ABSTRACT
The study is on competitive advantage of multidimensional knowledge acquisition in Nigerian
banking industry. The theoretical frameworks for the study are value-based management
strategy, blue ocean management strategy and business intelligent approaches. The objectives
of the study are: to ascertain the extent to which the level of improvement in international
standard performance rating of Nigerian banks is enhanced by multidimensional acquisition of
banking knowledge; to determine whether acquisition of diversified banking knowledge is
compatible with the quality of services Nigerian banks offer to the satisfaction of customers;
to evaluate the impact of adequate multidimensional knowledge acquisition on financial
strength, robustness and competitiveness of a bank; to determine the rate of commercial banks
financial contribution to industrial sector growth in Nigeria through diversified knowledge
acquisition in banking; to determine the extent to which financial support of Nigerian banks to
commercialization of agricultural sector of Nigerian economy is enhanced by acquisition of
multidimensional knowledge in banking; and to determine the degree to which the social
development services of the Nigerian banking firms can be facilitated by the acquisition of
multidimensional banking knowledge. The research design for the study is longitudinal
survey. The population of the study is one thousand and forty five (1045) staff of the selected
banks (Zenith bank, First bank and Oceanic bank) in Imo, Rivers and Enugu States. The
sample size of six hundred (600) was drawn from the study population using Cochran
Systematic Sampling. Data were obtained from primary and secondary sources. The research
instrument was subject to content validity.
For reliability of the research instrument, a testretest
method was adopted using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient and the calculated result
gave reliability coefficient of 0.81. Six hypotheses were proposed and tested using simple
percentage analysis and regression analysis. The findings reveal that the level of improvement
in international bank standard performance rating is greatly enhanced by multidimensional
knowledge acquisition among Nigerian banks, diversified knowledge acquisition in banking is
not compatible with the services provided to the satisfaction of Nigerian banks’ customers,
adequate knowledge acquisition has positive impact on financial strength, robustness and
competitiveness in Nigerian banking industry, acquisition of diversified banking knowledge in
Nigerian banks has significant rate of financial support in Nigerian industrial sector growth
