w-m-jayaratne very important for my research

8/9/2019 W-M-Jayaratne Very Important for My Research

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THE ROLE OF INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORK

IN A MULTI - SHIFT GOVERNMENT SECTOR BUSINESS

ORGANIZAnON OF A DEVELOPING ECONOMY - SRI LANKA

W. M. JAYARATNE, B.A. (Hons) (MGT) (Vidyod.) M A. (Econ) (MGl)

[Newhetnpshire] Dip. in Int. Business (Hawai)

Head, Department oj Commerce- and Management,

University oj Colombo

Abstract

This is an empirical study of the' pattern of informal communications

operating between the managerial hierarchy of a government managed large

size industrial organization. of Sri Lanka. The study is intended to bring

some light on the importance of the' grapevine in a formal

organization. Special emphasis is placed on the accuracy of information,

the degree of dissemination a.nd of information, the communication centers

involved in the cultural network of the communication channel. As informal

communication network exists in almost all organizations, management can

use this as a communication toolto reach. the informal group members not

included in the path of formal communication channel. - The role played

by certain communication agents such as Silindu cannot be ignored in

. these cultures. Accuracy, reliability, speed and dependability are inherent

ingredients of these informal messages. .

Bacground and Methodology

The study was made on a semi-goverument organization

t.

It is a business

organization established in early 1960.

2

.

The Directorate of the organization consists of six members, The chairman

and one other member of the Board of Directors are full time officersof the

orgcnizr.tion.

In addition, there is a General Manager, appointed by the

chairman. These three officers form the apex of the administration and

in the study they are labelled as the Supra management . Below them

there are five top executives who are the functional heads of the organization .

. In the study they are known as the Top management . There are 44

Middle management personnel working under them. In addition, there

are 189 supervisors and 1,467 operative grade employees, all of them are

skilled labor grade employees. The entire work force was working in

the three shift basis.

,

:

.

. The survey was conducted by the author with the assistance of four

faculty members and 20 undergraduate students who were reading for the

Business Administrations (Honours) Degree. The students were given a prior


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training and ample quetionnaire were completed during the training period.

The entire group of managerial peronnel and

180

worer were interviewed

by the author and the other faculty member before completing the quetion-

naire. Every tenth member of the roter of the worer group wa interviewed

accordingly. All other worer were interviewed by the tudent. Three

et of quetion were incorporated in the quetionnaire vwith a view of

obtaining information regarding accuracy, peed, channel or agent and

centre of communicatdon. The data o collected were analyzed manually.

The hypothee examined are a follow : . ~,

1. The information content i-accurate and the tranmiion of informa-

tion i peedier in the informal communication networ.

2. There i a correlation between the accuracy and degree of peed on

the one hand an d the type of peron and meage on the other .

. 3. It i not poible to ignore the importance of the traditional agent,

method and centre of communication in the preent organizational

et up. .(

4. ''rhere i a continuou lin, among the variou level, of managerial

,hierarchy in the communication proce through the grapevine

.. 'c .

t ,- .... ,. , ,.

,,<

I '. '

A

~ord about the terminology. By communication. it i meant a

a dynamic proce in which the . ender conciouly or unconciouly

affect the cognition of ~he receiver through the material or agent

ued in ymbolic way. The definition ugget that communication can

be affected not only through intrumental meage, but alo through

, co;~m3.tory · and incidental meage. Grapevine and Informal

communication carry the ame meaning and are ued interchangeably.

Meage which do not follow the cale or the functional line of communi-

cation are claified a informal. In thi tudy no eparate treatment i

given for 'li11e and taff peronnel.

eview of Llterature

Tomin 1967)3 conider that informal meage are not rationally

pecified. They develop through accident of patial arrangement,

peronalitie and -ahilitie of peron. Many reearcher ue the word

grapevine for thi type of meage behavior. Davi 1972)4 tate that the

term (grapevine) applie to all informal communication . According to

Da~i the term grapevine aroe during the civil war day. Intelligence

line were trung looely froni tree in

I

the' manner of a grapevine and the

. meage thereon wa often garbled; arid'hence any rumor wa aid to form


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the grapevine. Informal, .commuuication i. not.confined to rumor only.

It ha it root to rumor, i>goip; 'iale carryingl?ll

1971)10 have come to the following concluion:

1. Informal communication i fat. Since informal communic.ition d io

not follow the formal channel and i uually more peronal in it

tranmiion, the meage are free to travel a fat a the ender

and receiver deire.

2. 'The grapevine did fill gap left by ineffective formal communication.

J, l..::Thegrapevine of the company new wa confined to the place of wor

I

A againt thee advantage, it i claimed that one of the major

diadvantage .of . he ~~formal commuuication i that it erv~ a a networ

over which rum6r travel. ( qiavi

H

define rumor a grapevIne information

which i communicated without evere tandard of evidence being preent.

Allpart and Potman~~\tated in their baic law of rumor that rumor pread

a a function of both'tlie importance and the ambiguity of the information

to the topic at iue. Nandairi I :--con~nd that any rumor ha at leat

I •

.f·.i.

01 ;

o@:e content of truth. Jayaratna14~ found that the ucce of rumor

a a communication media d2pend{ to a very great extent on the skill-

fulne

f

the rumor carrier or ~nllnor agent . Silva-> on the other hand

recognizjd that in every

Q

Tgani.z~1.t'i)onhere i at leat one or two ucceful

rumor ~i0tlt,. a characte~ 1.zet1>by Silindu in Kelahenda. However, a a

generalization ....t-can be-tated that a ubject of high interet of which little

information i no$h· · i uceptible to the pread of rumor:

•• r

;< D~:,, )

Davi'v identified four type of pattern in the preading of information

via the grapevine. They are,

a ingle trand in which information pae in a line where much

diturbance occur.

b the goip chain in which everyone communicate with everyone

ele.

c

d

the probability chain in which communication tae place randomly.

.

,_,

, I

and, a cluter chain in wlilcli there j_~electivity in, the way how the

meage i paed. Thee ytem can be-depicted inthe following

diagram.


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l'attefm of Informal NetWor

, 0

Single Strand or Chain

b

Goip Chain

l~) -

t

I

, . I,

b

1

,

i

ft

c

Probability Chain

d

Cluter Chain

1-

38


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Davis also disclosed that there was an active minority transmitting informa-

tion in the grapewire, This group operates within the cluster pattern, The

connecting of clusters is done by certain liaison individuals. Others were

isolated. They receive or transmitted information in a very, insignificant

way. According to Davis, in one case, only 20 percent passed the message

to others. In another case, 81 percent knew but only 11 percent passed the

information along.

Data Presentation

, , Of the total work force 1003 persons or 58.9 percent preferred informal

communication. Among the workers 60.5 percent indicated they favour

informal communication.: 48 percent of the' supervisors, 40.9 percent of the

middle managers,

80

percent of the top managers and all supra management

personnel preferred informal communications as against formal communi-

cation.

Among the supervisory grade employees 72.1 percent obtained very

accurate information and another' 17.3 percent obtained mainly correct

information. Accordingly, 89.4 percent of the uperviory employees obtained

accurate information. Here again, 45 percent of accuracy was recorded in

respect of the information pertaining to CD) Salary incrcase'tand (G) to

nationalization of the competing firms. .

• I

In the middle management employee grade, 68.8 percent obtained '~Very

accurate information and 23.5 percent got mainly correct information.

The total accuracy percentage of this group of employees is therefore, 92

percent. Only 7.6 percent got mainly incorrect information. In the top

management level 95 percent got accurate information and the entire

supra management was able to obtain all information very ;'accurate .'

Of the total work force

58

percent obtained information within the first

.half hour of the incident or event. 22 percent got it within the first one hour,

another 08 percent within the first two hours. 'Among the worker group

3l.7 percent of the workers obtained information within the first half hour.

B.7 percent got it within the first one hour, 6.8 percent got it within two hours.

Among the supervisors 9.2 percent got the information within

the first half hour, 14.4 percent got within one hour and 19.5 percent

within two hours. Of the middle managers 11.1 percent got the

information . within half an hour,

26.9

percent within the first

One hour, and 19.6 percent got within two hours. Of, the top

managers 54.5 percent obtained information within the first half

39


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;f' ;) •

1 f. '

« Information regarding udden (A) trie action by.worer 78,6 percent

of the worer got information within the firt half hour', 21.3 percent got

1 ;

i'j •

within one hour. Among upervior no one obtained information within

the firt half hour. Among middle manager 8.1 p.rcent got it within the firt

half hour and 45.9 percent within one hour. Of the .top management

peronnel 50 percent got information within half hour and another 25 percent

within one hour. The upra management got the information within one hour,

~ , ~. I • '\

f' ~, .: .•..

4.'

.hour, 22 .•7; perCl:ml within -one i~ourand 9 percent within. .two

0

hours.

60-.3 percent of the upra management got the information within the firt

half an hour, 20, t percent within one hour and 10.6 percent got information

within two hour,

-

.

.

In repect of the (B) Tranfer of the Top 'Executive worer did -nor

get-the-information within one hour,' Q..6 percent

of

the uperviory grade,

'42 percent of tile middle-.unanagcment, 80 percent 'of the top 'management

and one hundred percent of the upra management got the information

within the firt one hour,

( r

,(

,

'f •../' \ ., ~ . t ,:

0. Information regarding '(C) eanly payment of bOll us ,

65.8.

percent of

the worer; 20.9 percent of-the upervior, 4'7 percent of-the middle manage-

mentl.and 100 percenr.of the top management.wa received. i.:J:

, . - ; ~. n

f. \i ,f·,

Regarding (D) alary increae 67. .9 percent.of jhe.worer, 11.1percent

of the upervior, 25.5 percent of the middle management and 100 percent

of the -top management obtained information within the firt hour .•

40 S

percent of the worer,.lt8 percent of the upervior, 55.5 percent

of-the middle manager, 50 percent of t~e, top .management g,)t information

within the firt hour of. the incident regarding the (E) ~ Death of a, member

of a worker's family, 'of {' , , ,_,

Information regarding (F) Running away of X's daughter with the

Driver was received within the 'first hour by' 74.3'pircent of the workers,

68:3, percent 'of-the supervisors, 13'.5percent of the middle' managers and zero

'Percent off the top: and supra, -managcment. .

~~.. _, .

(t

r' . J • 4 -.r

,'blJiormatiQn in respect of

(G)

Nationalization of the

competing.firm

was obtained within one hour by zero percentage of the workers, 19

percent of the supervisors, 44 percent of the middle management and 100

percent


7/11

-fl,ttht:. b1l;s hat (B); :J?fryent of the (P T kers, 30 p.rent ofthe. .up.rrv.ios,

·6.

p,e pent of; the ;idd e nyt lgs, got}heir, information, a.t the

'kadapila .

{near;

t

vilJjlge boutique)

;Gc

,2;p'enti of thfsul1rrrs,rs, 55 percent, of the

I13\qd,l~t. lfn~g'1I11-rnt,70.p~licent

IO£.

i~~t t~p.,.~p4 upra management o~taiJl-r(l:

i~fo:rmatiRl)., ~i;tJ\,er,~t .:ic1~p, or J~~taumnt~. or aq e~It, etc. (0) ; 5 p.~r~e)1t

-coJ1the..worl\er,,20(percent of.the upervior,

~6

percel.lt.


8/11

' I ,,' ) r _ 'I . . ..•

, ',he questionnaire regarding the speed reveals that 31.7

percent of the

worer group got information within the firt half hour of the incident or

event. Another 13.7' percentwithin one hour and 6.8 percent got within

the two hour period. Among the upervior, 9.2 percent got it within the

firt half hour, 14.4 percent within one hour and 19.5 percent within two

,hour. Among the middle

management,

11.1 percent obtained

information

'witltintheJial(an hour, 26.~ percent within one hour and'19.6percent within

two. hour. 'Of the top manager 54.5 percent' got information within half

: an-hour, ~2.7 percent within one hour and,9 percent within two hour. Among

:the upra management 60:3 percent got within ' the' firt' half an- hour, 20.1

:perc'ent' within one hour and another 10.6 percent 'within' two hour.

,I.

Aci:ordi~ly, within the two hour period, 51.2 percent 'of the worer, 43.~9

'percent of the upervior, '57.6 percent of the middle manager, 86.2 percent

of'the

'top 'management 'and 91.08 percent of the upra management, claim

that' t iey got information with a high degree of peed, namely within two hour

after the event or incident. The data therefore upport the 'contention made

by the reearcher mentioned above,

,

~yPe of meage a ',again,tthe :,ot lerfl, For example, (c) Early Payment of

'Bonu , i 'an'important,factoi' fof,the worer' a

well;

Buh>nly 39 percent

of 'the worer~ .repoited.·~hattheir information 'wa· ac6urate: Siniilarly,

: (G) N~tiona izafi()n:ofthe competing firm, inrormatiohhad':&eejy;:tccur~,tely

trincribe d.ythe

workers

while 41.9 percent

of 'the' supervisors got the information regarding (F) ruiining away of Hie

X's daughter with the driver. OnlyB percent -knew 'this'-'(m: Death of a

,,'memoer of the 'workers family. For· the-middle 'mana:ge~s ~'(A)'sudden

strike '

action

information

was transmitted 'onl'y8:

r

percent,' but ~regarding

42


9/11


10/11

,',' When there' .tri:(:ejfeqtiv~ ~g0ntS:-~ho.can carry ipfqrmation,

,thq

spc.~4

become JateI(. 'In j-th~ diagram E, p, C P C

l

B, aqc-very effective ageI1t.~

who can-tranmit information promptly and, ~.c,c].lrat~lYt.,hi tudy therefore

§uggG~t;;1;hat·there.i, a.;CQntill].lQ].JS qhaip in ,the n~t\\;oJk frpJIl thej bottom

to, the top ; even within, .the organization it,self.,.' D'lvis

22

, does not

accept-the position that there is.' a continuity in' the- transmission, .of

information .\ (. \ I' ,;, '

r •

. t1 ;~-I.. t ~ H. '( 4)1.

,,/:


11/11

ibliography

Allport, .Gorden W. and Lee Potman,

T~

.e Psychology of Rumor, Henry

Holt and Co., Inc New Yor 1947. .

• 4 ~-

Davi, Keith, Managerial Communication and the Grapevine,

Harvard

Business Review, January=-Fcbruary 1953.

Davi, Kcith Methl)d of Studying Communication Pattern in Organization

Personnel Psychology, 1953.b. .

Davi, Leith Human Behavior at

Work,

New Yor, McGraw Hill, 1972.

Fetinger, L. Informal Social Communication, Psychological Review,

1950.

Fetinger, L. D: Darwin Cartwright, et al, A tudy of Rumor, It Origin

and Spread. Human Relation, 1984'-' .

~ '. 1;;: ~ •.• .

#

Government of Ceylon,

State Industrial Corporations Act

No. 49 of 1957.

Government Publication,' Secretariat, Colombo. { .

Ceylon Government Gazette,' January 1, 1'%2, Government Publication,

Secretariat, Colombo.' ( . . ..

i

Jayaratne W. 'M. The Role' of the Rumor agent in an educational

·Jorganization. Case study, Faculty of Management f Studie,

··sm

1972.

Martin, B. A Study of Grapevine Communication Pattern in Manufacturing

Organization. .Unpublihed doctoral diesettation, ,Arizona

i

State

Univerity, 1969. .

Nandairi W. Communication pattern in a Rural Village: A Sociological

Viewpoint paper read at the Faculty Seminar, Vidyodaya Univerity,

1974.' . '. . .

Nafldr.iri' Impact of.Rumor on Electionee;ing -. -.

Paper

read at the Manage-

ment Ed;ucati.on, Seminar, y~iv~rity of, Colombo, 1980. , .

~udolph

M,

Th~ chf.l enge ?f Symbolog;'~

Syrnbo.lo~y

_¥d~lu~ ~ut~y(~d)

~y

197~ ..•. . - .

Wendell Johnon, The Ff'.teful Proce of Mr.

A.

Ta'iicing to

Mr. B

, It(Zr.~~rdJJu8i,ne88Review, 31 (.ta.n.F~b· ~95~)

WiIli~m .Scholt Communications, c in the .i U8ine{ 8organi8a lOO8.E~glew~od

Cliff. H. oJ Prentice-Hall,

.196~

s _ •

Wolf, Morri Phillip,

Effective Communication in Businee«

(6th CH)

Cincinnati; South Wetern Publihing Co. 1~74

· 1 J e (~ •.

I.

• ,. ,.- ~ { .1 (

:r

;1'\

:1 .

w-m-jayaratne very important for my research

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