1. Communication Skills
Week 4
Flow of Communication
Internal & External Flow of Communication
•Upward Flow
•Downward Flow
•Horizontal Flow
•Grapevine Flow
BY WARDAH AZHAR

2. Flow of Communication
Information flows i-e, moves and transfers in an
organization
• Internal flow • External flow
• Flow of communication • Flow of communication
i-e, information within i-e, information, from
the organization is one organization to
called internal flow of another is called
communication. external information.

3. Downward Flow of Communication:
• Communication that flows from a higher level in
an organization to a lower level is a downward
communication. In other words, communication
from superiors to subordinates in a chain of
command is a downward communication. This
communication flow is used by the managers to
transmit work-related information to the
employees at lower levels. Employees require this
information for performing their jobs and for
meeting the expectations of their managers

4. Example
• The kinds of media used for downward oral
communication include instructions, speeches,
meetings, the telephone, loudspeakers, and even
the grapevine. Examples of written downward
communication are memoranda, letters,
handbooks, pamphlets, policy statements,
procedures, and electronic news displays. It is
done to pass on the decisions and policies of the
company to the cadres. Worst is the feedback
about their work. This performance assesment is
the trickiest part of downward communication.

5. Upward Flow of Communication:
• Communication that flows to a higher level in
an organization is called upward
communication. It provides feedback on how
well the organization is functioning. The
subordinates use upward communication to
convey their problems and performances to
their superiors.

6. Lateral or Horizontal communication:
• Crosswise communication includes the
horizontal flow of information, among people
on the same or similar organizational levels,
and the diagonal flow, among persons at
different levels who have no direct reporting
relationships.

7. Grapevine communication
Grapevine is an informal channel of business
communication. It is called so because it
stretches throughout the organization in all
directions irrespective of the authority levels.
Man as we know is a social animal. Despite
existence of formal channels in an
organization, the informal channels tend to
develop when he/she interacts with other
people in organization. It exists more at lower
levels of organization.

8. Examples of Grapevine Network of
Communication
• Suppose the profit amount of a company is
known. Rumour is spread that this much profit
is there and on that basis bonus is declared.
• CEO may be in relation to the Production
Manager. They may have friendly relations
with each other.

9. Difference b/w
Objective communication Subjective communication
• Objective is a statement • Subjective is a statement
that is completely unbiased. that has been colored by
It is not touched by the the character of the speaker
speaker’s previous or writer. It often has a basis
in reality, but reflects the
experiences or tastes. It is perspective through with
verifiable by looking up the speaker views reality. It
facts or performing cannot be verified using
mathematical calculations. concrete facts and figures.

10. examples
Objective communication Subjective communication
• scientific facts are objective • opinions, interpretations,
as are mathematical proofs; and any type of marketing
essentially anything that presentation are all
can be backed up with subjective.
solid data.