Following in the Footsteps: An Empirical Model of LeaderSignaled Knowledge Hiding by Subordinates

Knowledge hiding depresses outcomes at the individual, team, and organizational levels, yet its causes are not sufficiently studied. This research studied numerous vital antecedents of knowledge hiding that are previously not examined together. We used social learning theory to explain the mechanism and conditions that induce knowledge hiding. The three-phased data were collected from 121 sales and marketing employees working in life insurance companies of Pakistan through an online survey using the measures validated in prior research. The results supported that self-serving leadership propels knowledge hiding in subordinates by signalling tolerability of such behavior. The employee Machiavellianism and a competitive work environment strengthened this relationship. The findings add to the literature on leadership and knowledge hiding behavior by examining how workers perceive knowledge hiding signals from their leaders, especially when the leader himself demonstrates self-serving conduct. The implications of these findings for theory and practices are discussed.