Examining Knowledge Hiding and Abusive Supervision: Mediating Role of Job Strain and Moderating Effects of Prosocial Motivation

Abstract

The major aim of this research is to examine how employees’ action of knowledge hiding is impacted by abusive supervision. The current study also investigates the roles of job strain as a mediator between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding. Prosocial motivation is taken as a moderator between job strain and knowledge hiding. Data were collected from the managers and middle-line employees of the banking industry in major cities of Pakistan. Data was collected with the help of an adopted questionnaire at three-time lags. Researchers collected 280 responses by employing purposive sampling. Multiple regression technique was used for the sake of data analysis.This study acclaimed that when employees work under high task pressure environment and observes their bosses as abusive; they got stressed and faced job strain, which positively affects their KH behavior. However, employees with high level of prosocial motivation are capable of managing such strain and are not likely to engage in knowledge hiding behavior because, being prosocially motivated, they want to assist others..The outcomes indicated that abusive supervision has significant positive relation with knowledge hiding, mediation of job strain between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding was also proved by results, and moderation of prosocial motivation was also significantly proved. The research model was supported by transactional theory of stress. Organizations should implement abusive behaviors control programs that prioritize ethically effective communication, and emotional intelligence to mitigate instance of abusive supervision. It is important for managers to makeup the workload in reducing stress which can in turn lead to knowledge hiding behaviors.