IT’s BOTIME! – Organizational Study of Bojangles Restaurants

By: Eric Tornfelt, Lorenzo Johnson, & Jim Montague

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W-Tsygxwx4

What Makes Bojangles Chicken So Delicious?

The first person to Twitter the answer to #Bojangles wins a prize! Gooooooooo!

What Do You Think Makes Bojanges Chicken So Delicious?

1. Structural Frame 2. Human Resource Frame 3. Political Frame 4. Symbolic Frame

4 Frames in Review

Concentrates on strategy Setting measurable goals Clarifying tasks Creates systems and procedures

Structural Frame

Emphasis on people's needs Focuses on giving employees the power and opportunity to

perform their jobs well

Human Resource Frame

Addresses the problem of individual and interest groups having sometimes conflicting agendas

Conflict resolution Power-base building to support the leader's initiatives

Political Frame

Addresses people's needs for a sense of purpose and meaning in their work

Inspiring people by making the organization's direction feel significant and distinctive

Symbolic Frame

Task 1: Research your assigned company/organization. Your company will be listed on the attached Google document.

Task 2: Using the attached Google document, list characteristics of your assigned company that identify each frame.

https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1AF-A6dhoNJVdMPikMMpsIVdYvcvuQEKo_18QLrdml8k/edit?usp=sharing_eid

4 Frames Activity

Bojangles began in 1977 by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas in Charlotte, North Carolina

In 1978 the first Bojangles franchise opened By 1981, Bojangles achieved the highest restaurant sales

average in the nation Hurricane Hugo blew into town – Bojangles kept serving Based restaurant on three characteristics; 1.Wholesome, high quality products made from scratch 2. A fun, festive restaurant design 3.Fast, friendly service

Introduction

Core menu is the same now as it was back then The delicious biscuits are a breakfast staple, however in the

beginning the Fulk and Thomas looked to have the biscuits brought in from Hardees.

When legendary biscuits to the chicken menu in the first months of operation that sales skyrocketed 60 percent

Bojangles now has over 622 stores, made twenty six million dollars of revenue in 2014, and is now publicly traded.

Introduction Continued

Cam McRae, President of Tands Inc. opened his first Bojangles in 1980. He had less than $4 of sales on his first day (equivalent to a little over $11 today)

Put emphasis on the structural frame in order to grow the restaurant – needed to analyze data and facts

Studied profit margins and trends in order to make decisions that would serve the company

The organization was also developing their training program, recipe distribution, and their core values during 1980

1980 – Structural Frame

Emphasis on the importance of people Franchisees were hiring people that had strong values, and

fit the Bojangles brand of servant leadership MISSION 1. Serve first 2. Build Community 3. Communicate skillfully 4. Model character Fulk and Thomas had to train, coach, and provide a sense of

teamwork in the early years of the company

1980 – Human Resource Frame

The chicken restaurant boom was on with Church’s, Popeyes, and Kentucky Fried Chicken

Bojangles had to work fast and diligently to build a power base of customers so that their organization would succeed as well as gain Kentucky Fried Chicken’s and the other competitors’ customers

“To prevent industrial espionage of Colonel Sanders‘ patented ''secret recipe,'' the formula is kept under 11 different locks in a fireproof, bomb- proof vault at the corporate headquarters in Louisville (NY Times).”

The leaders of Bojangles had to overcome the conflict and competition by negotiating by using their political skills.

1980 – Political Frame

Policies, linkages, and lines of authority are well-defined.   The organizational structure of Bojangles has a system of

checks and balances. The organization can achieve its goals and individuals can

be effective within their assigned roles. The job of the managers and leaders within the Bojangles

organization is to focus on tasks, facts, and logic

2009 – Structural Frame

Members of the Bojangles organization want to be involved in the lives of their people (employees).

People who have come to work for Bojangles in any capacity have joined their organization for a reason and need to be engaged within it in order to feel effective and content with the Bojangle’s plans and goals.

Bojangles sees the importance of developing individual relationships with their employees and the difference it made in their comfort level within the stores, and confidence that evolved within the new store managers

2009 – Human Resource Frame

It is made up of assorted individuals with several different and opposing beliefs, interests, and perceptions of the group and its current standing.  These varied views and needs create a desire for power in order to satisfy conflicts.  

People begin working behind others’ backs and negotiating with competing interests to get what they want.

The political frame is important to Bojangles for its unique understanding of authority and the necessary order of power that is used to make conflicting decisions

2009 – Political Frame

Bojangles Inc. focuses on how humans use meaning, belief, and faith to create a culture.

Symbols help organizations like Bojangles make sense of ambiguity in the world.  These symbols also allow people to see and understand events for the symbolic interpretation of them and not their shallow occurrence.

Stores are placed in many locations that help support the local economy, while employees of these stores go through extensive training and encouragement on how to become successful within the Bojangles organization.  This process is important for Bojangles in recognizing its unifying qualities and symbols that motivate its progress.

2009 – Symbolic Frame

It was apparent that each of the four frames for understanding organizations as outlined by Bolman & Deal, were evident in the Bojangles corporation.

For example, Mr. Avery has a significant interest in not only making good chicken and biscuits, but also in “capturing the hearts” of the customers that he serves.

Bojangles has an overarching vision for what it wants to become, but also has a clear plan for helping it become reality.

Analysis

The structural frame is evident in the hierarchy of management, but also in the clear policies and procedures that exist for making each piece of chicken, biscuit and “fixin.”

The symbolic frame exists in the marketing that takes place with new employees and the community. Bojangles seeks to brand itself as more than just chicken and biscuits.

The political frame exists through the clear directions that are provided to employees and the way that managers build community and teamwork in their respective stores.

The human resource frame shows that people in the organization are valued, rewarded and placed in situations where they can succeed.

Analysis

The key component about Bojangles that makes it unique and makes it a company worth emulating is that the stakeholders in the company are passionate about making their customers feel good about doing business with them.

The challenges that are faced in a company such as Bojangles are no different than the challenges that exist in a school setting. Poorly motivated students, and sometimes teachers, exist in all schools. It is difficult to build a culture in which stakeholders feel that they are doing meaningful work and are a part of something that matters.

Therefore, it is important to use all of the organizational frames in order to be successful. Bojangles is able to use the human resource frame to mobilize employees, the political frame to avoid conflicts before they happen, the structural frame to set clear policies and the symbolic frame to capture the hearts of their customers.

The company effectively draws upon each frame in order to build a connection with all stakeholders in the production and service of their chicken and biscuits.

Other organizations, and especially schools, should look to replicate what Bojangles has done.

Analysis

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