channel of communicationl

8/12/2019 CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATIONl

1/16

Formal and Informal Channels of

Communication

Sandeep Khore


2/16

Formal Communication Formal communicationis the process of sharing

official information with others who need to

know it. Formal communication usually follows the

prescribed pattern of interrelationshipsbetweenvarious units of an organization, which iscommonly depicted in an organization chart.


3/16

Types of Formal Communication

Vertical

Upward Downward

Horizontal

Consensus


4/16

Formal CommunicationPresident

Vice

President

Vice

President

Manager Manager Manager Manager

Efforts at coordination

Information

Instruc

tions

anddirec

tives


5/16

Formal Media

Letters

Flyers and bulletins

Memos Faxes

All-employees mailings

Company newsletters

Employee handbooks Company magazines

Formal meetings


6/16

Informal Communication

information shared without any formally imposedobligations or restrictions

if an organizations formal communication represents its

skeleton, its informal communication constitutes its

central nervous system(Behavior in Organizations, p. 307)

eng. grapevine An organizations informal channels of communication,

based mainly on friendship or acquaintance

origin: American Civil War [grapevine telegraphs]


7/16

Informal Media

Face-to-face discussions

Telephone

Voice messaging (voice mail)

E-mail

Instant messaging (chat)


8/16

Informal CommunicationStructures

Deviation from the plannedcommunication structure

Direction of the flow of information

Leaving out people in the communication line

Integrating people into the communicationline


9/16

Grapevine

1. a secret means of spreading or

receiving information

2. the informal transmission of(unofficial) information, gossip or

rumor from person-to-person -> "to

hear about something through the

grapevine"

3. a rumor: unfounded report


10/16

Informal Networks

Y

D

C

B

A

Chain

A

JB

D H I

K

F

GE

C

Gossip

A

F B D

J

H

CE

K

G I

X

Probability

A

C

D

F

J

IB

Cluster


11/16

Grapevine Characteristics

oralmostly undocumented

open to change

fast (hours instead of days)

crossing organizational boundaries


12/16

Grapevine Characteristics

inaccuracy:

levelling

deletion of crucial details

sharpening

exaggeration of the most dramatic details

while the grapevine generally carries the

truth it seldom carries the whole truth


13/16

Positive Aspects of the Grapevine

social function

reduction of anxiety

release mechanism for stress identification of pending problems

early warning system for organizational change

vehicle for creating a common organizational

culture

desired information can be circulated quickly toa large group of subordinates (inofficially!)


14/16

Coping or Managing the

Grapevinethe grapevine cannot be abolished, rubbed

out, hidden under a basket, chopped

down, tied up, or stopped(Managing the Grapevine, p.222)

dont try to control or restrict it

use it to supplement formal channels


15/16

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


16/16

TH NK YOU

channel of communicationl

Documents