The sample size dimension could not be determined before the data collection and analysis was started, since the GTM is an inductive process with evolving theory as new data is collected and analysed. The sample size was a function of the richness of the data collected, so that with the continuous data collection and analysis, this led to theoretical relevance and theoretical saturation. This means that the emerging concepts formed tentative categories, which were well developed and validated with the completion of the set of eight interviews within the open sampling stage. Such a number of participants’ data were incorporated in the sample to saturate the key concepts, referred to as tentative categories and sub-categories. Further other two participants with other firms, were initially included in the sample after the first eight interviews data collection and analysis phase. Though, after listening to the digital recording and taking notes of the initial key in vivo quotes led to redundant results. These participants were excluded from the sample, since the respondents at this stage, had nothing new to contribute to the emerging theory. At the completion of the analysis of the first eight interviews, this phase was considered the key determinant of the first stage sample size. This initial stage sample size of eight (8) interviews enabled the completion of the first two key coding stages of the research, namely the Open Coding and Axial Coding, since the Selective Coding was assigned to the theoretical sampling stage, to avoid premature close-out of the emerged theory (Charmaz, 2006). The next data collection and analysis step, as already referred in Table 3.2, consisted from the theoretical sampling stage, which included another set of fourteen (14) interviews, to reach theoretical saturation, where the sample size followed the same principle implemented in the open sampling stage. This sampling stage was focused on the emerged theory, so as to elaborate and refine the conceptual and theoretical developments (Charmaz, 2006).
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Stern (2007) advocated that 20 to 30 interviews are adequate to reach saturation. The overall number of interviews of this research amounted to twenty-two (22) which is in line with Stern’s (2007) estimated number of interviews to reach theoretical saturation. The sampling approach, within the GTM, differs from statistical random sampling to select the right sample to represent the general population, since the overall population consists from quite a substantial number of SMEs within the manufacturing sector (Appendix 1). The sampling approach used was only focused on a relatively small number of SMEs, which were used to generate data that was required to reach theoretical saturation and emergence of the theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).
3.7.4 Unit of analysis
The unit of analysis of the research was the organisation, which consisted from any SC member or SC stakeholder. The unit of observation was the participant, who represented the role of the organisation or the stakeholder with his/her experiential expertise in all processes and functions. The GTM analysis needed to aggregate the participants’ meanings and interpretation to understand the organisation strategies or actions, outcomes and contextual conditions. This theorising process had to respect rigour, by undergoing the constant comparison on the data with all participants, which is referred to as triangulation of data by using multiple participants. Such a triangulation may have introduced a level of ecological fallacy (Van de Ven, 2007), since inferences were being drawn from the individual/s to the group/s (i.e. from the participant to the organisation). Though, the nature of the iterative constant comparison process, was used as a tool, to ensure that the emerged theory is grounded in data, where in some cases even multiple participants were also interviewed within the same firm, as referred in Appendix 5, to have more in-depth comparative data, so as to focus on the key emerged general theory, by including its variations in all tentative categories.
3.8 Research ethics
The interview covering letter and consent form, together with the Interview guide, for the phase one of the research data collection process, are referred in Appendix 3. Such documents were submitted to all participants by e-mail to obtain a signed consent agreement before every interview. Such a consent form formally stated the researcher’s ethical responsibility and the research data collection process, for the interview proposed session, to promote freedom of participation, confidentiality, anonymity in any future published work and trust respectively. The participant was always asked verbally in an ethical way whether s/he accepts that the interview will be recorded, to promote a sense of ethical respect by explaining the reason for the usefulness of recorded data, although it was one of the clauses included in the consent form. This is in-line with the ESRC requirements which state that ‘Research staff and participants must normally be informed fully about the purpose, methods and intended possible uses of the research, what their participation in the research entails and what risks, if any, are involved’
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(ESRC, FRE, 2010, p.3). The two interview guides were approved by the ethics committee and by academics, to be in-line with the ESRC requirements which state that the ‘Research should be designed, reviewed and undertaken to ensure integrity, quality and transparency’ (ESRC, FRE, 2010, p.3). Other ethical considerations, in line with the ESRC, FRE (2010), to ensure that all participants do not suffer any negative consequences from the research outcome, were that: all the digital recordings and transcribed data were held on a non-portable computer and protected by password and held in a secure place, together with the single back-up held, which was also held in a separate and secure place, where both provisions should minimise any leakage of data as a result of theft/loss; all the participants original data will be safely deleted/disposed from both sources, once the research is over; and that the transcribed data from the interviews was camouflaged from all sensitive information, by using coded labels, such as names of interviews, persons and companies, to ensure anonymity in all research published data.
3.9 Grounding the emerged theory in the data and the role of the a priori and post Literature