ABSTRACT
This thesis examined the effect of shared knowledge on the performance of firms
in Nigeria. The objectives of the study are: (1) To determine the effect of shared
knowledge on the performance of firms (2) To find out whether the contribution
of shared knowledge to the performance of firms compares with national and
international standards. (3) To determine the effects of knowledge learning
capacity of workers on a sustainable competitive performance of the firms. (5) To
ascertain the extent to which tacit knowledge helps to improve the performance of
the firms. (5) To identify the principal mode of explicit knowledge that
contributes to a sustained performance of the firms. (6) To investigate the extent
to which knowledge based capacity is considered the most strategic resource for
improving the profitability of the firms. The research design chosen in the study is
a combination of a survey and oral interview. A representative sample of 504
respondents where chosen using the table of random numbers from a population
of 735 respondents from Nigerian Breweries Plc., Guinness Nig. Plc. and Bendel
Breweries Plc.
The data presentation tools were tables. The data analyses tools
were percentages Z test, Z test of population proportions and coefficient of
determination. The Z test and Z test of population proportions were used to test
the six hypotheses. The test-retest method of reliability and content validity were
used. It was found that: (1) shared knowledge had a positive effect on the
performance of the firms. (2) It was found that the contribution of shared
knowledge to the performance of the firms compared favourably with national
and international standards. It was also found that knowledge learning capacity of
the workers had a positive effect on the sustained competitive performance of the
firms. It was found that the tacit knowledge to a large extent helped to improve
the performance of the firms. It was also found that combination and
externalization were the principal modes of explicit knowledge that contributed to
a sustained performance of the firms and lastly it was found that knowledge based
capacity is considered to a large extent a strategic resource but not the most
strategic resource as there were other resources such as men, materials, money
time, energy, information and infrastructure. It was concluded that as shared
knowledge increased, the performance of the firms also increased. It was
recommended that the strategic managers of the firms studied should as a matter
of policy continue to use shared knowledge as a tool for improving performance
in their companies.
