OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Symbolic Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the symbolic frame
2. Apply the symbolic frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

During Covid-19, Moda Forte Salon and Boutique was a small business trying to remain
open. Many of the stylists and I were forced to decide how to handle the new challenges
that came along with the virus. Since Moda Forte was a service salon where people were
in close contact, business started to reduce. Moda Forte was a small business which made
the structure unique. In the salon industry, there are no human resources to help guide the
stylist since they technically work for themselves. There was one owner who would be
able to make the decisions regarding the business. The salon's symbolism and culture are
specific and would change due to Covid. The virus caused the workers to have different
ethical beliefs.

My role in the salon was internal. I was the front desk receptionist for 20 hours a week.
My duties included checking people in and out of the salon, washing and folding the
laundry, answering the phone, and scheduling to book clients. I worked at this job for a
little over a year during the coronavirus spread.

2) Describe how the symbols of the organization influenced the situation.

There are many symbols of the organization at the salon. Moda Forte was an upscale
salon and boutique in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was located in a shopping center that was
not busy. There were always many spots to park in. The salon was started by a mom and
daughter. The values of the salon were to have a place where families could come for all
their service needs. The salon valued a social environment, making money, and stylists
and clients being close. The salon environment represented a look good feel good type of
way.

When the coronavirus started, the salon had to adapt. One of the symbols that became
prevalent in the salon was face masks. It was challenging to continue to make money for

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 the salon. Fewer clients would come in due to being cautious of the virus. The salon’s
community started to shift. People wanted to social distance more to prevent getting the
virus. The salon changed from a social environment into a separate environment.

3) Recommend how you would use organizational symbols for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

I would use the organizational symbols to create an alternate course by still finding safe
ways to bring the salon community together in a safe way. In the text we learn “A symbol
is something that stands for or suggests something else; it conveys socially constructed
meanings beyond its intrinsic or obvious functional use” (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p.253).
A salon can be a symbol of beauty and socializing. When the coronavirus started, the
community shifted.

The virus created symbols of its own such as masks. According to the text, “During the
Covid-19 pandemic, face masks became a powerful symbol with different meanings to
members of different political clans” (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p.254). The masks were a
symbol of safety and protection from the virus. The salon could have advertised as a
socially distanced salon taking precautions by separating salon chairs and requiring
masks.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

I would try to maintain the reputation of the salon and keep the business alive for as long
as I could until the state shut down the salons. In the meantime, I would make sure to be
extra cautious by opening the doors, requiring masks, separating the stations, and
disinfecting all tools. In the text, we are told to “Take good care of your employees and
they’ll take good care of your customers” (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p.262). I would make
sure all the employees are comfortable and happy with the protocols. The salon's values
would be everyone’s safety and well-being while the salon is a space for clients to escape
the virus.

When the state shut down the salons, I would do the same that Moda Forte did. The salon
assessed the situation and decided if the salon could stay open. However, during that
time, I would try to find alternate ways for the business and stylists to make money
during the shutdown. Some ways could be at-home hair kits and selling contactless hair
products etc. I would want the customers and employees to still feel the bond and culture
of the salon.

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 Reference

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership

(7th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass