How Interpersonal Trust Influences Knowledge Hiding: Examining a Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

In this study, drawing on the conservation of resources theory, a moderated mediation model that examines prosocial motivation as a mediator and psychological entitlement as a moderator in the relationship between interpersonal trust (affect-based and cognition-based trust) and knowledge hiding was tested. Data were collected from 307 white-collar employees working full-time for two private companies operating in the manufacturing sector in Turkey. The results showed that prosocial motivation mediated the effects of affect-based and cognition-based trust on evasive hiding and playing dumb but not on rationalized hiding. The results also revealed that psychological entitlement influenced the strength of the indirect effects of affect-based and cognition-based trust on evasive hiding and playing dumb but not on rationalized hiding through prosocial motivation. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are also discussed.