Técnicas utilizadas para proteger música.

Data were analysed following a grounded theory approach, involving an iterative

process with data collection and literature review, promoting the collection of future

data based on insights generated during the analysis. Substantive and theoretical

memos assisted in the induction process, moving from the empirical to proposition

development (Punch, 1998).

First, following this grounded theory approach, open coding was undertaken to

identify: ‘What is going on in the data? What are the participants trying to do and how

they do it? What are the main processes and concerns during the first months in the

new role?’ (Charmaz, 2006). This first coding was close to the data and it was done by

reading transcripts and writing on the margins ‘what was going on’. After coding in

this way three interviews, a coding scheme was created, with a definition for each

code and sub-code and an explanatory quote. Right from the start, the coding scheme

was detailed, in terms of identifying not only categories (codes) but also dimensions

and properties (sub-codes) (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). Although this was time

consuming, it encouraged idea development and memo writing. The distinction

between previous transitions and the current transition was the first to emerge in the

coding scheme. This separation enabled a focus on the current transition, and still

enabled coding of previous transitions, important for later analysis. Figure 4.1 shows

shows more level of detail of this coding scheme. The software package NVivo 8 and

subsequent versions were used for coding.

Figure 4.2 First Coding scheme – Current transition expanded

During the following months, this coding scheme was applied to more interviews.

When doing this, new sub-codes were created and refined, and another code was

coded: ‘Feelings at end’. The emerging codes guided further data collection in terms

of follow-up interviews, and stimulated the reading of appropriate literature to make

sense of what was being found.

Some months later, it was realised that these codes were quite static and that in order

to describe process, other types of codes were needed. Following Charmaz (2006), a

new coding scheme was created which emphasised the ideas of action and process.

This new scheme was first divided into: First interview, Diary, and Follow-up

interview to be able to identify from which phase of data collection they belonged.

Within each code, there were sub-divisions into: Current transition, Previous

transitions and Comments on methods. The following Figures present this coding

scheme with different levels of expansion of codes and sub-codes.

Figure 4.4 Second Coding scheme – ‘Follow-up interview/Current transition’

Figure 4.5 Second Coding scheme – ‘Follow-up interview/Current transition’

As with the first coding scheme, these codes were developed in terms of sub-codes

(dimensions and properties), and as these were being applied to all interviews and

diaries, new dimensions and properties were created and refined. As previously

indicated, the complexity of codes emerging spurred further idea development and

memo writing.

The formation of the professional identity emerged as a central category. The code

‘Reflecting on professional identity’ was extensively discussed by participants and it

was of particular conceptual interest as is was central to the process being studied

(Strauss and Corbin, 1998). This led to a literature review on identity. The definition

by Gecas (1982) was chosen which understands identity as referring to the meanings

that individuals attach to themselves.

Identities are dynamic and they include and imply:

- a strong social dimension: as individuals learn, work and interact with others;

- upskilling/ re-skilling: individuals become skilled over time and individuals are

agents in the construction of their particular set of skills and understandings;

- threat management: identities can be contested at times since they require

recognition by others such as clients or peers and by management and the

labour market through job grading and type of work allocated;

- agency: some individuals actively construct dynamic identities throughout their

careers (Brown, 1997).

Following these propositions, as identity formation is a social process, the code

‘Developing relationships’ was also further analysed. During the adjustment period,

participants were ‘discovering’ that building relationships was important both to

unique information on how those relationships formed and developed through time.

This theme is developed in Chapter 6. A particularly interesting finding emerged

related to ‘conflicting relationships’. This was first brought to my attention during data

collection. While completing the Relationships Diagrams, two participants asked

‘Where do I put the enemies here?’ They explained that in their new roles, there were

people with whom they had to interact to get their tasks done, but who complicated

their performance. After this initial insight, I realised that other participants also had

conflicting relationships but did not call them enemies. I selected the concept

‘Conflicting relationships’ as a central phenomenon of interest and through axial

coding looked for categories that related or explained this central phenomenon. These

could be casual conditions that influenced the central phenomenon, the strategies for

addressing the phenomenon, the context and intervening conditions that shape the

strategy, and the consequences of undertaking the strategies (Strauss and Corbin,

1998). In Chapter 7, this main code is discussed, including the situations in which

participants had conflicting relationships, how they responded to these relationships,

the effects these had on them and the dynamics over time.

In terms of becoming skilled, the codes ‘Being adapted’ and ‘Adjustment strategies’

were analysed. These codes were selected because they related to learning as part of

the identity development process. The code ‘Learning’ includes data on how

participants learn at new roles, but not so much on the subjective experience of the

identity development. These findings are presented in Chapter 8.

In terms of contested identities and constructing the professional identity, ‘Reflecting

on professional identity’ emerged as a main category, and so “within-case and across-

case comparisons were made to assist in uncovering relationships among categories”

talking about their current professional identities and how they felt about them, what

they were doing if they were not satisfied with the situation, and about what they

wanted for the future. These processes involved a lot of energy, reflection and

emotion, and proved to be a major concern of these individuals during the adjustment

period. Other codes were incorporated into the analysis as they seemed to be

antecedents or consequences of this identity main category. These were ‘Making sense

of transitions’ and ‘Thinking about the future’.

As a result of an iterative process between data analysis and literature review, two

main categories emerged: identity threats (Chapter 9), and experimenting with

possible selves (Chapter 10). Through constant comparison among cases and time

periods, a theoretical model was achieved which explained antecedents, responses and

effects (Glasser and Strauss, 1967). Selective coding was then performed to make

connections between categories of codes (Strauss and Corbin 1990), and extreme

cases served to generate propositions, which were then tested in other cases, achieving

theoretical saturation of main conceptual categories and relationships. As Beyer and

Hannah (2002, p.640), I worked to reach theoretical saturation, by including in the

analysisallconcepts that helped me to understand and explain variations in any of the newcomers' ongoing adjustment. Systematic, detailed comparisons across all cases

were made and questions were continuously asked to address any differences or

unexplained variations identified (Strauss and Corbin 1990, p.62). To answer these

questions and to facilitate comparisons across cases, many tables were crafted (Miles

and Huberman 1994).

During the analysis, the literature was searched for concepts and findings that would

help in understanding the newcomers' experiences and how various elements were

refined them until through this process and by presenting at workshops/conferences, a

model emerged, presented in Chapter 11. Having participants who shared an age

group, an MBA degree, and a concern for their careers, but who had very different

career stories and were experiencing diverse types of transitions, allowed the study to

differentiate process depending on the type of transition, constructing a broad model.