| Description |
Frames are powerful communication devices that can be constructed from organization discourse. When fully developed, frames can direct organization sensemaking so as to help organization members make sense of their membership in the organization as well as the organization's purpose in an otherwise chaotic environment. In 2003 the U.S. Army promulgated the Warrior Ethos Project, which included precise language around which to organize activity. This qualitative study considers the impact of the Warrior Ethos on the Army organization as a tool for framing and sensemaking by examining a set of texts produced by soldiers between 2003 and 2014. Specifically, this study asks, what themes did service members write about in their stories of U.S. soldiers? How closely did those themes correspond to aims of the Warrior Ethos Project and to historical conceptualizations of a warrior? Did a coherent frame emerge from the DVIDS texts during the period of the study? And in what ways did the frame or theme contribute to an organizational identity unique to the context of the time period of the study? Texts were coded and analyzed using NVivo 12 software. Analysis revealed the most prominent warrior virtues included teamwork, expertise, selflessness, grit, and leadership. Themes that emerged from all codes were: service, resilience, bonds, development, ethic, respect, regimen, and professional stewardship. This study concludes that the stories, and the virtues and themes they reflect, contribute to the construction of a three-dimensional warrior frame that has implications for the Army and public policy, and has found its way into the popular culture. |
