Knowledge Hiding on a Management Spectrum and the Role of Moral Disengagement

Abstract

Knowledge hiding exists along a knowledge management spectrum and is not inherently negative. Because it can shift between counterproductive and productive forms, organizations can use policy, legal frameworks, and ethical guidelines to interpret its dual nature. This study investigates the relationship between moral disengagement mechanisms and knowledge hiding. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that euphemistic labeling, moral justification, and distortion of consequences positively predicted knowledge hiding. Displacement of responsibility was a significant negative predictor, suggesting that organizational leadership should implement knowledge transparency policies and programs such as whistleblowing to promote personal responsibility and recenter employees’ moral actions. These findings indicate that knowledge owners often rationalize withholding information using cognitive strategies that align with personal and organizational values. This study contributes to theory by showing that knowledge hiding is not inherently counterproductive but is context-driven within the knowledge management spectrum.