Working with the organizational grapevineThe 'grapevine' or informal communication network in the organization can have negative effects such as resentment, embarrassment for managers, distorted messages, rumor diffusion, and subversion of managerial decision-making. Grapevines develop when employees share common hobbies, lunch schedules, families ties, common home towns, and social relationships. These informal networks operate quickly, often accurately, and withresilience. t is suggested that management should utilize the network for its own purposes to complement formal networks. !anagement should also be candid about information if possible. "ffective screening of employees is also important.The organizational grapevine is part of the modern business world and has long been considered a necessary evil of conducting business. !anagers typically have done their best to suppress this method of communication. #owever, some are beginning to consider it an asset rather than a liability. The grapevine will remain a part of any assembled workforce, so why not harness its potential to ease communication within the organization instead of trying in vain to smother it$ The grapevine is a valuable means of communication within anorganization% attempts to phase it out are unwarranted and unproductive. The grapevine does not always deliver information in an ideal manner and is sometimes difficult to manage, but its advantages outweigh its disadvantages. Therefore, it should be nurtured, not pruned - and management must cultivate it carefully to reap the greatest benefits for the organization. The term grapevine Grapevine - A distributed system project. can be traced back to the United States United States,The United States is the world's third largestcountry in population and the fourth largest country in area. Civil War. Because the battle fronts oved fre!uently, ary intelligence telegraph wires were loosely strung fro tree to tree across battle"elds, uch like grapevines. #ue to the reckless way the lines were hung, the essages sent over the were often garbled and confusing, leading to inaccurate counication. Soon, any ruor or uno$cial coand was said to have been heard %via the grapevine.% &t was during this tie that the correlation between the grapevine and inaccuracy began. The grapevine has been an identi"able aspect of 'erican culture ever since.Three Characteristics of the Grapevine 'n inforal counication network known as the grapevine serves a special purpose in the workplace. (ployees need a counication outlet) anageent should work with it. &ll workplaces feature a formal communication network where information passes from upper management to the employees. This formal network may contain information such as new policies and procedures, upcoming management changes and upcoming 'ob postings. &lthough the formal communication system is the place where management turns to send information, many employees also rely on the informal communication network known as the grapevine.&lthough the grapevine is an informal source of communication, it serves an important place in the workplace. "mployees sometimes see the grapevine as their own communication system, separate from the management portion of the company. The grapevine has three main characteristics that differentiate it from other communication systems within the company.Three Characteristics of the Grapevine(irst, the grapevine is not controlled by management. The grapevine is mainly controlled by the employees themselves. &s employees control the grapevine information, sometimes the information may be accurate and sometimes the information may be inaccurate.)econdly, most employees perceive and believe that the grapevine contains more reliable information than the information received from upper management. *hat employees may or may not realize is that many times the grapevine contains false information.+astly, the grapevine may be largely available to simply serve the interests of the people it involves. !any times, employees use the grapevine to begin rumors that serve their own interests, with little regard to the people they affect.By knowing what type of inforation is *owing through the grapevine, anageent is able to knowthe orale of the organi+ation and identi"es issues that ay need clarifying aong eployees. ,inally, the grapevine serves the needs of eployees by giving the an outlet for sall talk.What is Grapevine and what is its role in the Communication Network?&n organization is a composite of several individuals working together towards its growth. They are constantly interacting with each other and with people outside the company. ,ommunication in an organization can be of the following types-.. (ormal -- a/ Internal - i/ 0ertical 12pward and 3ownward/% ii/#orizontal4+ateral%iii/3iagonalb/ External5. nformal -- a/ 6umour% b/ Grapevine &ll these different communication types form the communication network in an organization.nformal communication in an organization usually flows through Grapevine and 6umor. deally, the network of formal communication may be adequate to meet the needs of e7changing information within an organization, but in reality, this is seldom true."mployees in an organization feel inadequately informed in a formal system. They often feel that the management uses formal channels to conceal information rather than reveal the real messages to them. The employees, therefore, modify the formal methods of communication by bringing in an informal communication system, known as 8grapevine.9Grapevine is always attributed to a 8reliable source9 to make the information sound authentic. :ews through grapevine spreads like wild fire, quickly and uncontrollably. This version of information is somewhat distorted ande7aggerated;a result of a series of 8filters9 used in the process. The grapevine shows that the management has missed the opportunity of sharing with the employees of the organization good or bad information that is of interest to them. #ence, the gap in formal communication is filled up by the informal gossip circulated among employees. These employees form relationships not on the basis of work but on the basis of certain social factors such as neighborhood, common language, culture, common state, common club membership, and so on. The groups are formed on the basis of equal friendship and not official status or relationship. :ormally, the management views the grapevine negatively. (or, it undercuts their designs of confidentiality, secrecy and guarded sharing of information with the employees. #owever, sometimes the management wants to take advantage of grapevine for the sake of knowing beforehand the reaction and response of the people who are going to be affected by a proposed scheme or change. )o, before officially announcing a change the managers deliberately feed the leader of the grapevine communication with the concerned message to be floated around and watch the employees< feedback, reaction and responses. This helps the management firm up the announcement with modifications in view of the feedback. n using grapevine, managers have to be very careful. (or e7ample, it could be very effective to 8walk down the 'ob9 or indulge in 8!anagement =y *alking &bout9 1!=*&/, which involves moving around, chatting and informally discussing formal matters in an informal way. #owever, its effectiveness would depend on personal relationships and the image created by the e7ecutive through his official behavior, and other personal attributes such as frankness, a sympathetic attitude, and a sense of fairness in dealing with people. t is also essential for the management to follow up the grapevine messages with official written messages and statements that will verify the accuracy of data obtained from the grapevine. This helps in building a mutual trust based on open communication followed throughout the organization or business.Grapevine has several merits as far as the communication network is concerned- t brings together the workforce in matters of common interest t helps in passing on the messages at a speedy rate t helps in generating ideas and e7pectations that often prove of value to the decision makers and planners of goals and schemes. t enhances public relations within an organization.Grapevine is, therefore, an indispensable part of the entire communication network, especially which which takes place within an organisation.' for of counication that is very popular is called grapevine counication. -rapevine counication applies to all inforal counication including institutional inforation that is counicated verbally between eployees and people within the counity. -rapevine counication is very vital within the organi+ation because it can keep subordinates infored about iportant organi+ational atters, it can give school adinistrators insights into subordinates attitudes and can proved subordinates with a safety vale for their eotions. 'nother iportant !uality of grapevine counication is that it helps builds orale by carrying the positive coents people ake about the school district or organi+ation.The corporate grapevineThe corporate grapevine is an invisible flow of rumor, innuendo and speculation. t weaves its way through all levels of an organization. The grapevine is amply fertilized and fed by a corps of eager gardeners. t grows faster than weeds after a monsoon rain. &nd like the weeds that grow in our yards, the grapevine can suffocate the things we want to grow.The grapevine is the one communication device in an organization that will never lack subscribers or contributors. &nd to the dismay of many an e7ecutive, it is the one medium that can't be fully controlled. >roperly nurtured, the corporate grapevine can be a valuable asset. t can help you-? get a feel for the morale of your organization? understand the an7ieties of your work force? evaluate your formal communication efforts and see if they are working. gnore the grapevine or try to kill it, andit will inevitably lead to-? low morale? lower productivity? misinformation and misunderstanding.="TT"6 +"(T 2:)&3$:achie !arquez, communication and public affairs director for the city of ,handler, &riz., has been in organizational communication for .@ years. 3uring that time she has seen her share of grapevine successes and missteps.A've found that you have to be complete with your information,A !arquez says. Af not, employees will fill in the gaps. Then the story takes on a life of its own.AThe things that aren't said often feed the grapevine. (or e7ample, !arquez has found that when someone leaves a 'ob with the city, she must let people know that the person has moved on--even if it's a generic announcement.Af employees notice one day that a person is gone, they begin to wonder what happened,A she says. At may have been as innocent as that person taking a 'ob closer to home. =ut if it's not communicated, people may begin to wonder if there are organizational changes. f employees don't get the information they want, they go straight to the grapevine.A!"&)26:G T#" G6&>"0:">aul =arton, &=,, has been in the employee communication and newspaper fields for more than 5B years. )ince .CCD, =arton has worked in the communication departments of some of his region's largest and most recognizable publicly traded companies. #e has always kept close watch on his organizations' grapevines.At's another form of feedback,A =arton says. At Ethe grapevineF lets you know if your messages are being perceived as they were intended.A&t one of his companies, =arton and his staff conducted a comprehensive employee communication audit. Their goal was to see how effective their communication vehicles were and if their messages were getting through. Gne of the items =arton included in the survey was the grapevine.6esults showed that HI percent of employees surveyed always or often relied on the grapevine for information. *hen asked if the grapevine was their preferred source of information, only 5J percent answered favorably.A*e found that people want to know what's going on and how it affects them personally in their 'obs,A =arton says.AThey said their preferred method was hearing news from their manager or supervisor.A*&T"6:G T#" G6&>"0:"&s communicators, !arquez and =arton say that it is imperative that they monitor their organization's grapevine.AKou can get a pulse of the organization,A !arquez says. AKou can find out employees' an7ieties and concerns.AAKou may think your message is as clear as a bell,A =arton says. A=ut the grapevine will let you know if people didn't understand it. Kou then have the opportunity to restate it.A=arton monitors various online message boards, noting that the nternet is fertile ground for rumors and misinformation.At's amazing how high up Ein the organizationF some of these rumors go,A =arton says.!arquez says her best grapevine sources are administrative assistants. AThey are dealing with the entire organization,A she notes.!&:&G:G KG26 G6&>"0:"The best way to keep the rumor mill from spinning out of control is to be up front with as much information as possible. A=e open and honest with employees,A suggests !arquez.&nother recommendation is to find the people in your organization who tend to be the instigators of unauthorized information 1i.e., rumor mongers/. These folks are not necessarily ill-willed, they 'ust capitalize on their skill of starting conversations with A heard that....AAThey want to be in the know,A !arquez points out. At's best to work with them.AKou also can ask your employees how they use the grapevine. *hen =arton gathered his information, he held focus groups and conducted formal surveys to obtain statistically valid qualitative and quantitative data.(:" *:" G6 0:"G&6$"very organization has a grapevine. :ot every organization uses it effectively.f you provide comprehensive, honest information to your employees in a manner that is easily understood, it is likely that your grapevine is filling in small information gaps. This type of grapevine is easy to manage and turns business leaders into caring gardeners. f the grapevine is your organization's lone source of information, you run the risk of being out of touch with your employees. Kou also stand the chance of running into the same fate as !arvin Gaye in his famous song A #eard it Through the Grapevine -- you'll lose your lover EemployeesF to another. &nd like !arvin Gaye, you'll be caught by surprise and it will be too late to save the relationship.,ommunication can be considered as the bloodline to an organization because it is the most important aspect of any organization. n comparison to the human body blood is the fluid of life. & ma'or function of the bloodline in the human body is to transport o7ygen to the ma'or organs and carbon dio7ide from body tissue to the lungs. =lood is also the fluid of growth and health. f the bloodline is constricted or stops completely and organs ofthe body will eventually began to shut down and stop functioning properly. n the same way communication is the process that links the individual, the group, and the organization together. f an organization has a breakdown in communication the system as a whole can be in danger. (or e7ample, a principal decides to implement a new strategic reading program for his school. #e looks at the data and realizes that the program will work e7cellent with the curriculum thatipe dreams or wish fulfillment wish fulfillment? *edge-drivers. These rumors are marked by aggression and animosity &s a result, they are characteristically negative and serve to cleave cleat, ? #ome-stretchers. These rumors are initiated in anticipation of final decisions or announcements. They tend to fill in the gap during times of ambiguity. The grapevine in usiness *ebster's dictionary Wester!s "ictionar# - #yperte7t interface.defines grapevine as Aan informal person-to-person means of circulating information or gossip.A >sychologists G.&. (ine and 6.,. 6osnow define gossip as Asmall talk with a purpose,A and gossip columnist Noun $% gossip columnist - a 'ournalist who writes a column of gossip about celebritiesnewspaper columnist - a columnist who writes for newspapers+iz )mith &iz 'mith may refer to- +iz )mith 1actress/ +iz )mith 1'ournalist/ has added, AGossip is usually the news running ahead of itself in a red satin dress - it is rumor about to become fact.A :o matter how the grapevine is defined, one thing is certain- The grapevine is the informal and unsanctioned communication network found within every organization. Grganizational members require information to perform their 'obs. *hen information is not transmitted through a formal system in a timely fashion, the grapevine is called upon to communicate the essential facts throughout the organization. n fact, most organizational communication (rganizational communication, broadly speaking, is- people working together to achieve individual or collective goals. E.F "iscipline )istor#The modern field traces its lineage through business information, business communication, and early mass communicationconsists of person-to-person informal contacts. These contacts are necessary for the smooth functioning of the organization, and they contribute to improved 'ob performance. )ome research has found that communicatively isolated workers in a large organization have lower 'ob satisfaction, organizational commitment n the study of organizational behavior and ndustrial4Grganizational >sychology, organizational commitment is, in a general sense, the employee's psychological attachment to the organization. , and 'ob performance than their counterparts who are engaged actively in a communication network. The grapevine has a discernible structure. n a .CDC >ersonnel Nournal article, Oeith 3avis *eith "avis 1born 3ecember IB, .CLJ in taly, Te7as/ is an &merican football free safety for the 3allas ,owboys of the :(+. #e wassigned as an undrafted free agent out of )am #ouston )tate 2niversity.described four primary chains of communication in an organization's grapevine- ? The single-strand chain. & tells =, who tells ,, who tells 3, and so on. The longer this chain continues, the greater the potential for alterations to the original message. ,onsequently, this chain tends to produce the least accurate messages. ? The gossip chain. & tells everyone he or she comes into contact with. This chain often transmits messages slowly,as there is only one active disseminator of information. ? The probability chain. & conveys information randomly to , and ". They, in turn, randomly tell others. n this chain, some in the organization will, by chance, get this information and some will not. ? The cluster chain. & tells those he frequently contacts, , and 3. They continue the chain by revealing the message to those they have close contact with. )electivity selectivity 4sePlecPtivPiPty4 1se-lek-tivQi-te/ in pharmacology, the degree to which a dose of a drug produces the desired effect in relation to adverse effects. selectivity..determines the pattern in this chain. &s a result, some will not hear the information. n.n psychoanalytic theory, the satisfaction of a desire, need, or impulse through a dream or other e7ercise of the imagination. . These rumors identify the wishes and hopes of employees. t naturally follows, then, that these rumors are positive in constitution, yet they still reflect employee an7ieties. ? =ogie boPgie . also o+g#n. pl. o+gies$% Gne of several wheels or supporting and aligning rollers inside the tread of a tractor or tank.,%rumors. These rumors originate from employees' fears and concerns and result in a general restlessness within the organization. Gften, these rumors are damaging. =enefits of the grapevine The contemporary grapevine has kept its reputation for disseminating unreliable information. #owever, research shows that grapevine information is highly reliable and accurate, making this means of communication an asset to the organization. )tudies done by Oeith 3avis have demonstrated accuracy ratings of nearly JB percent for many grapevine transmissions, with a range of accuracy between L@ percent and C@ percent. The grapevine's precision is not surprising when one considers the origins of its messages. 6esearch has shown that rumors passing through thegrapevine begin as testimonies of an actual event. Thus, someone or some group has witnessed an event and feels it is worthy of passing on to others in the organization. )till, people are wary of embracing information gleaned through the grapevine. This is partly due to the grapevine'spoor reputation. Grapevine information is also considered inaccurate because its errors are often dramatic. Therefore, the mistakes are more memorable than the grapevine's normal daily accuracy. This skepticism is healthyand contributes to the benefits of the grapevine. !any people think of the grapevine as an uncensored, Athe rest of the storyA source of information. &s Nack +evin This article is about the real life professor. (or information on the video game character, see +ist of characters in the (-Rero series.-ack &evin, >h.3. is the rving and =etty =rudnick >rofessor of )ociology and ,riminology at :ortheastern 2niversity in =oston, , >h.3., professor of sociology at :ortheastern 2niversity :ortheastern 2niversity, at =oston, !ass.% coeducational% founded .JCJ as a program within the =oston K!,&, inc. .C.D, university status .C55, fully independent of the K!,& .CHJ. %%%%% ,lick the link for more information., put it, Af you want to know about the kind of insurance coverage your employer offers, look in the company handbook. =ut if you want to know who to avoid, who the boss loathes or loves, who to go to when you need help, what it really takes to get a promotion or raise, and how much you can safely slack off, you're better off paying attention Noun $% pa#ing attention - paying particular notice 1as to children or helpless people/% Ahis attentiveness to her wishesA% Ahe spends without heed to the consequencesAattentiveness, heed, regardto the company grapevine.A >robably the best feature of the grapevine is the timeliness of the message it carries. ts speed of transfer is far faster than messages coming through formal channels, partly because formal communication has traditionally beenwritten in the form of memos, reports, and newsletters. )ince formal communication channels tend to transmit information slowly, gaps between the time information is needed and when it arrives are common. &s a result, formal networks tend to be inadequate for handling unplannedcommunication requirements, for competently transmitting complicated or detailed information, or for sharing personal information. The grapevine, on the other hand, thrives on quicker word-of-mouth conversations. &nd although electronic communications have made the formal methods of interaction faster, they have made informal means of conveyinginformation even swifter. =ecause the grapevine is fast, it can serve as an early warning system for members of an organization. Onowing this, management sometimes purposely purPposePlyadv.*ith specific purpose.purposelyAdverbon purpose2)&G"- )ee at purpose.ul%/dv% $%sends messages through the grapevine to test the waters, allowing individuals to plan for and ponder formal statements to come. This may give employees the opportunity to provide input to senior management before final decisions are made. Thus grapevine timeliness often gives employees a chance to become more participatory, which is known to enhance an organization. These advantages are particularly beneficial when bad news will be coming through formal communication channels. &nother advantage of the grapevine is that it can transmit messages in a multi-directional manner. 2nlike the formal communication network, which follows a highly rigid, linear path from supervisors to subordinates, the grapevine can leap from department to department and 'ump between various management levels. t moves up, down, horizontally, vertically, and diagonally in an organization at an incredible pace. (urthermore, the grapevine can serve as an outlet for stress release. )ubordinates frequently need an opportunity tolet off steam but are unable to do so through formal communication lines, fearing embarrassment or repercussions repercussions npl S rTpercussions fplrepercussions npl S &uswirkungen pl . The grapevine provides them a way to share their personal opinions and feelings. &nother important aspect of grapevine messages is their personal nature. nstead of impersonal, faceless transmissions via the formal communication networks, the grapevine frequently facilitates en'oyable face-to-face interactions between co-workers. 6esearch suggests that subordinates prefer to get their information in this manner. *hile this is not always possible, a healthy grapevine makes it more likely. Gne other positive aspect of the grapevine is its immunity to time constraints n law, time constraints are placed on certain actions and filings in the interest of speedy 'ustice, and additionally to prevent the evasion of the ends of'ustice by waiting until a matter is moot. . *hile the formal communication network typically starts up at C a.m. and shuts down at @ p.m., the grapevine is in effect nearly 5H hours a day. t begins in. the morning in car pools on the way to work and may last late into the night through company softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. nvented 1.JJJ/ in ,hicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoorbaseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies'teams, golf games, or bowling leagues. (inally, the grapevine serves as an inde7 of organizational health, morale, trends, and productivity. The grapevine can spotlight issues and problems important to an organization. "ffects of policies and procedures 0olicies and 0rocedures are a set of documents that describe an organization's policies for operation and the procedures necessary to fulfill the policies. They are often initiated because of some e7ternal requirement, such as environmental compliance or other governmentaloften can be measured with informal communication. &lso, it seems that organizations with strong formalized forPmalPizetr.v. .or+mal+ized, .or+mal+iz+ing, .or+mal+iz+es$% To give a definite form or shape to.,% a% To make formal.%structures that inhibit communication outside these structures may benefit from an active grapevine that supplements formal channels of communication. ndeed, this informal communication network seems to blossom when certain common denominators common denominatorn.$% Mathematics & quantity into which all the denominators of a set of fractions may be divided without a remainder.,% & commonly shared theme or trait.e7ist in organizations. f formal channels are rigid and narrow, if vital intelligence is kept from employees, if an overabundance oPverPaPbunPdancen.& going or being beyond what is needed, desired, or appropriate% an e7cess- teenagers with an overabundance of energy.of free time is allowed to subordinates, or if employees feel the pressures of 'ob insecurity, be assured that the grapevine will be very active. >otential pitfalls &s mentioned earlier, grapevine information tends to be accurate JB percent of the time. This means there is at least a 5B percent inaccuracy factor. :early all the information passed along the grapevine is undocumented, and thus is in a prime position to be altered and misinterpreted as it flows. The central theme is usually resistant to severe alterations, but critical details are eliminated constantly in a process known as Aleveling.A The most dramatic details are AsharpenedA - hyped up hyped upAdjectiveOld-fashioned slang stimulated or e7cited by or as if by drugs- each time the message is recycled. &nd details are sometimes ad'usted to correspond with the prior attitudes and e7periences of the participants in a process called Aassimilation.A Together, leveling, sharpening, and assimilation have the potential to alter the facts significantly. :evertheless, the correspondence is still grounded in the truth and remains an important vehicle for communication. "lectronic communication such as AcybergossipA 1gossip through the computer/ has made the grapevine an even faster means of communication. Though a potential advantage, cybergossip is often misinterpreted because it is flat- no voice inflection inflection, in grammar. n many languages, words or parts of words are arranged in formally similar sets consisting of a root, or base, and various affi7es. Thus walking, walks, walker have in common the root walk and the affi7es -ing, -s, and , no room for subtleties of language. t may be more difficult to tell whether someone is making a 'oke, being sarcastic sarPcasPticadj.$% "7pressing or marked by sarcasm.,% Given to using sarcasm.Esarc1asm2 U -astic, as in enthusiastic. , or passing on the gospel. +ike cybergossip, another modern-day phenomenon has changed the nature of the grapevine- The new generation of workers seems to disdain it. #istorically, most baby boomers )ee generation V. %%%%% ,lick the link for more information. 1those born between .CHD and .CDH/, as much as they deny it, believe in playing office politics and do their utmost to become proficient in this area. ,onversely, the younger generation of employees takes offense to those proficient at politics and feels sorry for those who seek mastery in it. This presentattitude could be a ma'or blow to the informal communication network as it now stands. n fact, these Ababy busters baby buster also a+#3ust+ern.& member of a baby-bust generation.Noun $% a# uster - a person born in the generation following the baby boom when the birth rate fell dramaticallybuster A or Ageneration VersA 1those born between .CD@ and .CLL/ seem to prefer that crucial messages be presented one-on-one by supervisors - if not in person, then by voice mail or e-mail. Thus, they are ultimately unwilling to tap into the grapevine for information. &nother potential problem with the grapevine is the threat of legal action arising from inaccurate rumors traveling this network. !any organizations have been defendants in legal suits arising from false information circulating in the workplace. +awsuits based on defamation de.amationn law, issuance of false statements about a person that in'ure his reputation or that deter others from associating with him. +ibel and slander are the legal subcategories of defamation. +ibel is defamation in print, pictures, or any other visual symbols. %%%%% ,lick the link for more information., fraud, invasion of privacy invasion of privacy n. the intrusion into the personal life of another, without 'ust cause, which can give the person whose privacy has been invaded a right to bring a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity that intruded. , harassment &sk a +awyer 4uestion,ountry- 2nited )tates of &merica)tate- :evada recently moved to nev.from abut have been going back to ca. every 5 to I weeks for med. , emotional distress emotional distress n. an increasingly popular basis for a claim of damages in lawsuits for in'ury due to the negligence or intentional acts of another. Griginally damages for emotional distress were only awardable in con'unction with damages for actual physical harm. , and disability discrimination have all taken place because of grapevine inaccuracies 1Rachary, .CCD/. mplications for leaders &s the previous section indicates, the grapevine is not all pinot noir.. t is no wonder many managers feel they must attempt to silence the grapevine in order to avoid the problems 'ustmentioned. =ut the potential for using the grapevine advantageously is well documented. To ensure that the grapevine remains primarily an asset and minimally a liability, there are some ground rules that management must follow in order to foster an effective, healthy environment for the grapevine to operate. ? &ccept that the grapevine e7ists and has the potential to add value to the organization. !anagement must not try to eliminate it - they did not hire it and they cannot fire it. ? &cknowledge the fact that the grapevine must, for the most part, remain unrestrained. f management tries to takecontrol of it, they do not allow it to operate effectively and it ceases to provide its potential benefits. ? 3o not underestimate the grapevine's power or value to the organization. gnoring the grapevine can do more harm than good, and managers cannot afford to attempt to escape putting the necessary effort into managing it. ? =ecome part of the grapevine rather than remaining a passive observer. f the main concern about the grapevine is false information, being privy to grapevine messages will allow management to monitor them most effectively. f management chooses to ignore the grapevine, they fail to use its potential. n fact, the grapevine can serve as a vital mechanism in the Amanagement by wandering aroundA approach. This philosophy suggests that when managers wander around the workplace without any particular ob'ective, they are likely to pick up highly relevant information. This is information that may never have become available if the manager stayed in his or her office allday or communicated only in the normally structured manner. ? !aintain activity within formal communication channels. The grapevine is not a substitute for formal communication, but it can be an effective supplementary tool when fostered properly. ? "ncourage organizational members to question and assess grapevine e7changes prior to responding to them. Thiswill help keep the grapevine from becoming a facilitator of false rumor. The grapevine is alive and well. n the past, such a statement would have made management cringe cringeintr.v. cringed, cring+ing, cring+es$% To shrink back, as in fear% cower.,% To behave in a servile way% fawn.n.&n act or instance of cringing. , since the grapevine was often perceived as an impediment A disability or obstruction that prevents an individual from entering into a contract.nfancy, for e7ample, is an impediment in making certain contracts. mpediments to marriage include such factors as consanguinity between the parties or an earlier marriage that is still valid.to organizational well-being. #owever, research, in addition to verifying the e7istence of a vibrant grapevine, supports the idea that an active grapevine correlates positively with a well-functioning organization. Grganizations need a constant, consistent flow of information in order to operate in today's dynamic environment. (ormal channels of communication are often unable to keep up with this informational demand. The informal communication network, the grapevine, picks up the slack and keeps organizations moving forward rather than stagnating. :o medium of communication is perfect, and the grapevine is no e7ception. t must be managed correctly to yield positive results. #owever, the cost of this management is well worth the effort when one considers what the grapevine can provide an organization- the fast, timely, and relevant flow of information from those who have it to those who need it."ros'dvantages of -rapevine Counication.. -rapevine channels carry inforation rapidly. 's soon as an eployee gets to know soe con"dential inforation, he becoes in!uisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in turn passes it to other. Thus, it spreads hastily. 0. The anagers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on their policies. Thus, the feedback obtained is !uick copared to foral channel of counication. 4. The grapevine creates a sense of unity aong the eployees who share and discuss their views with each other. Thus, grapevine helps in developing group cohesiveness. 5. The grapevine serves as an eotional supportive value. 6. The grapevine is a suppleent in those cases where foral counication does not work. Tell it to the grapevine# to get the $ord out% no other medium communicates ne$s more &uic'ly& smart manager should take care of all the disadvantages of the grapevine and try to minimize them. &t the same time, he should make best possible use of advantages of grapevine.Importance o. Grapevine in usiness scenario:Though the structure of the grapevine is not so well defined, as that of the formal channels, it should not be takenfor its weakness. The messages flowing through grapevine have greater speed than that of the messages flowingthrough the formal channels. The grapevine may carry equally vital message through it for the achievement andsuccess of the organization. t is not correct to underestimate the grapevine by saying that the vital messages passonly through the authorized, formal channels. Gn the other hand, though the formal channels are systematic, pre-planned and documented, it is authority-laden. t can never be as speedy and spontaneous as the grapevine. Theemployeescommunicatethroughgrapevine, notbecausetheyarecompelledtocommunicatebutbecausetheyearnestly want to communicate with their associates.The methodof formalwritten communicationis slowand e7pensivemethod ofinformationtransmission.Thegrapevine, on the other hand, is non-e7pensive method and most-rapid oral method of transmitting the informationto the ma7imum number of the communication receivers. The grapevine can flow wherever the participants wish itto flow, therefore, the manager can use the properly cultivated grapevine in dealing with the problems that requirecrossing the boundaries between the departments.Grapevine originates from the psychological need of the employees to talk about their 'obs and their associates asthe sub'ect of their main interest. The absence of grapevine surely creates the dull, sick and unfriendly atmospherein the business organization. Grapevine is also described as the barometer of public opinion in the organization. fthe manager is sensitive to it, he can gather information about the ideas, opinions, attitudes and interests of theemployees.Thegrapevine gives anopportunitytotheemployees tolet off thesuppressedair of an7iety, worries andfrustration. *hen they talk about their associates, they get emotional relief. The fact that the employees talk abouttheir associates or that they have the interest in their associates is a proof of the high morale. Thus, the grapevinenot only promotes unity, integrity and solidarity of the organization but it also helps to raise the morale of theemployees.Advantages of Grapevine CommunicationGrapevine communication creates a social ond where none e7isted. >eople like to talk to one another% whether they talk about work or family, or anything. Teams become more cohesive when members talk to one another outside of the pro'ect or assignment they may be working on. nformal communication lends itself to bonding. The grapevine .ills in a gap that is left when official information is missing. "ven in organizations where management is very proactive about keeping employees informed, the grapevine helps to fill in the blanks. The grapevine in many ways helps keep people honest% it can dissuade people from engaging on behavior thatthey donespecially when it can spell bad news?8 a key e@ecutive resigns, a copany subsidiary is being sold, or there is an unpopular change in copany policy. Copany e@ecutives hold out for so long on aking an announceent that eployees start scavenging the corridors for scraps of inforation. (ployees huddle together to ake sense of what's going on. They are forced to draw their own conclusions about the reasons for what's going to happen or has happened. 2erceptions about the copany withholding inforation are often ore daaging than providing the %negative%news in the "rst place. The grapevine *ourishes where upper anageent clings to half7hearted attepts at real counications with eployees. & reeber working for a large congloerate where there was a power war between counications and Auan /esources who wanted to run the house Bournal tostart their own %vanity publishing%. Though their attepted takeover bid failed their continual interference did not help with the release of inforation that eployees would "nd to be credible.'t another copany the grapevine was institutionali+ed because the reclusive C(1 only channeled his rare essages through a rather self7serving sta= newsletter. (ployees were starved of inforation.Then there was the copany that announced changes to copany policy without prior consultationwith eployees. When announceents were ade soe eployees were suspicious about the change, others reBected it, and yet others did not understand the change. Co face7to7face group eetings were held to e@plain the change so the grapevine becae the educator.&n these situations, hardly favourable to support a winning culture, where inforation is assaged or ignored reliance on the grapevine grows. This results in lost revenue. 2oor internal counication is a real cost to the copany with lower orale, reduced productivity, increased stress >reduced well7being?, poor internal iage >which leads to poor e@ternal iage?, lower !uality and poor service.& need to balance these bad apples with a few e@aples of where copanies have e@celled at internal counication. ' "shing copany ran a road show for all eployees on their B(( >black econoic epowerent? status to even their ost reote and sallest operations so all eployees could understand the new developent. 'nother copany held a eeting with all eployees of a sall ac!uired copany to ensure that everyone understood the culture of the copany and what was e@pected. (ployees were welcoed in a personal way and ade to feel part of the new copany. &n another instance, a capaign was devised to infor all eployees about the need for their copany to be divested fro a holding copany. Duestion and answer sheets, personal presentations and a proper farewell all helped to reduce the uncertainty and sooth the transition.&n ost copanies the solution to reducing use of the grapevine rests s!uarely with top anageent who need to believe in the iportance of open and regular counication. They need to understand and support copany wide internal counications. Cross7functional teas involving counications, A/ and arketing can help provide a uni"ed approach to internal counication. Counications people also should not be afraid to speak up and talk to e@ecutives to let the know what the key issues are and why propt and open counication is re!uired.&nternal counications is not easy but without ature openness and respect for eployees' need to know corridor talk will prevail. (@ecutives need to be e!uipped to deal with the counication that is re!uired during internal crises 7 fraud, threats, tragic accidents, hostile takeovers, and strikes. They ust know how to counicate %bad% news rather than shy away fro it or try to suppress or censor it. Cew attitudes are re!uired so that eployees are provided with inforation they need to understand iportant developents in their copany or to carry out their work. Enowledge of the dynaics of interpersonal counication and use of new internal edia >intranets, blogs, ss essaging, and video conferencing? can also help towards eployees receiving inforation as direct as possible fro e@ecutives rather than hearing a distorted version fro the grapevine.(isadvantages of Grapevine CommunicationThere are soe intrinsic dangers in bypassing the organi+ational channels to get to the facts of the atter. The ain danger is that uch of the inforation that gets spread through the grapevine is not veri)ed. Soe of the inforation is likely false and di$cult, if not ipossible, to verify. *e discount information when the source is a known gossiper. =ut not completely... "ven when the source is someone known to spread rumors, we believe that where there's smoke... )ince we don