The grape vine gives it’s name to the informal communication process. Image credit cliparts.co
ZIMSEC O Level Business Studies Notes:The Grape Vine: Informal vs Formal Communication
- Communication can also be classified as either informal or formal
- Formal communication is official, arranged and approved of by the relevant authorities in the organisation
- Formal communication takes place within the organisation’s communication channels
- Informal communication is unplanned, unofficial and outside of the organisation’s official channels
- Informal communication can be verbal, or written e.g. email blasts between friends or even graphical e.g. internet memes
- Examples of informal communication include small talk during breaks between workers who may or may not be on the same level on the organisation’s chart
- It is often known as the grape vine
- This is because if the flow messages through this channel of communication were to be traced it would create a jumbled mess not unlike trying to trace the branches of a vine (e.g. grape tree)
| Informal Communication (Grapevine) | Formal Communication |
|---|---|
| Is not usually arranged, happens spontaneously | Is arranged |
| Is unofficial and takes place outside the official structure of the organisation | Takes place within the official structures of the organisation |
| Is not approved and is unplanned | Is approved by the organisation's superiors beforehand |
| Does not follow the organisation's structure (hence the name grapevine) | Normally follows the organisation's chain of command |
| Is mostly verbal but could be written e.g. Whatsapp groups of work friends | Can be verbal, written or graphical |
Advantages of informal communication
- Can be used as an extra channel of communication to aid the formal channel
- To satisfy the personal needs of employees
- To counter boredom at work
- Act as an additional source of information
- Can be used by management to test new ideas
- It is efficient in quickly disseminating (spreading) information
- Creates unity among the members of the group
- Is flexible, it does not have to follow a set path
- Increases efficiency by allowing superiors to communicate freely with subordinates
- Helps members to interpret messages sent via the formal channels
Disadvantages
- They can contribute to conflict within the organisation
- Can lead to distortion of information as it passes from person to person
- It is difficult to verify some of the information disseminated via informal channels
- Can be exploited to disseminate lies as there is no accountability
- Can hamper the productivity of employees as they spend most of their time and energy on informal communication
- The grape vine cannot be controlled
To access more topics go to the O Level Business Notes page
