Rumour is one of the informal communication networks through which information flows among people. It is usually seen as a cancer that should be avoided in any society. It is a social phenomenon that any society cannot survive without yet little attention is given to it by the society and academic scholars. Literature have established that rumours are exaggerated and false accounts of events which are capable of causing riots, strikes, unrest and even deaths in some cases; rumours have also been said to be one of the likely causes of disunity, unnecessary panic/anxiety and encourage unproductivity among people. These scholars tend to build on the disadvantages and negative effects it has had on the society especially in organisations. This work therefore, narrows its scope to organisational contexts and argues that in spite of all the pitfalls and negative perceptions about rumours, its benefits and significance in organisational flow of information are enormous and vital in achieving organisational goals. Organisational rumours in this context covers rumours within (among employees) and/or outside (external publics) an organisation which can affect its business activities and goals. This article critically reflects on rumours in organisations via extant literatures, observation and the Organisational Information Theory (OIT). It was discovered that rumours can be used to enhance the flow of information within and outside organisations as well as help in achieving set organisational goals. Hence, it is can be inferred from this article that rumours can play positive roles in organisations.
Keywords: Rumours, Organisation, Information, Employees, Informal.
Umoren Olorunnisomo, C. (2019). Organisational Rumours : Can Anything Good Come Out Of IT?. Afribary. Retrieved from https://tracking.afribary.com/works/organisational-rumours-can-anything-good-come-out-of-it
Umoren Olorunnisomo, Comfort "Organisational Rumours : Can Anything Good Come Out Of IT?" Afribary. Afribary, 08 Jul. 2019, https://tracking.afribary.com/works/organisational-rumours-can-anything-good-come-out-of-it. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Umoren Olorunnisomo, Comfort . "Organisational Rumours : Can Anything Good Come Out Of IT?". Afribary, Afribary, 08 Jul. 2019. Web. 22 Nov. 2024. < https://tracking.afribary.com/works/organisational-rumours-can-anything-good-come-out-of-it >.
Umoren Olorunnisomo, Comfort . "Organisational Rumours : Can Anything Good Come Out Of IT?" Afribary (2019). Accessed November 22, 2024. https://tracking.afribary.com/works/organisational-rumours-can-anything-good-come-out-of-it