How Rumors affect the Organization

Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 2014

The spread of Rumors/Grapevines/Rumor-mills continues to be an issue for most mid\large organizations throughout the United States. Rumors have been an integral part of American political views and have had an effect on most organizational change initiatives. The notion of not knowing something provokes human instincts to seek the truth among employees by spreading rumors. In so doing, rumor-mills have the potential to penetrate most organizational structures, which could lead to organizational change derailment if not addressed accordingly.

Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2013

Available online July 2013 The study aims to provide understanding on the way people understand rumours at their workplace from the other person's perspective. Specifically, this study examines the factors that influence the conception of rumours. Using purposive sampling and the researchers as the instrument, this study found that the conception of rumours in workplace are caused by several factors and these factors are categorised into rumour context and functions reliant and rumour content reliant. Rumour context and functions reliant comprise of ambiguity, making sense of unclear issues, threat management and self-image enhancement. Rumour content reliant includes instrumentally relevant and communicated information statements, not so sure, it is a matter of assumption and as a mode of transmission and structure. This study also found that frustration is a foundation to rumour's gateway. The findings in this study highlight the widespread, yet remarkably under-researched practice in organisational behaviour in relation to informal communications.

Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2018

The aim of this research is to develop an "Organizational Rumor Scale" for educational organizations based on teachers' views on organizational rumors. In accordance with the scale development phases, first, the literature was reviewed and theoretical information was itemized, and then the items were revised based on the opinions of experts in the field of educational sciences and the opinions of the teachers. The final 24-item scale form was applied to a study group consisting of 322 teachers working in 25 primary schools in the city center of Diyarbakır, Turkey. The data were analyzed by statistical analysis. For the validity and reliability analyzes, anti-image correlation matrix, item total correlation, explanatory factor analysis, reliability analysis of internal consistency, correlation between dimensions and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. The values in the findings of the scale are within the acceptable limits and competent according to the criteria accepted in the literature. Taking into account the validity and reliability analysis of the scale, it has been decided that the "Organizational Rumor Scale" is a valid and reliable scale to evaluate the organizational rumors in schools. The scale consists of three dimensions (getting information, socialization and cynic effect) and a total of 24 items.

Culture and Organization

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate why and how informal information such as rumours gains relevance for managers in relation to their workplace situations. The results demonstrated rumours not only played a role as a supplement to formal information in this study; the relationship between rumours and formal information was shown to be a relatively dynamic, complex interaction in which the various sources of information were feeding each other. Without using this informal information, it was difficult for the managers in this study to gain insight into how they should act, and to act timely. Confidence in their leadership can be harmed if managers do not listen to informal information, and that negative effects on leadership can occur when rumours switch to gossip. We concluded, from a process view on rumours, that the ability of managers to include informal information in their daily work can create trust.

The Psychology of Organizational Change

Rumors play an important role in most, if not all, aspects of employee experience and responses to organizational change (DiFonzo and Bordia, 2006, 2007a). Take the example of readiness for change, a vital precursor to successful implementation of change (Jones, Jimmieson, and Griffiths, 2005). Readiness for change comprises employees' acceptance of the need for change and confidence (or efficacy) in their ability to carry out tasks needed for the change (Armenakis, Harris, and Mossholder, 1993). Rumors that allege illegitimate motivations for change can undermine the need for change. Similarly, rumors that allege incompetence-of-change managers can undermine efficacy beliefs. Because they materially affect the construction of the social reality of any organizational change, rumors are critically important aspects of change.

Public Relations Review, 2002

An integrated model relating workplace rumor activity, belief, and accuracy is proposed and tested. Senior VPs of Communications from a sample of Fortune-500 corporations and CEOs of established public relations firms were surveyed regarding rumor episodes that they had experienced. Results confirmed previous research on the role of uncertainty, anxiety, and belief in rumor activity. In addition, a reduced sense of control mediated the effects of uncertainty on anxiety, and anxiety mediated the effects of importance on rumor activity. Evidence was found for the roles of group bias in how strongly a rumor is believed. Rumor activity was also implicated in the formation of more accurate rumors. The significance of these results for rumor theory and for Public Relations practitioners is presented.

Dinamika Ilmu

This research aims to determine the techniques for effective management of organizational rumor and gossip in schools. Rumors are informal conversations circulating among the employees of the organization towards an event. Gossips are informal evaluative speech about people who are not present there. Rumors and gossips are common informal conversations, which should be managed by school administration. In this term, this research investigates the ways of managing them. The study is a phenomenological qualitative research carried out by conducting semi-structured interviews with 33 teachers in Diyarbakır, Turkey. The data were analyzed by using content analysis technique and some themes and categories were created. According to the research results, school administration should organize some informative seminars on awareness, communication and values in order to reduce the harmful aspects of rumor and gossip. The school administration should adopt a transparent management approach, e...