From “Godfathers” to “Innovators”: Reframing Elite Coordination in Weak Institutions to Shift Public Support for Policy

In contexts dominated by “godfatherism” narratives (e.g., Nigeria), this project experimentally varies frames describing business–political coordination: rent-seeking versus public-good innovation, with or without cues of open interfirm communication. It measures downstream support for R&D incentives, industrial policy, and trust in institutions. Building on research showing interfirm communication complements CPA for innovation and media framing effects on public perception, it tests whether reframing elite coordination as transparent, collective problem-solving changes attitudes and identifies when and for whom such reframing works. The study extends framing theory to perceptions of elite coordination, linking organizational communication to mass opinion, and contrasts effects across media ecosystems. It also incorporates value-based emphasis frames to explore drivers of acceptance. The promise is that carefully designed frames can decouple “coordination” from “corruption” in public perception, legitimizing pro-innovation policy coalitions in weak institutional settings. The impact is evidence-based guidance for governments, business associations, and media on communicating about public–private coordination without triggering cynicism, potentially unlocking support for high-stakes innovation and development policies.

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