The interest of the rumor as tool of marketing and communication is very important and we are conscious of his existence and use, both in the managerial world and in the politics. The communication acquires every time a major leading role in the companies, a few times with a base of rigor (information) and others not (rumor). When this second form of communication is used it is, in most cases, to destabilize or to discredit a person or organization and the only way of catching it is going to the root of the problem thanks to a good strategic communication plan.

13.1. How does the rumor take place

The rumor is continuously present in our lives and it is necessary to get accustomed to coexisting with him since he exercises a decisive and strategic regulatory role inside the managerial culture.

As interpersonal oral communication, the rumor needs the mediation of a series of actors who, in complicity, decide to press a group or person by means of the creation of an interesting and ambiguous message, of unknown but trustworthy source.

His transmission is chained and exponentially since the issuer of the rumor will transmit the message to other receiving chosen accomplices and these, in turn, to others that they will keep on spreading it of rapid and increasing form until it is interrupted and dies.

The functions of the rumor are different although three is necessary to stand out: as barometer of the situation, since not always the rumor finds the ground paid for his expansion but it is necessary to be able to choose the suitable moment for the spread of a rumor; as persuasion element in the capture of important managerial and political decisions; or simply like something gratifying for the actors who express it.

The creation and diffusion of rumors takes root in the barriers that many organizations possess against the fluid communication, as well as in the relation of a few individuals with others. This way, that of minor socioeconomic level is usually better informed that other, what it places to him in a position of initial advantage that helps him to compensate the economic - social unequal game position. This explains the gratification that for that of minor status supposes the transmission of rumors to his Superior. Also, the rumor acts like leadership element, since the leader it is usually, between other reasons, because it receives major number of secrets and for it it knows better than anybody what it spends in the group: it is the best informed one.

When the rumor affects negatively the company / person it is necessary to take urgent measures and of professional form, but always bearing in mind the mechanisms that cause and define the phenomenon.

13.2. How to catch the rumor

It is necessary to realize that the rumor exists and is a fundamental knowledge to catch it. When the rumor is affecting negatively the organization it is necessary to realize a communicative action that neutralizes it, characterized, fundamentally, by the reception of the root of the problem and the agreement with a source of big credibility (for example an opinion leader) that it discredits the information facilitated across the rumor. The ideal thing is to design and to implant a strategic plan of internal communication, which guarantees the credibility, the transparence and the fluency of the information. Finally, it is necessary to act with rapidity, breaking the chain and disinfecting thoroughly.

The rumor is defined in the dictionary as a voice that runs between the public, but the Home characteristics that define it are the being an interesting, seductive, ambiguous message, destined to be believed and secretly. Who has ever done echo of a rumor to himself? It is so established in the society and in the economic relations that it already is enclosed part of all of us and of many and important contracts and managerial and political agreements.