Influence of Organizational Culture on Knowledge Management Practices in Nigerian Commercial Banks: A Study in the South South Zone

This study examined the influence of organizational culture on knowledge management practices in Nigerian commercial banks in the South South geopolitical zone. Knowledge management, encompassing the creation, sharing, storage, and application of organizational knowledge, is widely recognized as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. Organizational culture shapes the norms, values, and behaviors that either facilitate or impede knowledge management processes. Set within the Dynamic Capabilities Framework, this study tested the hypothesis that specific cultural dimensions significantly predict knowledge management quality. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The population comprised 480 senior and middle-level bank employees in branches of five commercial banks across Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States. A stratified sample of 240 employees was selected. The Competing Values Framework instrument and the Knowledge Management Practices Scale, both validated in the Nigerian context, were used for data collection. Multiple regression and hierarchical regression analyses were employed at a 0.05 significance level. Findings reveal that clan culture and adhocracy culture are the strongest positive predictors of knowledge management quality, while hierarchical culture has a significant negative association with knowledge sharing behavior. Banks with strong innovation-oriented cultures demonstrated superior knowledge transfer across branches. The study contributes an empirically validated cultural model for knowledge management in African banking contexts and recommends targeted organizational culture change initiatives in banks operating in the South South zone. Keywords: organizational culture, knowledge management, commercial banks, South South Nigeria, Dynamic Capabilities Framework