Evolution of a grounded theory: conflict resolution through culture brokering

This article describes the evolution of the middle-range substantive theory of culture brokering. The theory was generated by first conducting a concept analysis that yielded 12 attributes of the concept of culture brokering. The concept analysis was accomplished using the anthropology, health-related, and business literature. In addition, data from an interpretive ethnographic study were used to further develop the concept of culture brokering. The theory was then generated from four grounded theory studies. Each study was used to frame the grounded theory model and to strengthen and refine the categories and links between categories within the basic social process of culture brokering. The culture brokering theory can guide the practice of nurses in situations where conflict is present in the health care interaction. The theory is grounded in the experiences of nurses attempting conflict resolution in the context of health care interactions.