there is always an informal organization operating along with the formal organization.?

It can work either way. If the informal organization is supportive of the goals of the formal organization, it can enhance communications and spread information more quickly and add credibility to the formal organization. For example, let’s say you have a new boss, and you don’t really know whether to believe what they tell you, if you are linked in to other people in the organization and they tell you the same thing, not only will you respond to what the new boss asked of you,but you will now have new respect for that boss. Also, if you can get information from throughout the organization, and not just from your direct supervisor, you may be able to make more informed decisions. On the other hand, if the informal organization loses respect for the formal organization, it may destroy the credibility of those in charge. When I got my first management job, I was put into a position which had opened up because a very popular supervisor, who was strongly connected to the informal organization, had been fired for giving away company resources. My employees were loyal to the old supervisor and resented me for taking her place. I was making absolutely no progress getting anything done until a customer who saw what was going on took pity on me and started including me in social activities with the employees, and it wasn’t until they felt close enough to me to include me in the informal organization that they started taking any sort of direction from me.