Balancing individual and organisational claims: introduction of the synchronised model of knowledge hiding

Purpose Knowledge hiding (KH) research is dominated by an organisational framing that portrays KH as harmful and something to be reduced. This framing gives limited attention to the employee whose knowledge is requested. This paper develops a neutral approach that considers the organisation's need for knowledge and the employee's connection to the knowledge they hold. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper synthesises published reviews of KH identified through a Scopus search. The synthesis distinguishes individual and organisational explanations of KH, examines the concerns each side raises and brings them together to develop the synchronised model of knowledge hiding (sMKH). Findings The sMKH identifies three claims active in a knowledge request: the seeker's claim for access, the organisation's claim for integration of knowledge into work, and the holder's claim for control over what they know. The same act of hiding may arise from different request configurations, depending on how these claims are synchronised. Originality/value The sMKH offers a triadic and neutral model of KH. It complements existing KH frameworks by examining the conditions under which intentional KH may be protective, strategic, or context-sensitive, and responds to calls for closer attention to the positive and negative consequences of KH.