Grapevine (gossip)

"See also Chinese whispers."

To hear something through the grapevine is to learn of something informally and unofficially by means of gossip and rumour.

The usual implication is that the information was passed person to person by word of mouth, perhaps in a confidential manner among friends or colleagues. It can also imply an overheard conversation or anonymous sources of information. For instance "I heard through "the grapevine" that Brad was getting fired."

A study quoted in "Forbes" magazine concludes that 75 percent of employees hear about matters first through rumors on the grapevine. Robbins states that rumors flourish in an organization because of three elements. They are a response to situations that are "important" to employees, where there is some "ambiguity", and under conditions that arouse "anxiety". From a management perspective, the grapevine acts as a filter and a feedback mechanism to identify issues that employees consider important and relevant.

According to Robbins, the grapevine in an organization has three significant characteristics.
#It is not controlled by formal management.
#Most employees perceive it to be more believable and reliable than formal communication issued by top management.
#It is largely used for the self-interests of the people within the organization.

Managers can use the grapevine to: [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4422/is_4_19/ai_88253005 Tell it to the grapevine: to get the word out, no other medium communicates news more quickly] , Lorenzo Sierra, Communication World, June-July, 2002.]
* get a feel for the morale of the organization
* understand the anxieties of the work force
* evaluate formal communication efforts and see if they are working.

Origin of the term

In the autobiography of Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery, Washington says that slaves in the South kept up-to-date on current events by "what was termed the 'grape-vine' telegraph." He said,

According to Jitendra Mishra: [ [http://www.analytictech.com/mb119/grapevine-article.htm Managing the grapevine.] , Jitendra Mishra, Public Personnel Management.]

The term gained a boost in popularity through its use in the Motown song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", a major hit single for both Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips in the late 1960s.AVINASH KUMAR PG08019 FROM INMANTEC GHAZIABAD TELLSGRAPEVINE * GRAPEVINE IS AN INORMAL CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION * PRIMARILY A CHANNEL OF HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION, IT CAN EVEN FLOW VERTICALLY AND DIAGONALLY * OF FOUR TYPES : - SINGLE STRAND : FLOWS LIKE A CHAIN - GOSSIP : ONE PERSON TELLS EVERYBODY - PROBABILITY : INFORMATION MAY FLOW (RANDOM) FROM ANYBODY TO ANYBODY - CLUSTER : MOVES THRO’ SELECTED GROUPS * ITS IMPORTANCE - EMOTIONAL RELIEF - HARMONY AND COHESIVENESS IN THE ORGANISATION - SUPPLEMENT TO OTHER CHANNELS - A FAST CHANNEL - PROVIDES FEEDBACK * DEMERITS : - DISTORTION OF INFORMATION - MAY TRANSMIT INCOMPLETE INFORMATION - TRAVELS WITH DESTRUCTIVE SWIFTNESS

ee also

*"Heard It Through the Grapevine". (February 10, 1997). "Forbes", pp. 22
*Robbins, Stephen; "Essentials of Organizational Behavior" (8th ed.) New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144571-5.

References