Employees’ perceptions of workplace gossip in the hospitality industry
Employees’ perceptions of workplace gossip in the hospitality industry
This study provides insights on gossip related organizational communication in the context of hospitality businesses and reveals the relationship between employees’ personal attitude for gossip and their perception of workplace gossip. A quantitative research approach was adopted, and data were collected from 451 hotel employees through the survey. The relationships were examined by using path analyzes through the AMOS program. Findings show that managerial gossip attitude influences perception of workplace gossip dimensions (comparison and exaggeration, fun and entertainment, physical appearance, flow of social-information, managerial, and sublimation). This study differs from similar studies in related field as it examines how employees perceive gossip in the work environment through their individual attitudes towards gossip.
___
- Aboramadan, M., Turkmenoglu, M. A., Dahleez, K. A., & Cicek, B. (2020). Narcissistic leadership and behavioral cynicism in the hotel industry: the role of employee silence and negative workplace gossiping. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 33(2), 428-447.
- Ajzen, I. (1989). Attitude structure and behavior. In A.R. Pratkanis, S. Breckler, & A. Greenwald (Eds.), Attitude structure and function (pp. 241-274) Lawrance Erlbaum Associate Publishers.
- Akande, A., & Odewale, F. (1994). One more time—how to stop company rumours. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 15(4), 27-30. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437739410059881
- Akgunduz, Y., Sanli Kayran, S. C., & Metin, U. (2023). The background of restaurant employees’ revenge intention: supervisor incivility, organizational gossip, and blaming others. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-12-2022-1614
- Albayrak, T., Karasakal, S., Kocabulut, Ö., & Dursun, A. (2020). Customer loyalty towards travel agency websites: The role of trust and hedonic value. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 21(1), 50-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2019.1619497
- Allport, G. W. (1935). Attitudes. In C. Murchison (Ed.), Handbook of social psychology (pp. 798–844). Clark University Press.
- Altunta?, S., ?ahin Altun, Ö., & Çevik Akyil, R. (2014). The nurses’ form of organizational communication: What is the role of gossip? Contemporary Nurse, 48(1), 109-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2014.11081932
- Atak, M. (2005). Örgütlerde resmi olmayan iletişimin yeri ve önemi. Journal of Aeronautics and Space Technologies, 2(2), 59-67.
- Armitage, C. J., & Christian, J. (2003). From attitudes to behaviour: Basic and applied research on the theory of planned behaviour. Current Psychology, 22(3), 187-195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-003-1015-5
- Babalola, M. T., Ren, S., Kobinah, T., Qu, Y. E., Garba, O. A., & Guo, L. (2019). Negative workplace gossip: Its impact on customer service performance and moderating roles of trait mindfulness and forgiveness. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 80, 136-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.02.007
- Baumeister, R. F., Zhang, L., & Vohs, K. D. (2004). Gossip as cultural learning. Review of General Psychology, 8(2), 111–121. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.8.2.111
- Beersma, B., Van Kleef, G. A., & Dijkstra M. T. M. (2019). Antecedents and consequences of gossip in work groups. In F. Giardini & R. Wittek (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of gossip and -reputation (pp. 417-434). The Oxford University Press.
- Bordens, S. K., & Horowitz, I. A. (2008). Social psychology (3rd Edition). Freeload Press.
- Brady, D. L., Brown, D. J., & Liang, L. H. (2017). Moving beyond assumptions of deviance: the reconceptualization and measurement of workplace gossip. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/1-25. 10.1037/apl0000164
- Byrne, B. M. (2010). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming (2nd Edition). Routledge.
- Ceylan, S. S., & Çetinkaya, B. (2020). Attitudes towards gossip and patient privacy among paediatric nurses. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 289-300. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019845124
- Chandra, G., & Robinson, S. L. (2009). They’re talking about me again: The impact of being the target of gossip on emotional distress and withdrawal [Conference presentation]. Annual meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Crampton, S. M., Hodge, J. W., & Mishra, J. M. (1998). The informal communication network: Factors influencing grapevine activity. Public Personnel Management, 27(4), 569-584. https://doi.org/10.1177/009102609802700410
- Cox, B. A. (1970). What is Hopi gossip about? Information management and Hopi factions. Man, 5(1), 88-98. https://doi.org/10.2307/2798806
- Davis, K. (1953). Management communication and the grapevine. Harvard Business Review, 31(5), 43-49.
- DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2007a). Rumor, gossip and urban legends. Diogenes, 54(1), 19-35.
- DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2007b). Rumor psychology: Social and organizational approaches. American Psychological Association.
- DiFonzo, N., Bordia, P., & Rosnow, R. L. (1994). Reining in rumors. Organizational Dynamics, 23(1), 47-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-2616(94)90087-6
- Dijksterhuis, A., & Bargh, J. A. (2001). The perception-behaviour expressway: Automatic effects of social perception on social behaviour. In M.P. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (pp. 1–40). Academic Press.
- Dodig-Crnkovic, G., & Anokhina, M. (2008). Workplace gossip and rumor: The information ethics perspective. In T. W. Bynum, M. Calzarossa, I. De Lotto, & S. Rogerson (Eds.), Tenth International Conference ETHICOMP (pp. 193-201). University of Pavia.
- Ellwardt, L., Labianca, G. J., & Wittek, R. (2012a). Who are the objects of positive and negative gossip at work?: A social network perspective on workplace gossip. Social Networks, 34(2), 193-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2011.11.003
- Ellwardt, L., Steglich, C., & Wittek, R. (2012b). The co-evolution of gossip and friendship in workplace social networks. Social Networks, 34(4), 623-633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2012.07.002
- Ellwardt, L., Wittek, R., & Wielers, R. (2012c). Talking about the boss: Effects of generalized and interpersonal trust on workplace gossip. Group & Organization Management, 37(4), 521-549.
- Eroğlu, E. (2005). Yöneticilerin dedikodu ve söylentiye yönelik davraniş biçimlerinin belirlenmesi: Arfor Taşıma Hizmetleri AŞ’de Bir Uygulama. Manas Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 7(13), 203-218. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601112450607
- Farley, S. D. (2011). Is gossip power? The inverse relationships between gossip, power, and likability. European Journal of Social Psychology, 41(5), 574-579. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.821
- Fazio, R. H. (1986). How do attitudes guide behaviour? In R. M. Sorrentino & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of motivation and cognition: foundations of social behaviour (pp. 204-243). Guilford Press.
- Fazio, R. H. (1989). On the power and functionality of attitudes: The role of attitude accessibility. In A. R. Pratkanis, S. J. Breckler, & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.), Attitude structure and function (pp. 153- 179). Erlbaum, Hillsdale.
- Fazio, R. H., & Zanna, M. P. (1978). Attitudinal qualities relating to the strength of the attitude-behavior relationship. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 14(4), 398-408. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(78)90035-5
- Fazio, R. H., & Zanna, M. P. (1981). Direct experience and attitude–behavior consistency. In Berkowitz, L. (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology, Vol. 6 (pp. 161-202). Academic Press.
- Ferguson, M. J., & Bargh, J. A. (2004). How social perception can automatically influence behaviour. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8(1), 33-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2003.11.004
- Gelfert, A. (2018). Rumor. In D. Coady & J. Chase (Eds.), The routledge handbook of applied epistemology, (pp. 259-271). Routledge.
- Georganta, K., Panagopoulou, E., & Montgomery, A. (2014). Talking behind their backs: Negative gossip and burnout in Hospitals. Burnout Research, 1(2), 76-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burn.2014.07.003
- Glasman, L. R., & Albarracín, D. (2006). Forming attitudes that predict future behavior: a meta-analysis of the attitude-behavior relation. Psychological Bulletin, 132(5), 778-822. https://doi.org/10.1037%2F0033-2909.132.5.778
- Grosser, T., Kidwell, V., & Labianca, G. J. (2012). Hearing it through the grapevine: Positive and negative workplace gossip. Organizational Dynamics, 41, 52-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2011.12.007
- Guffey, M. E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2009). Business communication: Process and product (3rd edition). Nelson Education.
- Guo, G., Cheng, B., Tian, J., Ma, J., & Gong, C. (2022). Effects of negative workplace gossip on unethical work behavior in the hospitality industry: the roles of moral disengagement and self-construal. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 31(3), 290-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2021.1961111.
- Hair, J. F., Jr., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (1998). Multivariate data analysis (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.
- Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate analysis of data (6th Edition). Pearson Prentice Hall.
- Hair, J. F., Gabriel, M., & Patel, V. (2014). AMOS covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM): Guidelines on its application as a marketing research tool. Brazilian Journal of Marketing, 13(2), 44-55. https://doi.org/10.5585/remark.v13i2.2718
- Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679190202
- Heider, F. (1958). The naive analysis of action. In F. Heider (Ed.), The psychology of interpersonal relations (pp. 101-124). Wiley.
- Hofstede, G. (2021, October 29). Hofstede insights. https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country/turkey/
- Hogg, M. A., & Vaughan, G. M. (2017). Social psychology: An introduction (8th Edition). Prentice Hall.
- Horodowich, E. (2021). Gossip. In M. Kennerly, S. Frederick, & J. E. Abel (Eds.), Information (pp. 89-99). Columbia University Press.
- Houmanfar, R., & Johnson, R. (2004). Organizational implications of gossip and rumor. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 23(2-3), 117-138. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v23n02_07
- Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
- Jain, V. (2014). 3D model of attitude. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 3(3), 1-12.
- Kong, M. (2018). Effect of perceived negative workplace gossip on employees' behaviors. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(1112), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01112
- Kraus, S. J. (1995). Attitudes and the prediction of behavior: A meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(1), 58-75. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0146167295211007
- Kuo, C. C., Wu, C. Y., & Lin, C. W. (2018). Supervisor workplace gossip and its impact on employees. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 33(1), 93-105. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-04-2017-0159
- Kurland, N. B., & Pelled, L. H. (2000). Passing the word: Toward a model of gossip and power in the workplace. Academy of Management Review, 25(2), 428-438. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2000.3312928
- Levin, J., & Arluke, A. (1985). An exploratory analysis of sex differences in gossip. Sex Roles, 12(3), 281-286.
- Li, P., Huang, Z., Wang, R., & Wang, S. (2023). How does perceived negative workplace gossip influence employee knowledge sharing behavior? An explanation from the perspective of social information processing. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 113, 103518.
- Litman, J. A., & Pezzo, M. V. (2005). Individual differences in attitudes towards gossip. Personality and Individual Differences, 38(4), 963-980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.09.003
- Liu, X. Y., Kwan, H. K., & Zhang, X. (2020a). Introverts maintain creativity: A resource depletion model of negative workplace gossip. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 37(1), 325-344. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-018-9595-7
- Liu, T., Wu, L., Yang, Y., & Jia, Y. (2020b). Work-to-family spillover effects of workplace negative gossip: A mediated moderation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(1612), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01612. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01612
- Manstead, A. S. R. (1996). Attitudes and behaviour. In G. R. Semin, & K. Fiedler (Eds.), Applied social psychology (pp. 3-29). Sage.
- Michelson, G., & Mouly, S. (2000). Rumour and gossip in organizations: A conceptual study. Management Decision, 38(5), 339-346. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740010340508
- Mishra, J. (1990). Managing the grapevine. Public Personnel Management, 19(2), 213-228. https://doi.org/10.1177/009102609001900209
- Morreale, S. P., & Shockley-Zalabak, P. S. (2015). Organizational trust in cultures with a history of distrust: A qualitative study of Polish and Russian leaders’ perspectives and experiences. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 44(1), 27-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2014.989255
- Myers, D. G. (2010). Social psychology (10th Edition). McGraw Hill.
- Nevo, O., Nevo, B., & Derech-Zehavi, A. (1993). The development of the tendency to gossip questionnaire: Construct and concurrent validation for a sample of Israeli college students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 53(4), 973-981. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0013164493053004010
- Noon, M., & Delbridge, R. (1993). News from behind my hand: Gossip in organizations. Organization Studies, 14(1), 23-36. 10.1177/017084069301400103
- Nunnally, J. C. (1978). An overview of psychological measurement. In B. B. Wohnan (Ed.), Clinical diagnosis of mental disorders: A handbook (pp. 97-146). Plenum Press.
- Olson, J. M., & Maio, G. R. (2003). Attitudes in social behaviour. In T. Millon, & M. J. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of psychology (pp. 299-325). Wiley.
- Paine, R. (1967). What is gossip about? An alternate hypothesis. Man, 2, 278-285.
- Peng, X., Li, Y., Wang, P., Mo, L., & Chen, Q. (2015). The ugly truth: negative gossip about celebrities and positive gossip about self-entertain people in different ways. Social Neuroscience, 10(3), 320-336. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2014.999162
- Pheko, M. M. (2018). Rumors and gossip as tools of social undermining and social dominance in workplace bullying and mobbing practices: A closer look at perceived perpetrator motives. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 28(4), 449-465. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2017.1421111
- Rosenberg, M. J., & Hovland, C. I. (1960). Cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitudes. In C. I. Hovland, & M. J. Rosenberg (Eds.), Attitude organization and change: An analysis of consistency among attitude components (pp. 1-14). Yale University Press.
- Rosnow, R. L. (1974). Communications as cultural science. Journal of Communication, 24(3), 26-38. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1974.tb00386.x
- Rosnow, R. L. (1988). Rumor as communication: A contextualist approach. Journal of Communication, 38(1), 12-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1988.tb02033.x
- Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (7th Edition). John Wiley & Sons.
- Tan, N., Yam, K. C., Zhang, P., & Brown, D. J. (2021). Are you gossiping about me? The costs and benefits of high workplace gossip prevalence. Journal of Business and Psychology, 36(3), 417-434. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-020-09683-7
- Taylor, S. E., Peplau, L. A., & Sears, D. O. (2005). Social psychology (12th Edition). Prentice Hall.
- Tian, Q. T., Song, Y., Kwan, H. K., & Li, X. (2019). Workplace gossip and frontline employees’ proactive service performance. The Service Industries Journal, 39(1), 25-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2018.1435642
- Türkeş, M. (2005). Orta Kızılırmak bölümü güney kesiminin (Kapadokya yöresi) iklimi ve çölleşmeden etkilenebilirliği. Ege Coğrafyası Dergisi, 14, 73-97.
- Ugwu, F. O., Onyishi, E. I., Anozie, O. O., & Ugwu, L. E. (2022). Customer incivility and employee work engagement in the hospitality industry: roles of supervisor positive gossip and workplace friendship prevalence. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 5(3), 515-534. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-06-2020-0113.
- Ünüvar, Ş., & Bilge, F. A. (2007). Örgütsel iletişimin bir unsuru olan örgüt içi iletişimin konaklama işletmelerindeki etkinliği: Örnek bir alan araştırması. Journal of Azerbaijani Studies, 10(3), 55-72.
- Waddington, K. (2005). Using diaries to explore the characteristics of work-related gossip: Methodological considerations from exploratory multimethod research. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 78(2), 221-236. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317905X40817
- Watson, D. C. (2011). Gossip and the self. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41(7), 1818-1833.
- Watson, D. C. (2012). Gender differences in gossip and friendship. Sex Roles, 67(9), 494-502. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-012-0160-4
- Wert, S. R., & Salovey, P. (2004). A social comparison account of gossip. Review of General Psychology, 8(2), 122-137. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.8.2.122
- Wu, L. Z., Birtch, T. A., Chiang, F. F., & Zhang, H. (2018a). Perceptions of negative workplace gossip: A self-consistency theory framework. Journal of Management, 44(5), 1873-1898. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316632057
- Wu, X., Kwan, H. K., Wu, L. Z., & Ma, J. (2018b). The effect of workplace negative gossip on employee proactive behavior in China: The moderating role of traditionality. Journal of Business Ethics, 148(4), 801-815. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-3006-5
- Yao, Z., Luo, J., & Zhang, X. (2020). Gossip is a fearful thing: the impact of negative workplace gossip on knowledge hiding. Journal of Knowledge Management, 24(7), 1755-1775. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JKM-04-2020-0264
- Ye, Y., Zhu, H., Deng, X., & Mu, Z. (2019). Negative workplace gossip and service outcomes: An explanation from social identity theory. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 82, 159-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.04.020
- Yılmaz, G. (2015). Turizm destinasyonlarında restoran biçimleşmeleri üzerine nitel bir araştırma: Kapadokya örneği. Yayımlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi. Akdeniz Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Antalya.
- Zanna, M. P., Olson, J. M., & Fazio, R. H. (1980). Attitude–behavior consistency: An individual difference perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38(3), 432-440.
- Zou, X., Chen, X., Chen, F., Luo, C., & Liu, H. (2020). The influence of negative workplace gossip on knowledge sharing: Insight from the cognitive dissonance perspective. Sustainability, 12(3282), 1-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12083282
- Zhou, X., Fan, L., Cheng, C., & Fan, Y. (2021). When and why do good people not do good deeds? Third-party observers’ unfavorable reactions to negative workplace gossip. Journal of Business Ethics, 171(3), 599-617. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04470-z