Brokering or sitting between two chairs? A group perspective on workplace gossip

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14210%2F22%3A00135030" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14210/22:00135030 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815383/full" target="_blank" >https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815383/full</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815383" target="_blank" >10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815383</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Brokering or sitting between two chairs? A group perspective on workplace gossip

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Brokerage is a central concept in the organization literature. It has been argued that individuals in broker positions—i.e., connecting otherwise disconnected parts within a firm’s social network—can control the flow of information. It would imply their increased relevance in workplace gossip. This allegation, however, has not been addressed empirically yet. To fill this gap, we apply social network analysis techniques to relational data from six organizations in Hungary. First, we identify informal groups and individuals in broker positions. Then, we use this information to predict the likelihood with which positive or negative gossip is reported. We find more gossip when the sender and receiver are part of the same group and more positive gossip about in-group rather than out-group targets. Individuals in broker positions are more likely the senders and targets of negative gossip. Finally, even if both the brokers and the boss(es) are the targets of their colleagues’ negative gossip, the combination of the two categories (bosses in broker positions) does not predict more negative gossip anymore. Results are discussed in relation to the theoretical accounts on brokerage that emphasize its power for information control but fail to recognize the pitfalls of being in such positions.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Brokering or sitting between two chairs? A group perspective on workplace gossip

Popis výsledku anglicky

Brokerage is a central concept in the organization literature. It has been argued that individuals in broker positions—i.e., connecting otherwise disconnected parts within a firm’s social network—can control the flow of information. It would imply their increased relevance in workplace gossip. This allegation, however, has not been addressed empirically yet. To fill this gap, we apply social network analysis techniques to relational data from six organizations in Hungary. First, we identify informal groups and individuals in broker positions. Then, we use this information to predict the likelihood with which positive or negative gossip is reported. We find more gossip when the sender and receiver are part of the same group and more positive gossip about in-group rather than out-group targets. Individuals in broker positions are more likely the senders and targets of negative gossip. Finally, even if both the brokers and the boss(es) are the targets of their colleagues’ negative gossip, the combination of the two categories (bosses in broker positions) does not predict more negative gossip anymore. Results are discussed in relation to the theoretical accounts on brokerage that emphasize its power for information control but fail to recognize the pitfalls of being in such positions.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

50401 - Sociology

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2022

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Frontiers in Psychology

ISSN

1664-1078

e-ISSN

1664-1078

Svazek periodika

13

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

08 July 2022

Stát vydavatele periodika

CH - Švýcarská konfederace

Počet stran výsledku

16

Strana od-do

1-16

Kód UT WoS článku

000832689700001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85134673850