Subjectivity in incentive schemes, cognitive orientations and counterproductive knowledge behavior: an experimental study

Purpose - This study aims to examine the causal relationship of subjective incentive schemes on counterproductive knowledge behavior. Besides, this study also identifies the moderating role of cognitive orientation on the relationship between those two variables. Design/methodology/approach - This study used a 2 × 2 between-subjects laboratory experiment with accounting undergraduate students as the subjects. Findings - Subjective-based incentive schemes reduce the tendency for counterproductive knowledge behavior. Also, the collectivist cognitive orientation negatively influences the behavior. However, cognitive orientation does not act as a moderator in the causal relationship of incentive schemes and counterproductive knowledge behavior. Originality/value - To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first that investigates and finds the effect of inclusion of subjectivity in incentive schemes and the level of individual’s collectivism on the reluctance to share knowledge in the workplace. This study has also strived to reduce an overlapping between the concept of knowledge sharing and counterproductive knowledge behavior by applying the right basic concept during the experiment.