11017: Analyzing and Theorizing Raw Qualitative Data as a Collective

Much of what we do, as interpretive researchers when making sense of our data, continues to remain implicit, hidden, or hard-to-grasp, especially those first moments of exploring the material for intriguing hooks, surprising puzzles, potential theoretical connections, and so on. Common questions abound, particularly so for Early Career Researchers, such as: Is what I am seeing in the data interesting and relevant? Is it ‘strategy’? Do others share my observations and interpretations? What additional angles could be useful for my work, and which theoretical notions could I maybe contribute to? How can I unravel strategizing in micro-interactions, conversations, and other forms of qualitative data? In our experience, such and similar questions are best answered when coming together as a collective. That is precisely why, with this PDW, we seek to create a space where scholars can jointly discuss raw qualitative data around strategizing processes and practices and generate new ideas on how to approach and analyze qualitative data. The PDW facilitates knowledge exchange and learning and fosters new connections and collaborations; a hands-on workshop where a select number of presenters share their data to collectively analyze it with other participants in the room. In doing so, participants will be able to discuss raw data around the same time as discussing more ‘polished’ data at the main conference. This will provide currently lacking insight into the data journey many of us individually encounter but too infrequently explore together as a collective.

Application/Registration/Selection process:
We invite applications from scholars with an interest in how to analyze raw qualitative data from a variety of interpretative perspectives that encompass practice and processual approaches to strategy but also include communication-constitutes-organization (CCO), performative theory, and affect theory.

There are two ways of participating: (a) with sharing own data (i.e., presenters) or (b) without sharing own data and discussing others’ data (i.e., discussants).

1) Prospective presenters will submit via e-mail to the convenors (e.nathues@utwente.nl) by June 25th a single document (.doc, .docx or .pdf file) that includes the following information: 1) Name, affiliation, contact details, and career stage; 2) A short introduction to the empirical data (including what intrigues or puzzles them about the data); 3) An extract/description of or a link to the raw data (if the data is not anonymized or publicly available, the prospective presenter will be asked to ensure that they have acquired the needed consent). We welcome various data types, including (but not limited to) the following: textual (e.g., archives, emails, reports, blogs, social media, etc.); audio (e.g., audio recordings + transcriptions of interviews, conversations, etc.), visual (e.g., video recordings + transcriptions of meetings, interventions, videos, images, drawings, etc.). Transcripts must be translated to English. Following the application, the convenors will work with the selected presenters to prepare the data (e.g. ensuring it fits within the allotted time slot).

2) Discussants will indicate their motivation to participate via a Google Form (https://forms.gle/3rWVVyyzzifTMcgk9) by mid-July (13 July) that includes the following: 1) Name, affiliation, contact details, and career stage; 2) A short text about their interest in attending the workshop and what sort of data and perspectives they typically or presently work with; 3) Questions, puzzles or concerns etc. they would like to collectively explore regarding the analysis process.