Effects of Psychological Contract Breach on Employees' Knowledge Hiding in the China Construction Engineering Corporation Limited

Abstract

This study explores the core competitiveness of knowledge sharing in Chinese construction engineering enterprises, focusing on the behaviors and underlying mechanisms of employee knowledge hiding. Through a survey of 557 employees at the China Construction Engineering Group, this paper delves into the complex relationships between psychological contract breaches, responsibility displacement, and knowledge hiding, as well as examining the moderating role of Zhong Yong thinking within these dynamics. The findings reveal that psychological contract breaches significantly increase employees' knowledge-hiding behaviors, with responsibility displacement mediating between psychological contract breaches and knowledge-hiding. Significantly, Zhong Yong thinking mitigates the negative impact of psychological contract breaches on employee behaviors. Additionally, demographic factors such as gender, age, educational background, and length of service also influence knowledge-hiding behaviors. This research provides new insights into the mechanisms of knowledge hiding in the workplace. It highlights the value of Zhong Yong thinking in alleviating the effects of psychological contract breaches, underscoring its importance for promoting internal knowledge sharing within enterprises.