What fosters interorganizational frame convergence: Examining a semantic network during the opioid crisis

Public relations and strategic communication scholars have advocated for a social network perspective for a more relational and nuanced understanding of crisis communication. Drawing upon literature from crisis communication, framing, and network theories, we explicate the notion of interorganizational frame convergence (IFC), the extent to which different organizations share interpretations (i.e., frames) on a particular issue. This study examined an IFC network in which cross-sectoral organizations were connected by semantic ties based on the extent to which they shared similar frames in a crisis. We carried out a content analysis of organizational press releases during the US opioid crisis from 2017 to 2019 (N = 420) and the profiles of these organizations (N = 34). Results from network analyses revealed patterns, processes, and antecedents of IFC during the opioid crisis. We argue that understanding the antecedents and processes of IFC allows more relational and systemic theory construction as well as more effective relationship building.