The analytical process

After having collected the empirical data (observations, interviews and documents), the transcribed interviews, the field notes, and the documents have been coded in Nvivo. The coding in NVivo has taken place as a content analysis without predefined categories, and categories emerged during the coding process.

The coding process started out with very open empirical codes, which initially resulted in 82 very broad and overall codes. These codes were then explored further through different steps. First, by exploring dominating themes. The dominating themes were a result of a large number of total references in certain codes. For example after the coding of the interviews at the first talent workshop, it became clear that customer value and relationship were dominating codes, as the total references in these codes significantly exceeded other codes. Second, by exploring themes and patterns for different stakeholder groups in the codes.

Different stakeholder groups were explored by looking at patterns across the codes

that the customers mentioned and emphasised, patterns in the codes HR leaders emphasised, etc. Third, by searching for themes and patterns within the codes, combined with search for patterns and similarities between the codes. As an example of this, it became clear that some of the initial codes (amongst others:

collaboration, trust and teamwork, relationship) had many similarities and could be further grouped into one category, which then again at a alter stage was later developed into categories. The below table provides an illustrative snapshot of this process:

Table 2 - Example of narrowing down the codes

Text example contained in initial code Initial code Merging into code

Final Category

Our customers are increasingly

international and they expect us to work in the same way. So, as we approach 2012, building the collaborative spirit across Damco remains vital - this is the engine of a cohesive and efficient network

Collaboration

Relationship Connecting Trust is key for the future – and in order

to earn it we need to be less rigid in operations and extremely flexible in solutions

Trust

In our focus story on building global industry verticals, Steve and Claus

describe how we are reorganising to grow faster with existing and new customers in key industries. That will only be possible by building effective virtual teams across the organisation that focus on pursuing and winning large new pieces of business and offering more to our existing

customers

Teamwork

The strength of the relationship is very good, we had success with selling Forwarding solution to SCM customer.

The relationship is so important. They said, you do well on business, now we see you put the money where the mouth is, we give you more business

Relationship

68

This table is an illustrative snapshot of how the coding and analytical process evolved, and where the 82 initial codes gradually were narrowed down to more closed categories. In this process for example collaboration and teamwork was similar and therefore ended up in the same category. During this process dominating categories gradually appeared in the coding, which were used in the analytical process together with theoretical concepts, as described later in this section. The process for exploring the empirical codes is illustrated below:

Figure 1 - Process of exploring emprical codes

The analytical process in this dissertation was characterised by an iterative dialogue between the empirical codes and theory, which influences both the process and the outcome. Through this process the codes gradually evolved into more closed categories. Ultimately, it resulted in the talent management framework that partly structures the empirical analysis of the dissertation (see section 5.4), and partly suggests new possibilities for value creating talent management. Consequently, the analysis and the framework used to structure the empirical analysis are the result of an interaction between theoretical concepts within talent management (Chapter 5), value (Lusch & Vargo, 2009; Thompson, 2003; Vargo & Lusch, 2004; Vargo, Maglio, & Akaka, 2008), and the empirical material. The framework will further be elaborated in section 5.4.

The iterative dialogue between empirical data (practice) and theoretical concepts (academia) characterises both the intention with the project and the actual research

Open empirical

coding resulting in

82 codes

Identify dominating

themes high no. of

total ref.

Exploring themes for stakeholder

groups across codes

Exploring for patterns within codes and between

codes

Dominating empirical categories

appear

process and research project, as discussed in this chapter on the methodology and research design. The below figure sums up the research process in the project, and it reflects how the iterative dialogue between practice and academia is incorporated into the research design as well as into the research process:

6:

Figure 2 - The research process

The figure above displays the research process in this PhD project. It visualises the process for how empirical data has been collected, analysed and engaged with theory. As it has been discussed in this chapter on the research design of the dissertation, the process is characterised by an empirical research design, in which the research takes place under certain research conditions similar to action research, and where the researcher takes up a specific role in the field. Figure 2 above illustrates that during the process three research modes (data collection mode, theory and literature mode, and data analysis mode) have been applied through the different steps in the research process. Often, two modes, for example theory and data collection mode have been applied simultaneously. This has led to an iterative interaction between theory and empirical data, where these have informed each other. Similarly, due to the practioner-oriented ambition with this project and the research design reflecting this ambition, there has been an ongoing interaction (formal or informal as described in section 2.2.1) with the practice field of talent management to ensure relevance to practice. The figure thus summarises the discussion on the research design in this chapter, and hence the details within this process are elaborated previous in this chapter.

Having discussed the philosophical underpinnings of the dissertation in the context of a moderate social constructivist perspective, as well as having discussed the empirical research design, the dissertation now move towards a discussion of the theoretical field of talent management. However before doing so, the following chapter will discuss the concept of value, which provides a frame for discussing the value of talent management.