Introduction
For a company to function effectively in the target business setting, it is vital to coordinate key corporate processes and different aspects of the firm’s functioning. Specifically, the structural, political, symbolic, and human resource-related frames should be considered as the key tools for characterizing the properties of a company. At Verizon Wireless, which remains the dominant wireless telecommunication provider in the U.S., the ability to streamline the processes within the specified frames remains the main factor of success. Due to the focus on diversity, respect, and accountability, Verizon has managed to prioritize essential issues and align its keyframes to ensure that its staff members accept and follow corporate values accordingly.
Organizational Theory and Behavior
In assessing and managing organizational behaviors in staff members, multiple theoretical frameworks and practical approaches have been designed. However, despite the presence of multiple perspectives, the general consensus regarding the importance of creating strong employee engagement and motivation platforms seems to be ubiquitous across different models (Bolman, 2013). Indeed, studies show that, unsurprisingly, in organizations where employees’ needs and aspirations are taken into consideration, organizational behaviors align with corporate standards, allowing companies to implement their goals and develop a competitive advantage (Bolman, 2013). Therefore, applying motivational theories such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs of the ERG framework in order to meet the staff members’ requirements and create a comfortable setting should be seen as essential.
Additionally, when shaping the organizational behavior framework, one might want to apply the Contingency theory as one of the central theoretical frameworks for organizational behavior. The theory in question posits that there is no singular correct framework for shaping organizational behavior (Bolman, 2013). Therefore, the situational approach must be introduced based on the unique factors and context affecting the company (Bolman, 2013). Applying the specified notion of Verizon, one might want to suggest focusing on incremental improvement and focus on quality management as the central issues to address (Bolman, 2013). Indeed, in the context of high competition rates, which the wireless industry of the U.S. implies, the use of a theoretical framework that would encourage staff members to improve their performance and seek to minimize the threat of an error is highly advisable.
For this reason, the integration of tools linked to incremental quality improvement is recommended. The described approach aligns with the current values and principles on which Verizon’s performance is based, namely, the importance of prioritizing stakeholders’ needs. Therefore, the inclusion of the tools such as the Total Quality Management (TQM) framework and the Six Sigma tool, which encourage an organization to loop its key processes in a chain of incremental improvement, must be considered (Bolman, 2013). Thus, Verizon will enhance its performance to an even greater degree, gaining a massive competitive advantage and retaining its place as a leader in the telecommunication domain.
Five Frames
Structural Frame
What defines Verizon’s ability to function in the present-day global corporate setting, in general and in the U.S. context, specifically, is its skill of connecting its structural frame as the based corporate framework to the rest of its performance. Namely, the company has announced recently that its goals currently include the focus on delivering innovative ICT solutions while encouraging diversity and equal opportunities (Bolman, 2013). Thus, Verizon has managed to demonstrate its focus on the needs of its employees and customers equally, proving its commendable ethical stance.
Remarkably, in an attempt to provide extra employment and career development opportunities for its target population, Verizon has also embraced the idea of coordinating the responsibilities of the staff in a more cohesive manner. Namely, the company communicates key workplace responsibilities to the staff via managers while promoting corporate social responsibility and the associated values through its organizational philosophy. Similarly, the roles are assigned to staff members at Verizon based on the extent of staff members’ skills and proficiency in specific areas, which allows for the fastest and most effective management of workplace tasks. However, Verizon has also been focusing on the idea of staff education and encouragement of employees developing new competencies as a part of its talent management framework (Bolman, 2013).
Remarkably, in its attempt to coordinate the key processes within the company to ensure that it functions as a single system as opposed to a set of fragmented processes, Verizon has introduced a unique decision-making approach defined by Verizon’s specific needs and goals. Namely, the current decision-making model contains five stages, namely, problem recognition, search process, alternatives evaluation, selection, and decision evaluation (Bolman, 2013). The proposed framework allows tailoring the process of corporate decision-making to the context of telecommunications, where the analysis hinges on the firm’s ability to adequately identify the variety of factors shaping its performance, including customers’ attitudes, infrastructure specifics, environmental factors, and many others (Bolman, 2013). Therefore, Verizon’s current decision-making model allows for homogeneity and cohesion across its processes, leading to a seamless transition from informed decision-making to effective implementation.
Political Frame
Due to its unique organizational structure, Verizon has developed a flexible power structure that offers its staff members maximum flexibility in decision-making while tethering it to corporate values. As a result, Verizon manages to retain its corporate integrity even in the instances that require particularly strong compliance with ethical standards (Bolman, 2013). Moreover, the presence of and adherence to the Corporate Social Responsibility standards has created the environment for acceptance of the established roles and responsibilities. Moreover, one must credit Verizon for the flexibility of its organizational structure and the opportunity for staff members to advance to higher ranks as they gain experience and expertise.
Environmental Frame
The role of the environmental frame is not to be underrated, either. Since Verizon operates on the statewide level, it needs to adjust to the context of the U.S. telecommunication market, in general. Therefore, both federal and local policies must be followed when providing services (Bolman, 2013). Moreover, the specified scope represents a complication for Verizon since the organization needs to cater to a highly diverse audience. However, the company’s organizational standards of integrity and collaboration allow establishing a cross-cultural dialogue successfully due to the recognition of customer-specific needs.
Symbolic Frame
Starting as Bell Atlantic in New Jersey, Verizon has expanded to the entirety of the U.S. When dissecting the phenomenon of Verizon’s rapid expansion and stunning success, one should give the company credit for building strong premises on which it managed to gain traction in the target market. Specifically, the company’s core values, including integrity, trust, quality, and collaboration, have provided the platform for Verizon to gain tremendous acclaim. However, the organization has placed a remarkably weak emphasis on its heroes (Bolman, 2013). The refusal to idealize its founders and leaders, placing its employees and other stakeholders in the limelight instead, can be seen as a direct reference to the company’s values based on which its organizational behavior strategy is built. Specifically, by emphasizing the individual value of its staff members, as well as outlining their strengths as a team, Verizon has been prioritizing the role of integrity and the significance of collaboration and support. Leading directly to the idea of responsibility and quality management, the described notions can be immediately connected to the idea of continuous improvement. Thus., the current design of Verizon’s symbolic frame pursues several goals, including the necessity to maintain its quality standard, promote continuous improvement, and meet the needs of its stakeholders, primarily its customers and staff members.
Human Resource Frame
The choice of the human resource management (HRM) framework defines the efficacy of further talent management and the performance of the company, in general. Indeed, once a strong and motivated team of experts is built, the basis for achieving key corporate goals is laid. Therefore, the selection of HRM strategies is a vital step in promoting proper corporate performance and appropriate organizational behaviors. At Verizon, the principles of strategic HR align with the organization’s need to establish connectivity between its organizational processes. Specifically, the use of strategic HR and the reinforcement approach serves to encourage employees to develop new talents while improving the existing ones, therefore, participating in incremental learning and professional growth (Bolman, 2013). The described strategy contributes to achieving the key organizational goals, namely, meeting the needs of customers and expanding by catering to a broader range of buyers since the focus on incremental improvement allows Verizon to continue providing unparalleled quality of Internet connection.
Role of Organizational Structures
The significance of a properly chosen organizational structure should also be linked to effective performance. At Verizon, the organizational structure can be described as functional since it does not reflect the corporate hierarchy as much as it seeks to serve the ultimate purpose of the organization, namely, satisfying customers’ needs (Bolman, 2013). Specifically, Verizon’s leaders clarify that “this new structure reflects a clear strategy that starts with Verizon customers” (“Verizon realigns organization structure to optimize growth opportunities in 5G era”, 2019, para. 3). As a result, the company’s processes are organized in a way that benefits customers and, thus, allows minimizing the delays and number of errors made during the service delivery stage (Bolman, 2013). The specified organizational structure supports the company’s values and serves to contribute to the quality management framework, allowing Verizon to improve its product. Specifically, the framework in question functions as the means of enhancing the speed of receiving and accessing data and different types of media for its customers (Bolman, 2013). Thus, the organizational structure of the company is linked to its objectives, values, and principles, which leads to the seamless transition from one organizational process to another.
Politics and Power Play
Similarly, the observed interactions in the workplace setting indicate the significance of the unique power dynamics established between the company members and employees. For instance, at Verizon, the focus on empathy and elasticity in the relationships between leaders and subordinates creates room for collaboration and productive performance (Bolman, 2013). Verizon has established that it prides itself on its ability to lend empathy to its key stakeholders, including not only customers but also employees, suppliers, and other members of the supply chain 9). Consequently, Verizon’s leaders are capable of navigating the complex framework of the company, where all processes are interconnected and interrelated, with expected ease, intuitive understanding, and cooperation between all participants.
Organizational Culture, Values, and Interests
The importance of organizational culture on the interdisciplinary cooperation within a firm and the seamless connection between the four frames is not to be underestimated, either. Specifically, organizational culture promotes active cooperation and defines the efficacy of information management, therefore, creating premises for the four frames to be integrated into the corporate framework. At Verizon, the company’s organizational culture is intrinsically connected to the values and ethics set by its leaders. Namely, the focus on integrity, accountability, and performance quality determine Verizon employees’ adherence to the notion of consistent data management and information sharing, as well as the emphasis on quality assurance (Bolman, 2013). As a result, issues in providing internet access services and the related options to customers are identified and fixed promptly.
Conclusion
With the emphasis on diversity, transparency, respect, and accountability, Verizon will be able to advance further in the global market and develop new and powerful connections within it. Namely, the company will profit significantly from reinforcing each of the frames discussed above. However, the key to Verizon’s success in its selected market concerns its ability to introduce cohesion and connectivity into its approach. Specifically, the company’s skill in coordinating the process of change in each of the frames discussed above will matter most in the further enhancement of Verizon’s performance. As soon as the company recognizes the effects that its political, structural, and symbolic frames have on its development of human resource policies, Verizon will be able to shape its current philosophy in a way that will lead to building the most effective corporate strategy.
References
Verizon realigns organization structure to optimize growth opportunities in 5G era. Veriszon.com. Web.
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2013). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.