Carnival mockery of the locals: The ambidexterity of organizational gossip in print

Abstract

Gossip on the work floor has only received scholarly attention in recent decades. One of the main findings of organizational gossip research is that it is ambidextrous in nature. Its double-sidedness, namely that gossip is used to blame others but also to praise others, has always been ignored, probably due to the historical negative connotations surrounding the practice of "evil tongues." This chapter analyzes an organization's carnival gazette full of mocking gossip leading to the conclusion that gossip need not be strictly praise or blame gossip. Discourse ambidexterity can take on subtle forms, constituting challenges for management and workforce alike.