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When winning means withholding: towards a theory of hypercompetitive knowledge hiding (THKH)
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DOI：10.1080/14778238.2026.2664215.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Hypercompetitiveness is the intense desire of an individual to win and outperform others at any cost. The study aims to explore how hypercompetitive tendencies relate to knowledge hiding and how these dynamics unfold through psychological mechanisms and individual differences. The study followed an inductive reasoning approach, analysing the narratives to identify patterns and conceptualize the Theory of Hypercompetitive Knowledge Hiding (THKH). The study follows upon Trait Activation Theory to explain how personality traits interact with situational triggers and internal traits. Data were collected through 45 open-ended written responses submitted via an online form. Qualitative approach was adopted to explore the variables, and Gioia’s methodology was used to derive the findings. Findings suggest that hypercompetitiveness leads to knowledge-hiding behaviour. This is influenced by individual traits such as mindset, emotional intelligence, locus of control, and regulated by egocentric selfishness. The core contribution and novelty lie in the identification of three motive typologies for knowledge hiding: performance-driven, opportunistic, and defensive hiding, which differ from the existing models, which only state the types of knowledge hiding. Thus, THKH contributes to the understanding of how contextual and personal factors together shape knowledge-hiding behaviour in the workplace.
Keywords:
Hypercompetitiveness
knowledge hiding
mindset
emotional intelligence
locus of control
Trait Activation Theory
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