Exam 15: Managing Communication

Correct Answer:

Verified

The grapevine is a powerful means of communication that cuts across formal channels of communication.Despite the efforts of many companies to limit or disapprove of the grapevine's use,it is still extremely prevalent.Although the nature of its effect on organizational effectiveness is debatable,there's no denying that its effect is real.Many if not most of an organization's employees listen to the assortment of facts,opinions,suspicions,and rumors the grapevine provides.This is information that normally does not travel through the organization's formal channels.According to research,an organization has several grapevine systems,information traveling in a grapevine does not follow an orderly path,and the grapevine is at least 75 percent accurate. Managers must recognize that a grapevine that serves as a constant source of rumors can be troublesome.Rumors are an everyday part of business and management.In fact,an estimated 33 million-plus rumors are generated in U.S.businesses every day.The best that managers can hope for is that they can manage rumors-keeping them from disrupting organizational activities-rather than eliminate them. A rumor is an unverified belief that is in general circulation inside the organization (an internal rumor)or in the organization's external environment (an external rumor).A rumor has three components: the target is the object of the rumor; the allegation is the rumor's point about the target; and the source is the original communicator of the rumor.Often,individuals will attribute a rumor to a prestigious or authoritative source to give the rumor more credibility. Some grapevine rumors are true; some are not.