The comparison of two groups in perception of knowledge management in the environment of higher education

Contrary to most studies in the field of KM (knowledge management) in education, and beginning with the indivisibility of organizational aspects of KM in educational institution and the application of KM in educational process, this study had a goal to investigate the attitude of students and professors (as users and creators of educational services) towards KM. The ground research of this study comprised a sample of academic institutions that teach management, and it has been conveyed during academic year 2007/2008 in Serbia (Vojvodina province). This study offers answers to the following questions: How do professors and students differ in recognizing KM systems (or its individual processes)? Do professors or students better recognize KM culture? Does gender of professors or students influence their perception of KM processes or KM culture? Do professors and students of private or state universities better assess processes and KM culture? The basic assumption was that there was statistically significant difference in perception of KM for two groups of respondents for at least one KM process namely KM culture; and this study has proved this assumption. This study not only offers scientific information about differences in perspective of KM of the two groups of respondents in higher education, but it is also helpful in determining sophisticated relations among characteristics of these groups and their perception of KM processes and culture in class. Therefore, scientific information offered by this study can be useful to the educational institutionsʹ management and to the other organizations that are introducing KM system.