Criteria for Coding Critical Events
Heimovics and Herman
| Frame | Frame-related Issues | Frame-related actions |
| Structural | Coordination, and control; clarity or lack of clarity about goals, roles or expectations; references to planning, budgeting, and evaluation; discussion of analysis or its absence (for example, feasibility studies, institutional analysis); issues around policies and procedures. | Reorganizing, implementing or clarifying policies and procedures; developing new information, budgeting or control systems, adding new structural units, planning processes, boss-subordinate relationship, establishing standards |
| Human Resource | Discussions of individuals’ feelings, needs, preferences or abilities (for example, problems of individual performances or staff quality); references to the importance of participation, listening, open communications, involvement in decision-making, morale; discussion of interpersonal relationships; emphasis on collaboration, positive regard, and a sense of family or community | Processes of participation and involvement (task forces, open meetings, etc.), training, recruiting new staff, workshops and retreats, empowerment, organization development, and quality-of-work life programs, helping and listening to others, joining with others |
| Political | Focus on conflict or tension among different constituencies, interest groups, or organizations; competing interests and agendas; disputes over allocation of scarce resources; games of power and self-interest | Bargaining, negotiation, advocacy, building alliances, and networking with other key players |
| Symbolic | Discussions of institutional identity, culture or symbols; discussions of the image that will be projected to different audiences; discussion of the symbolic importance of existing practices, rituals or artifacts (for example, symbolic attachment to an old building on campus); emphasis on influencing how different audiences will interpret or frame an activity or decision | Creating or revitalizing ceremonies, and rituals, working to develop or restate the institution’s vision, working on influencing organizational culture, using self as a symbol, using metaphor, using powerful figurative language |