Example of a Qualitative Research Plan/Outline

The Perceived Effects of Workplace Gossip
on Work-Related Stress
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH




Lecturer: Dr. Daire Hooper
Course: Human Resource Management DT398/4
Module: Business Research Methods RSRH4005
Submission Date: 04 February 2022

,Declaration


I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment on the Business Research
Methods module for DT 398/4 is entirely my own work, except where fully and properly
referenced. I certify that it has not been submitted in whole or in part for assessment for any
academic purpose other than in partial fulfilment for that stated above.




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,Contents
Declaration ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 3

2.0 Research Question and Objectives....................................................................................... 3

2.1 Research Question ........................................................................................................... 3

2.2 Research Objectives ......................................................................................................... 4

3.0 Literature Review................................................................................................................. 4

3.1 Gossip Definitions ........................................................................................................... 4

3.1.1 Negative Gossip ........................................................................................................ 5

3.1.2 Positive Gossip ......................................................................................................... 5

3.2 Work-related Stress and Gossip ....................................................................................... 5

3.3 Gossip as a Stress Coping Mechanisms ........................................................................... 6

3.4 Research Gap ................................................................................................................... 7

4.0 Selected Interviewee ............................................................................................................ 7

5.0 Interview Guide and Technique ........................................................................................... 8

6.0 Coding Guide ..................................................................................................................... 10

6.1 Familiarisation with the Data ......................................................................................... 10

6.2 Generation of Initial Codes ............................................................................................ 12

7.0 Interview Transcript and Initial Thematic Coding............................................................. 13

8.0 Discussion and Conclusion ................................................................................................ 22

9.0 Personal Reflection ............................................................................................................ 23

References ................................................................................................................................ 25

Appendix – Consent and Confidentiality Forms ..................................................................... 29




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, 1.0 Introduction
Workplace gossip is a common occurrence in organisations around the globe (Begemann,
Lustorf, Meinecke, Steinicke, and Lehmann-Willenbrock, 2021). Aside from the office
‘watercooler chats’, gossip can happen anywhere from the cafeteria to meeting rooms (Hallett
et al., 2009). It has been discovered that almost 14% of human conversations are gossip (Robins
and Karan, 2020), whereas 90% of employees admit to gossiping in the workplace (Grosser et
al., 2012).

Yet even though it is such a common phenomenon, the effects of gossip on employees have
not be extensively studied, in particular as it relates to the target of the gossip (Wu, Birtch,
Chiang, and Zhang, 2018). Furthermore, the majority of literature on the topic focuses on
gossip as a negative feature that should be reduced in organisations, even though gossip may
also serve important functions, such as reducing employee stress levels (Waddington, 2005).

Hence, this research aims to qualitatively study the relationship between stress and gossip,
focusing on the perceived effects of both positive and negative gossip on work-related stress
from the perspective of the gossip target, while also exploring gossip as a perceived stress
coping mechanism for the gossiper. This paper will outline the research question and
objectives, the relevant literature, and details of the chosen interviewee. It will also contain
preliminary data analysis in the form of initial thematic coding. Finally, it will contain a
reflection on the interview process.


2.0 Research Question and Objectives
A clear and well-defined research question is an essential element of any research project, as it
narrows down the specific area to be studied and guides the research design, method, and
results (Creswell, 2007). Furthermore, Kumar (2011) argues that the research objectives are
equally important, since they divide the research into manageable parts to be explored
individually. Hence, the following sections provide a research question and several research
objectives (RO) to be addressed by this qualitative research.

2.1 Research Question

What is the perceived effects of workplace gossip on work-related stress?




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