Discovering new theory from previous theory

Throughout this book, the data analyzed have been gathered by researchers “in the field,” whether in the form of interviews, fieldnotes, or other documents. For the most part, grounded theorists, when developing substantive theory, have tended not to begin their researches by following through the implications of previous theory. Perhaps they have been overcautious in looking at other people's theories, once the lineaments of their own have begun to evolve. Yet, as mentioned in the first chapter, there is no reason not to utilize extant theory from the outset – providing only that it too was carefully grounded in research – to direct the collection of new data in the service of discovering a new (and probabl/ more encompassing) theory. Using the familiar techniques of coding, theoretical sampling, comparative analysis, and with the usual emphasis on variations associated with dimensions, conditions, consequences, interactions, the extant theory then acts as a springboard for laying out potential lines of research work. The analyst can thereafter choose which lines to pursue, in which directions to begin, following through with a potentially effective and personally interesting research project.

So, it is entirely feasible to begin with someone else's theory, if entry into the research field follows immediately, or at least before a commitment is made to the research project: in order to see if the project is feasible, if data are really available, and the deduced lines of work are really relevant to the substantive area under scrutiny.