A Study on Motivations of Graduate Students’ Knowledge Hiding Based on Wuli-Shili-Renli System Approach

Knowledge hiding is a forefront topic in knowledge management field of management science. Knowledge hiding is ubiquitous among graduate students, which impedes knowledge sharing and transfer, influences knowledge learning and scientific researches. Systematical study on the complex motivations of graduate students' knowledge hiding contributes to find out how to solve or diminish knowledge hiding in educational context. Combining with questionnaire survey, statistical analysis, and indepth interviews, this paper finds that graduate students' knowledge hiding motivations are multidimensional, and consist of three aspects: Wuli-characteristics of knowledge, Shili-organizational regulation, environment, and Renli-knowledge seeker, hider, and interpersonal dynamics. Implications for practice are discussed. Index Terms - Graduate students, knowledge hiding, motivations, Wuli-Shili-Renli system approach