| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 企業管理研究所 === 91 === Not only has the internet increased the efficiency of communication, it has also brought out severe crises in the real world. Messages can be circulated all over the world in just seconds. As a result, geographical barriers have been virtually broken down. However, while rumors and hoaxes can easily be distributed through e-mail, BBS, news group, and so on, such false information may cause severe damage to individuals and corporations concerned, even trigger criminal offenses. How to prevent potential damage of commercial reputations which may cause by internet rumors and clarify the existing grapevines is one of the most important issues each corporation needs to address in the present information society.
This thesis is inclined to find out the differences between Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and Face-to-Face (FtF) Communication in terms of the variables which affect the diffusion of rumors, i.e. Credibility, Anxie-uncertainty, Message Property, Involvement, Internet Inertia, demographical variables, and personal internet behavior. Two experiments are designed in this research. Exp.1 operates Credibility versus Anxie-uncertainty into four rumors and illustrates the correlation between Diffusion Possibility and each of the aforesaid independent variables which can facilitate establishing the diffusion model for Internet Rumors accordingly. Exp.2 is an empirical study based on the diffusion model built up in Exp.1. A pre-selected existing rumor is used as the research sample. It remodels the rumor diffusion and measures the clarification effect through e-mail as well. Moreover, both experiments use Site Meter to trace the mechanism of rumor diffusion. Numbers of the rumor being viewed and its responses and clarifications can be easily counted.
According to experiments, Credibility and Anxie-uncertainty are originally well operated in pretests. However, the manipulated variables are not fully distinguished in Exp.1. Hence, Regression is employed to test the hypotheses and as a result, Credibility, Anxie-uncertainty, and Message Property are the key variables that directly influence rumor diffusion in Exp.1 while Internet Inertia has indirect effect on the outspread of a rumor. In Exp.2, both Credibility and Internet Inertia play important roles in the diffusion behavior while Credibility acts as a partial mediating variable in this case. Additionally, this research also shows the possibility and degree that Involvement might be the factor which causes discrepancy between these 2 models. However, it needs to be confirmed by further research. Moreover, both models fit the Distribution Theory of Innovations developed by Rogers. Rumors in Exp.1 and clarify message in Exp.2 are both Unsuccessful Diffusion while rumor in Exp. 2 belongs to S-shaped Normal Diffusion.
Incidentally, diffusion curves and the function of rumor diffusion are obtained to work out through simulation equations and so are the diffusion rates, which surprised us for their rapid distribution. The inverse point was reached in the 2.2 days after the rumor message was distributed in Exp.2, and almost two folds of the original group numbers were reached in just one week. On the other hand, rumors which were not circulated would be quelled in few days. Comparisons between the Distributor and the Non-distributor in the Internet society are also made in this study in facilitating the management of corporate grapevines. The Distributor believes rumors and are more aggressive in rumor distribution and shows higher Anxie-uncertainty, while their Internet Inertia are lower than Non-distributor. Knowing more about the so-called Internet “Opinion Leader” helps corporations focus on crisis management by initiating effective public activities not only because they are cores of grapevines but are also easier to approach than others.
Finally, various corporate strategies of confining rumors are developed in the thesis. Suggestions and alternatives are provided in conclusion. Corporate administrators can therefore take them for reference when dealing with rumor-caused crises.
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