Explain different networks of grapevine communication.
The following four networks of the grapevine are in vogue:
(i) Single Standard: In this form of communication, a person says something to his confidant who, in turn, passes on the information to a person of his confidant and in this way a chain starts moving. This creates a sort of chain which has been shown in diagram (i) The signs of cross shown at the top and bottom of the diagram show that the chain can move up and down both ways upto any extent.
(ii) Gossip Chain: In this form of communication, a person communicates something to a number of persons during the course of a gossip. A particular person in an organisation knows something specific that happens to be interesting. He tells this thing to all the members of his group and some other people also. Normally such an information is not related to the job. For example, two employees of the organisation are going in for a love marriage and some particular person has got this information, he passes on this information to a large number of people. Gossip chain is shown in diagram (ii). In this diagram, Mr ‘A’ is passing on his information to B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, etc.
(iii) Probability: In this form of communication, a person remains indifferent about the fact as to whom he should pass on the information. There are numerous people around him. He passes on the information randomly to somebody around him. Those who get the information also have many people around them. They also pass on the information randomly to somebody else. In this way, this chain moves. The diagram (iii) shows that A has four persons around — F, B, D and J but he passes on the information to F and D only. He has not deliberately chosen F and D but it happens as a matter of chance. The same is the position of F and D. F is passing on the information to K and G while D is passing on the information to H. This chain will continue to move in this manner.
(iv) Cluster: In this form of communication a person tells something to selected individuals. Those who receive the information further pass it on to another set of selected individuals. In this way, this chain moves on. In every organisation, some people have good liaison with other persons. Such people pass on this information to persons of their choice with the purpose of getting some favour from them. Cluster is shown in diagram (iv). This figure makes it clear that A passes on the information received to B, C and D. B and C do not tell it to anybody else but D tells it to E, F and G. Similarly, E and F do not pass it on to anybody else but G passes it on to H and I. In this way, this chain moves on.
