This document discusses organizational communication and the grapevine communication network. It defines key terms like communication, organization, and organizational communication. It then explains the formal and informal communication structures within organizations. Specifically, it focuses on the grapevine, which is the informal social network through which rumors and gossip spread. The document outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the grapevine, and how management can help control the spread of misinformation through it. It also discusses the different types of formal communication flows in an organization, including downward, upward, and horizontal communication.

1. “The Office Grapevine &
Management communication”
Presented by,
Bablu Chakma

2.  What is Communication ?
 What is organization?
 What is organizational communication?
 Types of Organizational communication.

3. Communication
 The term 'communication' originates from the Latin
word communicare, which means to share or impart
 The art of being able to structure and transmit a
message in a way that another can easily understand
and/or accept
 Using symbols (words) to attempt to create shared
meaning (mutual understanding) that will result in an
effect on the two of them.

4. Organization
 The objective approach suggests that an organization
is a physical, concrete thing, that it is tangible and
actually holds people, relationships, and goals.
(container view of organization)
 A subjective approach looks at an organization as
activities that people do. Organization consists of the
actions, interactions, and transactions in which people
engage. Organization is created and maintained
through the continually changing contacts people
have with one another and does not exist separately
from the people whose behavior constitutes the
organization.

5. Organizational Communication:
A program that focuses on general communication
processes and dynamics within organizations. Includes
instruction in the development and maintenance of
interpersonal group relations within organizations;
decision-making and conflict management; the use of
symbols to create and maintain organizational images,
missions, and values; power and politics within
organizations; human interaction with computer
technology; and how communications socializes and
supports employees and team members. (source: U. S.
Department of Education)

6. The Communication Process
Encodes
Decodes
Receiver
Encodes
Decodes
Sender
Feedback
Channel
Noise

7. Types of Organizational Communication
There are two basic types of communication:
 i. Formal Communication &
 ii. Informal Communication

8. Formal Communication
 Communication through officially
designated channels of message flow between
organization positions
 Official information exchange
 Usually found in organizational charts, policy
manuals, or hierarchical structures
Informal Communication
 Episodes of interaction that do not
reflect officially designated channels of
communication.
 Every organization has an informal communication
network – a grapevine – that supplements official
channel..
 Informal Communication known as also Grapevine
communication.
 Pro: Creates a relaxed, comfortable climate

9. What is Grapevine?
 The dictionary gives us a definition for the grapevine which
says it is "the informal transmission of information, gossip or
rumor from person to person” The grapevine is the informal
and unsanctioned information network within every
organization.
 In other sense it can also say, the Social network of informal
communication through which messages flow throughout the
organization. It is called so because it stretches throughout
the organization in all directions irrespective of the authority
levels.

10. How Grapevine Communications
occurs?
 Grapevine communication is the
informal communication network
within an organization.
 The grapevine is formed by
individuals and groups in an
organization.
 The people in the groups have
something in common that links them
together.
 A person can belong to one or more
groups.

11. The main features of grapevine
 Speed
 Degree of Selectively
 Locale of operation
 Relation to Formal Communications

12. How Grapevine can be controlled ?
 First, management must be aware of any lies or
exaggerations that are flowing through the organization.
Management can use the grapevine to dispel myths and
distribute truths throughout the company.
 Finally, management should realize that there is no way to
truly eliminate the grapevine in the workplace, nor should
that be the goal of upper management.

13. Advantages of Grapevine Communication
 Grapevine communication creates a social bond where none
existed. People like to talk to one another; whether they talk
about work or family, or anything.
 Grapevine channels carry information rapidly.
 The grapevine fills in a gap that is left when official
information is missing, the grapevine in many ways helps keep
people honest
 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 managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on
their policies. Thus, the feedback obtained is quick compared to
formal channel of communication

14. Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication
 The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more
based on rumors. Thus, it does not clearly depict 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 may hamper the good will of the organization as
it may carry false negative information about the high level
people of the organization.

15.  Another main disadvantage of grapevine communication
is that it's often used to spread more than rumors; it's used
to spread gossip. The terms rumors and gossip are used
sometimes interchangeably, but rumors are not quite the
same as gossip Both are pieces of information that can't be
verified, but rumors tend to affect organizations or groups
of people, while gossip refers to more personal matters.
When gossip is being spread through the grapevine,
people's reputations, careers, and lives can get destroyed
very rapidly.

16. Management Communication
 It is an exchange of information within an organization is also
called formal communication.
 It is the formal flow of information which follows in the
official chain of command.
Management communication is the systematic planning,
implementing, monitoring, and revision of all the channels of
communication within an organization, and between
organizations.

17. Figure: The formal management communication chain

18. Rules of Engagement for management
communication
The explicit rules for management communication include:
 It is go through by a channels
 Adhere to orders and direction coming from above
 Escalate problems as needed going through your chain of
command

19. Management communication flow occurs by,
i. Downward
ii. Upward &
iii. Horizontal
Direction of flow within the organization

20. Downward Communication
• This type of communication exists when managers need to
explain job instructions, correct employees' work, or explain
new procedures.
• Flows from upper to lower (such as manager to employer or
superior to subordinate).
• Types of messages:
job instructions, job rationales, procedures and
practices information, feedback, and indoctrination. (Katz &
Kahn, 1978)
• Downward communication is most effective if top managers
communicate directly with supervisors and supervisors
communicate with their staff (Larkin & Larkin: 1994)

21. Downward Communication
 Advantage:
 efficient (fast)
 managerial control
 Problems:
 information overload
 lack of openness - withhold information even if sharing is
important
 filtering - some information is left out
 message can be distorted by adding personal interpretation
 the fewer the number of authority levels through which
communication must pass, the less information will be lost
or distorted

22. Upward Communication
 Transmission of messages from lower to higher levels of the
organization ( communication initiated by subordinates with
their superiors)
 Types of messages: performance on the job, job related
problems, fellow employees and their problems, subordinates
perceptions of org policies and practices, tasks and procedures

23.  Advantage:
 Managers learn what’s going on
 employees gain from the opportunity to communicate upward
 promotes morale among all employees
 facilitates downward communication
 not enough superiors encourage subordinate
 Problems:
 similar to those for downward communication
Upward Communication

24. Horizontal Communication
Flow of messages across functional areas at a given
level of an organization (this permits people at the
same level to communication directly).
• The flow of information between colleagues and peers
• It is also like as Informal communication
• Does not follow the chain of command
• Not recognized as official

25. Thanks