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Purpose Despite the recent extending research on knowledge hiding, there is still scant research on social stressor phenomena-related contextual antecedent factors and new cognitive mechanisms of knowledge hiding behaviors. To shed new light on this unexplored gap, this research explores the multi-level moderated mediation model that examines how and when negative gossip experienced by targets in the workplace induces their knowledge hiding from coworkers drawing from the lens of social learning and cognitive theories. More specifically, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding via moral disengagement, and this mediation effect is also moderated by team relational conflict as a novel boundary condition. Design/methodology/approach This study collected multi-wave 338 employees’ data from 68 teams of cross-sectional industries in China, which were nested within teams. The collected nested nature data were analyzed by employing multi-level analysis based on hierarchical linear modeling. Findings The results suggested that negative workplace gossip first triggers moral disengagement and thereby, leads to knowledge hiding. Furthermore, the direct positive association between negative workplace gossip and moral disengagement was strengthened by increasing intra-team relational conflict. In addition, the mediation effect of moral disengagement between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding was also strengthened through increasing intra-team relational conflict. Originality/value This study first empirically examines the multi-level model using a new underlying mechanism (moral disengagement) and team-level boundary condition (relational conflict) and enriches the current literature on knowledge management and workplace gossip. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and future research lines are also discussed, which will facilitate practitioners and academicians to curb counterproductive knowledge behavior.

PurposeTime pressure is the most common kind of work pressure that employees face in the workplace; the existing research results on the effect of time pressure are highly controversial (positive, negative, inverted U-shaped). Especially in the era of knowledge economy, there remains a research gap in the impact of time pressure on individual knowledge hiding. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of different time pressure (challenge and hindrance) on knowledge hiding and to explain why there is controversy about the effect of time pressure in the academics.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected two waves of data and surveyed 341 R&D employees in China. Moreover, they used regression analysis, bootstrapping and Johnson–Neyman statistical technique to verify research hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that challenge time pressure (CTP) has a significant negative effect on knowledge hiding, whereas hindrance time pressure (HTP) has a significant positive effect on knowledge hiding; job security mediates the relationship between time pressure and knowledge hiding; temporal leadership strengthen the positive impact of CTP on job security; temporal leadership can mitigate the negative impact of HTP on job security.Originality/valueThe findings not only respond to the academic debate about the effect of time pressure and point out the reasons for the controversy but also enhance the scholars’ attention and understanding of the internal mechanism between time pressure and knowledge hiding.

Purpose This study aims to investigate an underexplored behavioral factor, knowledge hiding, that connects employees’ perceptions of organizational politics (POP) with their diminished promotability, while also considering the moderating role of employees’ harmony motives in this process. Design/methodology/approach The research hypotheses are tested with multisource, three-round data collected among employees and their supervisors. Findings Employees’ beliefs about self-serving organizational decision-making increase their propensity to hide knowledge, which, in turn, diminishes their promotability. This intermediate role of knowledge hiding is more prominent when their disintegration avoidance motive is strong but less prominent when their harmony enhancement motive is strong. Practical implications A refusal to share knowledge with organizational colleagues, as a covert response to POP, can create a negative cycle for employees. They are frustrated with decision-making practices that are predicated on favoritism, but by choosing seemingly subtle ways to respond, they compromise their own promotion prospects. To avoid this escalation, employees should adopt an active instead of passive approach toward maintaining harmony in their work relationships. Originality/value This research contributes to extant research by detailing a hitherto overlooked reason that employees’ frustrations with dysfunctional politics may escalate into an enhanced probability to miss out on promotion opportunities. They respond to this situation by engaging in knowledge hiding. As an additional contribution, this study details how the likelihood of this response depends on employees’ harmony motives.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate a new predictor of knowledge hiding, namely, employee perceptions of corporate hypocrisy (PCH). Based on the social cognitive theory, this study constructs a moderated mediation model linking PCH and knowledge hiding. The theoretical model concentrates on the mediating role of moral identity and the moderating role of organization-based self-esteem (OBSE).Design/methodology/approachTwo studies with different samples and designs were used. In Study 1, the experimental method explored whether PCH could elicit knowledge hiding under the condition of OBSE (H1 and H4). Study 2, an empirical method with three stages, tested the full mediated moderation model by adding to the mediating role of moral identity (H1–H4).FindingsThe results showed: PCH was positively related to knowledge hiding, moral identity mediated the influence of PCH on knowledge hiding and OBSE not only moderated the relationship between PCH and moral identity but also moderated the indirect effect of PCH on knowledge hiding (via moral identity). The present research sheds valuable light on the processes (how) and contingencies (when) whereby PCH affects knowledge hiding for the first time, thus extending prior research and encouraging further explorations on the topic of PCH and knowledge hiding. It informs practitioners that taking measures to decrease corporate hypocrisy plays a vital role in preventing workers from hiding knowledge.Originality/valueThe study’s distinctive contribution is to examine the mediating effect of moral identity and the moderating role of OBSE on the relationship between corporate hypocrisy and knowledge hiding, which through the lens of social cognitive theory. Thus, it furthers a deeper understanding of knowledge hiding and helps the organization understand the dynamics of knowledge management, such as prohibiting employee counterproductive behaviors in the workplace.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between leader-signaled knowledge-hiding behavior (LSKH) and employee organizational identification (OI) with self-interest climate perceptions (SIC) as a mediator. This study also takes into consideration the impact of individual differences (i.e. employee trait of agreeableness) in shaping these relationships.Design/methodology/approachTwo-wave data were collected from a sample of employees working in service industry companies in Egypt (N = 305). The mediation model (model 4) and the moderated mediation model (model 14) were tested using the statistical package for the social sciences PROCESS macro. The indirect effect of LSKH behavior on employee OI was examined using the bootstrapping approach (n = 5,000) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the indices.FindingsFindings show that LSKH behavior has a negative impact on employee OI through SIC perceptions. Additionally, a moderation analysis indicates that the employee trait agreeableness strengthens the negative relationship between SIC and OI as well as the indirect relationship between LSKH behavior and employee OI.Originality/valueWhile previous studies mainly focused on employee knowledge-hiding behavior, this study extends this nascent stream of literature by investigating the impact of this behavior at the leader’s level in the Egyptian cultural context. The results provide insights into the consequences of this type of behavior on important outcomes, namely, SIC and OI.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the double-edged effects of supervisor bottom-line mentality (BLM) on subordinates' work-related behaviors (work performance and knowledge hiding) and the moderating role of subordinate gender.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical model was tested using a sample of 218 three-wave multi-source data collected from employees of five firms in southern China.FindingsThe results revealed that supervisor BLM is positively associated with subordinate BLM. Although subordinate BLM can enhance their work performance, it can also lead to knowledge hiding toward coworkers. Furthermore, these indirect effects are moderated by subordinate gender.Practical implicationsManagers should pay more attention to the potential positive and negative consequences of supervisor BLM and intervene to mitigate the negative impact of BLM.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to examine how supervisor BLM can be a mixed blessing and elicit both positive and negative behaviors from their subordinates. Moreover, by illuminating how subordinate gender moderates the relationship between supervisor BLM and subordinates' work-related behaviors, we enrich and extend the BLM literature.

PurposeThe study explores African partners' experiences regarding Chinese expatriates' knowledge control practices in 29 Sino-African joint ventures in 12 countries. It provides insights into power dynamics and knowledge transfer (KT) from African partners' perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative paper mobilized semi-structured interviews with Africans who worked with Chinese expatriates across Africa. The study focused on understanding the experiences of African partners when collaborating with their Chinese expatriate colleagues on assignments in joint ventures (JVs) in Africa.FindingsChinese expatriates employed five tactics, as described by African partners, to control knowledge based on power, behaviors and knowledge type. Particularly, through the lens of unofficial power, this study explains knowledge hiding tactics between knowledge-holding Chinese expatriates and host country knowledge-seeking locals. A new dimension of authority-based knowledge hiding is discovered.Originality/valueThe paper brings new insights into the analysis of power (official and unofficial) boundaries regarding knowledge control mechanisms in joint venture collaborations between employees from China and Africa. Unofficial power appeared as a major leverage for expatriates in monopolizing their strategic knowledge. The study recommends mobilizing African diaspora and repatriates from China to improve KT for Africa.

Purpose This paper aims to explore the role of personal relationships (friendships) in mitigating knowledge hiding behaviour between managers. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a phenomenological methodology by studying seven UAE-based firms. Furthermore, 30 semi-structured (15 dyadic) interviews with senior managers are undertaken. The senior managers were chosen from multiple industries including plastic, frozen food, logistics, etc. Findings Based on 30 semi-structured interviews and comprehensive data analysis, results reveal that the development of personal relationships between managers results in higher interpersonal trust, mutual loyalty, higher cooperation, strong mutual goals and cultivation of reciprocity. The result further states that these factors diminish knowledge hiding behaviour between them. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations. First, this study explores behavioural patterns concerning the United Arab Emirates culture only. Second, the results presented in this study should be quantitatively tested to demonstrate their generalizability. Practical implications Firms can use this study’s findings to understand how and why personal relationships between managers within firms diminish knowledge hiding behaviour. Originality/value There is a dire need for research exploring how knowledge hiding can be mitigated in firms. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the role of personal relationships in the knowledge hiding literature.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the differential roles of self-esteem and co-rumination in the mediated relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding via psychological safety.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a three-wave time-lagged design and data were collected from 388 full-time employees in India.FindingsThe results show that psychological safety mediated the impact abusive supervision had on knowledge hiding. Further, this impact was weakened by higher self-esteem as employees with higher self-esteem were less affected by the impact of abusive supervision on psychological safety and knowledge hiding; but this impact was amplified by more co-rumination as employees who co-ruminated more were also more affected by abusive supervision in psychological safety and knowledge hiding.Research limitations/implicationsA cross-sectional design and the use of self-reported questionnaires are a few limitations of this study.Originality/valueThis study took a purposeful deviation from the traditional path of organizational justice to the study of abusive supervision and psychological safety and endeavored an alternate route, one of resource conservation. Further, employees have diverse reasons that heighten or dampen their inclination to hide knowledge from others in the workplace. The study examines co-rumination and self-esteem as possible boundary conditions.

PurposeDespite burgeoning interest in knowledge hiding (KH), there are still significant gaps in the understanding of the boundary conditions under which KH is more or less likely to occur. To address this research gap, the researchers examined abusive supervision as an interpersonal antecedent of KH. In addition, this paper aims to investigate the moderating roles of negative reciprocity beliefs (NRB) and moral disengagement (MD) in the relationship between abusive supervision and KH.Design/methodology/approachTwo-wave data using a non-experimental face-to-face method was collected from 257 service employees in Pakistan, which supported the hypothesized model. Considering minimum sample size requirements (i.e.n= 208) in partial least squares structural equation modeling, the researchers analyzed a two-stage approach to test the measurement model and the structural model.FindingsThe study found that abusive supervision was positively related to evasive hiding and playing dumb but not associated with rationalized hiding. Further, the results confirm the moderating roles of NRB and MD. The positive relationships between abusive supervision and evasive hiding and playing dumb are intensified at high levels of NRB and MD.Originality/valueGiven the complicated nature of KH, this is one of the few efforts that outstretch the boundary conditions of KH.

Purpose Despite manager’s investments in facilitating knowledge sharing, such as hiring employees with lots of knowledge, knowledge hiding remains prevalent in organizations. It may stem from that less attention has been paid to the relationship between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding. Drawing on emotion theory, this study aims to build a mediation framework to examine effects of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding via negative emotion state and moderating role of team positive affective tone. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a two-wave survey study among 398 knowledge workers from 106 teams in knowledge-intensive industries and tests the hypotheses by performing a series of hierarchical linear modeling analyzes. Findings The results show that a negative emotion state mediates the U-shaped relationship between employees’ perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding behavior. Team positive affective tone moderates the U-shaped relationship between negative emotions and employees’ knowledge hiding behavior. Originality/value This study extends current knowledge management literature by introducing perceived overqualification as an individual predictor of employees’ knowledge hiding behavior and revealing the both light and dark sides of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding, as well as its intervening mechanism. The research findings help practitioners to curb such counterproductive behaviors.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding. The study also examines the mediating role of distrust in the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding.Design/methodology/approachThe procedure used in the study is a systematic literature review covering abusive supervision, knowledge hiding, distrust from 1994 to 2021. The studies were explored using the keyword search such as, “abusive supervision,” “knowledge hiding” and “distrust” from the selected databases including Emerald, ScienceDirect, EbscoHost and Google Scholar.FindingsThe study found that abusive supervision is positively related to knowledge hiding and distrust mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding. The study also proposes procrastination as one of the dimensions of knowledge hiding.Originality/valueThe study is an attempt to uncover a series of relationships between abusive supervision, knowledge hiding and distrust, which may enhance academic discussion and also offer clarity to the conceptualization of these two fields.

Purpose This paper aims to explore the implications of virtual work arrangements on employee knowledge hiding (KH) behaviour and the different strategies of KH used by employees in these arrangements. Design/methodology/approach Following a grounded theory approach to understanding KH, 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with employees engaged in virtual working setups. The data collected from these informants were then analysed using qualitative methods. Findings The study revealed that virtual work arrangements increase employee KH behaviour because of three reasons: ease of hiding, digital burnout and loss of control. Further, the study found that rationalized hiding is the most commonly adopted strategy by employees engaged in virtual work arrangements, while inclinations towards evasive hiding strategy decrease in this arrangement. Originality/value This is the first study in knowledge management literature that seeks to explain KH in the virtual work context.

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of knowledge hiding (KH) on organizational citizenship behavior toward individuals (OCBI) through the mediation of self-conscious emotions (SCE), namely, shame and guilt. This paper further considers the supervisor’s Islamic work ethics (IWE) as a conditional variable. Design/methodology/approach In this quantity-based research, this paper collected data from 473 employees working in various service and manufacturing organizations through Google form at two-lags. Findings The study applied structural equation modeling and identified that employees experience SCE due to KH. More specifically, rationalized hiding was found to have a negative effect, whereas playing dumb and evasive hiding was found to have a positive effect on shame and guilt. The results also revealed SCE (shame and guilt) as mediators between KH and OCBI. Further, the supervisor’s IWE was found to be a conditional variable to strengthen the association between KH and SCE. Research limitations/implications The study collected data from a single source. However, the issue of common method variance was tackled through time-lags. Practical implications The study suggests that supervisors must communicate with employees about the negative outcomes of KH. They must create such an environment that discourages the engagement of employees in KH and encourages the employees to engage themselves in helping behaviors to maintain a productive and creative work environment. Originality/value This study adds to the limited literature on the emotional consequences of KH from knowledge hiders’ perspective and unfolds the behavior-emotion-behavior sequence through the emotional pathway. More specifically, this study examined the negative emotional effect of hiding the knowledge that leads to compensatory strategy (organizational citizenship behavior) through SCE (shame and guilt). Finally, zooming into SCE, this study elucidates the supervisor’s IWE as a conditional variable.

PurposeThis study aims to utilize the cognitive appraisal theory of stress and coping by conducting a joint investigation of the mediating role of knowledge hiding behaviors in the relationship of exploitative leadership on employee’s work related attitudes (i.e. turnover intentions) and behaviors (e.g. job performance, creativity) and fear of negative evaluation in influencing this mediation.Design/methodology/approachUsing the Preacher and Hayes’ (2004) moderated-mediation approach, the authors tested the model by collecting multi-wave and two-source data from employees and fellow peers (n = 281) working in the service sector of Pakistan.FindingsResults of the study demonstrate that exploitative leadership adversely influences one’s performance and turnover intentions through knowledge hiding behaviors. The fear of negative evaluation moderates the indirect effects of exploitative leadership on employee’s outcomes through knowledge hiding behaviors such that these indirect effects are stronger for individuals possessing low levels of fear of negative evaluation.Originality/valueThe current study contributes to knowledge management and dark leadership literature by suggesting knowledge hiding behaviors as a process through which exploitative leaders unveil their negative effects on employee’s outcomes. This study is also unique in the sense, as it posits that employees might vary because of their dispositional traits (i.e. low fear of negative evaluation) in responding to exploitative leadership with greater knowledge hiding behaviors.

Purpose Understanding employee knowledge hiding behavior can serve organizations in better implementing knowledge management practices. The purpose of this study is to investigate how personality and work climate influence knowledge hiding, by examining the respective roles of openness to experience and relational (specifically, communal sharing and market pricing) climates. Design/methodology/approach Multilevel modeling was used with two distinct samples, one from Vietnam with 119 employees in 20 teams and one from The Netherlands with 136 employees in 32 teams. Findings In both samples, the hypothesized direct relationship between openness and knowledge hiding was not found. In the Vietnamese sample, only the moderating effect of market pricing climate was confirmed; in the Dutch sample, only the moderating effect of communal sharing climate was confirmed. The findings of the Vietnamese sample suggest that people with a high sense of openness to experience hide knowledge less under low market pricing climate. In the Dutch sample, people with high openness to experience hide knowledge less under high communal sharing climate. The authors conclude that, in comparison with personality, climate plays a stronger role in predicting knowledge hiding behavior. Research limitations/implications Small sample size and self-reported data might limit the generalizability of this study’s results. Practical implications The paper highlights how organizational context (relational climate) needs to be taken into account in predicting how personality (openness to experience) affects knowledge hiding. Originality/value This paper contributes to a better understanding of the knowledge hiding construct by extending the set of known antecedents and exploring the organizational context in which such phenomena happen.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how knowledge hiding affects buyer-supplier relationship performance in the supply chain. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a multiple case study methodology. Overall, 26 semi-structured interviews (13 dyadic interviews) with managers of buying and supplying firms (who have been a victim of knowledge hiding) were undertaken. Findings Based on comprehensive data analysis, results reveal seven factors that adversely affect buyer-supplier relationship performance (lack of trust, lack of cooperation and lack of commitment). In addition, results reveal that such factors reduced the firm’s business performance in terms of low-quality products, increased lead time and higher costs. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study are not generalizable to a broader population. Second, this study explores behavioral patterns with respect to United Arab Emirates culture only. Practical implications Firms can use the findings from this study to understand how knowledge hiding in a buyer-supplier relationship adversely affects a buyer-supplier relationship performance. Originality/value A considerable weakness in buyer-supplier relationship literature is a need for a study examining how knowledge hiding harms buyer-supplier relationship performance in the supply chain. This paper addresses this gap.

PurposePrevious research suggests that abusive supervision has a positive effect on subordinates’ behaviors of knowledge hiding. However, the authors argue that this effect depends on the level of team abusive supervision differentiation. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and social comparison theory, this study tries to explain how the level of team abusive supervision differentiation, in conjunction with individuals' own experiences of abusive supervision, influences the focal subordinate's knowledge hiding from their colleagues.Design/methodology/approachThe paper addresses a sample of 412 employees nested in 73 groups and tests an original model using structural equation modeling.FindingsResults show that abusive supervision would indirectly promote subordinates' knowledge hiding toward coworkers via emotional exhaustion, and team abusive supervision differentiation has a positive moderating effect on the above indirect relationship.Practical implicationsHuman resource management (HRM) practices should be used to reduce abusive supervision both at individual and team level and minimize employees' emotional exhaustion, thereby affecting knowledge hiding from coworkers.Originality/valueResults show that whether a subordinate's experience of abusive supervision leads to knowledge hiding via emotional exhaustion depends on the level of team abusive supervision differentiation. This finding adds to the literature about abusive supervision and knowledge hiding.

Purpose The organizational success to achieve and maintain its competitiveness is ascribed in the effectiveness of its knowledge management (KM) system, which depends on its employees’ impetus to exhibit knowledge sharing behavior. When an employee hides knowledge, an organization somewhat loses its part of knowledge, which causes loss to the organization eventually. This study aims to examine the impact of personality traits and one’s ethnicity on knowledge hiding behavior (KHB) by focusing on mediating role of team member exchange (TMX). Design/methodology/approach A total 308 questionnaires are collected from the public sector organizations (Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Punjab, Pakistan), out of them 300 are used in the analysis. Through Google e-survey form, cross-sectional data using convenience sampling are collected from the Gazetted officers (managerial level) of the department. Findings The paper provides empirical insights about three personality traits, i.e. openness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, and ethnicity have positive relation with KHB, whereas TMX as a mediator converts this positive relation into negative. Remaining two personality traits, i.e. extraversion and agreeableness, have negative relation with KHB, whereas TMX as a mediator strengthens this negative relationship with KHB. Research limitations/implications The broad context of research and large number of items made it difficult to collect the responses. In future studies, 50 items of big five should be replaced with mini scale. Empirical explanation of the relation between ethnicity and knowledge hiding is an addition to body of knowledge in general, particularly in context of Pakistan. Practical implications This study has the power to help managers in managing their team members and to understand what kind of personality and social group involvements promote knowledge sharing culture within the organization. Originality/value To broaden the understanding of KM domain, this study adds value in the relationship between big five personality traits, ethnicity and KHB of employees by finding the mediating effect of TMX in the context of Pakistani organizations.

PurposeAlthough scholars have provided sufficient empirical evidence on the effectiveness of organizational rewards in managing knowledge sharing, little attention has been paid to the relationship between organizational rewards and knowledge hiding. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to investigate the effects of financial and nonfinancial rewards on employees' knowledge-hiding behavior as well as the moderating role of task attributes.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the hypotheses by conducting a time-lagged survey from a sample of 186 knowledge workers in Chinese high-tech firms.FindingsThe findings of this study reveal that financial rewards are positively associated with knowledge hiding, whereas nonfinancial rewards have a negative effect on knowledge. Moreover, task interdependence significantly moderates the effects of organizational rewards on employees' knowledge-hiding behavior. In addition, the interaction between nonfinancial rewards and task complexity is negatively related to knowledge hiding.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to investigate the effects of financial rewards and nonfinancial rewards on employees' knowledge-hiding behavior, as well as the moderating roles of task interdependence and task complexity.

Purpose This study aims to test the relationship between perceived coworker social undermining and knowledge hiding behavior among Pakistani doctors working in hospitals. This study further investigates the mediating role of employee cynicism (EC) and the moderating role of family social support between the association of family social support and knowledge hiding. Design/methodology/approach Time lagged approach was used to collect the data from 391 trainee doctors working in large hospitals in Pakistan. Findings The findings suggest that coworker social undermining is significantly related to EC and knowledge hiding behaviors. EC mediates the relationship between EC and knowledge hiding. Furthermore, family social support was found to play a buffer role such that the indirect effect of social undermining on knowledge hiding through cynicism was weak for those who received high family social support and vice versa. Originality/value Knowledge hiding is deleterious to effective organizational functioning. This study adds to knowledge about the relationship between coworker social undermining and knowledge hiding behavior. This research extends the existing research streams of social undermining and knowledge hiding research to one of the underrepresented South Asian context, Pakistan.

PurposeThis study aims to identify and classify the range of antecedents of counterproductive knowledge behavior (CKB) to provide a better understanding of their implications for addressing CKB.Design/methodology/approachThe study includes three studies. Using meta-analysis (Study 1) and meta-synthesis (Study 2), the authors reviewed extant primary quantitative and qualitative studies to aggregate information on the antecedents of CKB identified to date. In Study 3, these antecedents were modeled schematically by using the matrix of cross-impact multiplications (MICMAC) analysis.FindingsThe meta-analysis and meta-synthesis (Studies 1 and 2) yielded 28 antecedents of CKB. These were categorized into five groups of characteristics, relating to the workplace, leadership, interpersonal, individual differences and knowledge. Then, in Study 3, the antecedents were categorized according to their interrelatedness and strength of effects (using four quadrants comprising autonomous, dependence, driving and linkage factors).Originality/valueThis study takes an integrative approach to the CKB literature, both by aggregating underlying constructs (knowledge hoarding, hiding, etc.) and in aggregating quantitative and qualitative literature. This prevents silos and integrates knowledge across a range of CKB studies. Besides, the authors reveal the relative role of antecedents by modeling them.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among knowledge attributes (complexity and implicitness), interpersonal distrust, knowledge hiding (KH) and team efficacy and second, to explore a new dimension of KH.Design/methodology/approachData for this research were collected from more than 940 employees working in manufacturing, information technology (IT), finance and the purification industry. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized relationships.FindingsFirst, the research confirmed the existence of bullying hiding behaviors in the knowledge economy era based on “knowledge power.” Second, the findings suggest that knowledge attributes are an important predictor of KH behaviors in organizations. The findings implicate the mediating effect of interpersonal distrust and the moderating role of team efficacy, while team efficacy negatively moderated the relationships between interpersonal distrust with evasive hiding and playing dumb, but positively moderated the relationship between interpersonal distrust with rationalized hiding and bullying hiding.Originality/valueThis is the first study to propose bullying hiding, a behavior that has emerged in organizational knowledge transfer, and it is more detrimental to knowledge sharing than other KH behaviors. The results of research on the different regulating effects of team efficacy on KH behaviors enrich the boundary conditions of KH research.

PurposeAlthough studies have demonstrated that knowledge hiding is an important inhibitor of organizational innovation, current research does not clearly address how intragroup relationship conflict influences knowledge hiding. This study aims to identify the underlying mechanism between intra-group relationship conflict and knowledge hiding.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on affective events theory (AET), the authors propose a theoretical model and empirically test it by applying hierarchical regression analysis and a bootstrapping approach to data from a multi-wave survey of 224 employees in China.FindingsConsistent with AET, the empirical results show that envy mediates perceived intragroup relationship conflict and knowledge hiding. As predicted, trait competitiveness moderates the indirect effect of perceived intragroup relationship conflict on knowledge hiding via envy.Originality/valueThe results support an AET perspective whereby knowledge hiding is shaped by relationship conflict, envy and trait competitiveness. This study introduces the novel proposition that relationship conflict and competitiveness influence envy, and consequently knowledge hiding.

PurposeFront line employees (FLEs) duel challenges of handling exceedingly customer demands and stressful supervision. Service organizations highly dependent on knowledge sharing among organizational employees. This study incorporates the unique internal and external negative forces of abusive supervision and customer mistreatment, forming a negative emotion towards the organization and customers and reduces the knowledge sharing appetite. This study aims to demonstrate the effect of the abusive supervision and customer mistreatment on the revenge attitude and felt obligation to moderate the knowledge hiding.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data collected from the 201 lower rank police officers, who were directly interacting with their respective supervisors and public members (customers). Cross-sectional collected data analysed using structural equation modelling partial least square regression in SmartPLS 3.1.FindingsFLEs perceived abusive supervision and customer mistreatment significantly influence the revenge attitude. The revenge attitude significantly explicates the lack of sharing, playing dumb and rationalized knowledge hiding among FLEs. However, the effect of revenge attitude on the evasive knowledge hiding was insignificant. Moreover, the effect of felt obligation significantly explains the evasive and playing dumb knowledge hiding among the FLEs. Felt obligation significantly moderates the revenge attitude and playing dumb knowledge hiding.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of study included the direct and indirect role of other factors that can bring more understanding of the knowledge hiding behaviors in the future research. These factors could be culture, service delivery nature and work system at the macro-level,and personality type, ability to focus and locus of control at a personal level, inducing the knowledge hiding behaviors.Practical implicationsThe study results highlight the consequences of abusive supervision and mistreatment from the customer as a revenge attitude among the FLEs. Moreover, the revenge attitude may not leads to knowledge hiding with harmful purposes. However, felt obligation at a personal level can reduce the knowledge hiding attitudes at the workplace. A trust climate can promote knowledge sharing.Originality/valueThe study is the first of its kind to explore the FLEs negative emotion of revenge triggered by the abusive supervision and mistreatment from customer leads to different aspects of knowledge hidings. Knowledge hiding is not always associated with the negative motivation and curtailed with the promotion of felt obligation at employee levels. The study also extends the knowledge hiding behaviours antecedents within the work settings. Moreover, the management of knowledge hiding behaviours curtailed with the enhancement of employees felt an obligation. Service industries need to realize the importance of managing customer expectation and supervisor role for better service performance with the promotion of knowledge sharing within the organization.

PurposeDrawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to explore the influencing mechanism of exploitative leadership on knowledge hiding. Specifically, this study focuses on the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of hostile attribution bias in affecting the mediation.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 324 employees of a high-technology company in China by a three-wave questionnaire survey. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping approach were employed to test hypotheses.FindingsThis study found that exploitative leadership was positively related to knowledge hiding and that psychological distress mediated this relationship. Moreover, the results revealed that the positive relationship between exploitative leadership and psychological distress and the indirect effect of exploitative leadership on knowledge hiding via psychological distress were stronger when hostile attribution was high rather than low.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study offer guidance for managers to better undermine the negative effects of exploitative leadership.Originality/valueFirst, this study extends the literature on exploitative leadership by verifying the positive effect of exploitative leadership on knowledge hiding. Second, this study enriches one’s understanding of the “black box” underlying the link between exploitative leadership and its consequences by demonstrating the mediating role of psychological distress. Third, by verifying the moderating role of hostile attribution bias, this study provides insights into the boundary conditions of the impact of exploitative leadership.

Purpose Reducing employees’ knowledge hiding is vital for enterprise managers. The development of enterprise social media brings opportunities for them to manage employees’ knowledge-hiding behaviors. However, whether the use of enterprise social media inhibits or promotes knowledge hiding is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore how enterprise social media usage affect employees' knowledge hiding. Design/methodology/approach Based on the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation model, this paper proposes a research model to investigate the relationship between enterprise social media usage and knowledge hiding, using a structural equation modeling analysis of 288 employees’ data. Findings The results show that work-related public social media usage has an inhibiting effect on employees’ knowledge hiding, whereas the effect of work-related private social media usage on employees’ knowledge hiding is not significant; socially related public social media and private social media usage has a promoting effect on employees’ knowledge hiding; and job engagement acts in a positive moderating role between socially related private and public social media usage and evasive hiding. Originality/value First, this paper contributes to knowledge-hiding literature by revealing the relationship between enterprise social media usage and knowledge hiding. Second, this study contributes to motivation theory by clarifying how the use of enterprise social media with different motivations affects knowledge hiding. Third, this paper also contributes to knowledge-hiding literature by revealing a boundary condition, namely, job engagement.

PurposeThis study, based on social exchange theory, aims to explore knowledge hiding behavior in relation to shared goals of individuals working in teams and trust (cognitive-based trust and affective-based trust) as a boundary condition on shared goals and knowledge hiding relationship.Design/methodology/approachA total sample of 270 reliable questionnaires are collected from university students in China. SPSS and AMOS are employed for the data analysis of the proposed model.FindingsFindings of the study have indicated that shared goals are negatively associated with knowledge hiding behavior. Furthermore, trust (cognitive-based trust and affective-based trust) moderates the relationship between shared goals and knowledge hiding behavior.Practical implicationsThis study has provided empirical proof and in-depth understanding and recommendations for supervisors and administrative authorities to form the culture of groups/teams with shared goals to reduce the undesirable individual behaviors.Originality/valueThis study, among the first empirical studies investigating the relationship between shared goals and knowledge hiding behavior, trust as a moderator, enriches the existing academic literature of and provides valuable insight into the research on knowledge hiding and knowledge management.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between knowledge-hiding behaviors (evasive hiding, playing dumb and rationalized hiding) and employees’ silence (defensive silence, relational silence and ineffectual silence). Besides, this paper investigates the relation mediated by psychological contract breach. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected with three-time lags (40 days each) through a structured questionnaire from 389 employees of registered software houses in Pakistan. The structural equation modeling (partial least squares) approach is used for data analysis. Findings The findings of this study confirm that knowledge-hiding behaviors have a significant and positive relationship with employees’ silence, and psychological contract breach significantly mediates the relationship between knowledge-hiding behaviors and employees’ silence. Practical implications The implications of this study are very supportive to the knowledge-intensive organizations, i.e. software houses. The management should increase the knowledge sharing and trust culture among employees to discourage the knowledge-hiding behaviors among employees. Moreover, supervisors should develop trust among employees, motivate them to avoid knowledge hiding and encourage the employees to raise their voices against their problems in a formal way. Originality/value The present study highlights the impact of different dimensions of knowledge hiding on employees’ silence and the role of psychological contract breach as a mediator in this scenario.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the multi-level (individual, interpersonal and firm) consequences of top-down knowledge hiding in firms. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a multiple case study methodology by studying nine United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based firms. Furthermore, 26 semi-structured interviews with managers based in 9 different firms are undertaken. Findings Based on the qualitative interviews and comprehensive data analysis, four individual, one interpersonal and two firm-level consequences emerged. In addition, the consequences of top-down knowledge hiding are not multi-level, but multi-faceted too. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study are not generalizable to a broader population. Second, this study explores behavioral patterns with respect to UAE culture only. Practical implications Firms can use the findings from this study to understand the multi-level and multi-faceted consequences of top-down knowledge hiding in firms. Also, this study provides some constructive guidelines to firms/senior management to mitigate the consequences of knowledge hiding in firms. Originality/value This study contributes to knowledge hiding literature by revealing multi-level and multi-faceted consequences of top-down knowledge hiding in firms.

PurposeThis study aims to explore an interpersonal predictor of coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior – the leader–member exchange social comparison (LMXSC). This study integrates leader–member exchange literature with social comparison theory to hypothesize that an individual’s upward LMXSC is positively correlated with coworkers-directed knowledge hiding and that an individual’s feelings of envy are mediated by the relationship between upward LMXSC and coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. Also, this study proposes two-way and three-way interaction patterns of goal interdependence, which can influence LMXSC–envy relationships.Design/methodology/approachTwo independent studies are conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. In Study 1, the authors collected multi-wave data from a large public sector university in China (N = 1,131). The authors then replicated the Study 1 findings by collecting multi-source and multi-wave data from a telecom company based in China (n = 379).FindingsThe authors found support across both studies for the idea that upward LMXSC is a possible interpersonal predictor of coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. More specifically, it was found that feelings of envy ensue from upward LMXSC, resulting in further coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. Further, this study shows that the influence of upward LMXSC on knowledge hiding behavior via feelings of envy was weaker (stronger) when employees have high (low) cooperative goal interdependence with coworkers, respectively, and when employees have low (high) competitive goal interdependence with the coworkers, respectively.Originality/valueThis study extends current knowledge management literature by introducing LMXSC as an interpersonal predictor of coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. This will help practitioners to curb such counterproductive behavior.

PurposeKnowledge sharing is believed to enhance creativity; however, the purpose of this study is to find out how and when knowledge hiding perception of target affects creativity of IT professionals.Design/methodology/approachUsing a temporally segregated survey based data from IT professionals, this study investigates a three-way interplay of knowledge hiding, supervisor support for creativity and creative self-efficacy to examine employee’s creativity. Time lagged data were collected from 253 respondents working in IT-based organizations across Pakistan.FindingsFindings provide interesting insights revealing that knowledge hiding perception of target enhances target’s creativity through the mechanism of benign envy. Another appealing finding is that the three-way interaction effect of supervisor support and creative self-efficacy is found to weaken the effect of knowledge hiding perception on employee creativity.Originality/valueThis is first of its kind study which is specifically related target’s knowledge hiding perception with their own creativity among IT professionals. This study further explores the mechanism of benign envy as a motivational drive through which target’s knowledge hiding perception enhances creativity. The cumulative role of conditional factors that affect knowledge hiding perception to creativity link from target’s perspective has also been clarified. Most of the studies focus on benefits of knowledge sharing and ignoring the outcomes of knowledge hiding.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how firms can mitigate knowledge hiding behavior among their managers.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a multiple case study methodology for studying nine United Arab Emirates-based (UAE-based) firms. Furthermore, 26 semi-structured interviews with senior managers are undertaken.FindingsBased on the qualitative interviews and comprehensive data analysis, results unveil three strategies that firms can opt for in order to mitigate knowledge hiding behavior among managers (reducing chain of command, developing informal interaction among managers, introducing and implementing incentive policy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some limitations. First, the results of this study are not generalizable to a broader population. Second, this study explores behavioral patterns with respect to the UAE culture only.Practical implicationsFirms can use the findings from this study to understand strategies that can help them to mitigate the knowledge hiding behavior of managers.Originality/valueThis study contributes to knowledge hiding literature by revealing strategies which discourages knowledge hiding behavior in firms.

PurposeStatus is a key in the workplace. Although status is desirable when it has positive outcomes, little is known about its negative consequences. This study investigates both the bright and dark sides of workplace status in terms of employees' feelings and behaviors.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 227 employees in various industries at two time points.FindingsWorkplace status is associated with knowledge hiding through two opposing mechanisms: felt obligation to share knowledge and feeling envied.Practical implicationsManagers may need to direct high-status employees' attention to felt obligation to share knowledge and shift their attention away from feeling envied.Originality/valueOur study enriches the understanding of workplace status by theoretically proposing and empirically testing a comprehensive framework that simultaneously considers its positive and negative impacts.

Purpose The current study aims to explore the relationship between time perspective and knowledge hiding at the workplace. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using purposive sampling technique from (n = 425) employees representing five sectors of companies. Findings Holding onto negative experiences of the past (past negative TP) and perceiving that one cannot control the outcomes of a circumstance (fatalistic TP) predict all three types of knowledge hiding. Staying in a perspective of working towards achieving a goal (futuristic TP) was negatively (although insignificantly) associated with knowledge hiding. Practical implications If organizations focus on shifting the time perspective of employees towards the future, KH can be curtailed. Consequently, knowledge management can be enhanced. Originality/value A decade of research has focused upon identifying dynamics of knowledge hiding at multiple levels, yet, the influence of TP on knowledge hiding is a novel empirical contribution to literature.

Purpose This paper examines the ethical dilemmas of a multi-dimensional contributor and end-user in the world of knowledge management by underscoring the different techniques of knowledge hiding observed in practice. Design/methodology/approach We categorize the ethical issues into identity, ownership, privacy, and reputation. We also analyze the different knowledge hiding techniques organizations can use to provide privacy to their contributors. Findings To help organizations better understand how to implement knowledge hiding, we present a new typology: the Heptagon Model. Originality/value This manuscript provides a practice-oriented overview of the key knowledge hiding techniques. This overview provides the reader with an introduction to techniques used in an emerging and vital construct.

Purpose The nature of knowledge and the way it is assimilated do play a vital role in influencing knowledge sharing tendencies. These specific factors coupled with the ineffectiveness of the intrinsic knowledge management system point towards an inherent knowledge hiding tendency that exists within every organization. Knowledge hiding is established as an intentional attempt to hide knowledge when it is requested. In the recent past, scholars have investigated the factors causing hiding of the task-related knowledge. However, there is still no clear understanding of the strategic factors that lead to knowledge hiding in organizations and which of these factors are the most critical ones. The purpose of this paper is to identify the most critical strategic factors that cause knowledge hiding in different contexts. Design/methodology/approach This research study tries to identify these factors from the literature, corroborate it with industry experts and model the same with the aid of total interpretive structural modelling. This is followed by Matrice d'Impacts Croises Multiplication Appliquée a un Classement and sensitivity analysis, which determines the unique driving factors and their powers, which vary based on industry sectors and years of work experience. Findings This study found out that knowledge hiding behaviour is more pronounced in the initial years of an individual within the organization and similarly in the final years of an individual within the organization. In a period in between both these, there are no critical driving factors that infuse knowledge hiding. Originality/value This is one of the first comprehensive research studies that unravel the dynamic nature of the strategic factors engendering knowledge hiding across two different dimensions, namely, industry sectors and work-experience of individuals. This study categorically aims to aid the management in bringing out necessary interventions to curb the menace of knowledge hiding.

PurposeContemporary organizations report a sharp increase in the incidences of workplace incivility. The purpose of this paper is to capture the impact of workplace incivility on the victimized employee's knowledge-hiding behaviours. The paper proposes that the victim will hide knowledge by playing dumb, evasive hiding and rationalized hiding behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe paper first focusses on a review of literature on workplace incivility and summarizes the findings through a conceptual review model. Subsequently, the paper puts forth a conceptual model depicting the relationship of incivility with knowledge hiding.FindingsDrawing from the affective events theory, the paper demonstrates that incivility will arouse negative emotions in the victim, enticing the individual to respond by engaging in knowledge hiding. It establishes knowledge hiding to be more than just a consequence of reciprocal exchange relationships. The authors also propose this positive relationship to vary with gender.Originality/valueThe paper draws attention towards the counterproductive knowledge behaviours that can be stirred as a result of negative emotional experiences. It explores the employee’s response to an active form of workplace mistreatment, workplace incivility. It advocates the need to check uncivil and disrespectful behaviours in the organization so as to build a healthy work environment.

Purpose Though there have been umpteen discussions on knowledge sharing in organizations, there is a dearth of discussion on knowledge hiding acts, especially in learning organizations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce this novel construct “knowledge hiding” and to highlight its relevant aspects crucial to organizations. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews published articles on knowledge hiding and proposes four broad categories to distinguish the causes of knowledge hiding. This paper further suggests substantial measures that managers need to emphasize for dealing with the dimensions that influence knowledge hiding acts, to alleviate or mitigate the causes behind knowledge hiding acts at the workplace. Findings This paper identifies the causes of knowledge hiding behaviors and segregates these causes under four broad categories, i.e. person-related, job-related, coworkers-related, and organization-related causes. Originality/value This paper provides valuable information on knowledge hiding acts in the workplace to the practitioners in a simplified structure, along with some practical remedies to manage such acts.

PurposeAlthough organizations expect employees to share knowledge with each other, knowledge hiding has been documented among coworker dyads. This paper aims to draw on social exchange theory to examine if and why knowledge hiding also occurs in teams.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies, using experimental (115 student participants on 29 teams) and field (309 employees on 92 teams) data, explore the influence of leader-member exchange (LMX) on knowledge hiding in teams, as well as the moderating role of collective (team-level) prosocial motivation.FindingsThe results of experimental Study 1 showed that collective prosocial motivation and LMX reduce knowledge hiding in teams. Field Study 2 further examined LMX, through its distinctive economic and social facets, and revealed the interaction effect of team prosocial motivation and social LMX on knowledge hiding.Originality/valueThis study complements existing research on knowledge hiding by focusing specifically on the incidence of this phenomenon among members of the same team. This paper presents a multi-level model that explores collective prosocial motivation as a cross-level predictor of knowledge hiding in teams, and examines economic LMX and social LMX as two facets of LMX.

PurposeKnowledge hiding as an important topic in knowledge management field might be triggered by abusive supervision, but few studies discussed how to alleviate the effect of abusive supervision on knowledge hiding. Drawing on both reactance theory and conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to build a moderated mediation framework to examine effects of abusive supervision on knowledge hiding via job insecurity and under moderation of motivational climate (including mastery climate and performance climate).Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a two-wave survey study among 155 knowledge workers from educational and manufacturing industries.FindingsResults show that abusive supervision is not significantly related to knowledge hiding directly but indirectly via job insecurity. Abusive supervision’s interaction with mastery climate is negatively related to knowledge hiding, but its interaction with performance climate is positively related to knowledge hiding. The indirect relation of abusive supervision to knowledge hiding via job insecurity is significantly moderated by mastery climate but not by performance climate.Research limitations/implicationsDespite contributions, this study also has some limitations. Variables rated from the same source (i.e. employees) may have common method bias although the two-wave design does help alleviate this concern.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights important reasons why people hide knowledge at work (because of abusive supervision and job insecurity) and identifies a boundary condition (mastery climate) which will reduce abusive supervision’s influence on knowledge hiding.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to knowledge hiding literature which is an important part of knowledge management from the perspective of abusive supervision based on both reactance theory and COR theory.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the curvilinear relationship between knowledge leadership and knowledge hiding and the moderating role of psychological ownership on influencing the curvilinear relationship.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 403 data were collected from participants in a high-technology company via a two-wave survey. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsResults revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between knowledge leadership and knowledge hiding. The employees exhibited more knowledge hiding in a moderate level of knowledge leadership than in lower and higher levels of knowledge leadership. Moreover, psychological ownership significantly moderated the curvilinear relationship such that the inverted U-shaped relationship was more pronounced among employees with high psychological ownership.Practical implicationsEmployees’ reaction to knowledge leadership may vary from different levels of knowledge leadership. Moreover, organizations should boost employees’ psychological ownership especially for the collective identity that helps them own knowledge as “ours.”Originality/valueThis study extends both the leadership and knowledge management behavior literatures.

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to better understand the human aspects of open innovation in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by exploring how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation influence enjoyment in helping others, knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding and consequently firms’ open innovation. Design/methodology/approach – We collected data with a survey among CEOs in 140 SMEs and performed confirmatory factor analysis applying structural equation modeling in IBM SPSS AMOS (v. 26). Findings – Results reveal that intrinsic motivation is positively associated with helping behavior and knowledge sharing and negatively associated with knowledge hiding. We also confirm the positive relationship between extrinsic motivation and knowledge sharing. Moreover, we find that knowledge sharing increases and knowledge hiding decreases the firm-level open innovation. Especially in high-tech industry, knowledge sharing is a vital determinant of open innovation. Originality/value – Responding to the calls for a deeper understanding of the individual-level factors that determine organization-level open innovation, in this research we focus on the human aspect of open innovation in SMEs. Open innovation is a widely recognized and implemented concept among large corporations and facilitates better understanding of new technological and market developments both within and outside of organizations. However, understanding of the microfoundations of open innovation in smaller firms is still limited, but this steam of research is growing rapidly.

Purpose Knowledge is considered as a strategic asset for the organizations, especially for knowledge-intensive firms. Research and development (R&D) is a significant unit in organizations, as it is devoted to knowledge creation and transfer. The success of any R&D project in an organization depends on its innovative value and the transfer of knowledge to the employees. This study aims to focus on factors triggering knowledge-hiding behavior among R&D employees, thus disrupting the knowledge creation in the organization. Design/methodology/approach The grounded theory approach has been used to analyze qualitative data collected from 19 in-depth interviews of R&D professionals (middle and junior level) working in Indian pharmaceutical firms. Findings The study identified factors that triggered knowledge-hiding behavior among employees. These factors include distrust, competitive work environment, perceived career insecurity, lack of recognition, lack of reciprocation and lack of confidence in own knowledge. In addition, four hiding strategies used by employees to hide their knowledge from their fellow members were explored and identified: playing innocent, being misleader/evasive hiding, rationalized hiding and counter-questioning. Research limitations/implications Besides improving the understanding of knowledge-hiding behavior, particularly in the Indian context, this study has implications for both managerial practices and organizational policies. Originality/value This paper highlights the factors influencing knowledge-hiding behavior among R&D employees. Knowledge-hiding construct has not been adequately studied; however, it prevails in the organization and has potential to influence various individual- and organizational-level outcomes. In addition, ways of hiding knowledge used by employees were identified and new forms of strategies named “counter-questioning” were found.