Dissecting knowledge hiding: a note on what it is and what it is not

Abstract

Purpose There are always ways of giving answers without actually giving them. This is highly visible across different organizations these days. When the emphasis is on openness and knowledge sharing, there is an equivalent construct which takes up a totally different position known as knowledge hiding. The purpose of this paper is to decipher this novel construct knowledge hiding and to understand how unique and different it is from other prominent organizational behaviors. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws from published literature on knowledge hiding research to illustrate the uniqueness of the construct within organizational contexts and possible knowledge management strategies. Findings The paper dissects the construct knowledge hiding in organizations, illustrates how different it is from other prominent organizational behaviors, identifies the strategic factors engendering knowledge hiding, and warrants the effective addressal of the same. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The most critical element in the knowledge management process is not to facilitate knowledge sharing rather prevent inherent knowledge hiding. This paper attempts to address different dimensions of knowledge hiding and how to properly understand, analyze, and master the construct of knowledge hiding for organizational benefit.