ and ‘paradox’ will remain forever in the backyard of my mind. It was a real pleasure to interact with you Sir for the weekend. Apart from the session, what I liked the most was your method of teaching. I really hope that someday I can use it to guide my students.” (Payal Trivedi, FPM doctoral student, MICA, Ahmedabad)

 “I recently attended your 2-Day-Workshop on Phenomenological Research Methodology. The workshop was highly interactive and insightful. I like your pedagogical style and the way you conducted the workshop and disseminated the subject matter. I not only learned a great deal about the theoretical basis underpinning phenomenological research methodology but also about how to apply it in a real-world research challenge. You shared your own PhD research paper on "Negative Capability" to demonstrate the application of the methodology. You brought life and fun to the whole learning experience. What I admire the most about you is that you not only guided me during the workshop but you have been accessible post workshop too.” (Tejas Shah, MPhil student, Clinical Psychology, Amity Institute of Behavioral Health and Allied Sciences, NOIDA)

? (2018) Dr. Anil Behal, PhD & Dr. Sana Mitchell, EdD. All rights reserved