THE MODERATING ROLE OF GENDER, JOB-NATURE AND JOB-DESIGNATION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TRAITS AND KNOWLEDGE HOARDING: EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC SECTOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN PESHAWAR

Knowledge has emerged as a coveted asset for organizations, becoming a crucial source of competitive edge. Organizations invest many resources to enhance knowledge sharing among employees to foster creativity and innovation. Despite all these measures, individuals still conceal their knowledge from others in the workplace, and the existing discourse on the body of knowledge indicates a theoretical gap in this area. To address this issue, this study investigates the role of individual personality traits and moderating factors in predicting knowledge-hoarding behavior among faculty members in public-sector higher education institutions. Adopting the positive approach, primary data was collected through structured questionnaires. Results indicate that openness to experience significantly predicts knowledge hoarding, while neuroticism has no significant effect. Importantly, job designation moderates the relationship between openness to experience and knowledge hoarding. These findings contribute to understanding the factors influencing knowledge-sharing behaviors. However, the study's limitations include its focus on academic institutions and a quantitative approach. Future research could benefit from a mixed-method approach and explore other organizational aspects related to knowledge hoarding.