Mitigating knowledge hiding in a buyer‐supplier relationship: An exploratory study

• Date: 01 July 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/kpm.1626
• Published date: 01 July 2020
• Author: Atif Saleem Butt

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Mitigating knowledge hiding in a buyer-supplier relationship:

An exploratory study

Atif Saleem Butt

School of Business, Department of

Management, American University of Ras Al

Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

Correspondence

Atif Saleem Butt, School of Business,

Department of Management, American

University of Ras Al Khaimah, Ras Al Khaimah,

United Arab Emirates.

Email: atifbutt10@hotmail.com

Knowledge hiding has been the subject of much research in the management disci-

pline, with a majority of the studies arguing that knowledge hiding generates nega-

tive outcomes such as reduced productivity of employees and decline in firm's

business volume. However, it is arguable that managers with certain traits may not

necessarily engage in knowledge hiding in a buyer–supplier relationship. This study

fills this important gap in buyer–supplier relationship literature in the supply chain

context. This study relies on multiple case study methods and further employs

18 semistructured interviews (nine dyadic interviews) with managers from four dif-

ferent firms based in United Arab Emirates—two buying firms and two supplying

firms. Results reveal that managers with five specific characteristics/traits do not

usually engage in knowledge hiding (self-monitoring, self-efficacy, professional com-

mitment, intrinsic motivation to share knowledge, developing friendships, etc.) with

their supply chain counterpart. This article concludes by discussing theoretical and

practical implications, alongside limitations and future research directions.

1|INTRODUCTION

Knowledge sharing between firms as considered as one of the most

important attributes of firms success in buyer–supplier relationship lit-

erature (Ajmal & Kristianto, 2012; Butt, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c; Samuel,

Goury, Gunasekaran, & Spalanzani, 2011). In fact, firms which share

knowledge are highly likely to be more productive (Cheng, Yeh, & Tu,

2008). Furthermore, timely and efficient knowledge sharing between

means that firms are more productive innovative and can stay ahead

in the competition. Contrary to this, some recent studies have identi-

fied that firms managers within firms can also engage in the process

of hiding knowledge from each other, which can put the fate of firms

in danger (Arain, Bhatti, Ashraf, & Fang, 2018; Butt, 2019a, 2019b,

2019c; Butt & Ahmad, 2019; Černe, Hernaus, Dysvik, & Škerlavaj,

2017; Connelly, Černe, Dysvik, & Škerlavaj, 2019; Connelly, Zweig,

Webster, & Trougakos, 2012). Knowledge hiding is basically defined

as “an intentional attempt by an individual to withhold or conceal

knowledge that has been requested by another person”(Connelly

et al., 2012, p. 65). Černe et al. (2017) claimed that knowledge hiding

can affect firm's ability to engage in effective product innovation

while Connelly and Zweig (2015) cautioned that, although knowledge

hiders rationalize their behaviours, they did anticipate harmed rela-

tionships. Babcock (2004) contended that knowledge hiding increases

the financial burden on organizations, with an annual loss amounting

to almost $31.5 Billion has been so far attributed as a result of knowl-

edge hiding. Knowledge hiding in firms can occur in many ways. For

instance, Butt and Ahmad (2019) argue that managers hide knowledge

with an aim to reciprocate or to adhere to the cultural norms, while

Serenko and Bontis (2016) argue that knowledge hiding occurs when

managers perceive a threat to their jobs or believe that their job secu-

rity might be compromised. Butt (2019a), (2019b), and (2019c) con-

tend that knowledge hiding exists because individuals within firms

might perceive that they might be strictly evaluated as a result of

passing on specific knowledge to their colleagues. Černe et al. (2017),

on the other hand, suggest that knowledge hiding within firms occurs

when individuals think that sharing requested knowledge can affect

their future career prospects within the firm.

Knowledge hiding has been the subject of limited research in buyer–

supplier relationship literature. For instance, Butt and Ahmad (2019)

explored the antecedents of intraorganization knowledge hiding in buy-

ing and supplying firms in the supply chain context. Salazar Rosario

Pérez, Aguilar Lasserre, Cedillo-Campos, and Hernández González (2017)

Received: 24 September 2019 Accepted: 19 December 2019

DOI: 10.1002/kpm.1626

Knowl Process Manag. 2020;27:187–196. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/kpm © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd 187