Knowledge is a competitive advantage for international businesses. So far, however, research streams on micro- and macro-predictors of knowledge processes in organizations remain rather disconnected. First, we add to micro-level research by identifying interpersonal work characteristics (contact quality, task interdependence) as crucial determinants of individual knowledge behaviors (knowledge sharing and hiding). Second, bringing in a macro-level perspective, we further suggest that the proposed relationships are affected by cultural values (specifically employees’ power-distance orientation). We draw from the dialectic tension model of knowledge behaviors, postulating that knowledge hiding and sharing have distinct underlying motives and can, therefore, occur simultaneously. We combine this with a social exchange perspective, arguing that the exchange of knowledge in social relationships depends on interpersonal work characteristics and culturally rooted expectations. Analyzing a sample of 10,339 employees from seven countries, we find that in terms of micro-level antecedents, employees’ task interdependence serves as a double-edged sword by both increasing knowledge sharing and hiding, whereas positive contact quality with colleagues fosters sharing and hampers hiding. Power-distance orientation as a macro-level factor strengthens the effect of task interdependence on knowledge behaviors. Unexpectedly, employees with a higher power-distance orientation more strongly refrained from knowledge hiding when perceiving high contact quality.
