Field-based Grounded Theory

Field-based grounded theory integrates sustained fieldwork — participant observation, field notes, and naturalistic data collection — with the iterative coding and theoretical sampling procedures of classic grounded theory. Where standard grounded theory typically relies on interview transcripts, the field-based variant anchors theory generation in direct, prolonged observation of naturally occurring social processes in context. The result is a substantive theory that is grounded in both what people say and what they actually do in their everyday settings.