Group reflection paths : a case study on entrepreneurs’ peer-to peer meetings. Method description

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p>This paper describes the development process and the pilot use of an ethnography-inspired analysis method to investigate group reflection in group discussions. Reflection is the process of thinking, acting, experiencing, evaluating and analyzing alone or together tied to the surrounding social reality or context. Social relationships are an inherent feature of a group; these relationships refer to group dynamics, i.e. interpersonal processes in and between groups over time. The method is piloted on three lightly moderated microentrepreneur network meetings in Finland. The meetings provide microentrepreneurs with a forum where they get into social interaction with other entrepreneurs. Each meeting provides a single case with a different starting topic. The method development was an inductive and data-driven process. We adapted the double stimulation tool by Vygotsky to the situated event of this study by adding two further steps: analysis of the group reflection and finally the symbolic visualization of the group reflection path. Each case discussions provided a unique road related visualization that symbolizes the discussion flow, directions and process. The main finding of this study is that each case meeting formed a unique group reflection path. The analysis of what, how and why entrepreneurs are talking about topics related to business creates an understanding of how they construct the meaning of entrepreneurship and related factors as part of their culture.</p></div>