Knowledge Hiding and Organizational Innovation: Examining the Role of Workplace Competition Vol 13, Issue 2, 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between competitive psychological atmosphere and knowledge-hiding behavior. It examines how organizational justice influences the link between knowledge hiding and psychological climate. Guided by the conservation of resources theory, this study explores how a competitive environment affects employees’ knowledge-sharing tendencies and how perceptions of justice can reduce this behavior. A survey of 271 employees from fashion retail organizations in Karachi, Pakistan, was conducted, and data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS. Results show that a competitive psychological climate significantly increases knowledge hiding, while organizational justice partially mediates this relationship. The study extends organizational behavior literature by contextualizing international findings within Pakistan’s fashion retail sector and emphasizing the role of fairness in curbing counterproductive behaviors. As the first study to address knowledge hiding in this industry and region, it provides valuable insights into managing knowledge behavior in competitive settings.