Damaging effects of cold-shoulder at work: a sequential explanatory mixed method approach

Grounded in the theory of conservation of resources, this study investigates the role that organizational cynicism plays in linking workplace ostracism to both the creation and hoarding of knowledge. This research delves further into the possible moderating effect of ethical leadership on the association between organizational cynicism and knowledge creation and hoarding. The study used a mixed-method approach, including a quantitative method in Study 1 and a qualitative method in Study 2. The primary data were collected from 284 respondents and in-depth interviews with 11 respondents from the hospitality and tourism industry was analysed. The study’s results suggest that workplace ostracism significantly contributes to organizational cynicism, which partially mediates the link between workplace ostracism and knowledge hoarding. The outcomes of this study provide additional evidence to substantiate the proposition that the presence of ethical leadership within a workplace moderates the link between organizational cynicism and knowledge creation. This study fills a meaningful research gap in the post-COVID-19 era, substantially improving our comprehension of knowledge dynamics within the hospitality and tourism industry, which faces a talent shortfall due to no show by the old employees and hesitation among the new talent to join the industry because of uncertainty and low salary packages associated with it.