R E F R A M I N G O R G A N I Z AT I O N S :

A FOUR-FRAME MODEL
N ATA S H A N . J O H N S O N , E D . S .
D O C T O R A L S T U D E N T, G E O R G I A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
E D U C AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P,
D E PA R T M E N T O F E D U C AT I O N A L P O L I C Y S T U D I E S
The Challenge of Multiple Interpretations
 Reframing Organizations:
Bolman & Deal’s Four Frames
I. STRUCTURAL
Leaders who make change using this approach focus on
structural elements within the organization as well as strategy,
implementation, and adaptation. Changing institutional structures
works well when goals are clear, when cause-and-effect
relationships are well understood, and when there is little conflict,
uncertainty, or ambiguity.

II. HUMAN RESOURCES

Leaders who approach change from a human resource frame
focus on people. This approach emphasizes support,
empowerment (perhaps through distributed leadership
mechanisms), staff development, and responsiveness to
employee needs. A focus on people works well when employee
morale is a consideration and when there is relatively little conflict.
 Reframing Organizations:
Bolman & Deal’s Four Frames
III. POLITICAL
Leaders who use a political approach to facilitate change focus on the
political realities that exist within and outside organizations. This
approach emphasizes dealing with interest groups (and their varying
agendas), building power bases, coalition-building, negotiating
conflicts over limited resources, and creating compromises. The
political approach is appropriate when resources are scarce or
diminishing as well as when goals or values are in conflict.

IV. SYMBOLIC
Leaders who make change using a symbolic approach focus on vision
and inspiration. Symbolic leaders feel that people need to believe that
their personal work, and the work of the organization, is important and
meaningful. Traditions, ceremonies, and rituals are very important to
the symbolic approach, which is most appropriate when goals and/or
cause-and-effect relationships are unclear.
 STRUCTURAL FRAME
• Origins - sociology & Goals

management science.
• Goals, specialized roles, and Structure
formal relationships.
• Structures fit organizations Responsibilities Rules Policies
environment and
technology.
• Responsibilities, rules,
policies, procedures.

Problems arise when the

structure does not fit the
situation.
HUMAN RESOURCES FRAME
• Origins - Psychology.
• Organizations as extended family.
• Individuals with needs, feelings,
prejudices, skills and limitations.
• Capacity to learn – and capacity
to defend old attitudes and beliefs.

Challenge is to tailor organization to

people – find a way for individuals to
get the job done while feeling good
about what they are doing.
POLITICAL FRAME
• Origins - Political Science.
• Organizations as arenas,
contests, or jungles.
• Different interests competing
for power and resources.
• Rampant conflict – difference
in needs, perspectives, and
lifestyles.
• Bargaining, negotiation,
coercion, compromise, and
coalitions.
• Problems arise when power
is concentrated in the wrong
places or is too broadly
dispersed.
SYMBOLIC FRAME
• Origins - Social and Cultural
Anthropology.
• Organizations as tribes,
theatres, or carnivals.
• Culture – rituals, ceremonies,
stories, heroes, and myths.
• Organisation is theatre –
actors play role while
audiences form impressions.

Problems arise when actors

play their parts badly, when
symbols lose their meaning,
and/or when ceremonies &
rituals lose their potency.
OVERVIEW OF THE FOUR-FRAME MODEL
Structural Human Political Symbolic
Resource

Metaphor for Factory or Family Jungle Carnival, temple,

Organization Machine theatre

Central Rules, roles, Needs, skills, Power, conflict, Culture, meaning,

Concepts goals, policies, relationships competition, metaphor, ritual,
technology, organisational ceremony,
environment policies stories, heroes

Image of Social Empowerment Advocacy Inspiration

Leadership architecture

Basic Attune structure Align Develop agenda Create faith,

Leadership to task, organizational and power base beauty, meaning
Challenge technology, and human needs
environment

Organizational Excellence Caring Justice Faith

Ethic

Leadership Authorship Love Power Significance

Contribution
 CHOOSING A FRAME
Question Frame if answer is Yes Frame if answer is
No
Are individual Human Resource, Structural, Political
commitment and Symbolic
motivation essential to
success?

Is the technical quality Structural Human Resource,

of the decision Political, Symbolic
important?
Are there high levels of Political, Symbolic Structural, Human
ambiguity and Resource
uncertainty?
Are conflict and scarce Political, Symbolic Structural, Human
resources significant? Resource
Are you working from Political Structural, Human
the bottom up? Resource, Symbolic
 REFRAMING THE ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS
Structural Human Resources Political Symbolic
Strategic Planning Strategies to set Gatherings to promote Arenas to air conflicts and Ritual to signal responsibility,
objectives and coordinate participation realign power produce symbols, negotiate
resources meanings
Decision Making Rational sequence to Open process to Opportunity to gain or exercise Ritual to confirm values and
produce right decision produce commitment power provide opportunities for
bonding
Reorganizing Realign roles and Maintain balance Redistribute power and form Maintain image of accountability
responsibilities to fit tasks between human needs new coalitions and responsiveness; negotiate
and environment and formal roles new social order

Evaluating Way to distribute Process for helping Opportunity to exercise power Occasion to play roles in shared
rewards or penalties and individuals grow and ritual
control performance improve

Approaching Conflict Maintain organisational Develop relationships Develop power by bargaining, Develop shared values and use
goals by having authorities by having individuals forcing, or manipulating others conflict to negotiate meaning
resolve conflict confront conflict to win

Goal Setting Keep organisation headed Keep people involved Provide opportunity for Develop symbols and shared
in right direction and communication individuals and groups to make values
open interests known
Communication Transmit facts and Exchange information, Influence or manipulate others Tell stores
information needs, and feelings
Meetings Formal occasions for Informal occasions for Competitive occasions to win Sacred occasions to celebrate
making decisions involvement, sharing points and transform the culture
feelings
Motivation Economic incentives Growth and self- Coercion, manipulation, and Symbols and celebrations
actualisation seduction
 REFRAMING LEADERSHIP & CHANGE
Structural Human Political Symbolic
Resources
Effective Analyst, Catalyst, Advocate, Prophet, poet
Leader architect servant negotiator
Effective Analysis, design Support, Advocacy, coalition Inspiration, framing
Leadership empowerment building experience
Process
Ineffective Petty tyrant Weakling, Con artist, thug Fanatic, fool
Leader pushover
Ineffective Management by Abdication Manipulation, fraud Mirage, smoke &
Leadership detail and fiat mirrors
Process
Structural Human Resource Political Symbolic
Barriers to Loss of clarity Anxiety, uncertainty, Disempowerment, Loss of meaning
Change and stability, feelings of conflict between and purpose,
confusion, chaos incompetence, winners and losers clinging to the past
neediness
Essential Communicating, Training to develop Creating arenas Creating transition
Strategies realigning and new skills, where issues can rituals – mourning
renegotiating participation and be renegotiated the past,
formal patterns involvement, and new coalitions celebrating the
and policies psychological support formed future
 THE FOUR-FRAME
MODEL
• How do the four frames connect
with/to your organization/institution?
• What problems exist, and what are the
situations in which they are embedded?
– Which frames are in play?
• Which frames are most likely to lead to
the desired change(s)?
• How can the concepts, metaphors, and
values of these frames be used to
1) Reframe the situation(s) and
2) Resolve the problem(s)?
 REFERENCE

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry,

choice, and leadership. John Wiley & Sons.