Empirical Research on the Influencing Factors of Users' Knowledge Hiding Behavior in Virtual Question-and-Answer Community

Abstract

[Purpose/Significance] Knowledge hiding behaviors in virtual communities seriously hinder knowledge communication and dissemination. This paper aims to explore the influencing factors of users' knowledge hiding behaviors in virtual question-and-answer communities and put forward suggestions for improving the degree of knowledge communication in virtual communities. [Method/Process] Based on existing theories, this paper analyzes 7 factors affecting knowledge hiding behavior from three aspects of personal characteristics, situational atmosphere and knowledge characteristics, so as to build a second-order reflective research model and take involvement as a moderator variable. We conducted an empirical analysis through a questionnaire survey and using the structural equation modeling (SEM). [Results/Conclusions] It is found that personal characteristics (self-inefficacy and knowledge-based psychological ownership) and knowledge characteristics (tacit knowledge and knowledge complexity) have significant positive effects on knowledge hiding behavior. In detail, self-inefficacy is the most influential one. Situational atmosphere has no significant influence on knowledge hiding behavior. In addition, involvement has no significant moderating effect on personal characteristics, situational atmosphere and knowledge characteristics.

Keywords

• virtual question-and-answer community|knowledge hiding behavior|involvement|structural equation modeling (sem)