The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Mitigating Knowledge Hiding Under Abusive Leadership: A Study of Pakistan’s Banking Industry

Abstract

Knowledge sharing is critical for the learning, innovation, and performance of organizations, yet employees engage in deliberate knowledge hiding where they face hostile leadership. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study examines the effect of abusive leadership on knowledge hiding behaviour with emotional intelligence as a moderating variable in Pakistan’s private banking sector. Knowledge hiding was conceptualized as a multi-dimensional construct consisting of evasive hiding, playing dumb, and rationalized hiding. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, the study analysed data from 372 bank employees. Data were analysed using SPSS and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro. Results indicate that abusive leadership significantly and positively predicts knowledge hiding (β = 0.464, p < .001), with the strongest effect on evasive hiding (β = 0.223, p < .001). Emotional intelligence significantly and negatively predicts knowledge hiding (β = -0.296, p < .001). Moderation analysis confirms that EI weakens the relationship between abusive leadership and knowledge hiding (interaction β = -0.1070, p < .001), demonstrating a protective buffering effect. The model explained 70% of variance in knowledge hiding. This study contributes by examining the effect of abusive leadership on all three aspects of knowledge hiding, incorporating two theories, understanding the double nature of emotional intelligence in the banking sector of Pakistan. Practically, organizations should implement leadership development programs promoting ethical leadership, incorporate emotional intelligence during managerial recruitment and training, establish anonymous reporting systems, and enforce zero- tolerance policies for abusive leadership to reduce knowledge hiding and enhance employee wellbeing.