Why do employees hide knowledge? The dark side of CEO’s organizational identification

Abstract

Purpose: Despite companies’ efforts to promote knowledge sharing, employees still tend to hide information, which negatively impacts the overall knowledge sharing process. This study examines the relationship between narcissistic organizational identification (NOI) and knowledge hiding within a dyadic framework. We investigate how a CEO’s NOI can influence subordinates’ knowledge hiding through the mediating roles of ego depletion and psychological distress, and the moderating role of coworker relational energy. Design/methodology/approach: The statistical population consisted of CEOs and their middle managers working in various organizations in Iran and Italy. Data were collected in two separate studies to increase the generalizability of the findings. This study utilizes structural equation modeling to examine the proposed model. Findings: The results indicated that narcissistic organizational identification has a significant positive effect on ego depletion and psychological distress in both countries. In addition, relational energy has a significant negative effect on the relationship between narcissistic organizational identification and ego depletion and psychological distress. Furthermore, the results showed that ego depletion and psychological distress have a significant positive effect on knowledge hiding. Practical implications: Managing or reducing knowledge hiding behavior requires addressing its key drivers: narcissistic organizational identification, ego depletion, and psychological distress. Originality/value: Despite the numerous studies conducted in the field of knowledge sharing, identifying the factors influencing knowledge hiding remains an interesting area of research. By uncovering a unique mechanism from NOI to knowledge hiding, this research adds to the existing body of literature on knowledge sharing behaviors. © 2025, Emerald Publishing Limited.