OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Structural Frame Worksheet

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

I have been with Starbucks for ten years and am currently in role as a shift supervisor. I
have stayed with the company despite an array of changes as the benefits are uniquely
competitive. Back in 2014, there was a very obvious first-come-first serve basis that
simplified our work as baristas. Today, our Mobile Order and Pay system is more
appealing than ordering at the counter and more customers than ever before are app-
users. There is a limitless capacity of orders that can come in during any thirty-minute
period with no cap-off algorithm. The only way to alleviate this issue is by asking to have
mobiles turned off, which is usually met with pushback from management. From the
machine-mentality instilled in each of us to muster through the dehumanizing 6+ hour
peaks, to lack of senior pay, to the lack of safeguards in place when call-outs happen- it is
no wonder Starbucks partners are pushing to unionize. The question is, why is Starbucks
fighting it?

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

Starbucks is a machine bureaucracy- big decisions are made at a corporate level while
managers and supervisors ensure standards are being met by governing everyday operational
life. “Top executives rely more on generic and abstract information. Their decisions are
influenced by company-wide concerns. As a result, a solution from the top may not meet the
needs of individual units” (Deal & Bolman, 2021). Corporate has mapped out our systems
and routines to a science, there is a machine-like approach to how we pump out food/drinks
that is clearly effective. Each role has specific routines that when followed enhances our
collective performance. However, there is some corporate disconnect as it pertains to the
anomalies that are faced on a day-to-day basis. Bottlenecks, channels getting flooded, labor
shortages, unexpected peaks in business without the coverage to support it, etc. require
flexibility to make agile decisions. Yet this flexibility is not always granted- certain requests
must get filtered through multiple department heads before getting the go ahead. For
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 instance, having mobiles turned off is a rather nuanced task. Supervisors are the ones
working the front lines when managers are not there, yet we do not have immediate access to
their on/off switch. Management is under a lot of pressure to ensure channels of production
are protected; therefore, pushback is always anticipated. There is much tension between
headquarters and front-line managers as a result of this machine bureaucracy. This tension is
an excellent source of union-talk as corporate seems more concerned about numbers than
overall partner well-being.

The structure at Starbucks is extremely rigid, with many rules and standards being set in
stone. Partners are to follow strict dress codes: no nail polish, dangly earrings, and a very
specific color pallet. Routines have been ironed out and are expected to be followed without
compromise. Vertical coordination takes precedence as supervisors enforce policy and
distribute the workload. Lateral coordination is too costly and not a priority when it comes to
the allocation of labor- team meetings and development conversations are rarely scheduled.
When it comes to implementing an effective structure, it needs to be balanced with strategy,
the environment, workforce talent, and available resources (such as time/budget) (Deal &
Bolman, 2021). Starbucks is constantly innovating and jumping on new trends and as a result
the company is doing fairly well for themselves. Starbucks is a renowned competitor in the
coffee industry thanks to their commitment to their people and the quality of their products.
They have created a brand with immense recognition and customers are loyal despite the
media coverage of union-talk. In an effort to save face, Starbucks is really downplaying the
union trend. In fact, the company plans on reinventing themselves in the coming years to
meet the demands of customer and partner expectations. It is almost as if they are taking the
structural jabs and using them as a means to reimagine how they do business.

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

If I had any say over the structure of our organization, I would start by investing more
time and effort into the supervisor team. I would give them more autonomy and
flexibility to run their shifts how they see fit (granted, with appropriate guidance). I
would grant them their request to turn off mobiles and ask questions after the fact to build
their confidence and leadership capabilities. There are lateral systems in place that benefit
store managers that could really benefit supervisors if they were included. For instance,
managers get to partake in Monday meetings where the district manager essentially goes
over team wins and opportunities, goals and setbacks, and covers questions/concerns.
There are many supervisors who feel as though they are simply baristas with store keys-
nothing more, nothing less. However, we are the ones creating plays and leading the
floor. When Starbucks decides to revamp their training and hiring process in regards to
supervisor positions in their stores, I think they may find the outcome rewarding.

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 In addition, in an effort to enhance the talents of the workforce, I would schedule
frequent development conversations and quarterly team meetings. Baristas want to feel
heard by their superiors. Submitting a virtual employee survey into the dark abyss of the
web can feel patronizing- partners want a platform to discuss their concerns and actually
get feedback in real-time. Building capabilities relies on the art of reflection-
conversations around goals, strategy, and performance shape an individual’s perception
of the task at hand. Giving partners the space to voice their experiences throughout their
learning will only lead to stable and secure teams in the future.

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

From an organizational perspective, I would not be shutting out the baristas who are
demanding a seat at the table. Thousands of people do not just up and unionize for no
good reason. Starbucks should be working with the union stores closely to get a better
grasp of the issue at hand. Instead, they have shunned these stores and are working on a
plan to radically improve their structural design. All this with no thanks given to the
partners who fueled such a grand rewriting of the company’s agenda. Everything that
Starbucks is wishing to implement in 2023 is directly in line with how I would approach
the structural issues at hand. “At any given moment, an organization’s structure
represents it’s best effort to align internal activities with outside pressures and
opportunities” (Deal & Bolman, 2021). There is a demand to first simplify the barista’s
role and second to optimize the customer experience.

Starbucks acknowledges how the virtual demand is growing and how many stores are
struggling to keep up with the capacity of their customer base. “The more complex a role
configuration (lots of people doing many different things), the harder it is to sustain a
focused, tightly coupled enterprise. As size and complexity grow, organizations need
more sophisticated- and more costly- coordination strategies” (Deal & Bolman, 2021).
Starbucks is making significant headway already when it comes to simplifying the
workload. In an effort to rectify these issues, the company has publicly released a
gameplan to a. simplify the barista's experience and b. generate new avenues of
convenience for the customer. They plan to invest over $450 million to their stores in
North America so to improve efficiency and reduce complexity via new equipment and
the remodeling of existing stores. In addition, the company plans on opening up over
2,000 new stores to meet the diverse demands of the public; i.e. drive-thru only stores,
pick-up stores, etc. (Peiper, 2022). As a partner, I am optimistic that these plans will have
a positive turnout.

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 References

Deal, & Bolman. (2021). REFRAMING ORGANIZATIONS : artistry, choice, and leadership.

John Wiley & Sons.

Peiper, H. (2022, September 13). Reimagining the Third Place: How Starbucks is evolving its

store experience. Starbucks Stories.

https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/reimagining-the-third-place-how-starbucks-is-

evolving-its-store-experience/