Identifying and validating the antecedents and consequences of knowledge hoarding by knowledge workers

Abstract

Knowledge hoarding by knowledge workers deprives the organization of very valuable resources and can have many direct and indirect consequences. This research was conducted with the aim of identifying and validating its. This applied research has been done with a mixed sequential exploratory approach. Factors have been identified with a qualitative approach using thematic analysis method. The participants of this stage were the selected technical experts of Nahaja, and a semi-structured interview was used to survey their views. The quantitative stage was carried out in order to validate the identified factors. For this purpose, a questionnaire distributed among selected thecnical experts. These data were analysed through structural equation modeling (confirmatory factor analysis) and Smart Pls version 3 software. The findings showed that the antecedents of knowledge hoarding include individual factors (tendencies and interests, concerns and worries, motivations, individual traits and characteristics), interpersonal factors (communication factors), organizational factors (occupational factors, culture organizational, managerial factors, and structural factors), extra-organizational factors (social, cultural and economic factors). Also, the consequences of knowledge hoarding were classified into two categories of individual and organizational consequences. Quantitative analyzes also confirmed the significance of the relationship between the desired indicators and components. The results of this research can provide useful knowledge in this field to manage the phenomenon of knowledge hoarding. The simultaneous identification of factors affecting the occurrence of knowledge hoarding in the aforementioned four levels, as well as the consequences of this complication for knowledge workers and the organization, can provide an effective understanding for the management of this destructive organizational behavior. The simultaneous attention to the roots and individual and organizational consequences of this complication is considered the outstanding distinguishing feature of this research.

Keywords

• organizational knowledge management
• knowledge hoarding
• knowledge hoarding behavior
• antecidents of knowledge hoarding
• consequences of knowledge hoarding