Grounded Theory In Case Studies

1. Introduction

This paper examines the role of grounded theory in social sciences in relations to case studies for a qualitative research study specifically, on ways how grounded theory is created and used in case studies to build a theory. Using Strauss and Corbin’s 1998 basics of qualitative research called Basics of Qualitative Research - techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory and Yin’s 2014 fifth edition also called case study research as the main references for this essay. Both of these books are crucial and uniquely guide novice researchers in their process to conduct research in social sciences.

Research Design and Methods

The use of these books is not necessarily to summarize them but rather to stress the points

According to Yin (2014, 23) the value which case study plays as a research method in social science, as it helps investigate and produce empirical data through following a set of procedures. Yin 2014 further discussed case study design, techniques and analysis which are suggested as essential steps that researchers ought to follow for a successful case study development. These steps Yin propose range from preparing to use the case study to designing case studies; preparing to collect case study evidence; collecting case study evidence; analyzing case study evidence and lastly reporting case

“The specific case provides guidelines (properties and dimensions) for looking at all cases enabling researchers to move from description to conceptualization and from the more specific to the general or abstract” (Strauss and Corbin 1998, 88).

Additionally to the above said, one way case study function to develop theory is by using analytical generalization which different as opposed to statistical generalization. Analytical generalization

The relationship between theory and case study is quite interrelated especially through analytical generalization.

Analytic generalization according to (Yin 2014, 40) is the contrast with is another way of generalizing the results from empirical studies known as statistical generalization. Theory constitutes of

The building of grounded theory revolves around analytical procedures in qualitative research

Strauss and Corbin use the term theorizing to describe the process of theory production. “theorizing is work that entails not only conceiving or intuiting ideas (concepts) but also formulating them into a logical, systematic and explanatory scheme” (Strauss and Corbin 1998, 21).

For a qualitative research, the notion