As a mature student, returning to academia, and a new discipline after 25 years in practice, I have found some elements of traditional research to be limiting and limited. As such, I found the phenomenon driven approach to theory building that we learned about on this programme to be truly refreshing! Not only did it provide me with the scaffolding to bridge my previous studies and career experience, but it further allows for a more applied approach to theory building. One that is also useful outside of academia.  While my research approach for my BA and MSc had been rooted in grounded theory principles, the notion of typologies was new to me. That said, I found it intuitive to learn, and the approach cemented my belief in the interdependencies of all principles and routes of enquiry. Romeo's approach of blending theory and practice was really worthwhile, and my only comment would be the wish for more time to allow us to get deeper into our typology building! Thank you for a brilliant week and I look forward to keeping in touch. Leisha Redmond McGrath, Trinity Business School, 2026.

One word to describe your proposal’s phenomenon… Two words to describe its context…” It sounds abstract, doesn’t it? But this was actually the very first question we were asked in the course. At the beginning it felt unusual, even a little puzzling. The class encourages me to slow down and really consider how to capture my phenomenon and build a story around it. If you want to learn how to connect your phenomenon with theorizing and develop a stronger research narrative, this course is definitely worth taking! Boqun Wang, Trinity Business School (2026).

The programme gave me confidence in how to work with qualitative data in a deeper and more meaningful way. It helped me to see that everything is data, including literature and primary data such as interviews. From that, I learned how to identify themes and develop them further through gerunding, by using “-ing” action words to capture what is happening in the data. This changed how I think about analysis, because it pushed me beyond description and into process and meaning. I also learned how typologies are developed and that they should not be rushed. They need to be carefully built so that they can defy space and time and still be regenerated within different contexts. Most importantly, the programme gave me confidence not only to engage with existing theory, but also to believe that, as PhD researchers, we can generate theory from our own work. I feel honoured to have taken part in it. Lindiwe Mpofu, Trinity Business School (2026). 

I found the course to be a highly practical and engaging learning experience. The interactive teaching methods, including class discussions, teamwork, and structured feedback, encouraged deeper reflection on how theories are built across diverse contexts. The course materials provided directly relevant examples of theorising, supported by theoretical discussions and practical team-based exercises. Sessions on typology development, which highlight the relationships among phenomenon, context, and theory, have been instrumental in shaping my conceptual framework. Gebreyohannes Gebrewahid, Trinity Business School (2026).

Taking the course Theorizing and Theory Building was an exceptionally valuable experience, and I am truly grateful to have participated in it during my third year as a PhD candidate. The course is relevant for every stage of the PhD process and for researchers using any methodological approach. It helped me structure my emerging research ideas more clearly and identify the core concept. One of the greatest learnings was how to make sense of existing knowledge more systematically. The on-the-spot assignment and the provided in-depth guidance from the teachers allowed us to practice grounded theory coding step-by-step. The teachers were not only highly knowledgeable but also incredibly supportive, and the entire course was well organized. Beyond the academic learning, I met many inspiring PhD candidates from many different universities, and we shared experiences, insights, laughs, and memories throughout the week. I highly recommend this course to all PhD students. Whether you are at the beginning of your studies or approaching the end, you will gain tools, guidance, and clarity that genuinely enhance your research journey. I am very glad I took this course! Victoria Resch, Jönköping International Business School (2025)

The course on theory building and theorizing was truly eye-opening. It challenged my assumptions and introduced fresh perspectives on how a PhD project can be structured. I appreciated the emphasis on connecting theoretical frameworks to practical research, which gave me a clearer vision of how my work can contribute beyond the dissertation. The discussions and examples encouraged my creative thinking. Overall, it was an inspiring experience that broadened my academic horizon. Kenneth Nymand Pedersen, Copenhagen Business School (2025)

Attending the Theorizing and Theory Building course as a first-year PhD student was an incredibly rewarding experience. I had worried it might be too advanced, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed at this early stage, and although I sometimes felt a bit uninformed, both instructors did their best to get me back on track. The course introduced perspectives and analytical tools I had never considered before, and it has already started shaping how I think about my project. I was thinking for a long time of how to best create a concise dissertation with a good Kappa, and I can say that this really did help.  Romeo was an outstanding instructor who offered clear guidance, thoughtful critiques and insights that genuinely strengthened my understanding of theory development. Although the course is valuable for PhD candidates at any stage, I found that taking it early provided an especially strong foundation that I can continue to build on throughout my doctoral journey. I absolutely will recommend this to a friend! Selene Majed H., Jönköping International Business School (2025). 

I highly recommend this course to doctoral students at any stage of their PhD journey. I’m currently halfway through my PhD and have taken many courses , some of them spanning over three months, but none have delivered as much value, in such a short time, as this course. It truly demystifies the process of theory building, which is often a major source of stress and uncertainty for PhD students. The instructors not only simplified this complex process but also helped me develop a new mindset and see my research from a completely different angle. What sets this course apart is how hands-on it is. You learn by doing, not just by listening. The course is filled with practical tools and insights you can apply immediately. In addition to how analyze data and develop typologies, the instructors touched upon many valuable practical aspects. One of the most valuable aspects for me was learning how to prepare for interviews and how to ask effective questions, skills that are absolutely critical, yet rarely taught so clearly. Overall, this course has been one of the most impactful parts of my PhD training. I’m genuinely grateful for the experience. Rabih Darwish, Chalmers University of Technology (2025)

It would have been a great miss if I hadn’t taken this course. What stood out to me most was the design of this course. We didn’t just learn in class, we applied what we learned right away through intense class assignments. That hands-on work really made the lessons stick in my memory. The discussions pushed me to think deeper and approach theory building with more openness. The social activities were also a highlight that gave me a chance to connect with other wonderful “Dragons.” A truly rewarding experience. Moumita Sen Gupta, Aalborg University Business School (2025)

This course has been truly mind-opening for me as a PhD candidate. Until now, my understanding of research was limited to identifying a gap in the literature, collecting data, and working toward filling that gap. This course challenged that mindset by encouraging us to zoom out and focus on the underlying phenomena that give rise to meaningful theorizing. The emphasis on intellectual autonomy, emergence, and embracing confusion fundamentally reshaped how I think about theory building. I am especially grateful for the way the course was organized, the clarity and passion of the professors, and the sense of long-term connection built among peers. It has been an inspiring and transformative experience. I recommend this course 10/10 to each PhD candidate. Ajay Kumar, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (2025)

I am happy to have participated in this course in the first year of my doctoral studies. Previously I had no idea on my research phenomenon, and this course helped me start thinking about it and try to find it to keep my whole doctoral research cohesive. The practical approach in this course helped me learn theory building and grounded theory by doing and also learn how to read papers critically and deeply. This course taught me that the words and the use of them matter which is important not only in theorizing, but also literature review and analyzing empirical data. Zohreh Yousefi Dahka, Martti Ahtisaari Institute (2025)

The course stands out as a great opportunity for cognitive development among PhD candidates. To me, it represents a transformative journey from a reliance on established knowledge to the exciting exploration of new research territories. Two key takeaways of this course are "creating my own voice" in the academic community and "trusting in emergence" as a guiding principle in the research process.  Assignments were especially impactful; they not only deepened my understanding but also provided hands-on experience in coding from literature and data. Overall, this course has been instrumental in shaping my approach to scholarly inquiry and thinking out of comfort zone. Kazi Md Jamshed, Aalborg University Business School (2025)

This course was very helpful, and I especially appreciated Romeo’s approach. He is easy to talk to and creates a comfortable atmosphere for discussing ideas. The individual project feedback session was especially meaningful. He took the time to understand my work and gave clear and practical guidance that helped me see my project in a new light. I left the programme with a stronger sense of direction and a lot more confidence. Dhruv Pratap Singh, Copenhagen Business School (2025)

This course offered a better understanding of the phenomenon-based, gap-based, and grounded theory approach of the research. The hands-on exercise during the lecture helped me identify the distinct processes and applications of these research approaches in business and management research. Besides, the exercises and assignments on data coding helped me practice with different types of coding, e.g., in-vivo coding, substantive coding, and theoretical coding from a given set of empirical data, and developing typologies and a theoretical framework as a theorizing process. There was a session about the interview process, where I learned some tips to evaluate the data quality, identify the gaps where follow-up is necessary, and revisit the interviewee(s), if possible. I personally find the course very interesting and an effective one for PhD students with qualitative research projects like ours. Mohammad Hasan Imam, Aalborg University Business School (2025)

I took this PhD course in the fourth year of my Doctoral program. Before coming to the course, I had already published a qualitative paper, which I claimed followed the principles of Grounded Theory. However, attending this course, I got to learn the Classical Grounded Theory technique that is developed by Barney Glasier. The instructors of the course did a fabulous job in highlighting the nuances in the various forms of Grounded Theory techniques. Moreover, the applied and practical nature of this course i.e., through assignments and presentations, trained me well to understand the process of theory building. Apart from the process of Grounded Theory itself, instructors also enlightened the students on the activities associated with the technique, such as conducting interviews, identifying relevant participants, formatting the paper, and responding to reviewers. The one-on-one session towards the end of the course was extremely beneficial. With only a year left to defend my dissertation, I now feel even more confident and certain to successfully finish the qualitative chapter. I wish I had taken this course earlier in my doctoral program. Therefore, I highly encourage every PhD student in management domain or elsewhere to take this course and get trained in the process of theorizing. No matter what methodologies you plan to follow in your program, being acquainted with the process of theorizing and theory building is a fundamental knowledge to have under your belt, and this course is the perfect platform to get started. Muhammad Hasan Ashraf, University of Rhode Island (2022)

I attended the TBRP course when I was a one year into my PhD journey. The experience was stimulating and inspiring and it gave me new insights and skills for my PhD. The course pushed me out of my comfort zone and provided me with fresh research ideas as I felt I gained new views and motivation. Fantastic professors who made highly abstract subject approachable and practical. I would advocate that all doctoral students attend this course because theorizing is an essential ability for every scholar. Unnar Theodorsson, University of Iceland (2022)

This course helped me a lot to practice different theory building strategies and gain insights on grounded theory! I enjoyed intensive learning, working on exercises in teams and great socializing activities around Aalborg. I believe that this course contributed a lot to my PhD journey! I am grateful to prof. Romeo Turkan and prof. Andy Lowe for sharing such a valuable knowledge on different theorizing strategies. Both professors were walking us through the key steps from pure empirical data towards analysis and developing rigorous theoretical contributions. Also, I am grateful for the feedback each course lecturer gave on each PhD student’s research. My key takeaways from this course are: trust in emergence, be reflective, focused, and sometimes critical to what you read, practice substantive and theoretical memoing when analyzing data. Next, I will try to implement all these learnings in my PhD research-in-progress papers and will practice developing theory with classic or inspired grounded theory approach. Finally, I want to say thank you to the participants for engaging intellectual discussions! Kateryna Kryzhanivska, LUT University (2022)

It was a good experience for me to attend this course. We not only learnt the theories, but also practiced how to apply these theories in the course assignments. After this course, I laso know more about the Grounded Theory and I really think I would use it in the near future. The Grounded Theory method helps building theory from real data rather than previous theory, which is really interesting. As a researcher who is interesting in qualitive analysis, this course helped me a lot and provided more potential choices for future research. Weina Meng, Sino-Danish Centre (2022)

The TBRP course was an intentsive week that challenged me in a good way. I am very happy to have taken part in this course, whereas theorizing and theory building is an important step in research that could unfortunately be easily missed in the PhD process. What we learned this week I am sure I will be taking with me throughout the remainder of my research career. Erika Susan Dietrichson, Danish Technical University (2022)

I highly recommend the TBRP course series to all the PhD candidates. I took the “Narratives and Discourse Analysis” and “Theorizing and Theory Building in Management Research” courses, and I really learned a lot from these courses. “Be open-minded” and “trust in emergence” gave me much inspiration for my research and my future career. The hands-on exercises and one-to-one feedback sessions are exciting and practical. In addition, the interactions with experienced professors and excellent classmates enriched my research ideas greatly. Do not miss these courses! Ge YAO, Sino-Danish Centre (2022)

It was so nice to attend the course and get some hands-on training on theory building. The assignments were great, especially the second assignment. We could learn memoing, coding, and theory building by keeping our minds open. It was so amazing to see the theories emerging! For most of us, it was a new, fun, and beneficial way of learning! Syed Ahmed Tajuddin, Aalborg University (2022)

I took the TBRP course very late in my PhD process (two months before handing in my thesis) and was thrilled to experience that it provided me with new perspectives and tools for my PhD even at this late stage. On top of that, engaging in the learning process of the course gave me new ideas for further research as I felt that some pieces finally came together with new inspiration. Excellent professors that made very abstract material hands on practical and useful. I would recommend it to all phd-students regardless of methodological background as theorizing should be a core skill to take with you from a phD degree. Sofie Østergaard Jaspers, National Research Center for Work Environment (2020)

For a first year doctoral researcher, meandering around numerous articles, grasping knowledge from different sources, while finding own voice, the TBRP PhD course in Theory Building exceeded my expectations. As my research area is yet to mature, developing knowledge and skills in theorizing and theory building is crucial for me. At the beginning of the course, I had a great deal of confusion - (apparently) a natural state to be in as confirmed by the professors and fellow students. Employing an inductive mindset and approach was certainly the biggest challenge. But with time and workin on the course assignments, the 'muddy water became clearer'.This course broadened my horizon, developed my thinking patterns, and helped me approach the issues from different angles, while being deeply grounded in an objective reality. The methods and tools learnt in this course will definitely prove useful to my research. Alexandra Elena Carst, Aalborg University (2020)

Under the motto 'confusion is the royal path to knowledge', you will be exposed to the mysterious of theory building. The beauty of it, however, is that once you have mastered the course, the matter doesn’t appear so mysterious anymore. Make no mistake about it, 'you will have to walk, and create the way by your walking', but at least you will know in which direction to walk. In conclusion, I wish I would have taken the course earlier in my PhD. Sascha Struwe, Aalborg University (2020)

The TBRP course was one of the best PhD courses I have attended. It really encouraged me to use theory building in my future research. It also taught me how to develop theoretical sensitivity, stay open, making use of grounded theory tools and methods, among other things. I really enjoyed the discussion with professors and classmates, who brought it rich knowledge from different disciplines. Finally, although several of us could not go to Demark to participate in the course, it was really warm of the teachers to take care of us in Zoom. I highly recommend this course to PhD students. Peipei Yang, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2020)

I would highly recommend this course to every PhD candidate who is interested in theorizing and theory building. The five day course is very intense and requires your full attention, but I learned a lot about the relevance for theory building in business and management research. It also made me reflect on the importance of developing my own voice as a researcher and staying open for other research methods. The group exercises and discussions were really helpful for generating a better understanding of grounded theory. The professors provided a lot of critical and constructive feedback, so the learning curve of the participants was steep. Svenja Damberg, Hamburg University of Technology (2020)

The research process can be confusing – but fear not. Confusion is good! Celebrate!” This is one of the many notes I made during the course. It is printed and stuck on my noticeboard here in the office along with the “Trust in emergence” notice. ‘Emergence’ being one of the underlying ideas behind the course. My project is based on ethnographic data and presently I am confused! -  What have I been observing? How do I make sense of my data? Do I need more data? What type of data? How do I gather it? This course taught me to trust in the emergence - the patterns will become apparent. I am definitely going to be inspired by the grounded theory approach to theory building in order to “make sense” of my data. I am still confused but I am also more confident! Thanks a lot to the great and patient lecturers for the inspiring lecturers and helpful comments. Fantastic, that you succeeded in being so “present” in a mixed environment of online and physical presence - and this thanks goes to the rest of the team behind the course as well as the other participants in the course. I definitely recommend the course. Anne Klitgaard, Danish Building Research Institute (2020)

The TBRP PhD Course is a unique course that is not offered anywhere else. The course elegantly helps you tie methodology, data analysis techniques and theorizing together in the research process. It is hosted by a group of very engaged professors with very different backgrounds and approaches to research which can inspire you to develop your dissertation and give a clearer sense of direction in your research work. I highly recommend it. Tina Larsen, University of Southern Denmark (2020)

To attend the TBRP PhD course on 'The Process of Theorizing and Theory Building in Management Research' was a great milestone in my doctoral research journey. The inspirations on the “Digging, Mining, Refining, Polishing, and Relating” shook to the foundation the idea of my research only to ground it in stronger and organized perspective. The inspiration of discovering own voice in my research built another level of intellectual autonomy thirst. The shared experience and exposure to different types of research perspectives and literature survey styles have given me a different perspective about my research and what I am really supposed to do. Although attended relatively late in my research journey, but as they say: better late than never. Eziacka Mathew Mpelangwa, Sokoine University of Agriculture (2020)

At the end of my first year in my doctoral studies, I visited Aalborg University for a three-month research stay, which gave me the opportunity to attend in-person the TBRP PhD course. I feel very fortunate for being able to take part in the course and meet other doctoral researchers who are researching in different areas and using diverse methodologies. I found the course interesting and useful, not without a pinch of confusion. The various assignments enabled us to clarify and deeply understand some relevant concepts in the theory-building process, teaching us how to start listening to our own voice. Team working was an enriching experience since it allowed us to have different perspectives on same issues, facilitating discussion and learning. The lecturers, Romeo Turcan, Andy Lowe, Nikhilesh Dholakia, and David Doje, presented complementary views of the topic and guided us through the assignments, giving valuable feedback. It was an intensive week with a combination of lectures, assignments, discussions, and group presentations, and it was worth it! Noelia Garcia-Buendia, University of Jaén, Spain (2020)

Challenging all the preconceptions regarding one’s approach to research, this course is an exciting journey that every researcher should take. The course encouraged me, as a young researcher, to analyze my philosophical assumptions and ask critical questions that will be useful in forming my succeeding research choices. I believe conscious research design choices will result in high quality research.  A heightened awareness regarding the possible application of the deductive approach, combined with a deeper insight in Grounded Theory will help to facilitate deliberate and utilitarian research design. The course’s combination of lectures, discussions, assignments and group presentations provided an active, effective and dynamic arena for learning. I see this course as a relevant element in my further development as a researcher. Clare Hildebrandt, University of Agder (2019)

The theory building Ph.D. course was an eye-opener. From day one, we had the opportunity to look at the research world from a new and intriguing perspective. The course was perfectly structured and administratively organized. The in-class open discussions about the essence of theory and different approaches, limitations, and benefits were very interesting. But the highlight of the course was its lecturers, Nik Dholakia, Andy Lowe, and Romeo Turcan, who shared their life long academic knowledge and experience with us. They were open to listen and to guide us through the different assignments, and give valuable feedback. The unique format of having three highly prestige lecturers presenting complementary views enriched and highlighted this very exciting topic. I would highly recommend this course for first-year Ph.D. students that want to have a broader view of research and how it is and should be done. It was an intensive week, and it was worth it. Daniel Berliner, University of Agder (2019)

I highly recommend this course for every PhD candidate. Especially during the first year. Not only do I now understand the importance of theory building, the difference between the philosophical approaches to theory building and the essence of having a voice as a researcher are now clearer to me. I must admit that the course was very intensive and involving, but albeit very worthwhile. The coding process and memo building with critical expert guide are activities you can never have the benefit of experiencing first-hand anywhere else. The course is very useful. You will never regret taking it! Felicia Naatu, University of Agder (2019)

As part of my PhD, I have attended a Theory Building Research Programme (TBRP) PhD course facilitated by Prof. Romeo Turcan, Dr. Andy Lowe and Prof. Nikhelsh Dholakia. TBRP PhD course is the course that has turned my research sights from just focusing on qualitative approach and thinking of doing part of my PhD research papers in qualitative approach. The five days was well structured, and I acquired a very solid foundation on qualitative research. Though at first it brought confusion into my research project, but at the end I managed to come up with refined title for my project based on the knowledge I acquired. The triangle that compose any research project is very useful in defining the phenomenon that you are studying, under a specific context using a certain theory. I also acquired useful knowledge about how to allow things to emerge out of the field data. I can always recall how the “Emotional Timelining” popped up in my mind when working in one of the assignments in this course. It is among the best course I can recommend to any PhD student at the beginning of his/her studies. Keep the good job you are doing three of you! Godsaviour Christopher, University of Agder (2019)

In my career life, I have not seen anybody who makes the mystery of research clear and obvious like Romeo Turcan. The theory-building course reveals everything researchers need to make strong beneficial and logical contributions to the body of knowledge. I wish this program to be the global movement that will bring new revolution in the world of research and academia. This program is a must for everyone who wants to discover and build his/her own voice in research. Taking this course has become one of my best decision in education and career. Isaya Raphael Mwanyamba, University of Agder (2019)

I must admit that I never knew the depth of qualitative research especially by using inductive approach until I was taken through your course. TBRP PhD course was fully packed and engaged, it has come as a revelation to me. I essentially got what I expected. It is my ambition that during my PhD to be equipped with bits from qualitative research and related research designs and analytical tools. Theory building being one of very potential part in whether research writing or paper publication, the course came at right time to me. There were a lot of confusion times, but towards the end of the course things were starting to connect to each other, bits were brought together. Data fracturing and coding (whether substantively or theoretically) was not a joke. But finally, I made it. The facilitation team (Andy, Romeo and Nik) was fantastic, I have gained a lot from you. You have nurtured my intellectual understanding. Jonathan M. P. Kansheba, Ph.D. candidate, University of Agder (2019)

I chose to attend theory building course because I had an idea of what I was doing but I didn’t know how to proceed with vast amount of data in my hands. The course was a clear path for me as it helped me on methodologies and technics from grounded theory. Also, in case I am stuck on something during the process I can refer to the articles and books provided during the course for reference. As a result of this course, I already started analyzing my data for my next article using grounded theory technics and tools. Judith Iddy, University of Agder (2019)

The in-depth knowledge I acquired during the Theory Building Research Programme PhD Course – which I am passionate to explore further – has been an “eye opener” to me on what it means to identify “your voice” in the academic world. Importantly, I have gotten to understand and appreciate the unique strengths and power of identifying one’s own voice and the benefits it offers to the research community, especially in building theories. The course equipped me with the skills of reading and evaluating management research and most importantly, confront the conundrum of epistemological circularity that – “one cannot have knowledge about knowledge without already deploying a priori knowledge”. Consequently, I am able to interrogate the overarching structures of thoughts/philosophical foundations of theories to identify where and when “my voice” would be of relevance to the academic world. Prince Baah-Peprah, University of Agder (2019)

Thanks to all members of the faculty for an engaged and enthusiastic week. The course gave me valuable hands-on experience with the process of building emerging theoretical concepts from literature as well as from primary data. Ulrik B.U. Røhl, Aalborg University (2019)

Theory building course was a very good course with excellent professors. It was very useful for me to understand what methodology and methods are and how they can be better used in the academic research. I learnt the knowledge and skills through both the excellent lectures as well as well-designed exercises, which were effective to turn complexity into clarity. In addition, I got personal advice on my own research and expanded my research network. Yanhong Xi, University of Oulu (2019)

Despite being a statistician with a strong quantitative approach, I really enjoyed the course and I found it extremely useful to my research on inductive algorithms of data-driven science. The emphasis on philosophy and grounded theory are extremely relevant for current research on a global scale. Rolando Gonzales, Agder University (2018)

The TBRP course was intense and challenging as we were constantly taken out of our comfort zones and encouraged to look at things differently. Throughout the course, by observing our own and the other participants behaviors, I realized that in our attempt to search for explanations for a particular phenomenon, our theoretical lenses inevitably get in the way and reality presents itself to us bounded by our limited rationality. I recommend the TBRP course also for academics and practitioners as it provides the conceptual and methodological tools needed to start thinking differently. Henrique Correa da Cunha, FURB University of Blumenau Brazil (2018)

I’m a visiting professor at Halmstad University and had the opportunity to take the TBRP course. I was very interested in this course because in Brazil we also have some methodological courses and I wanted to see other approaches. The TBRP course surprised me in a very good way. The course it is not a methodological course; it is a very good way to develop a criticism approach which is necessary for a good research project and to contribute to new theoretical approaches. It was interesting for me to learn new things about theory building from literature and new methods of theory building from data. I recommend it not only for the contents of the course itself but also for the way the facilitators shared their experiences. I learned how to explain qualitative research in a better way for my students in Brazil. I really encourage anyone to participate regardless your methodological knowledge. Dinorá Eliete Floriani, University of Vale do Itajaí (2018)

The course challenges some taken for granted ideas related to doing research; the process of theory building is stimulating. Daniel Tyskbo, University of Gothenburg (2018)

The TBRP course opened my research knowledge arsenal to theoretical coding, memo writing, substantial coding, conjecturing, and properties of data to be collected and analized among others. I learned how to stay open and be context free in my data collection and research skills. I strongly recommend this course for nascent PhD scholars because of the magnanimous research methodology diffusion from the resource persons of this course. TBRP will open your mind not only getting sufficient data from literature review but also from other sources. We work hard and had fun. Emmanuel Makanjuola Ogunjemilua, Obafemi Awolowo University (2018)

The TBRP is not a conventional course; its design is innovative: you participate in assignments during the course and you may discuss your research during the course with lecturers. The course will help you to rethink your research process, learning diverse data analysis methods and techniques and how to use these in your dissertation. Especially, if you are a conceptual thinker, you will learn more about how to establish a new theoretical relationship in research. In addition, you have an opportunity to meet diverse group of participants who will make your learning experiences much more worthwhile and productive. I highly recommend this course to other doctoral candidates. Promotosh Barua, Turku School of Economics (2018)

Theorizing and theory building skills are essential for any researcher. Yet, it is rare to find a PhD course that offers to teach these skills to a sufficient degree. I found the TBRP course very useful – if not necessary – for three reasons: (1) The content, structure and exercises were very well planned and coordinated to enhance the learning process for the participants. (2) The instructors were very experienced, knowledgeable and able to provide context to the theoretical and philosophical discussions. (3) The group work assignments provided a foundation for fertile interdisciplinary discussions about the nature of theorizing and theory building that helped to open my eyes for new perspectives on my own PhD research. The TBRP course proved to be fundamental for my understanding of theory building, and expanded my belief in the power of data. Kjeld Hansen, Copenhagen Business School (2017)

I took the TBRP course at the end of my PhD. On the one hand I believe having taken the course earlier could have been invaluable and saved me a great deal of confusion. On the other hand, being at the stage I am now enabled me to recognize many of the challenges discussed in my own experience and data. This helped me to apply what I learned immediately to the problems I have been facing.  Although I had taken other courses of qualitative methods I still felt insecure about making conjectures and theorizing. The course was very explicit about how to go from description to theory building. The interaction with the other participants and the professors was excellent. I also enjoyed the opportunity of discussing my own research one-on-one with experienced researchers. I recommend the course to anyone interested in qualitative research and theory building. Letícia Antunes Nogueira, Aalborg University (2017)

The TBRP PhD preparation work and the course contributed to a better understanding of philosophy and approaches to research as well as for research methods and methodologies and how to build relationships between the abstract and the empirical. I have gained a firm grasp of how my specific theory needs to be constructed (for example going up a chain of abstraction from the specific to the general), how to better formulize my conceptual thoughts and to add more significance, conceptualization and methodology in my research aim. The TBRP PhD course provided to me a moment of sudden realization, enlightenment, inspiration – and confidence for my ongoing research journey. Chris Stäubli, University of Gloucestershire (2017)

This is one of the best courses I have attended. I learnt so much in a little time. I had the opportunity to network with smart graduate students from all over the world. And the icing on the cake.... we had a chance to talk to the famous grounded theory expert.. Barney Glaser. Watch out for the this course when it is advertised the next time. Fortune Abla Nyamadaxe, University of Ghana (2017)

The TBRP course was a gainful event; I particularly liked the combination out of focused lectures and informal exchange with professors. The content provided during lectures and practical exercises stimulated various informal discussions with the professors in the course of the 5 days. This interaction helped me tremendously in the tricky phase of theorising. Matthias Zach, University of Gloucestershire (2017)

TBRP PhD course is one of the courses I would encourage anyone to participate regardless of the stage of the dissertation. It was interesting for me to learn new things about theory building from literature and new methods for theory building from data. I recommend this course not only for the knowledge one acquires from the facilitators but also from group discussions, presentations and feedback, sharing of experiences and last but not least, the one-to-one discussions with the facilitators. It was also my first time to learn about Grounded Theory methods and techniques and how the processes can be useful during data collection, data analysis and theory development. In summary, it was an excellent arrangement with the course content, facilitators’ presentations, and discussions with both facilitators and other attendees. Not to forget; there were delicious lunches and perfect dinners. Philip Mampukia Yakubu, Aalborg University (2017)

It was a great opportunity for me to participate in the TBRP PhD course – a course for PhD student with full of joy and useful knowledge. Although my PhD work had just been started only two months before joining this class, it means that I still at the very first stage of my research, but this course helped me a lot in understanding how to apply necessary methods, tools and techniques to develop theories from the extant knowledge and empirical data. The structure and content of the course was a good combination between lecture teaching with group work activities and this allowed us to apply what we learnt into practice. During the course, time was set up purposefully for networking and discussing between PhD students from diverse research domains not only in classroom but also in cosy lunches and dinners. Moreover, the enthusiasm and wholeheartedness of all Professors in organizing and teaching this class also made a very good impression on me. Therefore, I would like to recommend this course for any PhD students, including who are still in the stage that we often call as 'PhD starters'. Minh Quang Truong, Vietnam University of Commerce (2017)

What I really liked about these 5 day-course in Aalborg was the intense training on the usage of Grounded Theory methods and tools for different fields of empirical research. Additionally I appreciated the final conversations with the different lecturers about applying GT in my PhD and my further academic endavour. I was happy to attend this course at an early stage of my PhD journey. Natalie Grubić , University of Gloucestershire (2017)

Attending the TBRP PhD course was a valuable and unforgettable experience. The course gives a clear view of how to use grounded theory methods on different levels. What I really liked about this course was the group work, where people from different disciplines could work together on the assignments. I have learned a lot from their experience of data analysis and building theory from data. Having three teachers in the same class all the time was an amazing job. I really enjoyed the discussion with the teachers and how they were giving us sometimes three different views on an issue or question. I  highly recommend this course to all PhD students. Ali Naef Mohammad, Aalborg University (2017)

Theory Building and Theorizing in Management Research course was an invlauable asset to my research in the following PhD studies and research career. Perfect mixture of five day lectures, public debate, skype talk with Barney Glaser and two assignments, where PhD students could implement gained knowledge, helped to built  foundational research skills and understand the significance of data. The lecturers were very comprehensive and provided by very experienced and knowledgeable professors in the field. Group assignments helped to build the team spirit, which in turn lead to good relationship with PhD candidates from all over the world. Raushan Aman, Almaty University of International Business (2017)

Even though I work with social consequences related to childhood cancer and thereby not engaged with business and management, the TBRP course was inspiring and educative as I received invaluable knowledge about theory building, grounded theory methods and techniques as well as a clarification about how to deal with it in practice. Line Thoft Carlsen, Danish Cancer Society (2017)

This has become a cliché when talking about this course, but I wish I had taken this course a year ago. It provided me with the guidance and direction that I have been searching for. After a quite frustrating week, everything slowly fell into place in the last two days. Can’t wait to get home and continue with my research. Nicoletta Baroutsi, Swedish Defense University (2016)

On the train back to Germany, I had lots of time to reflect on the TBRP PhD course and how to improve my proposal as a result of it. After the week long course in Aalborg, I feel much confident in my choice to do theory-building and grounded theory and better equipped to make decisions in my research. And as Andy Lowe said at the end, over the next few weeks and months, I know I will have additional moments of clarity. It was a week very well spent! Catarina von Maydell, Viadrina & German Graduate School (2016)

What I really liked about this course was the varied teaching formats: a good mix of traditional lectures, discussions, hands-on group assignments and finally the opportunity to discuss our projects and challenges one-on-one with the faculty. This is a rare opportunity and a nice change from the usual paper sessions of the other PhD courses I have attended. The course has certainly strengthened my theoretical sensitivity and provided me with new ways of thinking about my research. I think that many of the ideas that we discussed during the week will continue to emerge and re-emerge, as I move forward with my own work. Anne Mette Møller, University of Copenhagen (2016)

Five days were really full of classes, group activities and discussions. I liked practical exercises the most, but in general this course was a surprise for me. Probably the same feelings, when you are coming to a library to get a particular book, but ending up with a bunch of others. I would have never thought that I would actually need this knowledge, but I do. This course has broadened my view on how to approach a research project, how to think about theory and methods. It was quite interesting to see four teachers in the same room, who have different opinions on a class topic. There was an “orthodox”, who is strict about his method, there was a pragmatist, who uses just some parts of it and there were people in between. The message was clear: you are a researcher, you can and you must enjoy an opportunity to choose your way yourself. Get your autonomy. I believe each participant has gained a unique set of knowledge from this course. Alina V. Vladimirova, Russian Academy of Sciences (2016)

Theorizing in a PhD research is requisite, but developing skills on theory building is insufficiently taught. The program has given me a hand-holding and methodical way to theorize. Developing of theoretical insights is considered novel and progressive in research. With the skills gained and the continued support I look forward to using my skills as a junior faculty. Martin Kang’ethe Gachukia, Jomo Kenyatta University (2016)

The course provided me me with understanding of GT methods and techniques, including how to develop typologies, I would like to consider in my PhD. I believe I am getting to understand and learn about the process of theorizing from qualitative or quantitative data. I received hands-on experience working on assignments, which were tailored for the purpose of supporting the research throughout the process of confusion to practical knowledge. Behnam Boujarzadeh, Aalborg University (2016)

The course was excellently coordinated and delivered. It sets your mind on fire, confusion sets in and eventually new theory emerges as the cloud of confusion settles. The course took me through a different way of conducting research and gaining academic autonomy. Caleb Adelowo, Obafemi Awolowo University (2016)

The course was an important experience for me. What is a theory? What does it do? How do you know? How can you coax a theory to emerge, and how do you relate theory to your empirical material on the one hand and to existing literature on the other? I’ve taken arts and social science theory courses from bachelor to doctoral level but this is the first to address these issues head on through lectures, and exercises involving a degree of “force majeure”. Very different disciplinary approaches to theory were presented in lectures and grappled with during group exercises. It was an intense experience and not always pleasant, but through the course I’ve gained understandings essential for my growth as a researcher and success in my dissertation project. My advice? Take this course! You’ll do much more than “cover” material in the course plan. You’ll gain insights into your own theoretical practice and tools to develop it long after the course ends. Mary Fraser Berndtsson, Lund University (2015)

This course has been very enriching and enjoyable. It has tremendously contributed to my growth as a PhD student and as researcher. Assignments in this course was a unique learning opportunity. The course was very well-designed for each session added to the larger objective of the course which was helping us to explore theory building through both inductive and deductive approach. The exciting group work component of the course, coupled with strong theoretical foundations, gave me opportunities to explore and experiment with ways of thinking about theory building from literature review and theory building from data.  I have learned to critically evaluate the research articles, and to ignore my prior knowledge when analyzing data in order to get new insights for further development. Having taken this course, I feel better equipped to face the challenges of the academic world and to hopefully succeed as a researcher. Jurgita Giniuniene, Kaunas University of Technology (2015)

This course was very valuable for me. It was a challenging and enlightening experience, which guided through the process of generating theory from data. The course provided me with a deeper understanding of theory building by using Grounded Theory methods and techniques, which had inspired the way I am structuring and analyzing my own data. The course underlines that confusion is a royal path to knowledge and that knowledge and ideas gained from the course keeps emerging in the period after the course. The course organizers were very dedicated and opened up for valuable discussions between course organizers and PhD students from multidisciplinary fields throughout the week. Karin Aagaard, Aalborg University Hospital (2015)

The TBRP PhD course is a great way to kick-start your theory building process as well as to challenge and refine existing thoughts that you might already have. The course also offers great opportunities for networking and cross-fertilization between otherwise separated research domains. Daniel Carnerud, Mid Sweden University (2015)

Thank you for a very inspiring and interesting week in Halmstad. The course has initiated many thoughts and reflections on what an inductive vs. deductive approach to research is, including the many definitions of what a deductive and inductive approach might be. It has been very inspiring and instructive to meet Ph.D.-students from other fields of research. It puts your own research into a critical perspective and sharpens your reasoning for your own methodological choices. Following the course I have a better understanding of how and where to incorporate theory in the research process as well as what it takes to generate new theory. Siri Lygum Voldbjerg, Aalborg University Hospital (2015)

Indeed the course was great and I had a great time in Halmstad. I informed a colleague of mine about how great the course was and what an opportunity he missed, especially as he is using grounded theory and he regrets not having applied for the course. It was a good starting point for me especially on how to use grounded theory methods and techniques. I will be reflecting on the insights given during the course. I also liked the debate and advice given on my research. Thank you once again for giving me the chance to attend the course. Ann Njeri Kariuki, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (2015)

The course is offered by several very experienced professors, and gives PhD students a different logic to do research, i.e., building theory instead of testing theory. The content of the course is quite informative, from the philosophy of management research to ways of building theory. I learnt a lot from real examples of building theory, which also made understanding abstractive methods relatively easy. The course is organized in various ways, including lectures, debate and team work, and these activities make the five-day study very intensive and wonderful. As a first year PhD student, I really believe this course is an excellent beginning for my PhD journey. Xinyue Zhou, Aalborg University (2015)

This is the one course I would highly recommend for 'PhD starters'. The perspectives shared by this course is invaluable, and it soothes the 'confused' mind that often characterize 'PhD starters'. Gideon Jojo Amos, Halmstad University (2015)

For sure, this course is a good course that I can recommend to a friend. Though mainly focuses on qualitative and inductive view, yet I enjoyed the way delivery of materials was organized through a mixture of lecture-based and interactive teaching methods, including group assignments, guidance and feedback sessions to the identified issues and challenges pertaining to  our PhD work. I am also glad I had the opportunity to attend this course as I learnt a lot on the two main research methodologies, i.e., inductive and deductive, such that I am able to clearly distinguish them and at least judge on their applicability. The debate on these two approaches added more clarification for better understanding the practical application of the concepts. I also acknowledge that the course fee that we pay might be too small for the service we are receiving, including the two dinners and the many lunches and breakfast we attended. As such I label the course to be of more service oriented than being a business one. Generally, I would like to thank organizers and facilitators at large for their valuable care during the entire course period. Siwel Yohakim Nyamba, Aalborg University (2015)

A friend of mine, also a PhD student, told me, that she had not applied to the course because she had been told that the course is so difficult. After some more discussion, she regretted that she had not participated. While being intellectually challenging and stimulating, the course provided also practical advise on how to proceed with qualitative research. It especially helped a lot in understanding the thinking behind the grounded theory, that I probably would not have considered as a potential method for my research without attending the course. The group work with other participants provided an excellent opportunity to discuss and learn together, especially as the instructors supported the learning by dropping in the groups to give guidance and to share their knowledge. I would recommend this course for those PhD students who are in a quite early phasis of their studies and still have the flexibility to select or adjust some of the analysis methods of their (qualitative) research. Heli Pietila, University of Oulu (2014)

An eye-opening experience. This course was a mental trip through frustration that eventually gave valuable insight and understanding of grounded theory on a both practical and abstract level. Leaving all of us with new perspectives on research. Highly recommendable even if you could never dream about using grounded theory/theory building in your research. You just need to be open-minded and you will be taken to new and interesting places. Rune Osmundsen, Aalborg University (2014)

This was a very valuable course for me, focusing also on Grounded Theory. It is a course that practically shows you how to analyze textual data, such as interviews, and how to take it to the next level beyond the narrative understanding of the context. After the course you will understand how to analyze your interview data using substantive coding and theoretical coding, and create a formal theory (although the practical part of the course only focuses on the first two steps of coding). Nevertheless, Grounded Theory can be used to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data, and the course presents analysis methods which are useful even to those students who do not plan to use Grounded Theory in their research. This course has therefore been the most valuable course I’ve taken to this date. Michal Lysek, Halmstad University (2014)

This course is very well thought and designed to cater for student problems in developing theoretical models and concepts. It has mix of lectures, student presentations, class assignments, guest lectures and follow-up discussions. I have learned a lot from this course and it has been very useful for my academic and research career. I was indeed struggling with theorizing and theory building before attending this course. I was lacking the practice and art for scientifically reviewing literature and theorizing from it. But now I feel more confident and comfortable in theoretical development. Student participation from different research discipline is also a healthier addition to course environment. Muhammad Anees-ur-Rehman, University of Oulu (2014)

Participating in the TBRP PhD course was an unforgettable experience, beyond what I was expecting prior to the course. In addition to being faced with presentations by academically highly competent and respected scholars you are engaged in interaction with the rest of the participants and lecturers alike applying the newly received knowledge, which makes the impact on your comprehension of the material that much stronger. You get a great chance for networking with researchers in different fields and from different countries. And it is needless to advocate for importance of networking. The course is highly recommended, - participate, learn, and apply! Alex Fomcenco, Aalborg University (2014)

The TBRP course was useful for me as it helped to understand different research methods, especially the Grounded Theory method. After this course I was able to understand the applicability and usefulness of the Grounded Theory method but also other methods. The course was very well organized - the dedicated professionals as course leaders as well as multinational PhD student group made the course contents interesting and rich. I can warmly recommend this course for any PhD student. Lotta Haukipuro, PhD candidate, University of Oulu (2014)

In the course I was challenged and presented with tools and methods on how to theorize from literature and from data that would allow me to enhance my PhD. In addition to in-depth discussion and practice on inductive and deductive methods, I had once in a life opportunity to dialogue via Skype with Dr. Barney Glaser, founding father of Grounded Theory. I recommend this course to new PhD fellows to build and enhance their theory building skills. Allan Sort Dahl, Aalborg University (2014)

The whole course was extremely valuable for me at this stage of my PhD. It is a very good idea that PhD students take it not in the very late stages of their dissertations. In addition, the organization of the course was excellent, so were its social events. The feedback session, organized at the end of the course, on the issues from my thesis was extremely useful for me as well - I had a very good discussion and received a constructive feedback. Monika Musial, University of Oulu (2014)

The TBRP PhD course offered me valuable insights on how to advance my dissertation, introducing a valuable set of theorizing and theory building techniques that I may apply during my PhD research. The structure and content of the course was well-defined and balanced. Even the program schedule was tight, it was the only way to learn so much new information just within one week. I did enjoy the course lecturers who in addition to their experience also were very motivated throughout the week. I recommend TBRP PhD course to anyone who is interested to learn theorizing and theory building techniques in order to enhance his or her own PhD research. Marko Juntunen, University of Oulu (2014)

The course gave me an opportunity to get acquainted with different approaches to building the theory in organizational research. The group assignments were a unique experience of analyzing qualitative data, going beyond the obvious information, finding latent patterns and discovering the true concern – the concerns of interviewed persons. I got the very good and useful feedback on my research design and suggestions for improving my research. At the course I discovered that the best way to do the good research is to stay open-minded, keep it simple, just get there and do the research. The course provided me with new knowledge and inspired me to improve research. Branka Likon, University of Oulu (2014)

For a young doctoral researcher like me, being in the very early stage of my PhD career, this course was definitely a good starting point. Not only I learned how to theorize from the literature and empirical data, I also received excellent feedback on my thesis project. Deycy Sanchez, Hamstad University (2013)

When I first looked at the course content on the web, I wondered whether it could be fulfilled in 5 days… and it was. I had the opportunity to be in an international environment knowing young researchers interested in theory building. The assignments and the team work made me better understand the concepts hidden behind the inductive and deductive research. The feedback session on last day of the course was very much helpful, providing more insights into my research career. I would like to thank all the lecturers for their nice efforts to enhance my knowledge in theory building. Nazli Shahim, Aalborg University (2013)

I enjoyed learning to build theory from the Grounded Theory perspective and how its methods can be used in theory building in deductive research. It is ambitiously different in its approach and I welcomed the opportunity to learn firsthand from Dr. Andy Lowe.  I got a lot of valuable feedback on my research design and was able to see more clearly what I need and want to do going forward. Martin Tiidelepp, Tartu University (2013)

Despite my expecting a wider range of theory building methods and methodologies, this doctoral course granted detailed insight into building theory by means of Grounded Theory. With Dr. Andy Lowe as guest lecturer and a live video-conference with Dr. Barney Glaser the course was spiced with first-hand knowledge from founding fathers of Grounded Theory. Throughout five course days I was gradually brought closer to a profound understanding of the Grounded Theory approach. This process was supported through lively and controversial conversations and debates with and among course participants. It helped me very much in delineating the methodological orientation of my own dissertation and opened up a new, Grounded Theory world which I might get back to later on. Besides course contents also extracurricular activities were well taken care of. I enjoyed daily rides by bicycle from the city-center to the University (ca. 6km) and back and spent some evenings with other course participants from different parts of Europe in Aalborg’s bars and pubs. Jan Hermes, Oulu Business School (2013)

This course has been an important contribution to my PhD journey at Aalborg University. The underlying pedagogical frameworks and examples were carefully selected to help young researchers like me to understand the secret of being a good researcher. Furthermore, direct communications with facilitators on various presented topics broaden my understanding of the grounded theory methodology in general and methods of theorizing and theory building in particular to the point of 'I will use the method'. Felix Adamu Nandonde, Aalborg University (2013)

I am very glad that I had the opportunity to attend the first edition of this course during my visiting period ad Aalborg University.  Expecting a generalist course, I was rather surprised by its particular focus on the inductive research approach, specifically Grounded Theory. High quality teaching, first-hand experiences and examples, both in relation to inductive and deductive theory building techniques, have characterized the overall course contents and dynamics. Incremental practical learning was made possible due to 2 group work assignments, articulated in sessions through the whole course duration. Moreover, much space to socialize with the other participants from all across Europe was provided and the overall organization was excellent!  Especially the feedback session the last day was very useful and I would like to thank all three lecturers for their valuable insights to my research project. Stefan Schaper, G. d'Annunzio University (2013)

The course was thematically based on Theory Building with a guiding principle in Grounded Theory. Grounded Theory serves as a strict example of inductive theory building and lends tools and methods to other approaches, which in turn gave me a good insight into the opportunities and pitfalls in theory building. Ivan Butler, Aalborg University (2013)

The course has mainly focused on the grounded theory as one of the alternative research methodologies. It has provided me with a deep understanding of the grounded theory methodology, its methods and techniques. Besides, during the course the students were given an opportunity to conduct a trial grounded theory research, thereby immediately applying acquired theoretical knowledge to practice. This course is ideal for those planning to use grounded theory as a research methodology. Irina Atkova, Oulu Business School (2013)