"Flo" of Communication (Scenario)
Recently the employees of Chatterbox Enterprises, Inc. received a letter from the vice-president of operations explaining that a new production facility would be built in Chatland, Ontario. It was also stated that about one-fourth of the employees from the current Chatland facility would be transferred to the new facility, and if an employee wanted to volunteer for the transfer, they could do so by applying at the human resources office. Sam, a production supervisor, first went to Florence, a purchasing manager who had already volunteered to transfer, to discuss the possibility of becoming her inventory control supervisor at the new facility. Florence told Sam that Ruth, the current inventory control supervisor, would not be transferring and that she would consider his request.
-If Sam had talked to his fellow supervisors in his own department prior to talking to Florence,he would have been involved in which type of organizational communication?
A)diagonal
B)lateral
C)downward
D)upward

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lateral communication occurs between individuals or departments at the same hierarchical level within an organization. Sam and Florence are both managers but in different departments, so their communication qualifies as lateral communication. It would not be considered diagonal or upward communication because they do not have a hierarchical relationship, and it would not be downward communication because Sam is not conveying information to his subordinates.