When and How Does Supervisor Knowledge‐Hiding Hinder Employees' Ability to Meet Work‐Related Deadlines?

This study contributes to the current knowledge management discourse by examining the micro‐level mechanisms and conditions underlying the relationship between supervisor knowledge‐hiding and subordinates' ability to meet work‐related deadlines. In particular, it investigates this hitherto unexplored relationship, delving into the role of psychological detachment (as an underlying mechanism) and religiousness (as a moderator) in this process. The findings across two studies—a three‐round time‐lagged field study and a vignette‐based experiment—support our predictions. The results of both studies indicate that a key reason why supervisors' knowledge‐hiding behavior (SKHB) impairs their subordinates' ability to meet deadlines is the psychological detachment that they experience from their work environment. Moreover, religiousness serves as a catalyst for invigorating this effect; SKHB may be particularly upsetting for highly religious employees, who may view it as antithetical to their religious beliefs and consider it as an unethical act. These findings provide pertinent insights for organizations and policymakers to counter knowledge hiding across various hierarchical levels.