Effect of Knowledge Hiding on Individual’s (Hider’s) Job Performance

Introduction:

Organizations want their employees to share knowledge with each other

because knowledge sharing creates a culture of trust among employees and it effects

the performance of organization and the individuals as well (Collins & Smith, 2006;

Davenport & Prusak, 1998), Many organizations have created the system and processes

to help employees in sharing knowledge to each other (Wang & Noe, 2010).

Organization have not been able to successfully create a culture of knowledge transfer

among employees in spite of their efforts, because organization cannot force their

employees to share their knowledge among each other. Reluctance to share knowledge

exists even if the employees are given incentives (e.g., Bock, Zmud, Kim, & Lee, 2005;

Swap, Leonard, Shields, & Abrams, 2001). Research suggests that knowledge hiding

decreases the creativity of the individual (Cerne, Nerstad, Dysvik, & Škerlavaj, 2014).

It creates mistrust between coworkers by forming a cycle of reprisal and damages the

interpersonal relations. This paper will discuss the effect of knowledge hiding on the

job performance of an individual. However, effect of knowledge hiding can be studied

on the job performance of the hider as well as the seeker but in this paper

The concept of knowledge hiding has most recently been used in an

organizational setting and it has been defined as “intentional attempt by an individual

to withhold or conceal knowledge that has been requested by another person

“(Connelly, Zweig, Webster, & Trougakos, 2012). Knowledge hiding has three

dimensions: rationalized hiding, where the hider gives a rationale as to why the

knowledge is not necessary to be provided; evasive hiding, where the hider tries to

avoid giving all the information that has been requested and playing dumb, where the

hider pretends that he/she does not have the knowledge (Connelly et al., 2012). For

example, an employee asks coworker for a copy of a report but he/she rejects the request
 Effect of Knowledge Hiding on Individual’s (Hider’s) Job Performance

by saying that he cannot provide the report because it is confidential. In this case, the

knowledge has been concealed so it is rationalized hiding. In another situation, the hider

does not give the full of copy of the report. It is evasive hiding. There can be a situation

in which the hider rejects the request by saying that he does not hold the copy of the

report. In this case, it is called playing dumb.

Job performance of the individual is a multidimensional concept. On the most basic

level it has two aspects; process aspect, that relates to employee behavior while doing

a job for which he/she has been hired and the outcome aspect; the result of that behavior

(Borman and Motowidlo, 1993; Campbell, McCloy, Oppler, and Sager, 1993; Roe,

1999). Job performance can be assessed from the output of that individual from the

goals which he was given and the behavior while doing the job from the superior and

from the coworkers.

Hypotheses:

Knowledge hiding has negative effect on individual’s job performance.

Objective:

 This study will be conducted to measure whether the employees tend to hide

the knowledge.

 To figure out what kind of knowledge hiding behaviour is present in the

individuals; whether it is rationalized hiding, evasive hiding or playing dumb.

 To measure overall job performance of the individual.

 To measure the relationship of knowledge hiding and job performance of an

individual.
 Effect of Knowledge Hiding on Individual’s (Hider’s) Job Performance

Research Methodology:

Questionnaire technique will be used for data collection on knowledge hiding and job

performance. Data will be collected on knowledge hiding from the employees of

selected organizations and their job performance will be evaluated by their supervisors

and their coworkers through questionnaires.

Significance:

 This study emphasises on the importance of knowledge sharing in an

organization.

 It will be helpful for organization to assess whether knowledge sharing effects

the job performance of an individual.

 This study can be useful in finding out the factors other than job performance

that can be effected by knowledge hiding.