How perceived overqualification influences knowledge hiding from the relational perspective: the moderating role of perceived overqualification differentiation
Journal of Knowledge Management
ISSN: 1367-3270
Article publication date: 25 October 2022
Issue publication date: 29 June 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Previous studies have examined the emotional mechanism between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding. Based on a relational perspective, this study aims to draw on social comparison theory to reveal the cognitive mechanism of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding, along with the mediating effect of relational identification. This research conceptualizes perceived overqualification differentiation and reveals the moderating effect of perceived overqualification differentiation on strengthening the link between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper conducts two times lagged research, addresses a sample of 216 employees nested in 47 groups from technology or R&D industries and uses structural equation modeling to test an original model.
Findings
The results show that perceived overqualification positively affects knowledge hiding; relational identification mediates this relationship; perceived overqualification differentiation moderates the effect of perceived overqualification on relational identification as well the indirect effect of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding via relational identification.
Originality/value
This paper shows the cognitive mechanism of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding. Moreover, this study also extends current perceived overqualification literature from a single individual level/a dyad level to a complex team level by conceptualizing the perceived overqualification differentiation. The research findings are helpful to guide team talent management and knowledge management in business management practice.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by National Key Program of Social science of China(No.21AZD012), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.71672084), and Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (No.KYCX22_0558).
Citation
Wu, Z., Zhou, X., Wang, Q. and Liu, J. (2023), "How perceived overqualification influences knowledge hiding from the relational perspective: the moderating role of perceived overqualification differentiation", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 27 No. 6, pp. 1720-1739. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-04-2022-0286
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited