Chapter 8: Grounded Theory: Creating Valued Leadership Research through Partnering

The author is involved in developing a grounded theory that explains the process of how individuals make sense of their own leadership development in an organizational setting. Specifically, this research and its findings are substantive to a New Zealand police station. To successfully implement the theoretical sampling approach used in the grounded theory method, it was evident that benefits from the research must be seen to accrue to not only the body of theoretical knowledge but also the New Zealand Police. To achieve this, time and effort has been expended to develop and manage an informal strategic alliance between the researcher and the New Zealand Police. This chapter considers this strategic alliance and its critical contribution to developing a robust grounded theory.