The psychology behind knowledge hiding: Exploring resource preservation motives and their impact on employee well-being and performance.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the phenomenon of knowledge hiding in organizational settings by examining its antecedents and consequences at the employee level. Specifically, the study seeks to uncover the underlying factors that drive individuals to engage in knowledge hiding behavior and to understand the subsequent effects this behavior has on employees.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This study employs an exploratory qualitative design. Data were collected through open-ended essays administered via an online research platform, with responses obtained from 50 full-time employees across varied industries. The essays were analyzed using thematic analysis, following open, axial, and selective coding, allowing for the identification of both the antecedents and outcomes of knowledge hiding.

FINDINGS: The study highlights that personal antecedents such as indispensability, moral disengagement, and concerns over career prospects were associated with knowledge hiding behavior. Similarly, contextual antecedents including task interdependence and the presence (or absence) of ethical leadership were perceived by participants to shape knowledge-hiding behaviors within organizations. Further, the findings suggest that overall knowledge hiding was associated with adverse effects on critical employee outcomes, leading to reduced creative and innovative performance, diminished psychological well-being, and compromised task performance.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study advances the knowledge hiding literature by simultaneously uncovering its personal and contextual antecedents and linking them to multiple employee outcomes. This study also enhances theoretical understanding and offers a more nuanced foundation for future research in organizational behavior and knowledge management. It also advances the conservation of resources theory by examining how resource preservation motivations drive knowledge hiding behaviors in organizational settings.