Abusive supervision and knowledge hiding in service organizations: exploring the boundary conditions

Abstract

Purpose

Despite 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/approach

Two-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.

Findings

The 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/value

Given the complicated nature of KH, this is one of the few efforts that outstretch the boundary conditions of KH.

Citation

Ayub, A., Ajmal, T., Iqbal, S., Ghazanfar, S., Anwaar, M. and Ishaq, M. (2021), "Abusive supervision and knowledge hiding in service organizations: exploring the boundary conditions", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 725-746. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-02-2021-0029