Barriers Iin Communication

Answer 8. (b) The Grapevine Grapevine is Informal Communication in general is exchange of information, a discussion that adheres less to the rules and standards. it is on the dimension of the Project Communication Management. For example, a Project Sponsor might have a meeting with the Project Manager to discuss about the progress of the project and can give much better feedback that another type of communication (other types may include emails, hard copy reports etc.). Informal Communication is more effective for discussing sensitive information in a project. Four types of informal communications have been identified: (i) Single strand: In single strand network the individual communicates with the other individual through intervening persons. In other words each person tell s the other in sequence, one tells one. (ii) Gossip: In gossip one individual tells others on a non-selective basis, one tells all. (iii) Probability: In probability the individual tells other individuals randomly according to the law of probability. (iv) Cluster: In cluster type network the individual communicates with only those individuals whom he trusts. Research shows that out of the four, cluster chain is the most popular form of informal communication. It is not possible to establish a particular type of informal communication in an organisation. However attempts may be made indirectly to influence the result of informal communication. Keith Davis has found certain predictable forms of informal communication which can be of great use to the management in this respect. For instance individuals talk most when news is recent they talk about things which affect their work, and they talk about people they know. In addition people who are working with each other and who contact each other in the formal chain are likely to be on the same grapevine. It should be recognised that informal communication is as important as the informal organisation and that it is not identical with false rumour.