Evaluating Knowledge Management: The Case of Isfahan and Yazd Private and Governmental Universities

The increasing pace of communication development and technological advances have caused knowledge to be included in many facets of the current era. Thus, knowledge management is a symbol of competitiveness and development for many pioneer organizations. As the higher education system of a country plays an important role in economical, social, political, cultural and educational growth of a community, therefore, all educational institutes should make a hard attempt for gaining valuable knowledge in order to survive. On the other hand, a knowledge-based business requires an approach, which contains organizational intangible assets
such as human resources knowledge and capabilities, innovativeness, customer relationships, organizational culture, organizational procedures and structures. This research aims to consider the tenfold dimensions of knowledge management in higher education institutes and then, compare the results in private and governmental
universities. According to the sample-size estimation formula, the sample included 365 participants. Totally, 400 questionnaires were delivered in Isfahan and Yazd private and governmental universities, and 342 questionnaires were returned. One sample T-test was used in order to examine the hypotheses and compare the average of the knowledge management dimensions. The results indicate that managers and planners generally consider knowledge management more important in governmental universities. In the studied private universities, knowledge management dimensions are not in good conditions so that these universities have not been able to satisfy their academic and administrative staff expectations of knowledge management. This has resulted in a substantial gap between the expectations and perceptions of academic and administrative staff in private universities.