THE SYMBOLIC FRAME (Thesis Sample)

Instructions:

Paper instructions 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, this 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. 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.). source..

Content:

The Symbolic Frame Author Affiliation Tutor Date The Symbolic Frame Theory Underpinning Bolman and Deal’s Symbolic Frame The Symbolic Frame responds to people's demand for purpose and significance in their work. Its goal is to inspire people by making the organization's direction seem essential and unique. It entails formulating an inspiring vision and rewarding exceptional achievement with workplace celebrations (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Hence, the Symbolic Frame concentrates on how people build cultures by applying meaning, devotion, and conviction. Any organization will have a set of ideals, customs, rites, and tales that serve as the environment and symbols and draw in supporters of the cause. Symbols aid in gaining an awareness of the world's ambiguity. It enables people to view and comprehend events for their symbolic meaning rather than just their fleeting existence. Meanwhile, examining the symbols that define a company's culture might help comprehend how its members stay committed to accomplishing shared objectives. Subsequently, the Walt Disney Company distinguishes itself from its rivals via various emblems. Walt Disney's symbols construct the business's cultural and personal identity and foster a feeling of meaning and purpose, strengthening stakeholder loyalty. According to Bolman and Deal (2017), the Symbolic Frame is an essential tool for every kind of organization. It involves highlighting the group's principles through particular anecdotes from their past and developing a culture that will uphold the group's future goal. It is open to anybody who believes in these principles, and new members are welcomed with the same customs and rituals that have bound the group's founding members together. It fosters cohesion, clarity, and a sense of purpose for the objectives that comprise its future. Every organization may benefit from the Symbolic Frame as a foundation, and tailoring its essential elements can help build the perfect culture for a team's future. In this regard, the comprehensiveness of the model in Bolman and Deal (2017) lies in its ability to present an organization's structure, political climate, culture, and human resource management from an all-encompassing perspective. The concept provides four distinct viewpoints that facilitate a multifaceted comprehension of an organization. Hence, the concept is valuable and adaptable to many organizations, including government agencies, NGOs, and enterprises. The model is well-liked by academics and practitioners since it is clear and straightforward. The Walt Disney Company Profile The Walt Disney Company and its associated companies and subsidiaries are a preeminent global family media and entertainment conglomerate with five commercial segments—media infrastructure, parks and vacation destinations, studio recreational activities, consumer goods, and interactive media. It produces and issues books, comics, graphic novels, and magazines; sells merchandise with Disney themes; runs theme parks and resorts; runs media outlets and channels; and provides Chinese kids with English language instruction (The Walt Disney Company, n.d.). It owns and runs retail locations throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, and America. Symbolic Characteristics of the Walt Disney Company In addition to serving the plot, Disney's fictional characters are designed with external variables like culture, audience reaction, and societal consensus in mind. The audience experiences sensations when interacting with the characters, becoming emotionally involved in the narrative. To improve the cinematic narratives, costumes are also employed as an instrument of storytelling to reveal or conceal plot-related information. In this sense, Walt Disney has created several well-known fictitious characters, including Winnie the Pooh, Belle, and Cinderella. The firm has established a distinctive identity with these imaginary characters, which are most appreciated in Disney films and have been replicated throughout time to continue appealing to youngsters. These Disney animations greatly influence their vision of the world and how their personalities grow. Young viewers unconsciously view animated characters as the norm and as people to emulate in terms of behavior and appearance (Eren, 2023). Customers then identify the brand with the characters, some of whom take on their names or design outfits that correspond with them (Xu, 2021). Disney characters are easily recognizable; therefore, the target audience is constantly looking for films and television shows featuring their favorite characters. By purchasing goods featuring these characters, customers show appreciation for and establish a connection with the business. As a result, Disney has given its fictitious characters significance and united culture for people all over the world. The second emblematic feature of the Walt Disney Company is its theme parks. People can readily identify these theme parks with Disney since they include well-known fictitious characters from the company's movies. Theme park visitors have grown, primarily drawn from the generations that were brought up with Walt Disney films and television shows. Walt Disney theme parks and attractions offer engrossing narrative settings. These encounters inspire kids' passion for learning by teaching them about various cultures, historical periods, and creative expression and providing entertainment (Levine, 2021). In this instance, Walt Disney's theme parks weave a cultural mosaic of champions and underdogs. Theme park visits are now a cultural custom that has merged with family customs, much like Disney watching films is for most families. The theme parks run by Disney are the cities that America dreams it had: free from taxes and mortality, they are safe, orderly, crime-free, family-friendly, nostalgic, and politically independent, with many of the benefits and few of the drawbacks of actual cities (Johnson, 1981). As a result, Disney can produce essentially endless varieties of consumer products and merchandise bearing various character brands thanks to its theme parks. Another effect of Disney is that the idea of storytelling. Numerous Disney tales provide moral lessons to the audience, emphasizing the value of friendship, courage, compassion, and family. Young readers can learn important life lessons from these themes, which are frequently interwoven into the stories. Their films and TV shows typically emphasized moral lessons and educational subjects, which influenced people's views on what children should watch (Boguszewicz-Kreft et al., 2019). Walt Disney started making animated cartoons in the early 1900s, and his impact was felt throughout history (Goldsby & Mathews, 2018). Walt Disney's success can be attributed to his inventive use of technology and storytelling approaches and his capacity to connect people emotionally. Disney characters, for example, are frequently featured in educational games, apps, and materials that aim to make learning enjoyable and engaging. Kids may pick up the alphabet, numbers, and other abilities by doing activities with their favorite Disney characters. In this regard, well-known animated cartoons tremendously affect viewers, particularly young ones. Additionally, these films have a broad societal influence because of the variety and range of Disney-branded goods available (Ko, 2018). As a result, storytelling preserves memories of important events and ancestors and justifies social norms by helping people identify with essential values, ideals, and behavioral patterns. Salient Mechanism to Creation of Meaning in the Walt Disney Company The symbolic frame influences the leadership, organizational culture, and structure. Storytelling, amusement parks, and fictional characters are some ways that organizations convey their stories. They are effective instruments that support the organization's historical moorings while offering crucial justifications for resolving internal conflicts that arise now. Disney intentionally and self-consciously uses symbols to influence people's perceptions of reality. The symbolic frame shapes consumer religion, fosters workforce engagement, fosters brand loyalty, and impacts behavior. The company's message and medium are tales, fictional characters, and theme parks. Disney sells stories and symbols by rewriting and reworking them to maintain the brand's relevance. A story's characters act as its main characters. The plot is developed and advanced by the characters. Through the interactions and perspectives that people have of their surroundings, readers can experience the world that has been built. Disney has since produced enduring fictional characters that have gained iconic status, such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, and Simba. These characters have a lasting influence on young children's early reading experiences because they frequently introduce them to storytelling. The audience is meant to feel something when interacting with the characters; this is how they become emotionally invested in the narrative. Therefore, the most notable way the Walt Disney Company gives members purpose is through fictitious characters. For Disney members, there is an implicit and an explicit process. Reflection on Symbolic Lens Every organization has unique stories, beliefs, values, and tradition...

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THE SYMBOLIC FRAME (Thesis Sample)

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