Reframing Organizations

A proven framework for effective leadership, newly updated and revised

The new 8th edition of Reframing Organizations provides powerful, time-tested guidance for organizational leadership. Rooted in decades of social science research, Bolman and Deal's four-frame model has withstood the test of time with its accessible and incisive ideas for navigating complexity and turbulence. The latest research from organizational theory, organizational behavior, psychology, sociology, and political science is enlivened with new cases that illustrate real-world applications of the concepts in the book. The new edition is updated with material on current topics like AI, job crafting, agility, gig work, and intersectionality. The book continues to engage readers with clear and lively writing.

Since its creation more than 40 years ago, Bolman and Deal’s four-frame model has become a widely used and influential framework for leadership, sense-making, cross-sector collaboration, and navigating organizational complexity.

Readers will find:

• In-depth explorations of Bolman and Deal’s Structural, Human Resource, Political, and Symbolic frames.
• Vivid and instructive case examples of prominent leaders and organizations (including Elon Musk at DOGE, Reed Hastings at Netflix, Mary Barra at General Motors, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Hilton Hotels, and video game maker Valve).
• Pithy and accessible summaries of some of the most important and influential works in research on organizations and leadership.
• Coverage of important similarities and differences across business, government, education, and not-for-profit organizations

Reframing Organizations is a must-read for students, managers, executives and anyone seeking powerful and provocative ways to read organizational dynamics and lead effectively in a challenging and turbulent world. Bolman & Deal blend research, theory and practice to offer readers insights and strategies for achieving both personal and organizational goals.

LEE G. BOLMAN is a Lecturer at Harvard University and Marion Bloch/Missouri Chair in Leadership Emeritus at the Bloch School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He advises corporations, public agencies, universities, and schools, and is co-author of several acclaimed leadership books including How Great Leaders Think, The Wizard and the Warrior, and Leading with Soul.

TERRENCE E. DEAL served on the faculties of Stanford, Harvard, Vanderbilt, and the University of Southern California. His primary research interests were in organizations, symbolism, and change. He was the author of 37 books, including the bestseller Corporate Cultures (with A. A. Kennedy, 1982) and Shaping School Culture (with K. Peterson, 3rd ed., 2016). Terry Deal died in June, 2024, just as work began on this 8th edition of Reframing Organizations.