Organizational rewards and knowledge hiding: task attributes as contingencies

Abstract

Purpose

Although 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/approach

This paper examines the hypotheses by conducting a time-lagged survey from a sample of 186 knowledge workers in Chinese high-tech firms.

Findings

The 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/value

This 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.

Citation

Zhang, Z. and Min, M. (2021), "Organizational rewards and knowledge hiding: task attributes as contingencies", Management Decision, Vol. 59 No. 10, pp. 2385-2404. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-02-2020-0150