New virtual discussion: The use of Grounded Theory in qualitative research

In the current post I want to write about one new discussion emerged in ResearchGate (a social net where people with academic works can publish and share their papers and other kind of stuff and discuss whatever topic). The theme of this discussion is about the use of Grounded Theory and Case Study, their differences and utilities in qualitative research. 

As usually I have done, I offer here the transcription of the discussion, particularlly the central question and my answer, but you can consult the full discussion with several interesting answers here:

Key question:

"What's the difference between case study and grounded theory research? Does it make sense to use both?

Does one only use one research strategy or several? Is it possible/recommendable to use both GT and case study research for triangulation purposes? where is the difference??"

And my anwers was: 

"For me, Case Study and Grounded Theory are distint but compatible. That's to say, Case Study is the study of one phenomenon deeply, througout several ways (i.e) if you are studying gender discrimination, a case study is to gather empirical material from interviews, documents, ethnography... and thus, to know the gender discrimination.

About Grounded Theory, is a process of research "backwards" than usual, that's to say, tipically a research starts with an hipotesis and theories, and then you collect material in order to confirm (or not) this theories. Grounded theory works beginning from the data collect and ends with the theories, at the basis of the empirical data 

If you want, in my blog I have a post talking about Study Case and another way to "channel" the empirical material which differs from Grounded Theory, called "Thick Description", it can serve for your investigation better than Grounded Theory, I guess.

This is the link: http://ebaes.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/methodology-in-social-studies-of.html"

Although in my research group, we don't use Grounded Theory currently, is a very interesting methodology in order to "assemble" the discourse or the "product" of the empirical data' interpretation. I am sure if you read some answer in the discussion, you can make sense about his use. What do you think about Grounded Theory? Do you know any alternative to Grounded Theory or Study Case? Do you use this methodologies in different forms? You can join the discussion or we can talk here.

Photo Credit: Flickr, user Sam Ladner