Module 4 - Background The Symbolic Frame In Module 4, you will write the final chapter (Chapter 4) of your 25+ page session-ending thesis-style paper. Following are instructions for proper formatting of the final paper:  · 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. · The final paper will consist of four (4) chapters (Module 1-4 Case). · The body of the final paper must be a minimum of 25 pages in length (not including title page, table of contents, end references, end tables, end figures, or appendices included with the paper).   Bolman and Deal (2003) liken the organization to a metaphorical “temple”– i.e., to a place in which certain things are revered by its members: “An organization, like a temple, can be seen as a sacred place, an expression of human aspirations, a monument to faith in human possibility. A temple is a gathering place for a community of people with shared traditions, values, and beliefs” (p. 405). Similar to temples, organizations need leaders who understand symbols, and their import for the creation of meaning, and for guiding the organization.  Read the following excerpt from Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (2003). Reframing organizations: artistry, choice, and leadership (3rd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley. Note the assumptions of the Symbolic Frame, as you will use these to guide the writing of your Case: Assumptions of the Symbolic Frame “The symbolic frame distills ideas from these diverse sources into several core assumptions: · 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. The symbolic frame sees life as more serendipitous than linear. Organizations function like complex, constantly changing, organic pinball machines. Decisions, actors, plans, and issues continuously carom through an elastic, ever-changing labyrinth of cushions, barriers, and traps. Managers who turn to Peter Drucker's Effective Executive for guidance might do better to study Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass. But all the apparent chaos has a deeper sense of emblematic order. In recent years, the importance of symbols in corporate life has become more widely appreciated. Symbols embody and express an organization's culture: the interwoven ...

1. Module 4 - Background
The Symbolic Frame
In Module 4, you will write the final chapter (Chapter 4) of
your 25+ page session-ending thesis-style paper. Following are
instructions for proper formatting of the final paper:
· 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.
· The final paper will consist of four (4) chapters (Module 1-4
Case).
· The body of the final paper must be a minimum of 25 pages in
length (not including title page, table of contents, end
references, end tables, end figures, or appendices included with
the paper).
Bolman and Deal (2003) liken the organization to a
metaphorical “temple”– i.e., to a place in which certain things
are revered by its members: “An organization, like a temple,
can be seen as a sacred place, an expression of human
aspirations, a monument to faith in human possibility. A temple
is a gathering place for a community of people with shared
traditions, values, and beliefs” (p. 405). Similar to temples,
organizations need leaders who understand symbols, and their
import for the creation of meaning, and for guiding the
organization.
Read the following excerpt from Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E.
(2003). Reframing organizations: artistry, choice, and
leadership (3rd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley. Note the
assumptions of the Symbolic Frame, as you will use these to
guide the writing of your Case:
Assumptions of the Symbolic Frame
“The symbolic frame distills ideas from these diverse sources
into several core assumptions:
· What is most important is not what happens but what it means.

2. · 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.
The symbolic frame sees life as more serendipitous than linear.
Organizations function like complex, constantly changing,
organic pinball machines. Decisions, actors, plans, and issues
continuously carom through an elastic, ever-changing labyrinth
of cushions, barriers, and traps. Managers who turn to Peter
Drucker's Effective Executive for guidance might do better to
study Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass. But all the
apparent chaos has a deeper sense of emblematic order. In
recent years, the importance of symbols in corporate life has
become more widely appreciated.
Symbols embody and express an organization's culture: the
interwoven pattern of beliefs, values, practices, and artifacts
that defines for members who they are and how they are to do
things….the various forms symbols assume: myths, visions and
values; heroes and heroines; stories and fairy tales; ritual;
ceremony; and metaphor, humor, and play. All these are basic
elements of organizational culture” (Bolman & Deal, 2003, p.
242-3).
Required readings
The following presentation by Westbrooks is an excellent
overview of the Symbolic Frame:
Westbrooks, E. (2012). Reframing organizations: The symbolic
frame. Prezi. Retrieved from

3. https://prezi.com/qae4pi43dsor/reframing-organizations-the-
symbolic-frame/
In this presentation, Dr. Jacobs provides a comprehensive
overview of the Symbolic Frame:
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%20
8002/Powerpoint/8002%20MPA/symbolic.ppt
Finally, Hogan’s presentation is a very good overview of
culture and symbols – i.e., the Symbolic Frame:
Hogan, R. L. (n.d). Chapter 12: Organizational culture and
symbols. Eastern Illinois University. Retrieved from
www.leebolman.com/Reframing_4th_Powerpoint/Chap%2012.p
pt
Optional readings
Notice how this early article by Bolman and Deal points out the
difference between “magic” and “might” – of course, both of
these concepts now underpin the Four Frames Model:
Bolman, L.G., & Deal, T.E. (1996). Might and magic.
Leadership Excellence, 23(6), 15. Retrieved from ProQuest.
Wizards and Warriors in organizations? From the authors of the
Four Frames Model, here is a more recent (and quite excellent)
discussion of the Symbolic and Political Frames:
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.
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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

4. 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

5. 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.).
Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the following five (5)

6. criteria:
· Assignment-Driven Criteria: Does the paper fully address all
Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to
the Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound
logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
· Critical thinking: Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level
analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources,
expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated
and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of
conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient
depth of discussion and analysis?
· Business Writing: Is the paper well-written (clear, developed
logically, and well-organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and
vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section
headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and
synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the
Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead
conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
· Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy): Does the
paper demonstrate effective research, as evidenced by student’s
use of relevant and quality sources? Do additional sources used
in paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do
they help in shaping the overall paper?
· Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of
APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper end references
and in-text citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations)
as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the
Background page, the assignment readings, and outside
research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all
end references been included within the body of the paper as in-
text citations?
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