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- Definition of Grapevine Communication
- What is Grapevine Communication System
- Features of Grapevine Communication
- Characteristics of Grapevine Communication
- Advantages of Grapevine Communication
- Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication
- Importance of Grapevine Communication in Business
- Pros & Cons of Grapevine Communication
- Types of Grapevine Communication
- A Broad Discussion of Grapevine Communication System
Grapevine communication system is an important part of the communication system. Along with the formal communication in an organization, the informal communication is strongly established in the same organization.
We know that the grapevine communication process is the big part of the informal communication. So, most often people speak that the grapevine communication is the informal communication actually.
By the way, they both are not the same. Grapevine is the big part of the informal communication and informal communication covers more big concept including grapevine.
However, we know that the grapevine communication is the most commonly used informal communication in an organization. Because, it is the most common human behavior.
Below we are throwing the definition of grapevine communication.
Definition of Grapevine Communication
According to Prof. Keith Davis,
"Grapevine arises from social interaction, It is as fickle, dynamic and varied as people are. It is the exercise of their freedom of speech and is a natural, normal activity".
Features of Grapevine communication
As we know that the most informal communication system of an organization is grapevine communication system. Grapevine network is commonly criticized for its widely features.
.According to Prof. J. W. Newstrom and others,
"Grapevine has three main characteristics--Now features of grapevine can be discussed in the following manner:-
- It is not controlled by management.
- It is perceived by the most employees as being more believable and reliable.
- It is largely used to serve the self-interest of those people withing it."
01.Flexibility:
There is no formal control on grapevine. For this reason, It is more flexible communication system than any other ways of communication.
02. Lack of control:
Actually, there is no managerial control over the grapevine communication system. It is grown by itself.
03. Rapid communication:
Grapevine communication system is more faster than other formal or informal channels of communication. It spreads news or information so rapidly. Sometimes, it shows windy mood for some special news.
04. No record:
We can't keep any documentary record or evidence of grapevine communication system that can be shown or produced as future reference. Here, in this communication system, recording is an impossible issue and it is also not necessary!
05. Used for self-interest:
As grapevine communication system is produced by gossip and rumor, It is basically used for self-interest of the employees of an organization.
06. Popular among employees:
This communication system is much popular among the employees than other formal or informal channels.
07. Distortion:
Distorting of real massage is one of the major features of grapevine communication system. In this communication process, information passes rapidly man to man. That's why the information losses its originality. Route level information are disrupted or almost disrupted to the end level audience.
08 Spontaneous:
Grapevine is basically spontaneous. It passes rapidly and spontaneously from top to bottom of the organization. Here is no need to make any effort to make it successful.
For organizational grapevine, it is almost no cost to spread information to employee-labor level.
Grapevine Communication is an Integral Part of Informal Communication
We know that grapevine is an informal communication pathway that existed in an organization. It carries news, information from person to person without maintaining any formal procedure.
The employees are involved in such communication who are interested in it due to personal interest.
They are gossip about each other with informal news and messages.
Such messages or information are not officially approved or officially transmitted. In some cases, the message can be transmitted in front of the grapevine, and no more control exists on such message or information spreading.
For such kind of informal characteristics of grapevine, it seems like an informal communication system. So, we can't differ significantly in these two terms.
Moreover, the grapevine is informal by nature.
So, we can say that it is an integral part of informal communication.
The pattern of Grapevine Communication System
By nature, the grapevine seems as a horizontal pattern in spreading messages or move. But it can be in some other ways too.
Prominent author professor KEITH DEVIS has shown the classification of grapevine. The writer shows it has four patterns which are...
- Single Stand Chain
- Gossip Chain
- Probability Chain
- Cluster Chain
Pros & Cons of Grapevine Communication
We know that sometimes grapevine is helpful for organizational development. Because it helps in many ways. But, it has also some harmful effects.
Like every communication system, the grapevine has also some advantages and some disadvantages.
We'll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of grapevine communication below...
Advantages of Grapevine Communication
There are existed some exclusive advantages or benefits of grapevine communication. Those advantages are helpful for a smooth organizational environment.
The advantages of grapevine communication are as follows...
01. Grapevine is a Tool of Receiving Feedback
Through the grapevine, managers can collect their necessary feedback.
In grapevine communication, people are often open-minded to share their feedback on any circumstance.
So, the manager of a respective department can know the actual sentiment of his department by observing the grapevine information channel.
02. Supplying News and Information Quickly
Grapevine spreads the news so rapidly. It can help the manager to spread the news so fast through the organization.
If the people are identified who influence the grapevine most, then the manager can send a message to them to send the message throughout the organization effectively.
03. Managing False Rumor
We know that the grapevine spreads news and information so fast but in a distorted way.
So, if any false rumor exists in the organization, the manager can protest it via a formal channel by knowing it from the grapevine.
04. Freedom of Employees
Employees feel free if there is existed a grapevine network in their workplace. It is also helpful to achieve job satisfaction in some cases.
05. Managing Reaction
If there is any negative reaction that existed against any formal news, the manager can detect it and take necessary action.
06. Developing a Good Organizational Environment
Grapevine helps develop a good organizational environment. Employees are feel good while working in the organization in their regular activities.
On other hand, the grapevine also helps the communication environment.
Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication
There are existed some disadvantages of grapevine communication. If the grapevine can be controlled effectively, then it helps to get some benefits.
But, sometimes it is harmful too. Below we've shown it...
1. Incomplete Information Spreading
Through the grapevine, the channel message spread so fast. But all becomes distorted and in some cases, the meaning of such a message can be different.
So, incomplete information spreading is the barrier to such communication.
2. Misunderstanding
There are some possibilities to arise misunderstanding for the existence of such communication. Because it can change the message by nature. So, arising misunderstanding is a very easy matter here.
3 Hard to Control
Controlling grapevine communication is very hard. In some cases, it is not possible.
So, if the management decides to use the grapevine for submitting any message, they should be conscious enough about the controlling. They should keep the fact in their head that they can submit a message and the rest is unknown.
What Causes Grapevine To Be Active
Grapevine becomes active depending on the situation. The situations which influence it to be active are shown below...
1. Conversation Opportunity
2. Job or working place
3. Talkative Personality
4. Trendy Information
5. Excitement Condition
6. Insecure Condition
