Withhold knowledge rather than share: Does job frustration among overqualified employees lead to knowledge-hoarding behavior?

Purpose – Guided by person–job fit theory, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between perceived overqualification (POQ), job frustration and knowledge-hoarding behavior. Additionally, this study examines job frustration as an underlying mechanism and developmental idiosyncratic deals (I-deals) as a boundary condition. Design/methodology/approach – This study used a time-lagged data collection approach to gather data from service sector organizations in Guangdong Province, China. The proposed model was tested using Mplus (version 8.6). Findings – This study results indicate that POQ is positively associated with knowledge-hoarding behavior; POQ is positively related to job frustration; job frustration mediates the path between POQ and knowledge hoarding behavior; and developmental I-deals moderate the path between POQ and job frustration and indirectly moderate the POQ–knowledge hoarding path through job frustration. Originality/value – This study introduces POQ as a critical antecedent of knowledge hoarding, highlighting the emotional role of job frustration in this context. Additionally, this study uncovers the moderating effect of developmental I-deals in mitigating the adverse outcomes of POQ, offering practical insights for organizations to reduce knowledge hoarding through tailored development opportunities.