This article illustrates how qualitative and network evidence complement one another for obtaining a deeper understanding of meso-level social orders theorized as strategic action fields. Making use of network data based on Twitter follower relationships and building on a previous qualitative study on the food charities active in Greater Manchester, we show how network-analytic formalizations of even apparently unimportant digital connections—Twitter ‘follows’—can provide meaningful insights into the functioning of strategic action fields. Focusing on this local charitable food provision field, the article makes a number of broader empirical and methodological contributions potentially relevant to the study of non-profits and other multi-organizational fields. The results of the network analyses mostly confirm the findings obtained using qualitative data, but also point to potential contradictions and puzzles that may indicate further lines of inquiry. In the discussion, we highlight the strengths and limitations of this approach and suggest how researchers could use easily available digital network data at different phases of their field investigations.

本文阐述了定性证据和网络证据如何相互补充，以更深入地理解理论化为战略行动领域的中观层面的社会秩序。利用基于 Twitter 关注者关系的网络数据，并以之前对大曼彻斯特活跃的食品慈善机构的定性研究为基础，我们展示了即使是表面上不重要的数字连接（Twitter“关注”）的网络分析形式化如何能够提供有意义的见解战略行动领域的运作。本文重点关注当地的慈善食品供应领域，做出了许多更广泛的实证和方法论贡献，这些贡献可能与非营利组织和其他多组织领域的研究相关。网络分析的结果大多证实了使用定性数据获得的发现，但也指出了潜在的矛盾和困惑，可能表明进一步的调查线索。在讨论中，我们强调了这种方法的优点和局限性，并建议研究人员如何在实地调查的不同阶段使用容易获得的数字网络数据。