Organizational frames - an important tool in creating the potential space. A case study of a training program'

This paper illuminates the use of organizational frames as a means of creating a good enough holding environment. The underlying thought is that a good enough holding organization may provide a potential space for the groups operating within the organization (Stacey, 1996).The point of departure of a theory concerning the experience of organizational support in working life, 'Organizational support theory' (Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, & Sowa, 1986; Shore & Shore, 1995, in Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002), is that employees develop a conviction about whether, and the extent to which, the company values their input and cares about their well-being. This is done in order to assess the company's willingness to reward increased work and to meet socio-emotional needs. This is called 'Perceived Organizational Support' (POS). POS is also regarded as an assurance that the organization will be supportive and help when the need arises so that the employee can carry out his/her work in an effective way and be able to manage stressful situations. Results from a study carried out by Rhoades Shanock & Eisenberger (2006) showed that a favourable relationship between employee and organization has repercussions downwards in the hierarchy. This can, for example, concern subordinates or customers, depending on where in the hierarchy the employee finds him/herself and what type of post the person occupies. The study also shows that there is a positive association between leaders' and followers' Perceived Organizational Support (POS) and performance.It is reasonable to suppose that supervisors and their supervisees within a training program are affected by the organization's frames in a similar way to employees in working life. There is reason to assume that the prerequisite for supervisors to be able to offer a holding learning climate for the supervisees is that they themselves have access to an organization that offers a professional and trustful structure that has a holding capacity (Brown & Bourne, 1996, referred to in Hughes & Pengelly, 1997).'