Analysis of Grapevine Concept - Coursework Example

Grapevine Grapevine is defined the informal transmission of information is the form of rumor or gossip among individuals or groups in an organization. In organizations, the grapevine is referred to as the informal network of information. This network allows the members a employees to have the freedom of expression through undocumented information as a means of releasing emotional stress. Organizational grapevine can be viewed as an expression of healthy human communication motivation. It mores downwards, upwards, within and without the set chains of command and between workers and managers. Its history can be traced back in the aril war days during which the telegraph wires were tied along a distance in army battlefields for communication. Grapevine is derived from social interactions and it is usually viewed to be as dynamic as people are. An example being their natural way of communication which is through their freedom of speech. In an organization, there are a range of different employees who come from different social backgrounds. As a result, they need to use some form of informal internal communications so as to be able to peacefully co-exist. Grapevine communication jumps from usually exists between different departments in the organization and from one level of management to another. This enables a broad communication or information network. This informal form of organization communication is considered less permanent and unstable due to the varying nature of its patterns of action and leaders. This is so because the information network is dependent on people’s personalities and not policies. According to Gary (2002), grapevine can be referred to as the natural part of the organizations total system of communication. Its major importance is that it brings for a significant force within the organization which in turn helps build up effect team work which motivates the members while promoting or creating corporate identity. Over the years grapevine has been considered a more effect form of organization communication due to its informal nature where is does not follow the formal structure. It is therefore faster and more direct information channels which useful not only to the workers but also to the management at large. Grapevine is also useful because it supplements the formal channels and provides an effective outlet for their imaginations, thoughts, queries and desires and hence satisfying their desire and gives the employees a sense of belonging. A practical example is a case where gossip or rumors allow people to think over the issue and get prepared in case the rumor turns out true. On the other hand, the workers can also get a hint of what the boss is planning and are able to advice him accordingly. Another advantage is that unlike in formal communication, grapevine can easily penetrate the tightest security and this is because it usually cuts across different managerial levels and deals directly with the people in question. Research has shown the leaders or managers who ignore grapevine usually have 40% less credible information than the ones who do. Harrison (2005) voices that grapevine exists because excessive structuring of the formal networks and channeling of information flows. Grapevine however exists in all organizations in different or varying degrees. Allport describes two conditions that controls grapevine’s activitiness as the (I) importance of the subject to the giver of the information and (A) the ambiguousness of the facts. Where he uses the formulae; Where R is the rumor intensity, I is the rumor’s importance to the communicator and A is the ambiguity the available facts associated with the rumor. This means that the amount or rumor tends to vary with subjects importance and the amount of ambiguity of the evidence supporting the rumor. The big question that many people ask is how accurate grapevine is. According to Allport’s research, most rumors usually start as reports of actual episodes or through personal experience of an event which seems important to others. (Vecchio 1992). Although it faces the normal communication limitations which are communication breakdown within the network, it is sometimes considered not accurate. In general, many people refer grapevine as less accurate mainly because it is prone to more dramatic errors because it is based on one’s memory unlike formal communication which is based on a day to day routine accuracy. However, in most work situations, about 80% of the grapevine information is usually accurate. It is believed that a communication can be 90% correct in details but the remaining 10% is also a very important part of the message. In most cases grapevine information is does not have sufficient details and hence making it more prone to misinterpretation. It however carries the truth in it but seldom the whole truth. There exist changes that occur as the rumor networks along the grapevine because the dramatic information details get exaggerated every time the rumor is repeated. At times people tend to ignore the rumors but we should remember that grapevine is usually fast paced and it moves without any constrains from the organization just by the word of mouth. There are also factors that greatly affect grapevine’s information channel. To start with is the fact that grapevine tends to compete with formal communication. As a result we find that the rumors tend to prosper well in cases where the formal communication is poor. It is also believed that the greater the homogeneity of the organization, grapevines operation becomes more effective. The danger behind grapevine is also the fact that it can be used as a tool to insight others especially in poorly managed organizations where they can very easily drain the moral, create conflict, fuel anxiety and bring forth serious misunderstandings. In most cases, people tend to take advantage of grapevine communication in that they spread rumors as a means of enhancing their status or to fill in social conversations especially during times of uncertainty, stress and absence of news. Sutton believes that many people listen to and pass a rumor because it satisfies some need. (Sutton 1970). Rumors are can circulate due to their interesting nature or as a source of diversion, to enlighten events or fill social gaps, supporting or validating information, reconciling psychological status, means of getting attention and finally as a way of situation manipulation. It is usually advised that management’s response to grapevine should be the acceptance that it exists. Keith (1969) voices that grapevine exists, always has and will always be there and no one can stop it. Managers should therefore accept it and device ways of using it for their own benefit. As a result managers have become interested in devising ways of using grapevine as a means of improving communication in the organization. Grapevine is very useful because it reveals issues that are farfetched and they represent issues that are generated from grass roots. In many cases, some low and middle level managers act as active participants in grapevine and they have acknowledged it as a means of effective organization management. They have strategic positions in the communication channel where they have the role of filtering communication between the employees and the higher management. They are however not tied by grapevine because they have the option of ignoring in, participating partially or only when it best suits the occasion and finally they can also decide to become fulltime active participants. Grapevine cannot and should be held accountable for errors and therefore there are ways in which both the employees and the managers should cope with it. This is because it is not advisable to abolish it because it would mean that we will be cutting off one source while in real sense, grapevine moves from one source to another. It therefore clear that grapevine cannot be avoided or discouraged. Although most managers do not view grapevine as a favorable option, it has several positive aspects. Grapevine is usually viewed and used as a stress release mechanism through avoiding bottled up feelings. It also enhances good employee relations where they interact at a social level. In this way they are able to view the official company policies in their own language and understanding and hence easily understand. The open social communications encourages welfares where individuals with stresses and problems are helped within themselves through personal bonds. This is also beneficial to the organization at large because it encourages a greater teamwork spirit and in turn it increases the organizations productivity. It is also evident that through the quick transfer of the information, it helps individuals prepare for and most importantly think through the management’s goal adjustments in advance. We should also note that grapevine reveals deep routed issues in management and the employees. Through grapevine the managers can very easily communicate more efficiently to a large number of members. In conclusion, grapevine should be appreciated as a good indicator of organizational health, trends, moral and productivity. Managers should therefore use it as a tool to enhance organizational communication because they can participate in a healthy way. References Gray, J 2002, ‘Part-time employment and communication satisfaction in an Australian retail organisation’, Journal of Employee Relations, vol. 24 pp. 211-228. Harrison, K 2005, How to deal with rumors on the grapevine, Century Consulting group, Perth WA, viewed on 18th Jan, 2010. From; Keith, D 1969, ‘Communication within Management: Readings in Management’, Cincinnati. Sutton, H., 1970. The Grapevine: A Study of Role Behavior with an Informal Communications System. pp. 4828-B, Vecchio, R 1992, Organizational behavior: life at work in Australia, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Read More