 Meaning

 Organizational grapevine
 Characteristics
 Definition
 Examples
 Types
 References
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Prevention
 Conclusion
 To hear something through the grapevine is
to learn of something informally and
unofficially by mean of Gossip and Rumor.

 Informal vehicle
through which message flow
throughout the organization.
Early research findings:
Transmits information
rapidly in all direction.
More active in
homogeneous groups.
Transmits some degree
of truth.
Oral -> Mostly documented
Fast (hours instead of day)
,Crossing organizational
boundaries
Inaccuracy:-Deletion of crucial
details
Not controlled by management
 Grapevine- > Unstructured and Informal network
founded on social relationship rather then
organizational.
(By Nancy Borkowksi)
 An informal chat between people , seen as a
network through which the information is
reliably spread.
(By Mc Shane)
 Suppose the profit amount of
company is known, Rumors
spread that this profit is there
on that basis bonus is
declared.

 CEO may be a relation to the

production manager. They may
have friendly relations with
each other so he favors him
more.
 Single strand
chain

 Gossip chain

 Probability chain

 Cluster chain
 It flows like a chain i.e. A tellsto B , who tells
it to C and so on.
 The larger the strand the more distortion &

filtering effects.
 Most inaccuracies occur in the chain.
 One person tells to other people.
 This chain passes a message regarding a `not-
on-job’ nature.
 Generally considered to be slowly passing the
information.
 Information may move from anybody to anybody.

 This chain is found the information is some what

interesting but not really significant.

 Onlysome people in the organization will get to

know the information.
 Individual communicates with only those individual he/she
trust.
 Cluster chain is the dominant grapevine pattern
in an organization.
 Most informal communication flows through
this chain,
 ‘A’ tells something to a few selected individuals and then
some individuals inform ally share few other selected
individuals.
  Spreads rapidly

 Feedback is quick

 Group cohesiveness

 Good news that exist

 Substitute for formal channel of

  The grapevine is not trust -worthy always
as it
doesn’t follow official path of communication
& is spread more by gossips and
unconfirmed report.
Information most of the time is False
Partial information only spreads(rumors)
 Hampers the goodwill of the organization or
 Provide information through the
formal system of communication on
the issues important to the
employees.
 Supply employees with a steady
flow of clear , accurate and timely
information.
 Present full facts.
 Keep formal communication
lines open and the process as
 “The grapevine cannot be
abolished, rubbed out, hidden under a
basket, chopped
down, tied up, or stopped but it can
be controlled and monitered.