Informal communication & grapevine

What is told in the ear of a man is often heard 100 miles away . Chinese Proverb

Understanding Informal communication & Grapevine lay out of the presentation
Informal communication structure
Informal media
Informal networks
Formal vs. informal structure
Grapevine Meanings & definitions
Synonyms for understanding broad concept of the term
Grapevine characteristics
Reasons that develop grapevine
Examples
Pros & cons
Coping or managing grapevine
Preventing rumors

Informal Communication Structures
Deviation from the planned communication structure
Direction of the flow of information
Leaving out people in the communication line
Integrating people into the communication line

Face-to-face discussions
Telephone
Voice messaging (voice mail)
Email
Instant messaging (chat)
Informal Media

Formal Structure vs Informal Networks ???

Informal Networks Y D C B A Chain A J B D H I K F G E C Gossip A F B D J H C E K G I X Probability A C D F J I B Cluster

Grapevine
Dictionary of chambers defines:
An informal chat between people, seen as a network through which the information is reliably spread.
Grapevine' or informal communication that travels parallel to (and sometimes ahead of) official channels in an organization or society.
Grapevine is an informal channel of business communication. It is called so because it stretches throughout the organization in all directions irrespective of the authority levels

Synonyms:
Rumor
Unconfirmed repots
Hearsay
Gossip
Talk
talk of the town
Tittles tattle
Scandal
Chat
Whisper
Buzz
Noise
Word of mouth etc

oral  mostly undocumented
open to change
fast (hours instead of days)
crossing organizational boundaries
inaccuracy:
deletion of crucial details
exaggeration of the most dramatic details
Grapevine Characteristics

According to Gordon Allport:
importance of the subject for both listener and speaker
ambiguousness of the facts
Formula:
R = i x a
“ R“: intensity of the rumor
“ i“: importance of the rumor to the persons
“ a“: ambiguity of the facts associated with the rumor

Reasons for grapevine to develop:
Employees rely on the grapevine when:
They sense uncertainty
Preferential treatment of managers with certain employees
Their general talkative behavior
They feel threatened,
Insecure,
Under stress
When there is pending change
When communication from management is limited

Examples of Grapevine Network of Communication
Suppose the profit amount of a company is known. Rumor is spread that this much profit is there and on that basis bonus is declared.
CEO may be in relation to the Production Manager. They may have friendly relations with each other .

Pros and Cons of Grapevine Communication
Advantages of Grapevine Communication
Grapevine channels carry information rapidly. As soon as an employee gets to know some confidential information, he becomes inquisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in turn passes it to other. Thus, it spreads hastily.
The managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on their policies. Thus, the feedback obtained is quick compared to formal channel of communication.
The grapevine creates a sense of unity among the employees who share and discuss their views with each other. Thus, grapevine helps in developing group cohesiveness.
The grapevine serves as an emotional supportive value.
The grapevine is a supplement in those cases where formal communication does not work.

Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication
The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more based on rumours. Thus, it does not clearly depicts the complete state of affairs.
The grapevine is not trustworthy always as it does not follows official path of communication and is spread more by gossips and unconfirmed report.
The productivity of employees may be hampered as they spend more time talking rather than working.
The grapevine leads to making hostility against the executives.
The grapevine may hamper the goodwill of the organization as it may carry false negative information about the high level people of the organization.

“ the grapevine cannot be abolished, rubbed out, hidden under a basket, chopped down, tied up, or stopped“
don‘t try to control or restrict it
use it to supplement formal channels
Coping or Managing the Grapevine

Preventing Rumors
provide information through the formal system of communication on the issues important to the employees
supply employees with a steady flow of clear, accurate and timely information
present full facts
keep formal communication lines open and the process as short as possible

Presented by
Ms Amber Nasreen
Lecturer for business communication and Business English

Informal communication & grapevine

by abshar2525 on May 09, 2010

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Informal communication & grapevine — Presentation Transcript