The dog-eat-dog phenomenon of perceived over-qualification sparking knowledge sabotage with the dark side of LMX

Purpose Grounding on the relative deprivation theory, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived over-qualification and knowledge sabotage. The alienative commitment was taken as a mediator in the relationship between perceived over-qualification and knowledge sabotage. The dark side of LMX was considered by proposing its moderating role to strengthen the indirect effect of perceived over-qualification and knowledge sabotage through alienative commitment. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected in three-time waves from Pakistani service sector organizations. The data for KS was only peer-reported. Hayes process macro seven was utilized to test the moderated mediation links. Findings The results supported all the proposed direct effects. Moreover, alienative commitment served as a mediator between POQ and knowledge sabotage. Further, high levels of LMX strengthened the positive relationship between perceived over-qualification and alienative commitment. Additionally, high levels of LMX strengthened the indirect effect by aggravating the sense of deprivation. Originality/value The current study adds to the literature on relative deprivation theory by examining perceived over-qualification with knowledge sabotage, an understudied relationship. Moreover, the alienative commitment was taken as a mediator, and this adds to the limited literature despite its three-decade-old operationalization. In addition, ample literature is available on the positive role of LMX, but its dark side still needs attention in the literature, as a few studies focused on its dark side, and the current study is one of them.