Management does not and cannot control the informal structure. The informal structure has no written rules, is fluid in form and scope, is not easy to identify, and has vague or unknown membership guidelines. For management, the informal structure may be positive or negative. Positive qualities include the ability to quickly spread information and provide feedback to the information. The informal structure gives people a sense of being in the know.
Management can feed information into the informal structure at very low cost.
The informal structure can also help satisfy employees' social needs. The negative qualities of the informal structure mirror the positive qualities in several ways. Management may not know what information is flowing through the informal structure. Employees can waste a great deal of time nurturing and participating in the informal structure. The text provides a more detailed discussion of the key points included in this outline.