8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
1/27
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
2/27
FORMAL VS INFORMAL
COMMUNICATION
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
3/27
DIFFERENCES
FORMAL INFORMAL Formal communication flows
along prescribed channels
which all members desirous of
communicating with one
another are obliged to fallow.
Formal communication may
move vertical or horizontal.
It follows no set lines, nor any
definite rules, but spreads, like the
grapevine, in any direction,
anywhere, and spreads fast.
Primarily a channel of horizontal
communication, it can flow even
vertically and diagonally
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
4/27
FORMAL COMMUNICATION
Formal communication flows along prescribed channels which
all members desirous of communicating with one another are
obliged to follow. Formally a clerk working in any of the sections cannot directly
communicate with the managing director. He must talk to his
supervisor, who will pass on the message to the departmental
manager, from where it will go to the managing director.
Formal communication may move vertical or horizontally.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
5/27
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
6/27
VERTICAL COMMUNICATION
Vertical communication can flow downward or upward.
Downward communication :-It flows from a superior to
the subordinate staff.
Upward Communication:- It moves from the
subordinate staff to the superiors.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
7/27
DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
Its objectives are To give directives about some job .
To explain policy and procedures.
To convey assessment of performance .
To explain the rationale of the job.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
8/27
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
9/27
ITS LIMITATIONS ARE
1.Under communication or over communication.
In case of a long line of communication there may
be:-
2. Delay.
3. Loss of information.
4. Distortion.
5. Resentment by subordinate staff.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
10/27
TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE
Managers should be adequately informed.
Managers should be clear about how much
to communicate.
some authority should be delegated to lowerlevel to shorten the line of communication.
Information should be passed on to the
correct person.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
11/27
UPWARD COMMUNICATION
Upward communication moves from the subordinatestaff to the superiors.
Its Importance is :-
Provides feedback to the superiors. Releases the pent-up emotions of the subordinate
staff.
Provides the superiors with useful suggestions.
Make the introduction of new schemes easier.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
12/27
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
13/27
ITS CHANNELS ARE:-
Superiors keep an open door,
Complaints and suggestion boxes,
Social gathering,
Direct correspondence, Reports,
Counseling,
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
14/27
ITS LIMITATIONS ARE:-
Employees are reluctant to express
themselves,
Employees fear that their criticism may beinterpreted as a sign of their personal
weakness,
Great possibility of distortion, By passed superiors fell insulted.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
15/27
TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE
Superiors should take initiative to get closeto the subordinate staff.
Keeping the line of communication short,
All upward communication should beproperly analyzed.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
16/27
HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
Horizontal communication flows betweenpeople at the same level.
It is important for prompting understandingand coordination among various people or
departments.It is carried on through
Face to face discussion,
Telephonic talk,
Periodical meetings,
Memos,
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
17/27
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
18/27
GRAPEVINE COMMUNICATION
Grapevine is an informal channel of
communication.
Primarily a channel of horizontal communication , it
can flow even vertical and diagonally.of four types:-
Single strand
Gossip
Probability ( Random )
Cluster
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
19/27
TYPES
1. Single strand:- In this type of chain, 'A tellssomething to B who tells it to C and so
on. This chain is the least accurate in
passing on information.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
20/27
2. Gossip chain :-
Here one person seeks out and tells everyone the
information he or she has obtained.This chain isoften used when information or message of an
interesting, nature but one that is non-related is
being conveyed.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
21/27
Gossip chain
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
22/27
3. Probability chain ( Random) :-
Here , individuals are indifferent to, or not
really interested in , the person to whom they are
passing some information. This tell at random , and
those people in turn tell other at random. This
chain is found when the information is somewhat
interesting but not really significant.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
23/27
4. Cluster chain :- In this type of chain , A
tells to a few selected individuals, and then someof these individuals inform a few other selected
individuals.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
24/27
IMPORTANCE
Harmony and cohesiveness in the organisms:-workers they talk among themselves helps to promoteorganizational solidarity and cohesion.
Supplement to other channels:-All the informationcannot be transmitted to the employees through theofficial channels.
A fast channel:-just spot a leader of the grapevine andgive him information , cleverly describing it as topsecret and within minutes, it will have reachedeverybody.
Provides feedback:-the grapevine provides feedback tomanagement .It enables them to know what thesubordinates think about the organization and itsvarious activities.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
25/27
DEMERITS OF GRAPEVINE
1.Distortion:-thus one of the major drawbacks ofgrapevine is that it may spread baseless ordistorted news which may sometimes proveharmful even to the employee's.
2.Incomplete information:-so there is every likelihoodof its being misunderstood or misinterpreted.
3.Damaging swiftness:- A rumour may have spreadand caused serious damage before the
management becomes aware of it and can takeany rectifying steps.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
26/27
TO USE EFFECTIVELY
The manager should:-
Keep on eye on rumour - mongers.
Use it primarily for feedback,
Contradict rumour promptly.
Involve the workers in the decision making process.
8/9/2019 Formal vs. Informal Commn.
27/27