How and when team member exchange and embeddedness mitigate team knowledge hiding: a collaborative team perspective

Purpose Developing a collaborative view, this study aims to investigate the underexplored role of team social resources, team member exchange (TMX), in mitigating team knowledge hiding (TKH). Specifically, the study examines the underlying psychological mechanisms of team embeddedness (TE) and the boundary conditions of learning orientation (LO) for mitigating TKH, providing fresh insights into team knowledge dynamics. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in the conservation of resources theory, this study tests hypotheses through a quantitative research design. Using a delivery and collection method, three time-lagged surveys gathered multilevel data from 520 employees in 104 teams working in knowledge-intensive IT firms in Pakistan. Multilevel path analysis was conducted using Mplus 8.0. Findings Empirical results revealed that TMX is a deterrent against TKH. Additionally, TE (fit and sacrifice) mediates between TMX and TKH. A multilevel moderated mediation model further shows that members’ LO strengthens the effect of TMX on TKH via TE (fit and sacrifice). Practical implications This study provides guidelines for managers and practitioners to mitigate TKH by enhancing socio-psychological resources and fostering individual LO. Originality/value The existing literature has primarily focused on why, how, and when individuals conceal knowledge in the workplace. However, there is a need to understand how knowledge hiding can be minimized, particularly at the team level. Therefore, this study aims to shift the conversation by addressing a rarely explored research question: How can knowledge hiding in teams be mitigated?