Dealing With Negative Workplace Gossip: From the Perspective of Face.

In this study, we investigate the coping response of individuals who are being gossiped about. Drawing on face research and affective events theory, we propose that employees who are targets of negative gossip will actively respond to the gossip about them via engagement in negative gossip themselves. The findings showed that negative workplace gossip stimulated fear of losing face and led to subsequent behavioral responses, namely, engaging in negative gossip. Moreover, self-monitoring, as a moderating mechanism, mitigated the negative impacts of negative workplace gossip on the targets. We discuss theoretical implications for gossip research and note its important practical implications.

Does positive workplace gossip help socialize newcomers? A dual-pathway model based on network ties.

Researchers have been interested in discussing negative workplace gossip and its consequences, but have paid little attention to positive workplace gossip and its positive aspects in the workplace. Based on the perspective of social network, this study explores the two-path mediating mechanisms between positive workplace gossip and the socialization outcomes of newcomers. The data were collected in a multitime and multisource manner. The results show that information ties and friendship ties mediated the relationship between positive workplace gossip and the socialization outcomes of newcomers. Specifically, positive workplace gossip helped newcomers form instrumental and expressive social relationships (viz., informational ties and friendship ties), which in turn contributed to socialization outcomes (viz., role clarity and social integration). Theoretical and management implications are discussed as well.

Explorative and Exploitative Learning in Teams: Unpacking the Antecedents and Consequences.

Many organizations adopt team-based structures to better survive in the highly competitive environment. To achieve this goal, teams not only need to develop new ideas to adapt to the changing situations, but also follow standardized procedures to complete tasks effectively, suggesting the importance of ambidextrous capacity on addressing the paradoxical demands. However, we have little knowledge about both of how to respectively facilitate team ambidextrous learning (i.e., team explorative and exploitative learning) and how team the two learning activities contributes to team effectiveness. Using the multi-time and multi-source data gathered from 140 teams in 6 Chinese companies, we found that team leader's power sharing and management control behaviors (i.e., ambidextrous leader behaviors) specifically enhanced team explorative and exploitative learning. In addition, our results showed that team explorative and exploitative learning drove overall team performance via the mechanisms of team creativity and task completion respectively. The theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed as well.