Inleiding Bestuurs- en Organisatiewetenschappen
Part 1: Introduction Frames
Explosive technological and social changes have produced a world that is far more
interconnected, frantic and complicated than before. Forms of management and
organization effective a few years ago are now obsolete. This is also referred to as the
organizational big bang (Serieyx). The demands on managers’ wisdom, imagination and
agility have never been greater and the impact of organizations on people’s well-being and
happiness has never been more consequential. Organizations can have big positive or
negative influences on people’s daily life. We want to manage organization, so their virtues
exceed their vices.
Most managers fail because they can’t make sense of complex situations. When they don’t
own up to their flaws, whole organizations go down the dark path. When we don’t know
what to do, we do more of what we know. Most managers deal with these same problems.
Managers often try to solve problems with external consultants, they often fail to ignite
much change. So, policies and regulations come into play. This also often doesn’t do much.
This is where frames and reframing come into play. A frame is a mental model
(maps, mind-sets, schemes, cognitive lenses, et cetera) – a set of ideas and assumptions –
that you carry in your head to help you understand and negotiate a particular territory.
When the maps, or frames, work perfectly the process results in rapid recognition;
immediately recognizing certain frames, like when physicians evaluate patient’s symptoms.
This process is unconscious, very fast, holistic and results in affective judgments (knowing
what’s going on and what to do). To reach this you need a well-learned mental framework.
These frames will define the questions you ask and solution you consider.
The power of reframing lies in counterbalance. Don’t go for the first, best thing. Instead of
overemphasizing the rational and technical side of organizations, you should start thinking
about situations in more than one way Multi-frame thinking. You have to find ways of
asking the right questions and shifting your point of view. Using different frames until you
find the solution you’re searching for and understand the situation at hand. Like a painter
who paints an unrecognizable sunset and saying; ‘you don’t see sunsets the way I do’. Most
managers and organizations fail because they lack the imagination needed for multi-frame
thinking. Multi-frame thinking stimulates Imagination and mindfulness; and they are needed
to encounter black swans; novel events that are unexpected because we have never seen
them before.
We use four different frames:
1. Structural Frame understanding the various parts of the organization
2. Human Resource Frame focus on relationship between people and organization
3. Political Frame examines issues of power
4. Symbolic Frame seeks to determine meaning
- Structural & Human Resource Frame Dominant in decision making
- Political & Symbolic Frame Relevant in change in the organization
, Delegeren en zelfsturing
bestuurskundig
overtuiging
1. First is the structural frame. This frame seeks to gain an understanding of the various
parts of an organization. As an organization divides itself into functional units, the
structure must match the context. As problems occur, these issues are addressed
through making changes in the overall structure of the organization or its parts.
a. visualized in an organogram (example)
2. Second, the human resource frame focuses upon the relationship between people
and the organization. When individuals are cared for and personnel are able to thrive
in the organization, both the organization and the people benefit.
a. visualized in the Harvard approach (example)
i. (antecent behavior consequence antecent (etc.)
3. Third, the political frame examines issues of power. As different parties negotiate for
their agendas, the political frame helps leaders clarify the leverage and positioning
each party and how they interact. Through this frame, leaders may discover
strategies for building coalitions to accomplish common purposes.
a. visualized in strikes, social partners (trade unions) (example)
4. Lastly, the symbolic frame seeks to determine meaning. Symbols help bring clarity
and underscore significance. By providing meaning, symbols help personnel cut
through any vague understandings they might have of the actions of the
organization. Organizations are also theaters: the actors play their roles in an ongoing
drama while audiences forms impressions of what they see on stage.
a. visualized in logos (example) UN logo with world map from above, no focus
on one particular continent
,The cultural web is a tool used in recognizing the internal workings of an organization. The
paradigm is one way of viewing framing, an expression. You fill in the outer bubbles and
probably everyone will have something different in accordance to the same paradigm.
There a few common mistakes that are made when explaining organizational problems:
1. Blaming people. The most common mistake. This approach casts every failure as a
product of individual blunders. Assigning blame gives comfort and makes the path
clear to move on but distracts from seeing the weakness in the bigger system.
2. Blaming the bureaucracy. Things go wrong because organizations are stifled by rules
and red tape or because there is a lack of clear goals and rules. In practice this
perspective is better in explaining how organizations should work than why they
don’t.
3. Thirsting for power. Things go wrong because everyone it trying to better their
opponents. People seek and despise power but find it a convenient way to explain
problems.
Blaming is an easy solution. But certain peculiarities of organizations do make them hard to
decipher and understand. Human organizations can be deceptive, confusing and
demoralizing. Managerial wisdom and artistry require a well-honed understanding of four
key characteristics of organizations.
1. Organizations are complex. The behavior of people is hard to predict and there are
usually a lot of people in (bigger) organizations.
, 2. Organizations are surprising. What you expect is often not what you get. The solution
to yesterday’s problems often create tomorrow’s problems.
3. Organizations are deceptive. They camouflage mistakes and surprises. It is tempting
to blame individual weakness.
4. Organizations are ambiguous. The three factors mentioned above generate
ambiguity, a dense fog the shrouds what happens from day to day. It is hard to get
the facts and even harder to know what they mean and who to with them. Ambiguity
can result from vague or incomplete information, but it can also be intentionally
manufactured as a smoke screen to hide problems.
Organizations try to cope with a complicated and uncertain world by making it simpler. But
we need better ways to anticipate problems and wrestle with them once they arrive. Most
important issues confronting managers and leaders are not clear cut. In trying to make sense
of ambiguous issues managers hope to achieve bounded rationality. This is described in
three dimensions:
1. Processing capacity – The brain can only process a ration of information that might
be relevant to the situation.
2. Cognitive economizing – Cognitive limits force human decision makers to use short-
cuts in order to cut complexity down to a manageable size.
3. Cognitive biases – Humans tend to interpret information to confirm their existing
beliefs.
To cope with information overload, we filter out most data and fill in the gaps with
information we already have. This makes it fit with our current beliefs and reinforces current
mental models, which shape how we experience the future. The world we perceive is the
image we construct in our minds.
Framing helps make the path clear. You should develop the capacity to look at organization
with different glasses (different frames), all at the same time. If you manage that, you can
see different styles of leadership and managing, belonging to the four frames presented
above. This usually depends on context and the particular situation.
- Bounded reality (narrow, limited) = you can never grasp all of reality. It can be that
reality is something else for someone else, that they see it just a little bit different
than you do (perceived reality). Perception can be a reality as well, if you view it like
that.
An artist reframes the world so others can see new possibilities. Modern organizations often
rely too much on engineering instead of artistry. Art enhances engineering, it does not
replace it. The combination makes for a strong manager and a strong organization.
Collectively, the frames above make it possible to reframe, looking at the same think from
multiple lenses or points of view. Reframing is a powerful tool for regaining balance,
generating new questions and finding options that make a difference.
Part 1: Introduction Frames
Explosive technological and social changes have produced a world that is far more
interconnected, frantic and complicated than before. Forms of management and
organization effective a few years ago are now obsolete. This is also referred to as the
organizational big bang (Serieyx). The demands on managers’ wisdom, imagination and
agility have never been greater and the impact of organizations on people’s well-being and
happiness has never been more consequential. Organizations can have big positive or
negative influences on people’s daily life. We want to manage organization, so their virtues
exceed their vices.
Most managers fail because they can’t make sense of complex situations. When they don’t
own up to their flaws, whole organizations go down the dark path. When we don’t know
what to do, we do more of what we know. Most managers deal with these same problems.
Managers often try to solve problems with external consultants, they often fail to ignite
much change. So, policies and regulations come into play. This also often doesn’t do much.
This is where frames and reframing come into play. A frame is a mental model
(maps, mind-sets, schemes, cognitive lenses, et cetera) – a set of ideas and assumptions –
that you carry in your head to help you understand and negotiate a particular territory.
When the maps, or frames, work perfectly the process results in rapid recognition;
immediately recognizing certain frames, like when physicians evaluate patient’s symptoms.
This process is unconscious, very fast, holistic and results in affective judgments (knowing
what’s going on and what to do). To reach this you need a well-learned mental framework.
These frames will define the questions you ask and solution you consider.
The power of reframing lies in counterbalance. Don’t go for the first, best thing. Instead of
overemphasizing the rational and technical side of organizations, you should start thinking
about situations in more than one way Multi-frame thinking. You have to find ways of
asking the right questions and shifting your point of view. Using different frames until you
find the solution you’re searching for and understand the situation at hand. Like a painter
who paints an unrecognizable sunset and saying; ‘you don’t see sunsets the way I do’. Most
managers and organizations fail because they lack the imagination needed for multi-frame
thinking. Multi-frame thinking stimulates Imagination and mindfulness; and they are needed
to encounter black swans; novel events that are unexpected because we have never seen
them before.
We use four different frames:
1. Structural Frame understanding the various parts of the organization
2. Human Resource Frame focus on relationship between people and organization
3. Political Frame examines issues of power
4. Symbolic Frame seeks to determine meaning
- Structural & Human Resource Frame Dominant in decision making
- Political & Symbolic Frame Relevant in change in the organization
, Delegeren en zelfsturing
bestuurskundig
overtuiging
1. First is the structural frame. This frame seeks to gain an understanding of the various
parts of an organization. As an organization divides itself into functional units, the
structure must match the context. As problems occur, these issues are addressed
through making changes in the overall structure of the organization or its parts.
a. visualized in an organogram (example)
2. Second, the human resource frame focuses upon the relationship between people
and the organization. When individuals are cared for and personnel are able to thrive
in the organization, both the organization and the people benefit.
a. visualized in the Harvard approach (example)
i. (antecent behavior consequence antecent (etc.)
3. Third, the political frame examines issues of power. As different parties negotiate for
their agendas, the political frame helps leaders clarify the leverage and positioning
each party and how they interact. Through this frame, leaders may discover
strategies for building coalitions to accomplish common purposes.
a. visualized in strikes, social partners (trade unions) (example)
4. Lastly, the symbolic frame seeks to determine meaning. Symbols help bring clarity
and underscore significance. By providing meaning, symbols help personnel cut
through any vague understandings they might have of the actions of the
organization. Organizations are also theaters: the actors play their roles in an ongoing
drama while audiences forms impressions of what they see on stage.
a. visualized in logos (example) UN logo with world map from above, no focus
on one particular continent
,The cultural web is a tool used in recognizing the internal workings of an organization. The
paradigm is one way of viewing framing, an expression. You fill in the outer bubbles and
probably everyone will have something different in accordance to the same paradigm.
There a few common mistakes that are made when explaining organizational problems:
1. Blaming people. The most common mistake. This approach casts every failure as a
product of individual blunders. Assigning blame gives comfort and makes the path
clear to move on but distracts from seeing the weakness in the bigger system.
2. Blaming the bureaucracy. Things go wrong because organizations are stifled by rules
and red tape or because there is a lack of clear goals and rules. In practice this
perspective is better in explaining how organizations should work than why they
don’t.
3. Thirsting for power. Things go wrong because everyone it trying to better their
opponents. People seek and despise power but find it a convenient way to explain
problems.
Blaming is an easy solution. But certain peculiarities of organizations do make them hard to
decipher and understand. Human organizations can be deceptive, confusing and
demoralizing. Managerial wisdom and artistry require a well-honed understanding of four
key characteristics of organizations.
1. Organizations are complex. The behavior of people is hard to predict and there are
usually a lot of people in (bigger) organizations.
, 2. Organizations are surprising. What you expect is often not what you get. The solution
to yesterday’s problems often create tomorrow’s problems.
3. Organizations are deceptive. They camouflage mistakes and surprises. It is tempting
to blame individual weakness.
4. Organizations are ambiguous. The three factors mentioned above generate
ambiguity, a dense fog the shrouds what happens from day to day. It is hard to get
the facts and even harder to know what they mean and who to with them. Ambiguity
can result from vague or incomplete information, but it can also be intentionally
manufactured as a smoke screen to hide problems.
Organizations try to cope with a complicated and uncertain world by making it simpler. But
we need better ways to anticipate problems and wrestle with them once they arrive. Most
important issues confronting managers and leaders are not clear cut. In trying to make sense
of ambiguous issues managers hope to achieve bounded rationality. This is described in
three dimensions:
1. Processing capacity – The brain can only process a ration of information that might
be relevant to the situation.
2. Cognitive economizing – Cognitive limits force human decision makers to use short-
cuts in order to cut complexity down to a manageable size.
3. Cognitive biases – Humans tend to interpret information to confirm their existing
beliefs.
To cope with information overload, we filter out most data and fill in the gaps with
information we already have. This makes it fit with our current beliefs and reinforces current
mental models, which shape how we experience the future. The world we perceive is the
image we construct in our minds.
Framing helps make the path clear. You should develop the capacity to look at organization
with different glasses (different frames), all at the same time. If you manage that, you can
see different styles of leadership and managing, belonging to the four frames presented
above. This usually depends on context and the particular situation.
- Bounded reality (narrow, limited) = you can never grasp all of reality. It can be that
reality is something else for someone else, that they see it just a little bit different
than you do (perceived reality). Perception can be a reality as well, if you view it like
that.
An artist reframes the world so others can see new possibilities. Modern organizations often
rely too much on engineering instead of artistry. Art enhances engineering, it does not
replace it. The combination makes for a strong manager and a strong organization.
Collectively, the frames above make it possible to reframe, looking at the same think from
multiple lenses or points of view. Reframing is a powerful tool for regaining balance,
generating new questions and finding options that make a difference.
