DIRECTION OF COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION CAN FLOW VERTICALLY OR LATERALLY. THE VERTICAL DIMENTION

CAN BE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO DOWNWARD AND UPWARD DIRECTIONS.
DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION THAT FLOWS FROM ONE LEVEL OF A GROUP, OR
ORGANIZATION TO A LOWER LEVER IT IS DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION.
COMMUNICATION THAT IS DIRECTED FROM THE SUPERVISIOR TO THE SUBORDINATE
IS CALLED DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION.
NATURE
IT IS HIGHLY DIRECTIVE IN NATURE. UPWARD COMMUNICATION FLOWS TO A HIGHER
LEVEL IN THE DROUP OR ORGANIZATION. THIS COMMUNICATION GOES FROM THE
SUBORDINATE TO THE SUPERVISIOR.
NON DIRECTIVE IN NATURE.
FREE PARTICIPATIVE ATMOSPHERE REQUIRED.
IT HAS OFTEN BEEN OUTWARDLY STIFLED, BADLY MISUSED, CONVENIENTLY IGNORED
BY MANAGEMENT.
GENERAL PURPOSE OF UPWARD COMMUNICATION
INFORMATION ABOUT SUBORDINATES.
INFORMATION ABOUT CO-WORKERS.
FEED-BACK ON ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
PROBLEM-SOLVING SUGGESTIONS.
PROBLEM: DELAY, FILTERING, SHORT-CIRCUITING, DISTORTION, NEED FOR RESPONSE.
DIFFERENT FEED-BACK MECHANISMS:
1. THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
2. OPEN-DOOR POLICY
3. COUNSELLING, ATTITUTE, QUESTIONNAIRES, EXIT INTERVIEWS
4. SUGGESTION BOXES
5. PARTICIPATIVE TECHNIQUES

DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
GENERAL PURPOSE OF DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION
TO GIVE SPECIFIC TASK DIRECTIVES ABOUT JOB INSTRUCTIONS.
TO GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES.
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RATIONALE OF THE JOB.
TO TELL SUBORDINATES ABOUT THEIR PERFORMANCE.

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 TO PROVIDE IDEOLOGICAL-TYPE INFORMATION TO FACILITATE THE INDOCTRINATION
OF GOALS.
WRITTEN MEDIA:
1. ORGANIZATIONAL Hand-books
2. MANUALS
3. MAGAZINES
4. LETTERS
5. BULLETIN BOARD ITEMS
6. POSTERS AND INFORMATION
7. REPORTES
8. DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES
9. MEMOS
10. NOTICES
11. CIRCULARS
ORAL MEDIA:
1. DIRECT VERBAL ORDERS OR INSTRUCTIONS
2. SPEECHES
3. CLOSED CIRCUIT T.V SETS
4. VIDEOS OF CEOS DISCUSSING KEY ISSUES

DISADVANTAGES OF DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

QUALITY OF INFORMATION OFTEN GETS AFFECTED.
COMMUNICATION MAY GET LOST, DISTROYED, MISINTERPRETED OR IGNORED BY
ORGANIZATIONAL PATICIPANTS.
SELECTIVE RECEPTIVILY.
TOWARDS MORE EFFECTIVE DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION:
USE MULTIMEDIA TECHNIQUES.
CAREFUL MONITORING OF FEED-BACK.
MAKING CONTINUAL EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE.
DOWNWARD FLOW OF INFORMATION CAN AFFECT RECEIVERS IN THE FOLLOWING
WAYS (DONALD ROBUTS).

1. PEOPLES INTERPRETATIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOW THE PATH OF LEAST

RESISTANCE.
2. PEOPLE ARE MORE OPEN TO MESSAGE WHICH ARE CONSTANT WITH THEIR EXITING
IMAGE, THEIR BELIEFS AND VALUES.

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 3. MESSAGE WHICH ARE INCOMPLETE WITH VALUES TENDS TO GENERATE MORE
RESISTANCE THAN DO MESSAGES WHICH ARE INCOMPLETIBLE WITH RATIONAL LOGIC.
4. TO THE EXENT THAT PEOPLE POSITIVELY VALUE NEED FULFILLMENT, MESSAGES
WHICH FACILITATE NEED FULFILLMENT ARE MORE EASILY ACCEPTED THAN MESSAGES
WHICH DO NOT.
5. THE TOTAL SITUATION AFFECTS COMMUNICATION; A MESSAGE INTERPRETED AS
INCONGRUENT IN ANOTHER.

FORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORK

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 INFORMATIONAL COMMUNICATION
AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION IS INFORMAL
COMMUNICATION CHANNEL CALLED THE GRAPEVINE. THESE ARE COMMUNICATION
PATTERNS EXISTING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF AND ADDITION TO
MANAGEMENT APPROVED CHANNELS.
FEATURES OF GRAPEVINE:
1. SPEED OF TRANSMISSION.
2. DEGREE OF SELECTIVITY.
3. LOCALE OF OPERATION.
4. IT OPERATES JOINTLY WITH FORMAL CHANNELS.
5. IT INCLUDES VERTICAL AND LATERAL CHANNELS THOUGH LATERAL CHANNELS
DOMINATE.
6. FEW INDIVIDUALS CALLED LIAISON INDIVIDUALS RELAY INFORMATIONS.
7. EMPLOYEES EXPRESS THEIR EMOTIONS ORALLY WITHOUT FEAR OF REPERCUSSIONS.
8. MORE RELIABLE THAN FORMAL COMMUNICATION.
9. SERVES SELF-INTEREST.

WHY DO GRAPEVINES DEVELOP:

1. IT SIGNIFIES A NEED OR DESIRE FOR INFORMATION.
2. TO REDUSE ANXIETY.
3. TO MAKE SENSE OF LIMITED OR FRAGMENTED INFORMATION.
4. IT IS A VEHICLE TO ORGANISE GROUP MEMBERS.

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 5. TO SIGNAL A SENDERS STATUS OR POWER.
DISADVANTAGES OF GRAPEVINE:
1. IT HAS CAPACITY TO SPREAD RUMOURS.
2. DESTROY MORALE.
3. MISINFORM.
HOW CAN MANAGERS REDUSE THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF RUMORS:
1. SHARING OF COMPANY INFORMATION.
2. EXPLAIN DECISIONS AND BEHAVIOURS THAT MAY APPEAR INCONSISTENT AND
SECRETIVE.
3. OPENLY DISCUSS WORST CASE POSSIBILITIES.

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TYPES OF GRAPEVINES CHAINS:

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CHOICE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNEL
HIERARCHY OF CHANNEL RICHNESS:
CHANNEL TYPE OF INFORMATION
RICHNESS MESSAGE MEDIUM

RICH CHANNELS HAVE THE ABILITY TO:

1. HANDLE MULTIPLE CUES SIMULTANEOUSLY.
2. FACILITATE RAPID FEED-BACK.
3. BE VERY PERSONAL.
EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT HIGH PERFORMING MANAGERS ARE MORE MEDIA
SENSITIVE THAN LOW PERFORMING MANAGERS.

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