EU Integration or Disintegration Issues, Challenges and Solutions

Constructivist grounded theory in elite interviews presentation

The focus of this article is on the methodology used in my PhD research, the constructivist grounded theory in elite interviews, why and how it was chosen, advantages and issues of using it, painting it as a spiral around a pyramid. My research is about the challenges of the EU rail industry integration as seen and told by the involved actors. The integration process requires leadership in the multi-level governance context of the EU in its transition from state monopolies to businesses providing services on the integrated market. This is firstly a good source of theoretically and practically relevant research questions; and secondly rigorous grounded research methodologies will bring insight that will go beyond the currently accepted formal and public statements about the phenomenon. My work is situated within a social constructionist ontology, enacted through a rigorous grounded theory approach to understanding the current challenges of the industry and seeking more effective developments for the future. First findings put the concepts of leadership and debt into a relationship that could offer profound understanding of certain social relations. They are mentioned in this paper as reflections on the methodological process.