4 Political Frame Worksheet

OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:
PCA-Political Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the political frame
2. Apply the political 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.
Name: Alexis Holmes
1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.
In August of 2021, there was commotion about unionzing Starbucks stores throughout
the nation. This problem was due to their wages being too low and work safety was being
neglected. My organizational role was at an internal level, where I was a Shift Supervisor
during the time this situation was occurring. My role consisted of assisting the store
manager in executing store operations during scheduled shifts, deploy partners and
delegate tasks so that partner can create and maintain the Starbucks experience, as well
as, coach and develop baristas.
2) Describe how the politics of the organization influenced the situation.
The politics of the Starbucks organization influenced the situation of unionzing by

allegedly violating partners union rights. Stabley stated, “In the last few years, as some
workers for the coffee roaster and café chain have made high-profile attempts to
unionize, the company has permanently closed stores where they worked and fired people
who were helping organize. The company has consistently denied firing any employees
or closing stores due to organizing activities” (Stabley, 2023). This situation has brought
up many political stances. One being Howard Shultz, which he denies any involvement in
trying to discredit employees rights. However, multiple federal judges have ruled in
illegally firing worker in both Buffalo, New York and Memphis, Tennessee. This could
shed a light on Starbucks allegations for partners who may not know the entire scope, as
well as, embarrass the internationally known brand.
These political tactics that the organization has employed has not worked well in their
favor, especially due to the mass of their organization. Currently, Starbucks has a total of
402,000 employees in the year of 2022. Which is a hefty amount of people to not only
1
keep track of but manage. As one can see, trying to keep a positive political frame could
be difficult.Yet, this type of behavior does stem down from upper management because
there’s a trickle down of how multiple stores have handled this situation. Overall, there’s
a lot of political turmoil going on within the Starbucks industry over the mass outrage on
unionization.
3) Recommend how you would use organizational politics for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.
I would recommend that Starbucks use a different approach for organizational politics.
With that being said, I think they must first dive into political assumptions of
organizations. These assumptions include; organizations are coalitions of different
individuals and interest groups, coalition members have enduring differences in values,
beliefs, information, and perceptions of reality, most important decisions involve
allocating scarce resources, scarce resources and enduring differences put conflict at the
center of day-to-day dynamics, and goals and decisions emerge from bargaining and
negotiation among competing stakeholders. After reflecting on political assumptions they
can than dictate what areas they are lacking.
Within this situation you can tell that Starbucks is lacking in the understanding that
coalition members have enduring differences in values, beliefs, information, and
perceptions of reality. I think perceptions of reality is a big takeaway from these
assumptions because it isn’t something most organizations think about on a day-to-day
basis. In the political frame, Starbucks hasn’t taken into account the perception of reality
most partners have and that is the idea that people can no longer support themselves with
the wage they are given. Nor are they able to accept the lack of store safety, which are the
reasons that led them to uionizing in the first place. Overall, Starbucks has not been able
to accurately achieve a successful political frame for it’s employees and organization. So
I would recommend they take a step back and ask themselves how can they help their
employees perception of reality?
4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.
I would do a lot of things differently given what I have learned about this frame. I would
first make sure I have an overall understanding on the political fram to be able to
determine a plan of action for the organization. I would then be able to build off that with
tools I have learned through power, leadership, and conflict resolution. These tools would
help the organization grow and feel supported through any political frame. Given the
situation with Starbucks, there was a lack of support amongst management. Making the
partners feel unheard and unvalued.
2
Overall, I would bring the Starbucks management together and make sure each partner
understands their options. Whether they want to unionize or not, that is there choice and
there choice only. I know Howard Shultz is in disbelief thinking he has created this
amazing organization for customers and partners. Starbucks has been put on a pedastole
for so long, and to see that his management is looked upon as unjust stirs a pot for
Howard Shultz. Yet,as we have discussed the actions of the political frame that Starbucks
has taken has not been taken lightly. Starbucks is now paying the consequences.
3
Reference
Stabley, J. (2023, March 29). Why scrutiny of Starbucks' alleged union violations is boiling over
now. PBS. Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/the-
union-busting-practices-that-landed-starbucks-in-hot-water

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OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Political Frame Worksheet

Name: Alexis Holmes

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

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

The politics of the Starbucks organization influenced the situation of unionzing by

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