Through informal talks with a few employees, managers came to understand that employees thought their plant would close, resulting in massive layoffs. Some were actively seeking other employment. The managers responded promptly and forcefully to this rumor, assuring employees that the company was healthy and their jobs secure$.$ Your managerial expertise tells you that these managers are attempting to

a$.$ use the grapevine as a managerial tool

b$.$ eliminate the grapevine

c$.$ respond to inaccurate grapevine information to minimize the damage such misinformation might cause

d$.$ reduce the credibility of information from the grapevine

e$.$ ignore inaccurate information because they know the truth eventually will become known