Formal versus informal communication. Formal communication refers to commnication that follows the authority chain of command or that is necessary to do a job. Informal communication is communication that is not approved by management and not defined by the structural hierarchy. Direction of communication flow. Organizational communication can flow in different directions.
Downward communication is any communication that flows from a manager down the authority hierarchy.
Upward communication is communication that flows from subordinates to higher-level managers. Lateral communicaton is communication among any horizontally equivalent personnel. Diagonal communication is communication that cuts across functions and levels in an organization. Communication networks are vertical and horizontal communication patterns in organizational communications. The effectiveness of these networks is summarized in Table 20-1.