CHPTER 3 CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication Channels
Based on the type of channel used, channels could be formal or informal.
3.1 Formal Communication
Formal communication is the organizational communication that involves the formal transfer of
information through the organizational hierarchy. Formal communication follows prescribed
channels of communication throughout the organization- typically, the chain of command.
Transmission of messages is made as per the procedures specifically set up for the purpose in the
organization. Flow of orders and instructions from superiors to the subordinates and the reports,
suggestions, and recommendations from the subordinates to the superiors as per the routine
evolved in the organization structure constitutes formal communication.

Formal communication normally occurs in four varieties: downward, upward, horizontal, and
diagonal. These structural factors can both facilitate and hinder communication.
3.1.1 Vertical patterns

3.1.1.1 Downward Communication

Downward communication implies the flow of information and command from the top to the
bottom levels of the organization. Downward communication normally follows the hierarchical
lines established by an organization’s structure. Managers communicate downward in the
organization, i.e., to individuals below them in the organizational hierarchy.

Managers typically use downward communication to provide directives to employees, to

indoctrinate company goals, strategies, policies, and procedures, and to appraise subordinates’
performance. Managers can encourage face-to-face communication with subordinates by
scheduling frequent staff meetings, making periodic contact by telephone or using letters or
email, etc.

Even the best organization often doesn’t use downward communication as effectively as
possible. Either, there isn’t enough information or messages sent downward are not clear and
complete: The problems are:
1) Lack of awareness- Managers give instructions naturally, but no explanation behind the
rationale and giving feedback are not so obvious.

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 2) Insufficient and unclear messages- It might be too brief, lacking enough details to make it
clear or it might be too vague to be useful. E.g. a manager telling his subordinate that ‘I
want to see you later in the day’; this instruction is vague, as the manager is not exact on
the time he wants to his subordinate.
3) Message overload- Sometimes the problem is not too little information but too much; e.g.
there can be too many messages, making it difficult to pay attention to any of them.
Similarly, messages can be too long, disguising important information in a sea of details.
4) Bad timing- Giving a good and clear message at the wrong time can cause trouble. For
example, a boss giving instructions to his subordinate while his phone is ringing or both
are in a hurry should not expect complete understanding.
5) Filtering and distortion- It is very difficult to listen openly and objectively to someone
who talks about your sloppy work or bad attitude, especially when that person has the
power to reward and punish you.
6) Serial transmission- As information passes from one person to another it becomes less
accurate. The problem of serial transmission is especially great in ‘tall’ organizations that
have several levels of authority.
7) Built-in-resistance

3.1.1.2 Upward Communication

Although downward communication is the dominant form, many organizations try to make some
provisions for information to flow in the opposite direction. Upward communication refers to
messages employees sent to their managers or to others who hold higher positions in the
organization.
Upward communication is helpful in knowing the effectiveness of downward communication.
Upward communication provides feedback to supervisors about their subordinates thoughts and
performance. Upward communication is meant to keep the superiors informed about progress in
the work, difficulties in working out the orders, to suggest measures for improvement, grievances
to be settled, etc.

Indeed, it can be often be beneficial for managers to receive open, honest, and accurate
information for control purposes. Management is able to know how well its plans, policies, and
objectives are understood by those working at lower levels of the organization.

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Upward communication can increase employees’ morale by giving them an opportunity to
participate in the affairs of the organization. Thus upward communication is necessary in order to
discover clashes of interests, to reconcile conflicts, and to coordinate efforts.

To put it in a nut shell, upward communication is important to extract information on the

following:
 What subordinates are doing
 Unsolved work problems
 Suggestions for improvement
 How subordinates feel about each other and the job

Limitations of upward communication include:

1) It can be intimidating to many employees: Employees have much to gain by opening up
to the boss, but there is a chance of big losses as well. Expressing frustration with your
present job might earn you a promotion, but you might also get fired.
2) It is subjected to substantial distortion: One fact of organizational life is that negative
information is less likely to be communicated upward than positive information. This
makes sense: reports that a project is going badly, for example, might make the boss
unhappy, and he bearer of grim tidings could wind up-fairly or not-being associated with
the unpleasant message. Distortion is not entirely the fault of subordinates. Since many
managers dislike bad news the subordinates often twist or screen it out.
3) Some superiors may actively discourage upward communication using their autocracy:
Many bosses are members if the “I talk, you listen” school of management. They have the
idea that listening to the factual reports of subordinates is all right but that ideas and
opinions should flow downward.
4) Lack of awareness of employees to initiate or respond to upward communication
(barriers for feedback)

Since most of the responsibility for improving upward communication rests with managers,
they should:
 Announce their willingness to hear from subordinates.

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  Seek other ways such as ‘open – door’& ‘open-floor’ policies, grievance procedures,
periodic interviews, group meetings, suggestion box, etc.
 Utilize informal contacts such as chats during breaks, in the elevator, or at social
gatherings.

3.1.2 Horizontal/Lateral Communication

In addition to transmitting messages up and down the organization, the formal communication
network also carries messages horizontally from one department to another.
Horizontal communication refers to the flow of messages among people in the same
organizational level or with similar status. An example of horizontal communication is when the
manager of the marketing department communicates with the manager of production department,
or other departments.

Horizontal communication is formal communication, but it does not follow the chain of
command.
Examples of horizontal communication messages are: information sharing, feedback, task
coordination efforts, efforts to seek assistance, etc.

Horizontal communication is needed to save time and facilitate control. Horizontal

communication is especially important in an organization for the following purposes:
To coordinate tasks: when several employees or departments are each working on part of
an important project.
To solve problems: such as how to reduce waste, etc.
To share information: such as an easier way to perform a task.
To resolve conflict: such as disagreement between co-workers.
To build rapport: group member’s interactions, to build understanding and friendship.
To give feedback
Production

Sales
Purchase

Public Relations
Accounts

Administration
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 Source: Drewnodgers [1995:P25]

3.1.3 Diagonal Communication

It constitutes the flow of messages between people in different organizational levels, but without
direct reporting relationships. It is designed to support the vertical and horizontal communication
systems.

3.1.4 External Communication

Just as information flows up, down, and across the organization, it flows in and out of the
organization. The external communication network links the organization with the outside world
of customers, suppliers, investors, and competitors.
Organizations constantly exchange messages with customers, vendors, distributors, competitors,
investors, journalists, and government and community representatives.
Much of this communication occurs informally, and some communication is carefully
orchestrated.
Even though much of the communication that occurs with outsiders is casual and relatively
unplanned, most organizations attempt to control the information they convey to customers,
investors, and the general public.

3.2 The Informal Communication – (The Grapevine)

Every organization has an informal communication network – a grapevine – that supplements
official channels. Grapevine is the flow of information in any direction throughout the
organization.

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Grapevines develop in organizations to handle communication that formal communication
channels do not handle. For example, if employees believe they do not get enough information
from their boss, they may cultivate other sources of information.

Employees may also participate in a grapevine to meet social needs. The grapevine serves as an
excellent source of information about employee attitudes as well as an emotional outlet for
employees.

It is informal communication because it is not official or sanctioned by management.

The information that travels through a grapevine typically takes the form of gossip (beliefs about
other people) and rumors (efforts to predict future events). Thus, gossip might describe an
incident in which a manager lost his temper, and a rumor might concern expectations that a new
sales office will open next year.

Although the grapevine is not officially sanctioned, the quality of information is surprisingly
good. It is faster than the formal communication. Research into the grapevine has also found that
about 80 percent of the messages are work related, and 70–95 percent of the details are accurate.

Common grapevine configurations

According to Professor Keith Davis, there are four operational networks of grapevine.

a) The single strand chain involves the passing of information through

along line of persons to the ultimate recipient. A tells B, who tells C, who
tells D, and so on, till the information has reached most of the persons
concerned.

Figure: Single Strand Grape Vine

A B C D E F G

Source: Drewnodgers [1995:P29]

b)Gossip chain –

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In the gossip chain, A actively seeks and tells every one. This chain is just
like the wheel where A is at the center and the information passers along the
spokes of the wheel to others stationed on the rim.

Figure: Gossip Grape Vine

H
A
G

A
F B

E
C
D

Source: Ibid [1995:P33]

C) Random-probability chain – The probability chain is a rand our process in

which transmits the information to others in accordance with the laws of
probability and then these others tell still others in a similar manner. This
chain may also call Random.
Figure: Probability Grape Vine

B F

A
C

G I

M H

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 Source: Ibid [1995:P37]

d) Cluster chain – In the cluster chain, A tells selected persons who may in
turn relay the information to others selected individuals.
Figure: Cluster Grape Vine

A E
L

D E

B
C
G
F M
G H

Source: Ibid [1995:P39]

Negative Attribute of the Grapevine

Sometimes pass distorted information from sources carried by rumor.
Grapevine is often fragmentary and incomplete resulting in misunderstandings,
confusion, and wrong action.
Rumors travel like a wild fire across the boundary of an organization thereby
spoiling the public image of the organization.
Lack of accountability: grapevine is informal; consequently members do not have
to answer to their superiors for any misstatement of facts.

Importance of the Grapevine

The grapevine serves some important purposes to organizational members, as follows:
i) It is used by employees as a safety valve: all confined emotions, fear, and
frustrations within an individual can easily be brought out and discussed
through the informal channel.

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 ii) The grapevine promotes organizational solidarity and cohesion: People
have inborn interest to interact and they satisfy their need for friendliness.
It also helps members to share love and acceptance by their peers.
iii) Provides accurate feedback to management: It enables managers to know
the real responses of employees towards a policy or other issues from the
grapevine leaders informally.

To sum up, management should accept the grapevine as inevitable fact organizational life; and be
in touch with informal networks, participate in them, learn from them, and use them tactfully to
disseminate information.

Concluding Remarks
Effective internal communication integrates and facilitates the managerial functions at all levels;
and effective external communication relates and integrates an enterprise successfully to its
external environment.
3.3. Organizational culture and communication climate
3.3.1. Meaning and Nature of Organizational Culture
Just like individuals, organizations have personalities. Some are casual, energetic, even zany;
others are formal, slow moving, and serious. Social scientists call this personality an
organizational culture - a relatively stable picture of the organization that is shared by its
members. In everyday language, culture is the insiders’ view of “the way things are around here”
Like human personalities, organizational cultures that appeal to one kind of person repel others.
Many people abhor bureaucracies; others feel most comfortable in that sort of setting. Some
people welcome the chaotic disorganization and constant that often characterizes new companies
in emerging fields; others feel more at home in organizations with clearly defined jobs and
products.
Issues such as fair compensation, concern for employees’ welfare, encouraging innovation and
valuing employees’ ideas, are all part of positive organizational culture. Managers who dislike
and fear subordinates often barricade themselves in offices, cutting off communication with the
rank-and-file employees, who in turn feel increasingly alienated.

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An organization’s culture is shaped by the kinds of communication that took place in its earliest
days, especially communication involving the founder.

3.3.2. Culture and communication

An organization’s culture may be strong or weak, depending on variables such as cohesiveness,
value, consensus, and individual management to collective goals. We should be aware that the
nature of the culture’s central values is more important than its strength. For example, a strong
but change-resistant culture may be worse, from the stand point of profitability and
competitiveness, than a weak but innovative culture. Thus, when we evaluate an organization’s
culture, we need to consider the strategic appropriateness of its central values as well as its
strength.

The most important aspect in organizational culture is the quality of communication between
members of organization. Social scientists use the term communication climate to describe the
quality of personal relationships in an organization. The weather metaphor suggested by the term
climate is apt. Some workplaces could be described as sunny and calm, cold and stormy, or such
similar terms.

What makes a climate positive? The answer is simple: A communication climate is determined
by the degree to which people they are valued. When people who work with others, feel
respected by the people they work with, it will result into a positive climate.

Positive organizational cultures are due in great part to a healthy communication climate; which
is a function of the degree to which people believed they are valued. This sense of being valued
is enhanced by six management practices:
i) Giving employees job autonomy
ii) Recognizing and rewarding achievement
iii) Showing genuine concern for employees’ welfare (Emotional support)
iv) Providing opportunities for growth
v) Allowing risk taking (Risk tolerance)
vi) Accepting constructive conflict (Conflict tolerance)

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