(d) Kite:
(e) Chain:
(f) Slash:
What lies at the back of all these different patterns? It has been observed that in an organization which has both simple and complex tasks to be performed, results are infinitely improved by using varying patterns and media of communication rather than by depending on pattern and medium. A successful organization will, therefore, Endeavour to incorporate all or most of these patterns of communication as and when needed or as the situation demands.
Let us take the example of an educational organization. The head of the institution/organization will find it more appropriate to adhere to a centralized pattern like a wheel while dealing with non-teaching/administrative staff. But, while dealing with professional/teaching staff he will have to adopt a decentralized communication pattern like a circle or all channels. The simple reason is that different types of activities or tasks, level of motivation, accountability, commitment and willingness to assume responsibility warrant different communication patterns.
BBA
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
STUDY MATERIAL
LIMITATIONS OF COMMUNICATION PATTERNS
PATTERNS OF COMMUNICATION OR ‘COMMUNICATION NETS’ IN ORGANISATION
These communication patterns have emerged from researches and experiments that have, after all, a limited value. When we look at them from the practical organizational point of view we realize that their findings cannot be straight away adopted. The final decision lies with the management itself that has to be dynamic enough to evolve its own strategies. The behaviourial scientists have conducted their experiments mostly on closely guarded or controlled groups. And the behaviour of groups in the laboratory is very different from that in real life situations. Moreover human nature being what it is, the behaviour of the people changes with the change in the size of the groups.
Anyway, it cannot be denied that these experiments have provided us useful information about structural effect in communication networks. The main achievement of these experiments is that they have highlighted the potential of any variable, the introduction of which brings about some kind of change in the communication pattern. The communication system in an organization works like a kaleidoscope that changes its patterns whenever a new variable is introduced.