Knowledge Hiding and Hider's Innovative Behavior in Chinese Organizations: The Mediating Role of Silence Behavior and the Moderating Role of Zhongyong Thinking

ABSTRACT Drawing from the theory of territorial behavior, this article predicts the explanatory role of silence behavior in the relationship between knowledge hiding and hider's innovative behavior in Chinese organizations, and the potential of Zhongyong thinking in mitigating the detrimental effect of knowledge hiding. Results derived from a time-lagged and multi-source survey support our hypotheses. Specifically, knowledge hiding is negatively associated with the innovative behavior of the hider. Silence behavior mediates the relationship between knowledge hiding and innovative behavior. Meanwhile, Zhongyong thinking moderates the positive relationship between knowledge hiding and silence behavior, as well as the indirect relationship between knowledge hiding and innovative behavior through silence behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed based on these findings. 摘要 基于领地行为理论，本文提出沉默是中国人用于保护知识领地免受侵犯的预期性防御手段，但会抑制知识隐藏者的创新行为。本文同时考察了中庸思维在缓解知识隐藏对创新行为不利影响的可能作用。作者通过自评-他评结合的方式对239对员工-领导进行了三个阶段的问卷调查，结果表明，知识隐藏行为与隐藏者的创新行为有负面作用，而沉默在其中起到了部分中介作用。同时，中庸思维调节了知识隐藏与创新行为之间的直接负向关系以及知识隐藏通过沉默作用于创新行为的间接负向关系。最后，本文讨论了这些研究发现的理论和实践意义。