The Four Frames: Looking at this problem from a Structural Frame of reference, the company is looking at the question of how to do more work with fewer people by realigning roles and responsibilities in order to complete all the needed tasks. Assigning tasks to employees that have not been trained to do the work is seen as rational because it is necessary. The fact that senior management is not sharing their concerns or plans with employees can be interpreted as management's attempt at goal setting by keeping the company headed in the right direction while the company makes plans to deal with the changes in demand and reduction in price that have caused this crisis. In terms of communication, senior management believes that it is acting responsibly be transmitting only factual information and not sharing their concerns with employees.

From the Human Resources Frame, the company is undergoing a radical transformation but managers believe that the only practical solution is to seek commitment from the remaining employees – but commitment is a two way street. Managers must maintain a balance between dealing with hu

Intervention: Clearly, an intervention is needed with this supervisor. Given the current financial crisis, it is tempting to suggest that the intervention would first acknowledge that this manager is not acting like a manager. For example, in the area of directive behavior she does not establish clear goals, nor does should provide frequent feedback. We should also acknowledge that this manager disregards the importance supportive behavior. For example, she does not use active listening skills and she does not help to problem solve or offer encouragement or ask for input.

From the Symbolic Frame of reference, management's actions are difficult to understand and interpret. Management is making no effort to provide inspiration to employees unless one considers coercion to be a form of inspiration. As a result, employee commitment is lacking among the remaining employees. Because of this, the quality, quantity and timeliness of their work is falling. At the same time, the company is using this crisis to establish a new social order in the organization in which an employee's historical contributions to the success of the organization are of less importance than their ability to continue to add value. This has resulted in situations in which employees with more seniority have been laid off and newer employees have remained employed because the newer employee can perform multiple tasks. In the Symbolic Frame, the unwritten commitment that the company woul