Presenting a Social Catch-Up Model of Rumor Management in Selected University Branches of Iran

Recognition and application of rumor indicators and social factors affecting rumor management in the selected Azad University branches of Iran is of great significance. The present study aims to present a social rumor management catch-up model in Azad University branches of Iran. In the first phase, this mixed-method study implemented a qualitative approach through a content analysis and an interview with the experts to detect the rumor management themes. To code the data, the study relied on the MAXQDA10 software.In the second phase, following a Quantitative procedure it used a questionnaire to collect the data. The population (N=15) in the qualitative phase consisted of the chancellors, vice-chancellors, heads of departments and professors of management, and in the quantitative phase the population (N=200) were the Administrative personnel of the selected university branches of Iran. In the qualitative analysis, 8 main themes and 18 subcomponents of rumor management from the effective social factors were detected based on the content analysis of the interviews. To analyze the quantitative data, a Confirmatory factorial analysis was used. The test reliability estimate was 0.7. The results indicated that the Azad University Central Tehran Branch showed the highest standardized factorial loading values (i.e. 0.971) in relation to the other four selected universities Science and Research Branch, Chalous,Allameh Mohaddes Nouri, Maziar in terms of social rumor management catch-up. It is suggested that other universities align Themselves with the Azad University Central Tehran Branch in managing the rumors and act accordingly in order to reach a successful social catch-up