A Picture of the Frame: Frame Analysis as Technique and as Politics

Abstract

In this article, the authors make the case for using frame analysis, an analytical tool commonly used in empirical work on social movements and social policy debates, as a strategy for organizational research. Using two sample texts—representing opposite stands on how the socially responsible investing movement should view investing decisions based on corporate handling of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered workplace issues—they illustrate several important methodological and epistemological concerns for organizational scholars considering this technique. They examine four key issues in particular that arise in thinking about how and why to use frame analysis: (a) using frame analysis to sort out underlying logics; (b) situating frames in context; (c) surfacing politics, subjugated voices, and implicit ideologies; and (d) making mindful choices as organizational researchers. They give special attention to the problem of how our reflexive positions and claims about knowledge have implications for conducting and reading frame analyses.

Promoting Commodities through Comic Books: A Framing Analysis of the Captain Citrus Campaign

“…The intent of the micro-analysis was to examine individual components extracted from, but not disconnected from the greater work. This analysis was then generalized and justification was developed for the presence of frames (Creed, Langstraat, & Scully, 2002). Coding instructions were developed by the researcher to assist in analyzing each page of the comic book series.…”

Narrative transparency

“…Differentiation and alignment tactics identify protagonists and antagonists and clarify dramatic conflicts. Differentiation and alignment tactics can highlight similarities to familiar organisational practice, but also point out shortcomings in existing practice and highlight key differences (Creed, Langstraat, & Scully, 2002;Etzion & Ferraro, 2010). Typically, differentiation and alignment tactics are used in emerging markets to develop positioning by referring (positively and/or negatively) to dominant discourses (Clegg, Rhodes, & Kornberger, 2007).…”

Delineating responsibility, decisions and compromises: a frame analysis of the fast food industry’s online CSR communication

“…The method, popular in sociological research, has been used to tackle one specific problem about organizational frames: that texts representing opposing positions on an issue often use highly similar language. For example, Creed et al (2002) analyzed two rival texts that respectively supported and opposed the practice of anti-gay screening of investments, yet both used similar language of 'freedom.' This method is thus appropriate for analyzing organizational frames of the QSR industry, where two distinct orientationsself-serving and public serving -can often be inferred for the same CSR message.…”

“…In this article, I use a frame analysis tool developed for analyzing frames used in social movements and social policy debates (Creed, Langstraat, & Scully, 2002;Gamson & Lasch, 1983). The method, popular in sociological research, has been used to tackle one specific problem about organizational frames: that texts representing opposing positions on an issue often use highly similar language.…”

“…Frame analysis for this study was conducted through a three-step process (see Figure 1) outlined by Creed et al (2002). The first step used a signature matrix method (Gamson & Lasch, 1983) to explore the underlying logic of messages.…”