What leads employees to hide knowledge: a review of theoretical underpinnings

Purpose Given the detrimental impact of knowledge hiding (KH) on contemporary organizations, it is crucial to investigate its determinants. This paper aims to identify the theoretical underpinnings of determinants of KH and discuss the findings in a broader systems and cybernetic perspective. The paper presents a promising agenda to advance theoretical research on KH determinants. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review of studies published over the past decade was conducted to identify and categorize the main theoretical perspectives underpinning KH drivers. Findings Research on KH determinants largely focuses on internal organizational factors and is grounded in social-based theories, conservation of resources (COR) theory, and psychological ownership (PO) theory. Social-based theories view KH as reciprocal behavior, COR frames it as a defensive response to resource loss, and PO positions it as a means of protecting owned knowledge. Recent studies also highlight the influence of individual differences and emotions. However, external and contextual factors remain underexplored. Originality/value This study comprehensively examines the theoretical underpinnings of determinants of KH, and suggests a promising research agenda. Further, it addresses the systemic nature of KH in organizational processes.