Allies or rivals: how abusive supervision influences subordinates’ knowledge hiding from colleagues

Purpose Previous research suggests that abusive supervision has a positive effect on subordinates’ behaviors of knowledge hiding. However, the authors argue that this effect depends on the level of team abusive supervision differentiation. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and social comparison theory, this study tries to explain how the level of team abusive supervision differentiation, in conjunction with individuals' own experiences of abusive supervision, influences the focal subordinate's knowledge hiding from their colleagues. Design/methodology/approach The paper addresses a sample of 412 employees nested in 73 groups and tests an original model using structural equation modeling. Findings Results show that abusive supervision would indirectly promote subordinates' knowledge hiding toward coworkers via emotional exhaustion, and team abusive supervision differentiation has a positive moderating effect on the above indirect relationship. Practical implications Human resource management (HRM) practices should be used to reduce abusive supervision both at individual and team level and minimize employees' emotional exhaustion, thereby affecting knowledge hiding from coworkers. Originality/value Results show that whether a subordinate's experience of abusive supervision leads to knowledge hiding via emotional exhaustion depends on the level of team abusive supervision differentiation. This finding adds to the literature about abusive supervision and knowledge hiding.