FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Formal communication- This is communication that takes place through the formal channels of the

organizational structure along the lines of authority established by management.

- Formal communication is used in professional settings, and it involves the use of formal language.

- Such communication is generally in writing and may take the form of policy manuals, procedures and rule books, memos, official meeting reports,etc

- Formal communication result in vertical, lateral/horizontal and diagonal flow of information in an organization.

Vertical communication - Vertical flow of communication is crucial for the running of the organization.- It allows for the giving of instructions and receiving of feedback.- There are two forms of vertical communication which are upward and

downward communication.

Downward communication- These are messages sent from managers to subordinates.- It can be in form of memos, notices, instructions, appraisals, etc- The purposes of downward communication are:

To describe the company’s goals, philosophies and missionTo describe company’s policies and proceduresTo describe the employees relationships with the companyTo instruct people on how to do a jobTo give feedback on how successful previous jobs have been

Upward communication- These are messages from subordinates going up the hierarchy to managers- It can be in form of proposals, oral and written reports,suggestions- The purposes of upward communication are:

To receive feedback on how well messages have been receivedTo receive feedback on the progress of tasksTo receive suggestions from staffTo receive proposals from staff

Lateral/Horizontal communication - Lateral communication implies communication between equals such as

departmental heads, or between similar departments.- Much of horizontal communication takes place through face to face

discussions. Reports and memos are also used.

- In some organizations it is difficult to communicate horizontally without sending messages upward to let people know what is going on

- Lateral communication enable people in different departments to appreciate the activities of other departments and reduce rivalry between departments.

Diagonal communication

Informal communication - This is communication arising from channels outside formal channels and

does not follow lines of authority- Informal communication is build around social relationships of members in an

organization. - Its difficult to fix responsibility about accuracy of information within informal

communication channels.- Informal communication is used in unprofessional setups and involve the use

of informal language such as slang- Informal communication result in the formation of grapevines which carry

gossip and rumours around the organization- The grapevine fills an information void

Purpose of informal communication- To satisfy personal needs- To prevent boredom- To provide information about the organization which is not provided by

formal channels. This helps organizational members to make sense of what is going on in an organization

- It serves as a barometer regarding the organization. It gives vital feedback to management regarding the organization

There are certain attributes of grapevine that makes it useful and important:It is fastMost of the time it is accurateIt carries a great deal of information

- Managers can tell a great deal about the mood of their staff if they pay attention to grapevine

- Grapevine can allow people to blow off esteem and it boosts morale by uniting staff

- At its worst grapevine spread rumours within an organization of things that may not be true, thus motivating some staff members

- The spread of false rumour can result in conflict in the organization

ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT

- Conflict is inevitable when people work together whether in formal or informal setups

- Conflict arise because of differences in values, needs and leadership style- Conflict can be viewed from negative and positive approaches.- The negative approach to conflict views conflict as destructive and is a sign of

incompetence on part of the organization.- This negative approach holds that conflict is caused by a few undesirable

people who show their anger, aggression and violent nature.- The positive approach views conflict as natural in an organization; is helpful

to some degree if properly handled.- If properly handled, the positive approach asserts that, conflict can lead to

better participation, higher motivation and greater creativity thus leading to development of procedures for improved management of conflict in the future, (Fielding, 2004).

- This view also recognizes that conflict can be harmful if people became so involved that they cannot concentrate on their work

- If conflict is allowed to continue, then people will Withhold information Stay away Leave the company

Managing conflict in an organization- There are two approaches to management of conflict which are

Avoiding the conflict Confronting the conflict

Avoiding conflict- People avoid conflict because they feel that they cannot handle it - They smooth out the differences and hope that the conflict will go away- People may also postpone resolution of the conflict until the anger has

disappeared but this only help in the short term because this does not allow people to settle the most important issues.

Confronting conflict- If conflict has to be resolved people take three major options:

Try to win without considering the other side (win-lose) Attempt a compromise solution (lose-lose) Make both sides win (win-win)

Win-lose approach- This approach is based on power whereby one side uses authority to defeat the

other side - However this approach is short term and can cause anger on the losing side.

Lose-lose approach- At times referred to as compromise.- This approach calls for both sides to make concessions, but nobody is

completely satisfied- This approach is useful in the short term and can lead to dissatisfaction in the

long run

Win-win approach- This approach stresses that all parties can win if the conflict is well handled- All parties to the conflict sit on one side and try to solve the problem at hand,

focusing on the problem other than trying to prove who is right or wrong- The aim is to work towards a towards a common goal that will satisfy

everybody- This approach creates an atmosphere of trust within an organization.

Implications of conflict for communication

Those involved in conflict need to:Analyse the type of conflictTry to create an atmosphere of trustStrive towards a win-win situationEncourage effective listeningAcknowledge the values and interests of others

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION