Knowledge-oriented leadership and employees’ knowledge-hiding behavior: a double-edged sword model in the Chinese context

Purpose Drawing on job demands-resources theory, this study aims to examine the relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership and employees’ knowledge-hiding behavior within the Chinese context, focusing on the mediating roles of ability-based Mianzi stress and psychological ownership of knowledge, plus the moderating role of leader–employee knowledge distance. Design/methodology/approach This study surveyed 519 employees from Chinese enterprises and tested the research hypotheses using hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping methods. Findings The results indicate that employees’ ability-based Mianzi stress positively mediates the relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership and knowledge-hiding behavior, whereas employees’ psychological ownership of knowledge negatively mediates this relationship. Furthermore, the leader–employee knowledge distance amplifies the indirect positive association between knowledge-oriented leadership and employees’ knowledge-hiding behavior. Originality/value This study reveals the double-edged sword relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership and knowledge-hiding behavior in China, thereby supplementing and deepening existing research while offering practical implications for enhancing organizational knowledge flow and innovation.