ABSTRACT During the Covid-19 pandemic, governments adopted emergency measures to protect public health, intensifying communication efforts and centralising decision-making authority. In Greece, this involved a close alliance between the government and the scientific community, presented as an evidence-based response to an unprecedented crisis. This article examines how pandemic management was contested in Greek online and social media, and how authorities justified restrictions through strategic framing and appeals to individual responsibility. Contrary to expectations based on Greece’s traditionally confrontational public sphere, marked by partisan divides and frequent protest mobilisation, the findings show that contestation remained comparatively marginal. Instead, a paternalistic communication scenario prevailed, in which state authorities and scientific experts dominated public discourse, effectively monopolised the crisis debate, reinforcing state authority during the emergency period.

ABSTRACT Recently, a change in the international climate policy debate elevated cities as integral to achieving global climate targets. How did this shift occur? This paper mobilizes the concept of discourse coalitions to showcase how cities were framed as an arena of intervention in the context of international climate policy, placing emphasis on three dimensions. First, a focus on new alliances reveals how the urban, which emerged as a fringe topic, was promoted by forerunners who came together in formal and informal networks. These groups contributed to the formulation of strategic frames, which helped operationalize urban climate policy. Second, these frames were institutionalized within international organizations, contributing to their stabilization. Third, urban narratives gained structuration through their diffusion across a growing number of organizations and embedding into systems of knowledge. A discursive perspective highlights that the rise of cities was not a neutral development, but a process of argumentative struggle in which certain views on urban climate action were foregrounded. The analysis draws attention to the growing self-evidence of urban narratives, which raises concerns related to the reiteration and invisibilization of underlying political-economic interests.

ABSTRACT The dominance of private cars in urban areas has led to increased parking demand, often at little or no cost to drivers despite the high value of urban land. Efforts to reform parking policies, particularly through the introduction of higher fees and removal of on-street parking, frequently encounter public and political resistance. This paper introduces and explores the concept of Mobility Benefit Districts (MBDs), an adaptation of Shoup’s Parking Benefit Districts. MBD aims to increase public acceptability of parking charges by earmarking revenues for sustainable mobility and involving residents through participatory budgeting. Through a systematic literature review and analysis of eight European case studies, we explored examples that implemented at least one of two core elements of MBD: (1) the earmarking of parking revenues for alternative mobility and public space improvements, and (2) participatory processes in the allocation of these funds. We assessed policy measures and real-world examples regarding their impact on transport, acceptability and liveability. Our analysis revealed a general lack of literature addressing parking fee hypothecation. We also identified minimal community engagement during the implementation of measures, barring political and public acceptability. For the design and implementation of MBD, we emphasise the importance of enabling legal frameworks at a neighbourhood-level, continuous participatory processes, and strategic framing of MBD benefits to build public support.

Purpose An organization’s message design during crises is crucial to maintaining its legitimacy. This study extends the framing theory to analyze the strategies used by Ghana’s and Nigeria’s central banks to build discursive legitimacy during their respective financial crises. It also helps to decolonize our understanding of how central banks respond to crises and preserve their license to operate using evidence from two African countries. Design/methodology/approach The article analyzed 28 statements, ranging from one to 13 pages, issued by the two central banks in their efforts to respond to and manage the crises, using a qualitative frame-analytical approach. Findings The two central banks emphasize four similar but nuanced frames: stability and resilience in the financial sector; consumer protection and interest; national interest and sovereignty and technological efficiency and inclusion. These findings suggest that, although a shared foundational narrative exists, each country’s central bank employs unique legitimation strategies that align with its socio-economic context. Practical implications This study offers practitioners, researchers and students some valuable insights into how public relations technicians in Africa develop crisis response messages during financial emergencies. It also highlights findings that show the reflective situational and cultural factors shaping the content of crisis statements. Originality/value This study advances broader discussions of discursive legitimation during financial crises and crises more broadly, while also helping overcome the limitations of geographical viewpoints in crisis studies.

Framing is a commonly recommended strategy for building consensus on issues such as climate change and the pandemic response. These recommendations stem from research identifying potent messages across audiences and domains. Framing research, dominated by survey experiments, often overlooks crucial social context, however, limiting direct applicability of findings. This disconnect motivates our central question: How effective are framing strategies in socially embedded informal communication networks? We develop an agent-based model incorporating three contextual elements known to moderate strategic framing: (1) the identities of interacting parties, (2) the competitive nature of political communication, and (3) the structure of communication networks. Simulation results demonstrate that framing's effect on aggregate opinion is strongly diminished when modest levels of partisan homophily or potential for cross-partisan backlash are introduced. Under conditions of homophily, strategic framing by one group can actually widen partisan cleavages by creating echo chambers of highly persuasive individuals. Alternative interventions, such as increasing cross-partisan interaction or depoliticizing existing interactions, may be even more effective than framing efforts in informal networks. When framing campaigns appear effective, as many professional campaigns do, their success may stem less from the frame's persuasive power itself and more from how communication professionals strategically navigate the social constraints we identify.

Purpose This paper investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in talent management (TM) unfolds within the banking sector, with a focus on the role of managerial dynamic capabilities (MDCs), specifically managerial cognition, social capital and human capital, in enabling or constraining its strategic implementation. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative research design, the study draws on 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in the Qatari banking sector, a context characterized by rapid digital transformation and institutional complexity. Findings The study reveals a paradoxical landscape in which differences between early and laggard adopters are driven less by technical or financial constraints and more by variations in adoption readiness, which is rooted in leadership commitment, cultural openness and strategic framing. Second, MDCs are central to shaping AI adoption in TM and vary based on the level of AI adoption. Early adopters possess strong cognitive framing of AI as a strategic enabler, leverage relational networks for cross-functional collaboration and invest in continuous learning and digital fluency. In contrast, laggard adopters exhibit reactive mindsets, siloed operations and limited AI literacy. Third, the study empirically demonstrates how two key, context-sensitive mechanisms, called configuration and orchestration, operate in practice to translate MDCs from latent resources into actionable strategies. Practical implications The findings compel a fundamental reorientation of priorities for organizations. Adoption readiness and the systematic development of managerial capabilities warrant equal, if not greater, emphasis than technical investment in AI adoption for TM. Organizations are therefore urged to cultivate managerial cognition through the strategic repositioning of AI as an enabler of transformation, to entrench digital fluency and learning orientation through disciplined and sustained development programs, and to reinforce social capital by forging robust cross-functional partnerships that enable coordinated action across organizational boundaries. Originality/value Among the few studies examining AI adoption in TM, this research extends current understanding by applying the MDC framework to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) context, pointing out how managerial cognition, social capital and human capital drive AI adoption in TM. It also articulates and provides empirical grounding for configuration and orchestration as context-sensitive mechanisms through which MDCs translate into strategic action. This offers a more nuanced, agency-oriented and contextually embedded understanding of AI adoption in TM.

Abstract Research Summary Entrepreneurs use strategic framing to gain support for their novel ventures, products, and services. A key challenge entrepreneurs face is that audiences often contest frames that introduce novel ideas, especially when these ideas disrupt audiences' mental and business models. Such contestation can hinder novel ideas from being accepted, a risk that is amplified when entrepreneurs face contestation from multiple audiences. We lack understanding, however, of how contestation from multiple audiences shapes the strategic framing of novel ideas. We study this question at Tony's Chocolonely, a social enterprise that faced such contestation when introducing “slave‐free” chocolate. By showing how the social enterprise reacted to contestation from multiple audiences in different ways, we uncover novel mechanisms of frame change and stability. Managerial Summary Entrepreneurs use strategic framing to gain support for their novel ideas, products, and services. In so doing, they must navigate resistance from different audiences, especially when entrepreneurs introduce novel ideas that disrupt the status quo. Audience resistance can hinder novel ideas from gaining momentum. We do not know, however, how entrepreneurs can navigate resistance from multiple audiences. Our study examines how Tony's Chocolonely, a social enterprise fighting child labor in the chocolate industry, navigated resistance against its “slave‐free” chocolate from diverse audiences. Our study reveals novel insights into how audience resistance shapes entrepreneurs' strategic framing of novel ideas.

Purpose This study aims to examine how leadership roles and symbolic capital influence the adoption, perception and sustainability of family-friendly workplace policies. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological concepts – particularly symbolic capital, social space and habitus – combined with behavioral economic insights, the research investigates how organizational hierarchy shapes leaders’ strategic framing and employees’ interpretations of family-friendly initiatives. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a quantitative survey conducted in Hungary among 201 certified family-friendly organizations. The data were disaggregated by organizational roles (senior managers, middle managers and employees) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, ANOVA and chi-square tests. The theoretical framework integrates Bourdieu’s field theory and behavioral decision-making constraints. Findings Results reveal that senior leaders are significantly more likely to perceive family-friendly policies as strategic priorities and associate them with core organizational values. Their symbolic capital reinforces policy legitimacy and cultural alignment. However, middle managers report practical challenges related to implementation and resource constraints. A structural gap persists between top-level symbolic commitment and operational realities. The study also highlights how leadership credibility and internal coherence are central to policy sustainability. Originality/value This research offers a novel interdisciplinary contribution by bridging sociological and behavioral economic theories to explore symbolic and cognitive dimensions of leadership. It addresses a critical gap in the literature by focusing on the internal dynamics – hierarchical positioning, symbolic legitimacy and implementation constraints – that influence family-friendly workplace transformations.

ABSTRACT This study investigates how small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) can proactively institutionalize environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices despite limited resources and weak regulatory pressures. Drawing on transformational leadership and institutional theory, we conducted a qualitative case study of Yuren Industrial Technology, a Taiwanese manufacturing firm. Data from in‐depth interviews and document analysis were coded thematically around four institutionalization stages: void recognition, strategic framing, top management accountability, and data‐driven institutionalization. The findings show that visionary leadership reframed institutional gaps as strategic opportunities, mobilized employees through role modeling and individualized support, and embedded ESG into daily operations via data visibility and accountability mechanisms. This study highlights how data‐driven ESG actions can evolve into substantive governance in emerging‐market SMEs, providing theoretical insights and practical guidance for leaders and policymakers to advance sustainability.

This study investigates how the legitimacy of new energy development has been constructed in China over the past 2 decades through evolving governance strategies and media representations. Drawing on corpus-assisted discourse analysis of English-language reports from major Chinese media outlets (China Daily, Xinhua, and People’s Daily Online), the study examines how energy discourses—via keywords, nomination strategies, and news photographs—have aligned public narratives with shifting governance roles. Unlike previous studies that focus on specific technologies, short time periods, or firm-level legitimacy strategies, this study provides the first longitudinal, corpus-assisted multimodal analysis tracing how discursive legitimacy has evolved across four governance phases in China’s energy transition. The findings reveal four distinctive phases: early state-led technological experimentation, local-government-driven wind expansion, diversified innovation involving domestic firms and international partners, and a recentralized national strategy shaped by carbon-neutrality commitments. Across all phases, media discourse employed stable value-laden labels and increasingly affective visual strategies that normalized policy orientations and reinforced the legitimacy of evolving governance arrangements. These patterns demonstrate how discursive mechanisms function as tools of soft governance, complementing formal policy instruments by shaping public perceptions and expectations. Practically, the findings highlight how strategic framing and visual communication can strengthen societal support for low-carbon transitions, inform media guidance for public communication, and contribute to more effective governance of large-scale energy transformations. Overall, this study advances interdisciplinary research on energy governance by showing that legitimacy is not only institutionally enacted but also discursively constructed through long-term shifts in language, imagery, and governance priorities.

This study examines the corporate perspectives on green finance instruments and their impact on firm value and investment strategies among publicly listed companies in Indonesia. While global research on the sustainable finance is extensive, evidence from the emerging economies, particularly using the qualitative approaches, remains limited. Guided by the Resource-Based View (RBV), Signalling Theory, and Stakeholder Theory, the study investigates how corporations frame, justify, and communicate their engagement with green bonds, sukuk, and ESG-linked initiatives. Using a qualitative document analysis approach, data from corporate sustainability reports, annual filings, and regulatory disclosures from 50 companies across multiple sectors between 2021 and 2023 were analysed. The thematic content analysis was applied to identify the patterns in the disclosure narratives and the strategic framing. The findings reveal that green finance instruments serve not only as capital-raising tools but also as strategic resources that improve competitiveness, as market signals that reduce information asymmetry, and as legitimacy mechanisms that reinforce stakeholder trust. The study contributes theoretically by integrating multiple theoretical lenses on green finance adoption and practically by providing suggested ways for regulators, corporate leaders, and investors to enhance disclosure credibility and align ESG strategies with long-term value creation. These insights suggest that robust green finance engagement can become a strategic driver of corporate resilience and stakeholder trust in emerging markets.

To systematically review the instrumental and discursive barriers and facilitators that have influenced standardised packaging (SP) policies for tobacco, emphasising contextual, institutional, legal, political and rhetorical dynamics. We searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for peer-reviewed studies published in English between January 2005 (post-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control enforcement) and October 2025. Search terms combined tobacco and packaging concepts (eg, 'tobacco', 'standardised packaging') with policy process terms (eg, 'barrier', 'facilitator'). Reference lists of included studies were also screened. Of 967 records identified, 41 met the inclusion criteria. Eligible studies examined barriers or facilitators to any phase of the SP policy process (preadoption, implementation or postimplementation). Screening was conducted by one reviewer and verified by two others; discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Data were extracted into a framework integrating the Policy Dystopia Model, Multiple Streams Theory and Strategic Action Typologies. Extracted elements included instrumental (action-based) and discursive (argument-based) strategies, policy stage, actor type, design/data collection methods. Quality was assessed using an adapted Critical Appraisal of Research Evidence tool. Industry-led legal, economic and framing strategies were consistent barriers, while governmental legal preparedness, coordination and strategic framing enabled progress, mainly in high-income countries. Evidence on low and middle-income countries and postimplementation processes remains scarce. Research relies heavily on secondary or descriptive designs, underscoring the need for longitudinal, process-oriented analyses. SP success depends on navigating political, institutional and discursive arenas as much as technical design. Strengthening legal capacity, coordination and framing is vital to sustain implementation globally.

This study examined the paradiplomatic activities of the Bangka Belitung Provincial Government in attracting international investment to the tin sector. It underscores the growing importance of subnational diplomacy in decentralized, resource-rich regions amidst global imperatives of sustainability and better economic management. It was prompted by the lack of institutional analysis on the utilization of economic diplomacy by local governments in the Global South to rebrand commodities on international markets. Through semi-structured interviews with government representatives, private interests, and civil society stakeholders, supplemented by documentary analysis, a qualitative case study method was pursued. It was performed using the lenses of paradiplomacy, economic diplomacy, and ESG-based governance. Findings uncovered that Bangka Belitung has transitioned from passive natural resource commodity exportation to active international diplomatic branding through the employment of trade missions, advertising campaigns, and memoranda of understanding. However, institutional fragmentation, coordination problems, and the inability to create ESG mechanisms remain as challenges. Despite this, the efforts of the province have testified to increased sensitivity toward international legitimacy as a resource. The study argued that effective subnational diplomacy in natural resource-based economies is contingent upon strategic framing and institutional cohesiveness. Bangka Belitung’s experience could serve as a benchmark for localized diplomacy in the Global South amid the rise of globalized mineral governance.

ABSTRACT In recent years, the European Union (EU) has increasingly emphasised a strategic dimension of migration. This strategic framing has facilitated the adoption of two novel instruments in EU migration governance: measures to address the so-called instrumentalisation of migration and a mechanism to ensure mandatory solidarity among Member States. Both measures were incorporated into the 2024 Regulation addressing situations of crisis and force majeure. Against the backdrop of these unprecedented developments, this article contributes to the Special Issue’s effort to explore the modalities and implications of an actor-driven geopoliticisation of migration by EU institutions. Drawing on the conceptual framework introduced in the Introduction (Andrione-Moylan, Raube, and Wolfs, this Special Issue), the article examines the discourses, policies, and institutional positioning of EU actors – beginning with the developments that followed the 2021 Belarus border crisis, when a clear link between migration and hybrid threats was first articulated. The article argues that EU actors have increasingly adopted a geopolitical language on migration, highlighting its potential to disrupt the Union and its Member States. Yet this shift raises critical concerns. The actor-driven geopoliticisation of migration has reinforced a securitisation paradigm previously invoked to justify an expanded EU role in the field. However, more than in past instances, this trajectory remains partial, ambiguous, and potentially detrimental to the European integration process. These preliminary findings call for further scholarly reflection and investigation.

The purpose of the research was to describe, based on applied psycholinguistic researches, the psycholinguistic meaning of the verbalized concept of WAR in the context of professional psychological assistance to civilians and military personnel in the USA and in Ukraine, to show psycholinguistic model of transformation of military identity under the influence of the peculiarities of the use of the concept WAR in Ukrainian and English languages. Methods. At the experimental stage of the research, we used the Methodology “The post-traumatic stress disorder method “PSD–5”. psycholinguistic meaning of the verbalized concept of WAR in the context of professional psychological assistance to civilians and military personnel in the USA and in Ukraine we used: (1) corpus analysis of concept of WAR and its subconcepts. The sample size was 38289 items; (2) content-analysis of the speeches of J. Biden with chosen concepts. In total 51284 contexts have been analysed; (3) semantic network analysis. Results. We showed, that military identity of Ukrainian youth is largely determined by the concepts TRUE UKRAINIAN and DEFENDER, and they partially overlap, but in terms of age our respondents associate themselves more with TRUE UKRAINIAN and less with DEFENDER. A TRUE UKRAINIAN knows well geopolitical realities, the political situation, which is in Ukraine nowadays. Also, a TRUE UKRAINIAN is ready to provide historical and strategic framing, military support. This person is projecting global consequences, is erasing Ukraine’s independence, highlighting regional and global risks. A DEFENDER protects the peace, defends Ukraine, fights back, forces the enemy, does not lose vigilance, reacts with aimed fire, responds successfully, stands in defense of peace and tranquility, repels the attack. A DEFENDER describes a WAR CONFLICT as a conflict between different people in a paradigm of humanity. A DEFENDER really understands a duty to prevent future violence, to defend every inch of NATO. Conclusions. The concept WAR in the consciousness of modern Ukrainian youth explains psycholinguistic model of transformation of military identity under the influence of the peculiarities of the use of the concept “WAR” in Ukrainian and English languages. The concept WAR has four main subconcepts; WAR CONFLICT, ENEMY, DEFENDER and TRUE UKRAINIAN. The core of the subconcept WAR CONFLICT includes the cognitive features transmitted by components “Military aggression”, “Invasion”, “Tragedy”, “Death”. The subconcept ENEMY includes only one, main core, which has these components: “Terrorists”, “Dictators”, “Aggression”, “Enemies of peace”, “Moral dichotomy”. The subconcept DEFENDER has a double core. The basic core includes components “Deep, deep pain”, “Assertion of leadership”. The subconcept TRUE UKRAINIAN is a rather significant concept in the war discourse of Ukrainian youth, but it is somehow isolated from the rest of subconcepts. The core of this subconcept consists of the components “Military Support”, “Geopolitical realities” and “Erase Ukraine’s independence”.

This paper examines the role of youth activism in contemporary public policy formation, analyzing the mechanisms through which young activists influence policy agendas and outcomes. Drawing on political mobilization theory and policy process frameworks, this study investigates how youth movements translate social grievances into policy change across different issue domains. Through comparative analysis of climate activism, gun violence prevention, and education reform movements, the research identifies key factors that determine the policy impact of youth activism, including institutional access, coalition building, and strategic framing. Findings suggest that youth activism achieves greatest policy influence when movements combine insider advocacy with outsider pressure, maintain sustained engagement beyond initial mobilization, and successfully frame issues in terms of intergenerational justice. The study contributes to understanding of youth political participation and offers insights for both activists and policymakers regarding effective channels for youth voice in democratic governance. Youth activism - The primary subject of study Public policy - The main outcome/influence being examined Political participation - The theoretical framework and broader context Social movements - The methodological and theoretical approach used in analysis Intergenerational justice - A key conceptual theme that distinguishes youth activism from other forms of political engagement

This study introduces a diagnostic ESG orientation typology (Strategic, Transitional, and Compliance) to demonstrate ESG orientation, which represents the extent to which ESG practices are internalized and institutionalized within the organization, beyond an ESG disclosure score. It then seeks to establish the link between ESG orientation and financial resilience within Zambia’s agro-food sector. It thus enables context-specific conclusions beyond generalized ESG disclosure scores for emerging markets. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, based on a sample of 55 firm-year observations (2014–2024) of five listed agro-food sector firms, the firm-level analysis applies a fixed-effects panel regression of the quantitative sample. The qualitative classification of ESG orientations is guided by a structured coding framework that applies ISO IWA 42:2024 ESG principles when analysing the texts of the firms’ annual reports. Strategic ESG firms (characterized by board sustainability responsibility, long-horizon environmental investments and stakeholder engagement) were financially more resilient (in terms of ROA) than Compliance or Transitional firms. The typology offers explanatory power by connecting depth of ESG integration to profitability trajectories and proves the narrowness of ESG ratings disconnected from strategic framing. This study, unlike extant studies focusing on ESG score levels, conceptualizes ESG as an organizational orientation and proposes an ISO-aligned qualitative classification system that is applicable to emerging markets. This research extends previous studies by providing a typological lens through which the financial materiality of ESG can be understood in weak regulatory environments and thus provide novel diagnostic and policy utility.

Abortion remains one of the most polarizing public issues, with social media playing a crucial role in shaping narratives and influencing public opinion. This study examines how Czech pro-life actors strategically construct abortion discourse social media, focusing on key linguistic and visual strategies, underlying ideologies, and the role of digital platforms in amplifying their messages. Focusing on three representative voices—an activist movement (Movement for Life), a confrontational initiative (Stop Genocide), and the institutional Catholic Church—the analysis explores how emotional testimony, moral absolutism, and spiritual symbolism are mobilized to shape public narratives. Six Facebook posts are analyzed using discourse and visual framing theory, revealing a multi-layered ideological communication strategy. The article highlights the interplay between empathy, visual provocation, and religious authority in constructing abortion as a moral issue. The study also outlines a future phase based on semi-structured interviews to validate and deepen the discursive findings. The Czech case illustrates how pro-life actors operate in a post-secular, digitally mediated context and contributes to the scholarly dialogue on religion, communication, and contested moralities.

ABSTRACT Despite considerable advances toward gender equality produced by state feminist initiatives in the Arab Gulf, many men continue to hold traditional views concerning domestic gender roles and political participation. This article seeks to understand the consequences of state feminism and state framing for public support of gender equality among men and women. It focuses on the cases of Qatar and Kuwait, arguing that the state's top-down initiatives to empower women are crafted to resonate with men and avoid backlash. We contrast this with the bottom-up approach of civil society organizations (CSOs). Strategic framing by states is often tied to necessary economic restructuring, whereas feminist CSOs focus on economic and social rights and tend to attribute blame to conservative patriarchal norms. Social media provides an important platform for individuals to be exposed to alternative non-state feminist frames. Our findings indicate that gender gaps in support for feminist policies continue to exist in both Qatar and Kuwait. State frames have changed public opinion regarding women's access to higher education, but other issues, such as women's domestic roles and entrance into politics, remain strongly contested by men in the civil society space and contingent on continued economic prosperity.

This article examines how United Nations human rights treaty bodies clarify international gender norms, focusing on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It conceptualises treaty bodies as norm practitioners and proposes a three-part model of norm clarification: interpretive pronouncements, strategic framing and normative reinforcement. Applying this model to a qualitative content analysis of 185 state-specific recommendations (2018–23), the article shows how CEDAW invokes, shapes and reinforces the norm of intersectionality. Intersectionality is embedded through legal interpretation, tailored framing and repeated references to treaty provisions and soft-law instruments. Regional variation reveals strategies that respond to differing institutional, political and legal environments. The article contributes to scholarship on international law, human rights and feminist global governance by modelling and empirically illustrating the process through which treaty bodies clarify abstract gender norms and render them actionable and politically resonant.