Explaining the mediating role of knowledge hiding with learning and creativity of guilan water and wastewater employees

This study aimed to explain the mediating role of knowledge hiding regarding the relationship between human resources components and the learning and creativity of the national water and wastewater engineering company employees. This quantitative and descriptive method was conducted on 987 national water and wastewater engineering company employees in Gilan province, 125 of whom were selected by purposive sampling. The data collection tool was a questionnaire, and content validity and construct validity were used for the validity of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and composite reliability were utilized for the reliability of the questionnaire. SPSS software was used at the level of descriptive statistics and Smart PLS for the inferential part. The results of structural equation modeling with the partial least squares approach showed that human resources components have a negative relationship with knowledge hiding and human resources components have a positive relationship with learning and creativity. The results of the Sobel test and VAF index revealed that the knowledge hiding variable partially mediates the relationship between human resources components and the learning and creativity of employees of the water and wastewater engineering company. The results of the research hypotheses revealed that with the increase of human resources components, the level of knowledge hiding decreases, and subsequently, the level of creativity and learning increases. Therefore, the water and wastewater administration of Gilan province should try to improve perceived organizational policies, perceived organizational justice, and perceived organizational trust.