International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Grapevine communication plays an important role in organizational communication, particularly in tertiary institutions where employees rely on both formal and informal channels for information exchange. Despite its prevalence, limited empirical evidence exists on employees' awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine as an organizational communication strategy in Nigerian universities.
Objective: This study investigated employees' awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine as an organizational communication strategy at Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.
Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 319 teaching and non-teaching staff was drawn from a population of 1,851 employees using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.824. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and mean scores, were used to analyze the research questions, while Pearson's Product Moment Correlation was employed to test the hypotheses. Results: The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between employees' level of awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine communication and its effectiveness as an organizational communication strategy.
Conclusion: Grapevine communication serves as an important complementary channel for disseminating information within universities, enhancing information flow alongside formal communication systems.
Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on employees' awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine communication as an organizational communication strategy within a Nigerian public university.
Key Recommendation: University management should recognize grapevine as a complementary communication channel by promoting transparent and timely formal communication while constructively monitoring informal information networks to improve organizational communication effectiveness.