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Measuring Tacit Knowledge Hiding in IT Consulting Firms

Authors:
Jason Triche

Keywords: tacit knowledge; knowledge hiding; competitive work environment.

Abstract:
Organizations like Information Technology (IT) consulting firms use knowledge as one of their core competencies to gain a competitive edge in the market. These firms rely on the tacit knowledge of their employees to gain a competitive edge in the industry. These highly competitive work environments lend themselves to individuals hiding knowledge from each other for a myriad of reasons, including helping individuals maintain a competitive edge within the firm. Knowledge Hiding (KH), the deliberate hiding of knowledge when asked, has negative effects on organizations. This research explores if tacit knowledge is being deliberately hidden from others when prompted due to this highly competitive work environment. Using social exchange theory and an experimental design method, I propose to ask individuals working in the IT consulting sector if they would hide different types of knowledge (tacit vs. explicit) given the competitiveness of the work environment. This research also proposes testing different mediating effects like task interdependence and professional commitment to reduce tacit knowledge hiding in IT consulting firms.

Pages: 41 to 42

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2025

Publication date: May 18, 2025

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4375

ISBN: 978-1-68558-272-2

Location: Nice, France

Dates: from May 18, 2025 to May 22, 2025