Neighbour's Hens Looking like Turkeys? Understanding the Effect of Envy on Knowledge-Hiding

Abstract

The literature on knowledge hiding has been growing since the mid-2020s, with studies examining the antecedents, outcomes, and boundary conditions of knowledge hiding at workplaces. However, less empirical attention has been paid to the association between the emotions employees experience at work and knowledge hiding directed at co-workers. Accordingly, based on the Conservative Resources (COR) theory, this study aims to empirically test a novel model that examines the influence of perceived workplace envy on co-worker-directed knowledge hiding behaviour of individuals, with emotional exhaustion as the mediator. The study also examines whether supervisor undermining acts as a boundary condition in the relationships mentioned above. The authors plan to collect data by surveying 350-400 employees working in IT/ITES companies in India. The data will be collected at 2 time points – responses on workplace envy, supervisor undermining, and other demographic variables will be collected at time point 1. After a gap of 2-3 months, data on emotional exhaustion and knowledge hiding behaviour will be collected. To test the research hypotheses, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) will be employed. The authors expect the findings to reveal the following: perceived workplace envy positively correlates with co-worker directed knowledge hiding behaviour; emotional exhaustion acts as a mediator between envy and knowledge hiding; and supervisor undermining moderates the positive correlation between perceived workplace envy and emotional exhaustion. This study extends the knowledge management literature by exploring the association between employee emotions and knowledge hiding behaviour. In addition, from a conservation of resources perspective, the study uncovers a critical underlying mechanism, emotional exhaustion, and explains how comparison-based emotions like envy experienced by the envious person lead to knowledge hiding from the envied person. Furthermore, from a practical perspective, understanding the nuances of knowledge hiding among employees enables practitioners to design effective strategies to curb such behaviours in the workplace.