Framing organized crime and entrepreneurs’ reactions in Mexico: variations in the International Press

Abstract

This paper presents a study on framing theory and entrepreneurs’ strategic responses in a narcoterrorism context. We obtain our results using a sequential explanatory mixed-method research design of international news, which aims to identify and analyze the themes that the international press covers in relation to narcoterrorism and to study entrepreneurs’ strategic responses to narcoterrorism as covered in news reports. Our quantitative content analysis (QCA) results show differences among journalists’ news stories using conflict, economic and morality frames in Mexico, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). Our thematic analysis results present explanatory accounts for entrepreneurs’ selection of acquiescence, avoidance, defiance and manipulation tactics as strategic responses in a narcoterrorism context. Our contribution comprises explanatory accounts of frame theory’s effects on entrepreneurs and specific examples of their strategic responses to narcoterrorism.