Formal And Informal Modes Of Communication

Formal

Discuss about the Formal and Informal Modes of Communication.

• Upward: Upward communication refers to the procedure of information flow from lower levels of hierarchy to upper levels (Koc, 2013). This mode of communication is becoming increasingly popular in organizations.
• Downward: Downward communication takes place when messages and information flows down via a formal chain of hierarchical structure or command of an organization (Spaho, 2013). The orders and the messages start at upper levels of the hierarchy of an organization and then move towards the bottom.
• Horizontal:The horizontal communication refers to transmission of necessary information between the divisions, people, units and the various departments belonging to same level of organizational hierarchy (Harper, 2015).
• Diagonal: This is also referred as the cross functional communication between the employees belonging to the different organizational hierarchy levels (Nwogbaga, Nwankwo & Onwa, 2015). Diagonal communication is becoming quite popular in the larger organizations having project based or matrix structures.

• Grapevine: This is a type of communication represents an unofficial, informal and personal system or channel of communication taking place within an organization due to prevalence of a gossip or rumour (Singh, 2013). This represents a complex flow of oral information web that enables linking all members belonging to the organization. This mode of communication however does not have a specific direction or pattern and is therefore horizontal by nature.

1. Meetings: Unscheduled meetings taking place within the premises of the firm and mostly related to the work are usually formal
2. Legal or Commercial Notices: This also represents an example of formal communication since they have commercial or legal relevance.
3. Publications: Company information published as a wide distribution in the form of blog entry, white paper and press release is also an example of formal communication

Two Example of Informal Communication

1. Rumours related to restructuring that spreads to every member of the firm before being announced officially is an example of informal communication
2. Influence based on the social connections in opposition to the proposed structures of authority of the organization (Krackhardt, 2014). For instance, a manager might possess greater power compared to most of the executives of a firm as a result of the influencing skills and social network can be represented as an example of informal communication. 

This refers to the system of the shared beliefs, values and an assumption that governs the manner in which people behaves within the organization (Alvesson, & Sveningsson,  2015). The shared values have great influence on the individuals within the organization that dictates how the individuals act, dress and undertake performance of their jobs. The employees however learn culture by using:

• Stories
• Rituals
• Heroes
• Symbols

Organizational stories represent narrative of the significant people or the events including things such as the founders, rule breakers and past reactions (Hogan & Coote, 2014). Therefore myths and stories about the heroes of the Fonterra represents powerful tool for reinforcing the cultural values throughout organization and especially in the orientation of the newer employees. These stories forms the basis of the examples from which the people learn.

Corporate rituals represent the repetitive sequence of the activities for reinforcing and expressing the organizational values, most important goals and the people. Therefore, Rituals or ceremonies of Fonterra help in reflecting activities with repeated enactment of important occasions (Jamanbalayeva, Abdiraiymova  & Maulsharif, 2013). This involves awarding the successful members of the organization.

This represents the prominent leaders or the top management of Fonterra who not only became role models but a personification of the culture of the organization (fonterra.com, 2018). The heroes act as an example that represents the philosophy of the organization and help in moulding the behavioural aspect of the organizational members

This helps in communicating the organizational culture through unspoken messages. While walking through Fonterra there always exist a feel for the place. These feelings help in demonstrating power of the material symbols in the creation of the personality of the organization (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The symbols however conveys to the employees about the importance of a person, degree of equality desired by the top management and the type of appropriate and expected behaviour.

Culture of a country represents a collective means of life or the ways in which things are done. It represents the sum of the values, goals, attitudes and the practice shared by the individuals in an organization, group or society. In other words, culture is the reflection of the ethical and moral standards and beliefs that portrays how the people should interact and behave with the others (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014). Thus, when it involves undertaking any business decisions ethically, the organizational culture plays a crucial role in determining the operation of the employees and their ability in making ethical business decisions.  

The culture of New Zealand helped Fonterra in doing the right things for helping it to grow and protect its reputation with its stakeholders that included the shareholders, employees, farmers, consumers, communities and customers (Schermerhorn et al., 2014). This also helped the company in adopting a business conduct that ensured legal and ethical operation of the business along with undertaking the accurate decisions in a manner that adds life to the values and purpose of the organization.

The three ways includes:

1. By appearing not to be over friendly with people as it might result in breach of the business which might be difficult in repairing
2.  By arriving at the meetings before the scheduled time. Otherwise, the behaviour of the particular employee might become unreliable.
3. Within the limitations of the culture, demonstrating the benefits of the products and services instead of conversing about them.

• Professional Work: The strengths includes enthusiasm, creativity, discipline, patience, determination, trustworthiness, dedication and respectfulness
• Presentational Work:The strength includes leadership qualities, effective verbal communication and management of emotions, self awareness, power of listening and adaptability.
• Written Work:The strength involves collection and analysis of information, problem solving and decision making
• Group Work: The strength involves the ability of transition between the tasks and learning newer duties, ability of working in coordination and possession of effective communication skills

• Professional Work: Areas of improvement includes matching the tasks to the skills and undertaking development and training
• Presentational Work: Areas of improvement includes transformation of the nervous energy into necessary enthusiasm, adjusting to the surroundings and using positive visualization
• Written Work: Area of improvement includes accountability and putting on the chef’s hat by doing the work by setting timer.
• Group Work: Areas of improvement includes conduction of training, scheduling of the regular meetings, encouraging regular motivation and monitoring group performance.

References:

Alvesson, M., & Sveningsson, S. (2015). Changing organizational culture: Cultural change work in progress. Routledge.

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley & Sons.

fonterra.com (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.fonterra.com/nz/en/about-us.html [Accessed 23 Jun. 2018].

Harper, C. (2015). Organizations: Structures, processes and outcomes. Routledge.

Hogan, S. J., & Coote, L. V. (2014). Organizational culture, innovation, and performance: A test of Schein’s model. Journal of Business Research, 67(8), 1609-1621.

Jamanbalayeva, S., Abdiraiymova, G., & Maulsharif, M. (2013). Performance assessment of teaching staff by colleagues in the structure of diagnostics of University corporate culture. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 82, 426-431.

Koc, E. (2013). Power distance and its implications for upward communication and empowerment: Crisis management and recovery in hospitality services. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(19), 3681-3696.

Krackhardt, D. (2014). Graph theoretical dimensions of informal organizations. In Computational organization theory(pp. 107-130). Psychology Press.

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences. Routledge.

Nwogbaga, D. M., Nwankwo, O. U., & Onwa, D. O. (2015). Avoiding School Management Conflicts and Crisis through Formal Communication. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(4), 33-36.

Schermerhorn, J., Davidson, P., Poole, D., Woods, P., Simon, A., & McBarron, E. (2014). Management: Foundations and Applications (2nd Asia-Pacific Edition). John Wiley & Sons.

Singh, A. (2013). A study of role of McKinsey’s 7S framework in achieving organizational excellence. Organization Development Journal, 31(3), 39.

Spaho, K. (2013). Organizational communication and conflict management. Management: journal of contemporary management issues, 18(1), 103-118.

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