Mitigating the negative performance effect of project complexity through an informal mechanism: The conditional mediating role of knowledge hiding. Issue 3 (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Zhen; Min, Min; Cai, Xiaolin; Qiu, Huihui
• Is Part Of: International journal of project management. Volume 40:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 192
• Page End: 204
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Project complexity -- Knowledge hiding -- Project performance -- Trust -- New product development; Project management -- Periodicals; Network analysis (Planning) -- Periodicals; 658.40405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2022.01.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0263-7863

Abstract

Highlights: Knowledge hiding (KH) mediates the relationship between project complexity (PC) and project performance (PP). Trust weakens the positive relationship between PC and KH. Trust weakens the negative effect of KH on PP. As trust increases, the negative indirect impact of PC on PP becomes weaker. Abstract: Project complexity consisting of interrelated organizational and technological components is the inherent nature of new product development (NPD) projects. Although substantial empirical research has demonstrated the negative performance effect of project complexity, a handful of studies have provided inconsistent results. Additional in-depth attention is urgently needed to understand the conditional boundaries and internal mechanisms that affect the complexity-performance relationship. Based on a perspective of counterproductive knowledge processes, this study examines the mediating role of knowledge hiding in the linkage between project complexity and project performance as well as the contingent role of informal mechanisms (i.e., trust). Data were collected from a sample of 109 NPD projects in the Chinese high-tech industry. Our findings indicated that project complexity was positively associated with knowledge hiding and exerted an indirect negative influence on project performance via knowledge hiding. Trust was found to significantly moderate the complexity-knowledge hiding and knowledge hiding-performance paths. Moreover, as trust increases, the negative indirect impact of project complexity on project performance was found to become weaker. Finally, theoretical implications, practical guidelines and limitations were discussed.