When and how abusive supervision leads to knowledge hiding behaviors: An Islamic work ethics perspective
Leadership & Organization Development Journal
ISSN: 0143-7739
Article publication date: 24 July 2018
Issue publication date: 24 July 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors. The authors further investigate how abusive supervision is linked with knowledge hiding behaviors, and why some subordinates, unlike others, tend to engage in more knowledge hiding behaviors in response to abusive supervision. The authors propose that interpersonal justice mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors, and that Islamic work ethics (IWE) weaken the hypothesized relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were gathered in three time lags from 224 respondents working in the hospitality industry of Pakistan.
Findings
The results reveal that the abusive supervision is positively associated with a knowledge hiding behaviors. This relationship is mediated by perceptions of interpersonal justice, but the IWE moderated this relationship such that in the presence of high levels of IWE, the impact of abusive supervision on knowledge hiding behaviors is weak.
Practical implications
Employees’ values and beliefs can serve as a safeguard against reactions to abusive supervision. The impact of abusive supervision on employees’ behaviors may be minimized by building their ethical values around Islamic principles.
Originality/value
To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors. The authors integrate displaced aggression and social exchange theory with the IWE literature to offer new insights in-to the mechanisms and boundary conditions associated with the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors.
Keywords
Citation
Khalid, M., Bashir, S., Khan, A.K. and Abbas, N. (2018), "When and how abusive supervision leads to knowledge hiding behaviors: An Islamic work ethics perspective", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 39 No. 6, pp. 794-806. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-05-2017-0140
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited