Knowledge Management In The Banking Sector. The Case Of Virtual Bank

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to analyze the management of intellectual capital and knowledge management in virtual banking. Virtual banking is broadly defined in this paper as the provision of banking services via means other than traditional physical branches. Currently, virtual banking exists in the forms of ATM, phone banking and Internet banking, the latter divided into home banking, corporate banking and TV banking. Understanding of the investments in intellectual capital in the virtual banking can help financial institutions to formulate appropriate knowledge management strategies for new forms of banking. The purpose of this study is to explore, in the virtual banking sector, the impact of self-service technologies on Knowledge Management and Intellectual capital management. Design/methodology/approach - The study is both theoretical that empirical. Infact, after an analysis of the concept of virtual bank and the illustration of the specific management of intellectual capital in virtual banking, or the peculiarities of the management of human capital, relational capital and organizational capital, the work also presents a case study on first-line bank in Italy, Banca Mediolanum. Specifically, I analyze Knowledge Management and Intellectual capital management in the Mediolanum bank. Originality/value - The scientific interest around the theme of IC in the banking sector is based on some general characteristics of the sector that make it a particularly suitable model guide management action in these contexts. The three dimensions of IC (human capital, relational and organizational) and Knowledge Management in virtual bank detect in a different way than traditional banking model. In this respect, there is now a lot of literature aimed at exploring differences and peculiarities. This is one of the reasons that prompted this research. Practical implications - The paper explores the knowledge management and the specificities of the three intellectual capital dimensions in the virtual banks. The paper provides an answer to the need to develop and create a culture that promotes and encourages knowledge management to flourish in virtual banking sector. In addition, it has some tools to identify, manage intellectual capital in this context.