| This researcher demonstrates how applied qualitative grounded theory methodology was used in this dissertation to develop a framework to generate future formal substantive and/or formal theory (objective of the study). His dissertation embodies a dual purpose: First, it explicates strategic planning in higher education and its general strategy process so that they are better understood. Its scope describes, analyzes, and explains strategic planning in higher education; one participant interview; and its situational, social, and historical contexts using grounded theory.;It is a problem if faculty members who are stakeholders in strategic planning in higher education understand its general strategy process and are not included in it. Faculty members collectively constitute higher education's the teaching, research, and service variables essential to its success. Yet no research studies currently exist that explain the relationship between strategic planning in higher education and faculty members who are stakeholders in it. For the researcher, this revealed the complex challenge inherent in his dissertation for developing a framework that would generate a future substantive and/or formal theory. His difficulty is compounded by the research problem: What is the relationship between faculty members who are stakeholders in strategic planning in higher education and other aspects of university policies?;Results from the one interviewed faculty stakeholder generated one theme with three sub themes, two metaphors, three propositions, and two social issues about the process of strategic planning in higher education. Further analysis of this one participant generated two specific outcomes: First, this researcher developed a Ten Stage Process Model for conducting grounded theory analysis. Second, he portrayed a preliminary grounded theory of faculty involvement for future researchers to study. Both results fulfilled this dissertation's two purposes identified earlier in this abstract and its four potentials for significance established in chapter 1: (a) to serve as a foundation to generate future formal theory, (b) to help close the gap between higher education research and practice, (c) to aid possible development of new higher education policy, and (d) to contribute new knowledge to the literature. |
