OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Symbolic Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the symbolic frame
2. Apply the symbolic 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.

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

The situation I plan on researching is whether or not it is a smart strategic decision for General Motors to
follow the mainstream initiatives to downsize their efforts towards fuel ran vehicles, and put majority of
focus on all electric vehicles. Considering all electric vehicles are fairly new to the market, there is plenty
of learning curves and innovations to be weary about jumping completely into the electric market. I will
be observing this scenario in the position of an external professional consultant.

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

After research, a conflicting new symbol has arised that directly will influence my situation. The
General Motors Logo has changed since 2021 to embrace a lowercased “m”, to symbolize their
transition to focus on electric vehicles. (GM Authority)

3) Recommend how you would use organizational symbols for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

Considering the newest company logo is directly symbolizing their focus and initiatives towards
electric vehicles, I would use that symbol to prove its invaluable possibility of the wasted
resources in total focus to electric vehicles. Considering the logo set GM ahead of the political
view to go to the extent of changing their logo to prove they are “going green”, I do not believe
that every employee from all levels and spectrums, does not fully agree. The issue here is,
General Motors has a long lasting profound history on not just the automotive world, but the
U.S. and it’s pride in “American Muscle”. This push for all electric is gaining a lot of heat and
negative pressure from true car enthusiasts all over the world, and electric cars just can’t match
up to a symbolic classic ride in a car GM has been producing for over 50 years: The Chevy
Camaro.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

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I would have not gone to the lengths of changing the organizations logo. I think that was
somewhat of an overkill on proving their strive for electric innovation. The issue I ultimately
find difficult to graps is; who is GM trying to “satisfy” in their values of an organization? The
mainstream media and government initiatives, or the underlying good they can work towards
along with keeping their customers with reliable long lasting American made vehicles?

I understand that governmental factors play a large aspect of an organization’s focus. But
consider this: I have heard first hand from multiple GM employees, that there is a symbolic
aspect of the employees driving GM made vehicles. To implement this, the non-GM drivers have
to park in the designated furthest parts of employee parking, while GM drivers can park as close
as they please. With this in mind, would GM go to the lengths of turning this tradition into;
whover drives an electric GM vehicle can park closer, probably where the chargers will be
strategically placed?

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 Reference

General Motors unveils new logo | GM Authority. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2023, from
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/01/general-motors-unveils-new-logo/