Module 4 – Case

THE SYMBOLIC FRAME

Case Assignment

After
you have reviewed the contents of the Walt Disney Company website, read
the materials included at the Background page of Module 4, and
performed additional research from the library and the internet, write a
6- to 7-page paper in which you do the following:

Using the following five assumptions of the Symbolic Frame, complete an in-depth assessment of the Walt Disney Company:

• What is most important is not what happens but what it means.
• Activity and meaning are loosely coupled; events have multiple meanings because people interpret experience differently.
• In
  the face of widespread uncertainty and ambiguity, people create symbols
  to resolve confusion, increase predictability, find direction, and
  anchor hope and faith.
• Many events and processes are more
  important for what is expressed than what is produced. They form a
  cultural tapestry of secular myths, heroes and heroines, rituals,
  ceremonies, and stories that help people find purpose and passion in
  their personal and work lives.
• Culture is the glue that holds an organization together and unites people around shared values and beliefs.

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that are to be covered in your 6- to 7-page paper include the following:

• Briefly
  describe the theory underpinning Bolman and Deal’s Symbolic Frame,
  discussing its usefulness in organizational analysis, and its utility in
  our understanding of organizations.
• Using Bolman and Deal’s
  Symbolic Frame, choose 3-4 examples of symbolic characteristics of the
  Walt Disney Company (you may choose some aspect of the organization’s
  culture – e.g., artifacts, stories, values, belief systems, etc). Then,
  examine your chosen examples using the above assumptions of Bolman and
  Deal’s Symbolic Frame.
• Of the 3-4 examples you have discussed above, which do you believe is the most salient
  mechanism or process by which the Walt Disney Company creates meaning
  for its members? Is this mechanism or process made explicit or tacit (or
  both) for Disney’s members?
• What conclusions can you draw from
  your use of the Symbolic Frame as it is applied to the Walt Disney
  Company? In other words, what have you learned about the company? How is
  use of the Symbolic lens helpful relative to informing outsiders as it
  concerns the organization’s approach to leadership?
• In the final
  section of Chapter 4, conclude by commenting on which of the Four
  Frames (or combination of frames) you believe is most useful to our
  evaluation and understanding of the Walt Disney Company. Explain.
• The
  background readings will not give you all the answers to the Case.
  Therefore, you are required to perform some research in the library, and
  use a minimum of 3-4 scholarly sources from the library to support and justify your understanding of the case.
• Your paper must demonstrate evidence of critical thinking (if you need tips on critical thinking, http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/college-and-university-students/799 is an excellent resource). Don’t simply restate facts – instead, be sure to interpret the facts you have accumulated from your research.
• Remember
  that the Module 4 Case also serves as Chapter 4 of your session-long
  thesis-style paper. Therefore, when your Case is complete, compile your
  final thesis-style paper in accord with the following requirements:
  • Use of proper APA Style of formatting, referencing, and writing is required.
  • The
    final thesis-style paper requires the following: Title Page, Table of
    Contents, and References. See the APA Sample Paper and other use of APA
    Style at the Purdue OWL: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.pdf
  • The final paper will consist of four (4) chapters (Modules 1-4 Case).
  • The body of the final paper must be a minimum of 20-25 pages in length (not including title page, references, etc.).
    

    Module 4

    Required resources:

    APA Sample Paper. (2014). Purdue OWL – Online Writing Lab. Retrieved on May 11, 2014 from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.pdf

    Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2003). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (3^rd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley.

    Hogan, R. L. (n.d). Chapter 12: Organizational culture and symbols. Eastern Illinois University. Retrieved from www.leebolman.com/Reframing_4th_Powerpoint/Chap%2012.ppt

    Jacobs, R. M. (n.d.). Theories of practice: The symbolic frame. Villanova University. Retrieved on May 8, 2014 from http://www83.homepage.villanova.edu/richard.jacobs/MPA%208002/Powerpoint/8002%20MPA/symbolic.ppt

    Westbrooks, E. (2012). Reframing organizations: The symbolic frame. Prezi. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/qae4pi43dsor/reframing-organizations-the-symbolic-frame/

    Optional resources:

    Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (1996). Might and magic. Leadership Excellence, 23(6), 15. Retrieved from ProQuest.

    Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2009). Battles and beliefs: Rethinking the roles of today’s leaders. Leadership In Action, 29(5), 14-18. Retrieved from EBSCO – Business Source Complete.