Page 90 - DLIS408_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY-APPLICATIONSL SCIENCES

Unit 7: Features and Scope of Communication

7.3 Grapevine Notes
Grapevine is an informal communication network, which ignores formal channels of
communication and spreads rumors and gossips at all levels of the organization. Although, every
business organization has its formal channels of communication, the informal channel of
communication called grapevine also operates in it. It can be easily found that a large portion of
the communication in almost every business house is not formal or pre-planned. The employees
communicate through informal channels as they do their jobs. It is neither pre-planned nor
deliberately motivated by the management. It is neither written nor documented or recorded.
Therefore, it refers to any communication that takes place outside the prescribed and pre- planned
channels of formal communication. It is not set with the lines of organizational hierarchy. As it has
no set rules and regulations, it is not confined to a particular direction. It just spreads like a grapevine.

Importance of Grapevine
Though, the structure of the grapevine is not so well-defined, as that of the formal channels, it
should not be taken for its weakness.

Notes The messages flowing through grapevine have greater speed than that of the messages
flowing through the formal channels.
The grapevine may carry equally vital message through it for the achievement and success of the
organization. It is not correct to underestimate the grapevine by saying that the vital messages
pass only through the authorized, formal channels. On the other hand, though the formal channels
are systematic, pre-planned and documented, it is authority-laden. It can never be as speedy and
spontaneous as the grapevine. The employees communicate through grapevine, not because they
are compelled to communicate but because they earnestly want to communicate with their
associates.
The method of formal written communication is slow and expensive method of information
transmission. The grapevine, on the other hand, is non-expensive method and most rapid oral method
of transmitting the information to the maximum number of the communication receivers. The
grapevine can flow wherever the participants wish it to flow; therefore, the manager can use the
properly cultivated grapevine in dealing with the problems that require crossing the boundaries
between the departments.

Task How Grapevine is non-expensive and most rapid oral method of information transmission?

Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:
5. Grapevine is an informal communication network which ignores formal channels of com-
munication and spreads rumors and gossips at all levels of the organization.
6. The messages flowing through grapevine have greater speed than that of the messages
flowing through formal channels.
7. Grapevine is the expensive and slow oral method of transmitting the information to the
maximum number of the new communication receivers.

7.4 Summary

Communication is a required skill at every level of organizational functioning.
Communication is the means by which people can contact with one another.

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