Title: To hide or not to hide technological knowledge? The roles of psychological ownership, territoriality and organisational politics in multinational megaprojects

Authors: Hongsi Zhang; Weiping Ying

Addresses: Centre for Strategic Studies, Chinese Academy of Engineering, Beijing, China; Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China ' Institute of Higher Education, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China

Abstract: In an increasingly bifurcated world, multinational construction megaprojects are vulnerable to the deleterious impact of knowledge hiding. This study investigated the dual role of psychological ownership in such settings and highlights how employees' perception of organisational politics moderates its effects. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and a multidimensional conception of territoriality, this study argues that psychological ownership simultaneously cultivates territorial defending - thereby intensifying knowledge hiding - and territorial expanding, which diminishes knowledge hiding. A survey of employees from diverse Chinese industries revealed that heightened perceptions of organisational politics strengthened the positive association between psychological ownership and territorial defending but attenuated its positive association with territorial expanding. The findings clarify how feelings of ownership can yield both adverse and beneficial knowledge-related behaviours, which underscores the need to mitigate politicised environments. The findings also highlight the need for managerial interventions to reduce political interference and encourage a supportive environment.

Keywords: megaproject; knowledge hiding; psychological ownership; organisational politics; territoriality; international business; job design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2025.151679

International Journal of Technology Management, 2025 Vol.98 No.2/3/4, pp.417 - 448

Received: 31 Mar 2024
Accepted: 13 Feb 2025
Published online: 13 Feb 2026 *

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