Is knowledge a tenement? The mediating role of team member exchange over the relationship of big five personality traits and knowledge-hiding behavior

Abstract

\nPurpose\nThe organizational success to achieve and maintain its competitiveness is ascribed in the effectiveness of its knowledge management (KM) system, which depends on its employees’ impetus to exhibit knowledge sharing behavior. When an employee hides knowledge, an organization somewhat loses its part of knowledge, which causes loss to the organization eventually. This study aims to examine the impact of personality traits and one’s ethnicity on knowledge hiding behavior (KHB) by focusing on mediating role of team member exchange (TMX).\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nA total 308 questionnaires are collected from the public sector organizations (Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Punjab, Pakistan), out of them 300 are used in the analysis. Through Google e-survey form, cross-sectional data using convenience sampling are collected from the Gazetted officers (managerial level) of the department.\n\n\nFindings\nThe paper provides empirical insights about three personality traits, i.e. openness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, and ethnicity have positive relation with KHB, whereas TMX as a mediator converts this positive relation into negative. Remaining two personality traits, i.e. extraversion and agreeableness, have negative relation with KHB, whereas TMX as a mediator strengthens this negative relationship with KHB.\n\n\nResearch limitations/implications\nThe broad context of research and large number of items made it difficult to collect the responses. In future studies, 50 items of big five should be replaced with mini scale. Empirical explanation of the relation between ethnicity and knowledge hiding is an addition to body of knowledge in general, particularly in context of Pakistan.\n\n\nPractical implications\nThis study has the power to help managers in managing their team members and to understand what kind of personality and social group involvements promote knowledge sharing culture within the organization.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nTo broaden the understanding of KM domain, this study adds value in the relationship between big five personality traits, ethnicity and KHB of employees by finding the mediating effect of TMX in the context of Pakistani organizations.\n