Doing Qualitative Research in Chinese Contexts: Lessons Learned from a Grounded Theory study in a Chinese Healthcare Environment

This paper presents and discusses the process of doing qualitative inductive research in China, drawing its conclusions from a grounded theory study. This study focuses on exploring and explaining barriers and enablers to knowledge sharing between Traditional and Western healthcare professionals in China. The context for a study was a Public Hospital in the province of Hubei in Central China. A total of 49 semi-structured interviews were performed and analysed. This paper reflects on the process of approaching interviewees, guaranteeing their participation, conducting the interviews and encouraging responses in the context of the Chinese culture. It also addresses aspects of the Chinese healthcare professionals in China and their readiness to be interviewed and participation in this type of study. The discussion in the paper uses Hofstede's cultural dimensions as a tool in the interpretation and understanding of both behaviours and preconceptions of the participants. Finally, the paper will provide advice and recommendations to researchers aiming at doing this type of study in China. This paper is of interest to inductive researchers, in particular those using grounded theory, as it describes and discusses the actual application of the methodology in a non-Western context. The paper is also of interest for any researchers intending to undertake research in China.