Between sharing and hiding: How consumers shade knowledge

Abstract

This paper advances research on consumer knowledge management by introducing the concept of knowledge shading, a middle ground between fully sharing and completely hiding knowledge. The analysis of 47 interviews with fishers and netnographic data identifies how consumers strategically navigate complex tensions between individual and collective interests. It uncovers four scenarios where knowledge takes different roles (scarce, vested, sanctioned, and essential) and how these scenarios shape consumers’ knowledge management decisions. When these scenarios intersect, consumers engage in knowledge shading through six approaches: generalizing, misdirecting, withholding, coding, managing, and bartering. The findings contribute theoretically by challenging the binary view of knowledge sharing versus hiding, explaining why and how consumers shade knowledge, and discussing the effect of knowledge sharing, hiding, and shading for the evolution of consumption practices. The research also provides managerial recommendations for brands to manage how consumers share, hide, and shade knowledge.