Withhold knowledge rather than share: Does job frustration among overqualified employees lead to knowledge-hoarding behavior?

Purpose Guided by person–job fit theory, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between perceived overqualification (POQ), job frustration and knowledge-hoarding behavior. Additionally, this study examines job frustration as an underlying mechanism and developmental idiosyncratic deals (I-deals) as a boundary condition. Design/methodology/approach This study used a time-lagged data collection approach to gather data from service sector organizations in Guangdong Province, China. The proposed model was tested using Mplus (version 8.6). Findings This study results indicate that POQ is positively associated with knowledge-hoarding behavior; POQ is positively related to job frustration; job frustration mediates the path between POQ and knowledge hoarding behavior; and developmental I-deals moderate the path between POQ and job frustration and indirectly moderate the POQ–knowledge hoarding path through job frustration. Originality/value This study introduces POQ as a critical antecedent of knowledge hoarding, highlighting the emotional role of job frustration in this context. Additionally, this study uncovers the moderating effect of developmental I-deals in mitigating the adverse outcomes of POQ, offering practical insights for organizations to reduce knowledge hoarding through tailored development opportunities.