TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One : Introduction Page

1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background Of Study 1-2
1.2 Statement Of Problem 2-3
1.3 Research Objective For Grapevine 3
1.4 Research Question 3
1.5 Significant Of Research 3-4
1.6 Research Scope 4
Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.0 Organization Communication 4-7
2.1 Formal Communication In An Organization 7-8
2.2 Informal Communication In An Organization 8-9
2.3 The Strength Of Informal Channel 9
2.4 The Effect Of Grapevine In An Organization 9-10
2.5 The Function Of Grapevine In The Organization 1112
2.6 Reason Of Grapevine 12
2.7 Outcomes Of Grapevine 12-13
2.8 Managing Of Grapevine 1314
Chapter 3: Methodology
3.1 Research Methodology 15
3.2 The Sampling Of The (How Many SMIs In Penang Will Be Select ) 15-16
3.3 Participants 16
3.4 Design 16
3.5 Procedure 16-17
3.6 Data Analysis 17
Title: Managing the grapevine: A Qualitative study among selected small & medium
Industries (SMIs) in Penang. Chapter 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION
The communication is important to every manager in an organization, communication is part of the
manager jobs, and they spent majority of their time communication included meeting, face to face
discussion, memos, letters, e-mail, and reports, etc (Baker, 2002, p1). The study of the
communication is not a new, but it has only recently achieved some degree of recognition as a field
of academic. In diary communication level to the organization communication, all of the
communication is the exchange of information or transmission of meaning" within two or more
individual.
The grapevine can be active or not to be active in the organization its always depending on the
demand, so called the law of supply. Grapevine appear in certain time and transmitting a variety of
message on a variety of topics, and the topic transmit during a given period seems to depend on the
supply of and demand for particular kinds of information, the grapevine will be more active when
the information is less and limited, and the demand of the information in an organization will be
more higher, and the grapevine will not been active when the information is plentiful. (Garnett,
2012)
Garnett, (2012) he claim that grapevine is the Field studies of the rumors in armies, political parties,
factories, hospitals, and prisons, for example, have found that most of the rumors that circulate in
well-integrated organizations carry substantially accurate information, flow through fairly reliable
channel and are subject to the cross-checks that discourage distortions. In a well-integrated
organization (the grapevine) are recognize as a quickly, accurate and reliable. (Mishra, 2005) He said
the organization communication is a very largest and wide topic to study. In the limitation if the
research we are hardly to conduct in whole organization communication so that in this research will
only focusing on grapevine in small and medium organization, to investigate the flow of the
communication in the workplace. From this study we will find out the importance of the
communication and how to manage grapevine, by (Mishara, 2005) grapevine is the informal
transmission of information, gossip or rumor from person to person and it is undocumented.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
(Baker, 2002. P1)claim that in his research, organization communication is not a new study, but it is
has only recently achieved some degree of recognition as a field of academic. From another article
which from (Zimmermann, Sypher and Haas, 2012.) is to investigate the pervasiveness of the most
communication is better than lack of
communication. Gossip can be very dangerous if the manager could not handle it well, and soft in
the better solution. Grapevine always have positive and negative side, other than positive and
negative grapevine also carries some function, which is people can gain influence, release emotional
stress and built good relationship with other worker via grapevine (Gosser, Kidwell, Labianca and
Ellwardt, 2012).
Garnett, (2012) claim that most of the organization managers are only get formal training and most
of the managers in organization are lack of skill to handle gossip and grapevine therefore he conduct
a research to find out how can the manager handle and well manage the gossip and grapevine.
Grapevine and rumors mostly be interpret as a negative issues; if the manager can't handle it well,
grapevine can be pull down the whole organization productivity. (Young and Emanuel, 2012) they
believe grapevine also can be apply in the formal way, in the same time grapevine also can be
problem-solving tool if can fulfill few requires step. The requirement is when the grapevine can
reach the hierarchy of needs, goals and objectives of the organization.
Grapevine is carry value and influence, grapevine can represented the pattern of the
communication in the informal way. It happened when the manager over control their message and
keep in only the formal way, in the end the manager cant satisfied the important need of the
employee desiring greater communication.(Newstrom, Monczka and Reif, 2012, p12)
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Garnett, (2012) found out the problem of grapevine is the most of the organization manager are
lacking knowledge and they are never training for handle gossip and grapevine in the organization
other than formal channel. The grapevine always happened when the information is less, when the
rumor and grapevine too strong and out of control by manager, probably the particular manager will
be isolated. Another problem of the grapevine and gossip in an organization is grapevine and gossip
can bringing anxiety and fear to one another, sometimes rumors are also damaging it will cause
divide group and destroy loyalties.(Mishra,2005. P5)
Michelson, Iterson and Wassington, (2010) mention the common rumors and gossip is always harm
and negative affected to the work and productivity of an organization. Grapevine are not encourage
or supported, informal communication like are always a problem and crisis to the organization.
Gossip, rumors and grapevine are not easy to manage, once it happened and the message has
spread around. The consequences will be negative, harmful and untruth, sometimes this seem as
womens talk, inauthentic discourse. Sometimes the information is very offensive to targeted
individuals in the organization and this will created unnecessary stress for the targeted worker.
(Michelson, Iterson and Wassington, 2010)
Gossip, rumors and grapevine in an organization, always randomly spread around in the
organization and environment, the view can be very bias and polarized around certain individuals. If
the gossip content are negative, this will be damage and harmful enough to against individuals.
(Ellwardt, 2011) The purpose of grapevine is to maintain group norms but single out the scapegoat
or black sheep, usually the employee in low status will be blamed for problems, and seldom affect
to people who ion the high position, this issues always happened in the hierarchy community.
(Ellwardt, 2011)
Michelson, Iterson and Waddington, (2012) mentioned the challenges to handle grapevine and
gossip is the beginning and the end points of grapevine are not easily identified, this is because
gossip can be temporarily forgotten but then resurface within the same even a different contest at a
future date, and this is also one of the difficulty for manager to manager and solve the problem in
the first minute.
1.3 RESEARCH OBJECT FOR GRAPEVINE
The purpose of study grapevine is because the manager in most of the organization arent train in
the handling the grapevine, therefore when facing the grapevine there are being confuse and try to
ignore the grapevine, this is because most of the time the manager position are and power of
authority are lacking power for them to stop the grapevine. Until the end of the day that particular
manager has been isolated by the group of people in the office, so call Grapevine members.
(Ellwardt, 2011)
The purpose of study grapevine is to understand the process and communication flow in
organization. This help to identified the healthy communication and poor communication in
organization, and from this study can find out the solution and better solution to handle grapevine in
workplace. Grapevine happen when the informal channel are too active, and when it overpowering
formal channel. Therefore people will exchange message from informal channel rather than formal
channel. Although the grapevine is informal channel, but it occur up to 70% of communication
source in organization (William, Davis & Connor, 2003).
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1) How manager solve the problem using grapevine?
2) What is the actual value of grapevine view from manager in an organization?
3) Have the grapevine content is closely with the management ordinary message?
1.5 SIGNIFICANT OF RESEARCH
Grosser, Kidwell, Labianca, Ellwardt, (2012) the significant of grapevine study is to find out the
function of grapevine to understanding how well can manager handle in the grapevine. (Garnett,
2012) said to investigate how can handle grapevine in the formal way
and use as a problem-solving tool. (Young and Emanuel, 2012.) this study also focus on the value of
grapevine, the study to investigate how accurate grapevine in the organization. (Newstrom,
Monczka and Reif, 2012) and to know how the grapevine is spread in an organization and how
powerful the grapevine can be in the organization.
The objective of the study for grapevine, we will focus on the management of the grapevine in the
small and medium organization, we need to know how the grapevine can affect on their job
production. Other than the job production we also will do further research to get know how the
manager handle the grapevine and gossip in the work place. (Mishra, 2005.)
Lastly we need to know what the value of the grapevine is and how can manager using grapevine as
a problem solving tools in an organization, and the powerful of the grapevine can happen in small
and medium organization.
1.6 RESEARCH SCOPE
The grapevine research in the previous study has conduct at army and office workplace, the reason
of conduct this research during this area is because in the office is more people and people will have
a desire need to talk, when people are talking and communicating there is the probability to have
grapevine, gossip and rumors. But for my research I will conduct this grapevine research like
previous researcher, conduct in the office also workplace and I will focusing on the management,
how did the manager in the organization manager the grapevine and the way their perceive
grapevine. From the previous scholar and I understanding the basic concept of grapevine, according
to the (Young and Emanuel, 2012) claim that grapevine is usually a successful communication
network because people listen to the speaker (the informal leader) and the message is usually
transmitted further. So in the small and medium industries will be a better setting for the grapevine
study and research.
Literature Review
Chapter 2
2.0 ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATION
Most of the journal and article has defined the organization communication as the transmission of a
message through a channel to a receiver. In the social constructionist approach, communication in
an organization also can create different kinds of social structure and culture, which included the
relationship team and networks. Communication in the organization is structure and promoting
change and creativity, such as the organization will have some undergoing major change initiative
after communication had been done. (Eisenberg, Goodall & Tretheway, 2007).
Organization communications are very importance for the entire department in the organization
and which included top management until the bottom worker area. There are impossible for any
department working excellent without effective and good communication. Communication within
the department to department is allowed for the sharing of the ideas and information, discussing for
the problem and seeking for improvement. The organization communication also appear on the
decision making stage. Based on some of the research has indicates that poor communication is the
more frequently cited source of interpersonal conflict. Because individual spend nearby seventy
percent of their waking hours communicating, it is arguable to believe that one of the most
inhibiting factors to successful group performance is lack of effective communication (Robbins,
2001).The study of the communication is not a new, but it has only recently achieved some degree
of recognition as a field of academic (Robbins, 2001).
Baldoni, (2003) claim that communication is the exchange of information, idea within two or more
individuals, and the flow of message will also depending on the individuals network. The excellent
communication must always to ensure that receiver get the picture sending by the sender.
Communication can be a problems in an organization, when leader couldn't manage to have a good
communication with his subordinates. If the manager are over control the message in the
workplace, this will cause the worker feel insecure and they will try to find out the insider message
from informal channel. When the worker getting information form the rumors It leads to confusing
and can cause a good plan to fail. Therefore communication skill is very important to every manager
in the organization, communication is big part of the manager jobs, and they must spent majority of
their time in communication. The communication their engage will included meeting, face to face
discussion, memos, letters, e-mail, and reports, etc (Baker, 2002, p1).
Two common channels in workplace is formal communication and informal communication, formal
communication are major communication method in workplaces. The similar process of both
communication also can be explain with motivation theory. Motivation theory said people can gain
their influence or drive others individual to behave in specific manner, direction, and sustainability.
Leader's ability and leadership always started from persuade and motivate, the persuade tactic and
motivation must be based on the particular people characteristic to work, motivation theory also
included the expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964 as cited in Lunenburg, 2011), need theory (Maslow,
1954 as cited in Lunenburg, 2011), and the widely used goal theory (Karoly, 1993 as cited in
Lunenburg, 2011). This all been show is because people are always like to predict and been motivate
by others, grapevine and gossip in organization can make them feel job satisfaction. (Gilley, A, Gilley,
J.W & McMillan, H.S, 2009).

Sources: (Baker, 2005. p3)
Figure 1. Information Theory: Communication as a Mechanistic System
The framework are showing the communication system of both human, the process of two
individuals sharing their experience, thoughts/ feeling, acts of encoding/decoding and interpersonal
feedback element. From the framework, we can see the communication is always begging with
sources to carries the message; the message content will not exactly the same after the encoding of
the sender, the message sending by the sender will be interrupt by the environment noise. After
decoding receiver get the message and their will do or follow the instruction which they are
received. If the message are not affected by the noise, receiver will act correctly with what sender
had said.
Sources: (Baker, 2005.p4) Figure2; Technical Sender-Receiver Model of communication
This framework showing human communication filters, human communication are always
influenced by the person's horizon of experience, such as Motive, affect, attention, knowledge,
attitude, values, and beliefs has been specified. When the message delivered and communication
within both individual, the message will be more easier to perceive if it
is closely related with his or her experience, on the other hand they doing feedback according their
feeling and thoughts (Baker, 2005).
Formal communication are more popular for organization communication compare with the
informal communication, because formal communication are the documented communication and
the source of the message are came from the top management, this also an bureaucracy level of
communication. The informal communication is the undocumented communication, which can be a
tea time talk, men talks, gossip and grapevine (Davis, 2009).
The formal communication are not strongest enough to compare with the informal communication,
because informal communication can spread the message more faster than formal communication,
informal communication need not filter and pass by many level of management, and might be no
gatekeeper for the information. But grapevine and the informal message are mostly accurate,
informal communication will be more active when the company management giving too little
information to the lower level worker or when the organization facing a crisis, such as VSS or
employee terminated. (Baker, 2002)
2.1 FORMAL COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION
In most of the organization and business meeting the formal channel are the main concern of
manager, especially manager of large bureaucratic organizations and, consequently the major focus
of the organizational communication literature. Formal communication is the top-down
communication, most on the manager and top management pass the message to the bottom worker
(Baker, 2002) The function of the formal communication in the organization, is always aim to the
company mission and vision, the communication giving a direction, strategies, goals and objectives.
When conduct a meeting, usually the formal communication can giving lower level worker direction
to follow and make them understand clearly the situation and latest information (Lunenburg, 2010).
Formal communication structure in an organization is basically major in this three directions
downward, upward, and horizontally. The downward flow of communication, which is formal
communication, can provide a channel for direction, instruction and information to organization
members. This is to make sure the message not gets lost as it is passed from one person to another
person. Other than this the message in the formal channel also can travels a great distance from its
sender to the ultimate receiver down through the formal school organization hierarchy. The
downward communication flow provides a channel for direction, instruction, and information to the
organizational members, the message sender usually stay on top of the organization hierarchy
(Tourish, 2010).
The upward communication flows in an organization, is usually happen when the bottom level of
worker communicate to their top administrative management. Upward communication can easy
been found on the employee surveys, suggestion programs,
employee grievance program, and employee participation programs such as quality circles and team
meetings. Upward communication are often poor in the organization and the reason of the poor
upward communication are employee in the bottom level are afraid to speak their minds, secondly is
the employees feel their ideas and concerns are modified as they get transmitted upward, they
always filters the message before send to the top management, and lastly is the time problem. Most
of the time the manager in an organization are busying their staff and give the impression that they
dont have sufficient time to listened to employee (Baker, 2002).
2.2 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION
Informal communication in the organization can be recognize as gossip and grapevine, informal
communication can be a potential hindrance to effective organizational performance. For today
organization, informal communication plays in a very importance role to ensure the effective
conduct of work in modern organization. Informal communication also depending on the particular
organization culture(Baker, 2002). According to (Mishra, 2005) grapevine is known as informal
communication pattern and undocumented, it alike with gossip, rumors and informal exchange
information within person to person. Grapevine not necessarily follow exactly the formal structure
of the organization it can bypass individuals without restraint. That why grapevine can be travel
faster than formal channel, and the information are not being controlled, usually content will related
to the prolific and talk about personal issues, new policy of the organization, perceived salary
differences and potential job openings. Grapevine and rumors often happen in around us is because
human have a psychological need to talk about their work and related issues that affect them.
(Garnett, 2012)
The grapevine or rumor is the major informal communication medium in an organization, grapevine
in the organization are often a rapid form of communication. Grapevine can spread quickly, this is
uncontrollably and once the grapevine started are usually hard to stop. Because the informal
channel and grapevine communication therefore the manager must always consider how to control
or manage rumors mills. (Crampton, Hodge & Mishra, 2001) Grapevine can easily spread
information in an organization rapidly and this is the second type of communication chain in the
organization. But it requires at least two person in a conversation, each of them will probably acts
independently. Person A may talk or write, but he is not consider as communication until the person
B get his message. Therefore the basic communication unit is a person link to another person in the
communication "chain" for any small to huge information. (Davis, 2009)
The formal communication is the major communication style in any organization, but the informal
channel and grapevine chain is more flexible. From the framework of communication chain we can
notice that there are four different ways of visualizing it, as Exhibit I indicates:
1. The single-Strand chain- This chain person 1 tell person 2, who tells person3 and who will tell to
the person 4, and so on; this makes for a tenuous chain to a distant receiver. Such a chain is usually
in mind when one speaks of how the grapevine distorts and filters information until the original item
is not recognizable.
2. The gossip chain (Grapevine)- A seek and tells everyone else, in the informal communication and
grapevine there got a informal leader to providing the message and always leading the message.
3. The probability chain - A communicates randomly, say, to person I and II, in accordance with the
laws of probability; Then I & II tell others in the same manner.
4. The cluster chain - A tells three selected others; perhaps one of them tells two or three others,
This way virtually the only kind of chain found in most of the organization and company, and may
well be the normal in industry generally. The formal communication chain is largely (Davis, 2009)
2.3 THE STRENGTH OF INFORMAL CHANNEL
The strength of grapevine is grapevine can carries very accurate information in a normal work
situation, upwards of 80% of the information that come over grapevine is accurate, by the way
communication can accurate up to 90% in details but the important information and message have
only occupied around 10%. Grapevine generally is carries the truth story but it seldom carries the
whole truth story. Other than accuracy of information, grapevine and gossip also play a role in the
maintenance of the relationship within and between individual and group, and there are expectation
and information protocols that influence who gossip to whom and about what subject. The
particular information, shared understanding and interpersonal trust are pertinent here for gossip to
occur as an accepted exchange of information.(Michelson,Iterson& Waddington, 2012)
Grapevine is follow the demand and law of supply, it exist and to transmit the message and topic
of the times, and the topic transmit during a given period seems to depend on the supply of and
demand for particular kinds of information, the grapevine will be more active when the information
is less and limited, and the demand of the information in an organization will be more higher, and
the grapevine will not been active when the information is plentiful. (Garnett, 2012).
Wiliam, Davis & Connor, (2003) found out grapevine is recognize as a very effective and speed
communication, from the several study from difference scholar found out the informal channel are
more effective than formal lines of communication. By the way the grapevine are most clearly and
rapid while transmit the message, grapevine has two factor according to the individual choice,
grapevine can be in word-of-mouth or face- to-face communication. This made grapevine move
faster than print media and the formal channel. (Crampton, Hodge & Mishra, 2001) notice
grapevine can help increasing the power of the sender and also self-advance cement the research
found out that a person's
position in an informal communication network is partially correlated with their achievement and
demonstration of power. 2.4 THE EFFECT OF GRAPEVINE IN AN ORGANIZATION
The cause of the grapevine and gossip always happened in organization and workplace, this is the
result of lacking of communication within worker which is individuals and another individual in the
office (Zimmermann, Sypher and Haas, 2012)
The definition of gossip activity by the (Ellawardt, 2011), this is not only about behavior. In most of
the situation the gossipers may also not deliberately aim at attacking the relationship with the target
but instead are eager to maintain a positive relationship, especially when the target is powerful. The
effect and consequences of grapevine in the organization and the affect is when the people are aim
to be a Black Sheep he or she will be bear a lot of stress and blame to cause he or she being
isolated by the group of people and affected that individual performance in the organization and this
may also indirectly affect upon the productivity of organization. (Ellawardt, 2011).
The another negative effect of grapevine and gossip from (Garnett, 2012) is gossip and rumors in an
organization within group of people will carries few important message and secret because of
isolation of Black Sheep the victim, this can be found from the work-oriented channel or cliques.
The secret be so richer is because of that particular employee been cutoff, therefore the rumors and
gossip will be less related to official message and more inaccurate and damaging. (Garnett, 2012)
(Baker & Jones, 1996) said grapevine like a poison in the organization. The boundary crossing is one
of the more dangerous communication, and when the people have betrayal of trust, conspiracy of
silence, unnecessary controls, blaming behavior, and a focus on personalities rather than work
processes, all this is come from the grapevines need-based relationships. In few of the element , the
most damaging characteristic is boundary crossing, this is because the boundary crossing has been
identified as emotional or convert incest. This emotion also convert incest appear within a
presupposed, real or symbolic, parent- child relationship. (Baker & Jones, 1996)

NOTE: Executives in boxes received chain-of-command communications (Davis, 2009)
(Davis,2009) Claim the effect of grapevine is also like a news, employee are most interested on
current news rather than old news, current information can always gain employee interest.
Grapevine in the organization always carries lot of truth message, but grapevine also carried some
emotional reaction in the same time. Grapevine in the office and organization always make people
feel fear, hope and disappointed, this is very difficult for people to give passive respone when one
hears either "good" or "bad" news. This can be influenced the people emotion when the message is
a bad news for them, this can indirectly affected on their working performance and productivity.
2.5 THE FUNCTION OF GRAPEVINE IN THE ORGANIZATION
Grapevine more outstanding compare to formal communication and gain more influence in the
workplace it is because people are easy to accept the opinion with informal leader; and because of
the credibility of the conveyor, the message is usually transmitted further, by the way grapevine also
can using as a problem-solving tool.
The functions about grapevine in an organization are: getting information, gaining influence,
releasing pent-up emotions, providing intellectual stimulation, fostering interpersonal intimacy, and
maintaining and enforcing group value and norms. Firstly the gossip and grapevine is started with
getting information, their try to getting the latest information and timelines news, and the gossiper
will always update their information in their network. Secondly the grapevine and gossip can
maintain human relationship therefore their gain influential. Grapevine also can change people
opinion and affect attitudes about others.
Another function of the grapevine is this can lead to the cross-communication, but this also must
more depending on the people relationship. In an organization or workplace the message and
information will be spread to another department for events of general interest, such as in the
organization a sales person telling the message to the finance, or personnel executive rather than
another production executive. Therefore we can see the
grapevine and the information exchange process also can built a relationship, and the message will
only spread if there got a relationship, and the relationship desire to make an impression was strong
motivation for cross-communication. In this scenario, when the person relationship is far from the
person in own area this serve to make a man feel that the others would consider him "in the know".
(Davis, 2009)
2.6 REASON OF GRAPEVINE
Grapevine exist is because people can use grapevine to maintenance their relationship within and
between individuals, they can built their relationship from exchange information and gossip, by the
way the gossip and grapevine to occur as an accepted exchange of information.(Michelson, Iterson
and Waddington, 2012)
The grapevine and gossip been active in an organization when the formal channel are limited the
message they need to know. For example when the organization has make a new policy, change in
leadership or crisis, the grapevine will be more active because the demand for the information is
high. (Garnett, 2012)
The reason of grapevine exist in office is because the formal communication system are too rigidly
defined or too narrowly and the manager not update the latest message to employee. So when
employee's job free they will thinking and feel insecure about their future as under condition of
organizational change. These situations reinforce a fundamental employee need to send or receive
information in organizations. By the way the need of the information in organization will became
kind of overpowering when the workers have too much opportunity to communicate informally,
when they feel lack of information they feel they need.(Newstorm, Monczka & Reif, 2012)
Grapevine can be always appear in organization is because the communication of human nature.
Human nature is like to talk and sharing the story among the committee and social circle this is
consider as a need-based behavior. Need-based and goal-based behavior, to be understand as root
cause of the dysfunctions, for example of the communication styles displayed by the passive and
active partners of the behavior, and the management and manger in the organization need always
to applying some strategies for preventing or try to avoiding the dysfunction, and to be measure the
grapevine in the organization is healthy. (Baker & Jones, 1996)
2.7 OUTCOMES OF GRAPEVINE
When the grapevine and gossip are too power in an organization, it will became kind of
overpowering when workers have too much of opportunity to communicate informally. By the way,
grapevine also can be isolate some employee in some of the time. Because the employee or the
manager are not in the situation and without knowledge about
the grapevine therefore they will be isolated by the group of grapevine people (Garnett, 2012).
When the grapevine is dominance the office and workplace, most of the manager wont be able to
control and stop it in very efficiency way, this is because most of the organizations manager are not
giving the proper training in managing grapevine and gossip, therefore when facing the grapevine
and gossip in the organization, most of them are unable to handle well, most of the manager will
choosing to ignore and skip the problem, and hope the problem can be disappear. This may lead the
situation to be worse and harder to control when the level of grapevine are growth strongest. The
one of reason manager try to skip and ignore the grapevine is because they notice that their formal
authority power are unable to control and remove the problem. (Newstorm, Monczka & Reif
2012)
In the grapevine research finding, author found out the grapevine is an effective and rapid mean of
communication and this tend to follow a cluster rather than a chain pattern of communication. In
the workplace and organization, most of the people when hearing the information they would not
transmit that information to more and more than one person. In the end the people in the particular
group will communicate primarily with other persons in that same group. Finally, information and
message is transformed as it reaches to final destination as certain face are either dropped,
emphasized or assimilate, in the communication exchange process the message might be filter or
add some extra story in the ordinary message, until the end the story will became many version but
more or less will have some same elements of story inside. (William,L, Davis& Connor, 2003)
When the grapevine are not handle properly, this may became a crisis, dysfunctional
communication style, cause a barriers to open communication, in the organization and workplace
although the grapevine is the good and efficiency communication and reliable in most of the time,
but the management and leader are often sat they prefer direct means of communicating, but
employee are usually depend on the grapevine within the organization to send and receive
information( Ergen & Evangelos 2011).
2.8 MANAGING OF GRAPEVINE
Newstorm, Monczka & Reif (2012) found out when facing the grapevine and gossip in the
organization, most of manager are unable to handle well, manager will choosing to ignore and skip
the problem, and hope the problem can be disappear. This may lead the situation to be worse and
harder to control when the level of grapevine are growth strongest. The one of reason manager try
to skip and ignore the grapevine is because they notice that their formal authority power are unable
to control and remove the problem. According to the journal of Managing The Grapevine. From
(Mishra, 2005) tell us the grapevine cam
actually handle when its just happening, to managing the grapevine effectively the manager should
participate in the grapevine and be active and full-time participant, from this action manager can
seek out the grapevine and tap it to learns what is being said concerning a specific situation or issue,
this also can be avoid being isolate by the group of worker.
Gossip and grapevine can always created rumors around an organization and office, this happening
mostly when the important information are less and the lower level employee are hungry for
information. Therefore grapevine and gossip will easily happening in this condition, this is about the
supply chain and demand of information. Grapevine are more active when the information is
insufficient and the demand for it is high; it is least active when the information is enought and the
demand for it is low. (Garnett, 2012) So as a manager, the better way to solve gossip and grapevine
in organization is update the employee time to time and should have a weekly meeting, its can
update the latest information to all the employee, this policy can help to reduce unnecessary gossip
and grapevine in organization. When facing the problem and conflict problem in workplace,
manager should immediately reply and giving feedback to overcome the problem this can prevent
the small matter become a crisis in organization(Garnett, 2012).
In the finding from (Davis, 2009), he claim that if a management want to have a good and more
communication among executive and supervisors, one way is to increase the number and
effectiveness of the liaison individuals in the communication circle, if the staff executive to be more
active in the line communication rather than spreading information, than the grapevine can be
handle well and in the same time will reduce the negative effect of grapevine in an organization
workplace. Management also need to take steps to compensate for the fact that some group of
people are "isolated" from communication chain, the management should pull them back into the
chain and update them the current situation and important message they should know, and of
course the manager and management also need to know and deeper understand of them and to finc
new ways of integrating grapevine activities and the objective of the organization. Lastly the solution
for grapevine is management and manager should try to influence the grapevine rather than
abolished the grapevine, because grapevine can only abolished from their own minds but never from
others, therefore the management people shouldn't try to ignore the grapevine. If they can
influences the grapevine in the positive way, them the grapevine can probably help them to achieve
the organization target and goals, in the same times the grapevine also can fulfill the worker job
satisfaction. (Davis, 2009)
Chapter 3: Methodology 3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The methodology of the research is qualitative research technique, and the research will using the
in-depth interview technique. The reason i choosing the qualitative method in this research it's not
just simply ''not quantitative research'', its because the qualitative research can be develop an
identity or maybe multiple identities of its own (Flick, 2007). The qualitative method will be
accessing experiences, interactions and documents in their nature context, therefore in the
interview i will make the research in a discussion form, will asking the question related to the
particular person and which they can giving the best experiences sharing. Of course the interview
questionnaire will be set as a semi-structure and will add on some question depending on the
situation and environment. This interview are focus on the managerial level of people in Penang
Small and Medium Industries (SMI).
Conduct the qualitative research and the technique will be using interview and in- depth interview
technique. The interview question will be brief and simple, and the introduction question may also
first concrete situation; will be opened with the soft question first before go into the deep and more
critical question. This interview is focus on the Small and Medium Industries. In the same time the
qualitative study always has some issue on the quality, because the qualitative research always
crossroads of internal needs and external challenge, when interview will asking the question and
process the interview with the manager, it need to hit research objective and need to entertain
them to fit their pattern of communication and interest. (Flick, 2007)
(SMIs) in the Penang area. To collect the data to indentified the grapevine in the organization and
how the SMIs manager overcomes the problem and manage the grapevine. And in this research do
investigate the level of influence grapevine and gossip towards an organization. In the qualitative
study and research I also will interview carefully and always anticipate the ethical issues that may
arise during in the research study, in the research I won't be asking too sensitive question which can
lead to argument although the sensitive question is always critical for the research and study as
well. (Bieber & Leavey, 2006 as cited as Creswell, 2009) 3.2 THE SAMPLING OF THE (HOW MANY
SMIS IN PENANG WILL BE SELECT )
The research finally will be focus on the Penang Small and Medium Industries (SMI), this study will
only conduct in Penang area. The reason of choosing SMIs in Penang is because Penang area have lot
of related condition to conduct in this research, in the SMIs have sufficient and higher chance to
happen grapevine, therefore this is the best place to conduct grapevine study (Garnett, 2012).
From the research will only interview 4 - 5 people of manager in the Penang SMIs manager, this is
because of the time line is not sufficient for more interview, therefore this grapevine research will be
cut down to only 4-5 people.
The sampling will be selected in the Penang Bayan Lepas industries area or Perai area, the sampling
for the research will be select the industries which got more than 50 employee. Because in this
condition of workplace, the manager may probably experience grapevine and will be able to share
their experience and how their handle the grapevine in the end of the day.
3.3 PARTICIPANTS
The participant will be selected for this study will be the manager from the small and medium
industries in Penang area. This research interview target on the small and medium industries
manager is because they are the person also facing and dealing with grapevine, and the people who
have duty to manage the grapevine and communication flow in the organization. Because of the
position, the manager are always busy and insufficient time for interview, so in this research only
expected will get around 4-5 manager to interview on for grapevine and communication
management. 3.4 DESIGN
The sampling of the research will be a manager of small and medium industries (SMIs) in Penang
area, This research are design to interview on the service line and any SMIs got around 50-150
employee. To selected on this condition of organization is because this environment setting is more
better to study on grapevine and communication management. In the interview session, 6-7
question will be ask according to the situation. All the question is open-ended to ask, let the
manager free to share their story and experience. The question end out will always refer with
research objective and goals, all the question will be related to the organization communication
management.
3.5 PROCEDURE
The data collection procedures, in this research data I will identify the purposefully selected
participant, which is Manager in the Penang Small and Medium Industries (SMIs), the reason of
choosing the manager in Small and Medium Industries is because this will be more suitable person
to interview for my study and more fit to my study, in my study is to conduct the date related to how
manager in the small and medium industries handle grapevine(Creswell, 2009). In the process of
interview, I will observation their body language and face expression to getting more additional
information and date for the research. This research I prefer to interview the manager with face-to-
face, because this can be more effective and real. In the face-to-face conversation and interview,
because this is useful when participants cannot be directly observation, but the limitation of face-to-
face interview sometimes the interview will provide too much of indirect information and difference
view within participant A and participant B in the same question. (Creswell, 2009)
The interview will be an unstructured, open-ended interview and take interview notes if the
participant allow to doing sound recording, and I will also record the sound and interview process, all
the research will be interview face-to-face (Creswell, 2009). The data collection will be conducting
over the observation as a participant and also see the question in the observer views, In the date
collection process I will gather all field notes first by observing as an outsider and them moving and
change the perception into the setting and observation as an insider (Creswell, 2009).
3.6 DATA ANALYSIS
For this research, data will be analyzed with the answer of participants, from their answer the data
will be analyze with the similar point of their answer and some special opinion. If most of them
giving the same answer in the same question, this mean the answer is more standard . The data also
will be analyze with their facial and some of the non- verbal communication, there will carries more
message which they are not telling. Data analysis also will repeating thinking and filter about the
sharing they gave, to finally it with comparing answer and opinion among the participants.
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Appendix
INTERVIEW QUESTION FOR MANAGING THE GRAPEVINE
Questions on awareness on comm. channels
1. Are you aware of the formal communication channels such as memos, meetings and e mails in the
workplace?
2. Are you aware of the informal communication channels in the workplace such as conversations
during tea or even rumours?
Questions on perception
1. What is your perception on informal communication in the workplace?
2. How is your perception communication through the formal and the informal channel?
3. Which type of communication do you feel is rich in information? is it the formal or the informal?
Questions on informal channel message spread
1. We understand that rumours are easily spread in the workplace. How true is it?
2. In such a situation, how does gossip, rumours or undesired news spread in the workplace?
3. Questions on managing message flowing through the grapevine
After hearing the information that goes around, do you take any action immediately?
1. Do you organize meetings to update latest information to your subordinate pertaining to the
rumour/ gossip?
2. How do such gossip/ rumour affect working performance of the staff or the group?relationship?
3. Do you take initiative towards overcoming / solving the issues that arise from such rumours /
gossip?