Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities

Zeeshan Ahmed Bhatti; Ghulam Ali Arain; Hina Mahboob Yasin; Tahir Abbas Syed

Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities

Zeeshan Ahmed Bhatti
, Ghulam Ali Arain
, Hina Mahboob Yasin
, Tahir Abbas Syed

School of Organisations, Systems and People

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

3 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

While prior research has primarily focused on personal factors influencing online knowledge-seeking in virtual communities, this study examines the role of organisational factors. Specifically, we investigate how supervisor knowledge-hiding, a behaviour typically associated with negative outcomes, can drive employees to seek knowledge externally. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, we develop and test a conceptual model through a three-wave time-lagged design survey of 370 employees based in the UK and the US. Our findings reveal that when employees experience knowledge-hiding from their supervisors, they are more likely to disengage from internal sources and turn to online virtual communities for knowledge-seeking.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Editors	Tung X. Bui
Publisher	New Jersey Institute for Technology
Pages	6439-6448
ISBN (Print)	9780998133195
Publication status	Published - 6 Jan 2026
Event	The 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences - Hyatt Regency Maui , Maui, United States Duration: 6 Jan 2026 → 9 Jan 2026 Conference number: 59

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
ISSN (Electronic)	2572-6862

Conference

Conference	The 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Abbreviated title	HICSS
Country/Territory	United States
City	Maui
Period	6/01/26 → 9/01/26

Keywords

Online knowledge-seeking
Supervisor knowledge-hiding
Conservation of Resources Theory
Online virtual communities

Access to Document

Driven onlineFinal published version, 510 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://hdl.handle.net/10125/112164

Knowledge seeking in virtual online communities as a consequence of organisational top-down knowledge hiding
Bhatti, Z. A. (PI)
1/04/24 → 1/10/26
Project: Research

Cite this

Bhatti, Z. A., Arain, G. A., Yasin, H. M., & Syed, T. A. (2026). Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities. In T. X. Bui (Ed.), Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 6439-6448). (Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences). New Jersey Institute for Technology. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/112164

Bhatti, Zeeshan Ahmed ; Arain, Ghulam Ali ; Yasin, Hina Mahboob et al. / Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities. Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. editor / Tung X. Bui. New Jersey Institute for Technology, 2026. pp. 6439-6448 (Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences).

@inproceedings{5f04a844e0b6451db8ea35555f4f0e94,

title = "Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities",

abstract = "While prior research has primarily focused on personal factors influencing online knowledge-seeking in virtual communities, this study examines the role of organisational factors. Specifically, we investigate how supervisor knowledge-hiding, a behaviour typically associated with negative outcomes, can drive employees to seek knowledge externally. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, we develop and test a conceptual model through a three-wave time-lagged design survey of 370 employees based in the UK and the US. Our findings reveal that when employees experience knowledge-hiding from their supervisors, they are more likely to disengage from internal sources and turn to online virtual communities for knowledge-seeking.",

keywords = "Online knowledge-seeking, Supervisor knowledge-hiding, Conservation of Resources Theory, Online virtual communities",

author = "Bhatti, \{Zeeshan Ahmed\} and Arain, \{Ghulam Ali\} and Yasin, \{Hina Mahboob\} and Syed, \{Tahir Abbas\}",

year = "2026",

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language = "English",

isbn = "9780998133195",

series = "Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences",

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pages = "6439--6448",

editor = "Bui, \{Tung X. \}",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences",

address = "United States",

note = "The 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS ; Conference date: 06-01-2026 Through 09-01-2026",

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Bhatti, ZA, Arain, GA, Yasin, HM & Syed, TA 2026, Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities. in TX Bui (ed.), Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, New Jersey Institute for Technology, pp. 6439-6448, The 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Maui, Hawaii, United States, 6/01/26. <https://hdl.handle.net/10125/112164>

Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities. / Bhatti, Zeeshan Ahmed; Arain, Ghulam Ali; Yasin, Hina Mahboob et al.
Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. ed. / Tung X. Bui. New Jersey Institute for Technology, 2026. p. 6439-6448 (Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities

AU - Bhatti, Zeeshan Ahmed

AU - Arain, Ghulam Ali

AU - Yasin, Hina Mahboob

AU - Syed, Tahir Abbas

N1 - Conference code: 59

PY - 2026/1/6

Y1 - 2026/1/6

N2 - While prior research has primarily focused on personal factors influencing online knowledge-seeking in virtual communities, this study examines the role of organisational factors. Specifically, we investigate how supervisor knowledge-hiding, a behaviour typically associated with negative outcomes, can drive employees to seek knowledge externally. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, we develop and test a conceptual model through a three-wave time-lagged design survey of 370 employees based in the UK and the US. Our findings reveal that when employees experience knowledge-hiding from their supervisors, they are more likely to disengage from internal sources and turn to online virtual communities for knowledge-seeking.

AB - While prior research has primarily focused on personal factors influencing online knowledge-seeking in virtual communities, this study examines the role of organisational factors. Specifically, we investigate how supervisor knowledge-hiding, a behaviour typically associated with negative outcomes, can drive employees to seek knowledge externally. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, we develop and test a conceptual model through a three-wave time-lagged design survey of 370 employees based in the UK and the US. Our findings reveal that when employees experience knowledge-hiding from their supervisors, they are more likely to disengage from internal sources and turn to online virtual communities for knowledge-seeking.

KW - Online knowledge-seeking

KW - Supervisor knowledge-hiding

KW - Conservation of Resources Theory

KW - Online virtual communities

UR - https://hicss.hawaii.edu/

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9780998133195

T3 - Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

SP - 6439

EP - 6448

BT - Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

A2 - Bui, Tung X.

PB - New Jersey Institute for Technology

T2 - The 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

Y2 - 6 January 2026 through 9 January 2026

ER -

Driven online: how organisational knowledge-hiding fuels knowledge-seeking in virtual communities

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

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Knowledge seeking in virtual online communities as a consequence of organisational top-down knowledge hiding

Cite this