Abstract:
The aim of this study is to examine the extent of collaboration in
knowledge management (CKM) and to explore the perceived benefits and
challenges associated with it in rural banking industry in the Eastern Region of
Ghana. It was an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study with 105
employees surveyed. The study results indicated that there was low level of
collaboration in knowledge management among the banks. However, majority of
the employees perceived CKM to have benefits as well as challenges. In terms of
benefits a greater number of the employees perceived the benefits of CKM to be:
enhancing ability to address important issues effectively; bringing about the
development of new skills; increasing utilisation of other expertise or services;
acquiring useful knowledge or useful information on services, programmes or
people in the community; having the ability to have greater impact on the quality
of service than individual bank could have on its own leading to higher
productivity. The study found out that majority of the employees perceived the
challenges of CKM to be: mistrust; fear of loss of autonomy; different business
cultures with different power structures; different funding cycles causing different
creditworthiness; difficulty in combining skills due to different knowledge levels;
and difficulty in coordinating affairs with full management commitment. In view
of these, it is recommended that management must commit itself to CMK through
communication and put into place the appropriate rewards and incentives for
knowledge management activities. Also employees need to develop knowledge
management skills through training in order to participate effectively.
