How Paradoxical Leader Behavior Relates to Employee Knowledge-Hiding Behaviors in Hospitality and Tourism Firms

Abstract

Paradoxical leader behavior (PLB) has been linked to creativity and extra-role service, yet its role in shaping the distinct facets of employee knowledge hiding remains unclear. This study examines how PLB relates to evasive hiding, playing dumb, and rationalized hiding among frontline employees in hospitality and tourism firms. Drawing on paradox theory, it proposes that PLB fosters employee paradox mindset, which in turn reduces deceptive forms of knowledge hiding while increasing justified withholding. Data were collected in three waves from 276 frontline employees in Malaysian hospitality and tourism firms. PLB was negatively associated with evasive hiding and playing dumb, and positively associated with rationalized hiding. The associations with evasive hiding and rationalized hiding ran both directly and through paradox mindset, whereas the association with playing dumb ran through paradox mindset. The findings extend research on PLB and knowledge hiding by specifying a paradox-theory mechanism through which PLB relates in opposite directions to deceptive versus justified hiding. They suggest that leaders who hold competing demands together are best placed to reduce deceptive knowledge hiding while supporting the protection of knowledge that must always be safeguarded.