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Impact of shared goals on knowledge hiding behavior: the moderating role of trust

Muhammad Athar Nadeem (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China)
Zhiying Liu (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China)
Usman Ghani (College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China)
Amna Younis (School of Public Affairs, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China)
Yi Xu (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China)

Management Decision

ISSN: 0025-1747

Article publication date: 4 September 2020

Issue publication date: 2 July 2021

1736

Abstract

Purpose

This study, based on social exchange theory, aims to explore knowledge hiding behavior in relation to shared goals of individuals working in teams and trust (cognitive-based trust and affective-based trust) as a boundary condition on shared goals and knowledge hiding relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A total sample of 270 reliable questionnaires are collected from university students in China. SPSS and AMOS are employed for the data analysis of the proposed model.

Findings

Findings of the study have indicated that shared goals are negatively associated with knowledge hiding behavior. Furthermore, trust (cognitive-based trust and affective-based trust) moderates the relationship between shared goals and knowledge hiding behavior.

Practical implications

This study has provided empirical proof and in-depth understanding and recommendations for supervisors and administrative authorities to form the culture of groups/teams with shared goals to reduce the undesirable individual behaviors.

Originality/value

This study, among the first empirical studies investigating the relationship between shared goals and knowledge hiding behavior, trust as a moderator, enriches the existing academic literature of and provides valuable insight into the research on knowledge hiding and knowledge management.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Editor-in-Chief (Dr Brandon Randolph-Seng), Associate Editor (Sanjay Singh), Editorial Board and two Anonymous Reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions during the review process.Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Funding information: This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project Fund No. 71472172) and Project Fund No. WY2040150003.

Citation

Nadeem, M.A., Liu, Z., Ghani, U., Younis, A. and Xu, Y. (2021), "Impact of shared goals on knowledge hiding behavior: the moderating role of trust", Management Decision, Vol. 59 No. 6, pp. 1312-1332. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-09-2019-1197

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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