scholarly journals The influence of ICT megatrends on global megatrends

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zvezdan Vukanović

In this paper, the author analyses the significant influence of IT on global megatrends. Of the five leading global megatrends, two are in the field of ICT, digital media and new technologies. The main reasons for the impact of IT megatrends are twofold: (1) the digital convergence of the media, ICT and telecommunications industries, (2)the exponential increase in information, computing power and internet transfer data. Digital convergence will significantly contribute to changing business models. In an applicative sense, the author considers the concepts of Industry 4.0 - The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), to be the most significant as it marks the paradigmatic change of information, the conceptual and processual transformation of data and services ecosystems in the domains of robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Services, Automated Intelligence, Collaborative Robots (Cobots), Industrial Robots, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality. In business and strategic terms, digital media business models will transition, under the influence of digital convergence, to a multi-platform, complementary, interoperable and networked media and ICT ecosystem with a specific focus on the production and distribution of media products, services and applications within the user interface, hypermedia, immersion, mass customization, personalized, augmented and ambient media business space and environment.

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seeram Ramakrishna ◽  
Alfred Ngowi ◽  
Henk De Jager ◽  
Bankole O. Awuzie

Growing consumerism and population worldwide raises concerns about society’s sustainability aspirations. This has led to calls for concerted efforts to shift from the linear economy to a circular economy (CE), which are gaining momentum globally. CE approaches lead to a zero-waste scenario of economic growth and sustainable development. These approaches are based on semi-scientific and empirical concepts with technologies enabling 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and 6Rs (reuse, recycle, redesign, remanufacture, reduce, recover). Studies estimate that the transition to a CE would save the world in excess of a trillion dollars annually while creating new jobs, business opportunities and economic growth. The emerging industrial revolution will enhance the symbiotic pursuit of new technologies and CE to transform extant production systems and business models for sustainability. This article examines the trends, availability and readiness of fourth industrial revolution (4IR or industry 4.0) technologies (for example, Internet of Things [IoT], artificial intelligence [AI] and nanotechnology) to support and promote CE transitions within the higher education institutional context. Furthermore, it elucidates the role of universities as living laboratories for experimenting the utility of industry 4.0 technologies in driving the shift towards CE futures. The article concludes that universities should play a pivotal role in engendering CE transitions.


Author(s):  
Ufuk Alpsahin Cullen

Circular entrepreneurship is becoming a new, promising reality, in the manner of needed radical paradigmatic change in the era of Anthropocene. Circular entrepreneurs intend to create social and environmental value while they build financially viable businesses. They are embedded in multiple institutionalised value systems that they are expected to adhere to. Those institutionalised systems provide circular entrepreneurs with different, in many cases, contradictory norms, values and guiding principles. Substantial amount of research has been done to date to examine the impact of institutions on entrepreneurial endeavours. And yet, research lacks sufficient insights into how circular entrepreneurs engage with the institutional structures in designing business models on a financially feasible ground while creating social and environmental value. To address this, this paper investigates how circular entrepreneurs respond to the value systems of surrounding institutions in business modelling and how two fundamental aspects of embeddedness, namely resource integration and value cocreation, are achieved within a circular business model that is coherent in itself and with the entrepreneur's ambitions. Both the institutional context and the institutional logics surrounding entrepreneurs are examined to comprehend the surrounding institutional systems more in-depth and extensively. By analysing a longitudinal in-depth case study, this article aims to develop better insights into circular business modelling and underlying mechanisms of embeddedness. The case is a born-circular small cidermaker in Cornwall (UK), namely Wasted Apple. The findings show that the circular entrepreneur is surrounded by dominant normative institutions forming the principles of business model design. circular entrepreneurs mark fidelity to the institutional norms to obtain a range of microcompetencies and to manage integrated hybrid tensions within the value creation system. And therefore, a circular business model is a more holistic and inclusive structure as compared to a typical conventional linear business model. And yet, paradoxically embeddedness facilitates business survival but hinders strategic business planning as well as business profitability and growth.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (71) ◽  
pp. 55-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Gustavo Corvalán

This article addresses the impact of the digital era and it specifically refers to information and communication technologies (ICT) in Public Administration. It is based on the international approach and underscores the importance of incorporating new technologies established by the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Thereon, it highlights the Argentine Republic national approach towards ICT, and how it has moved towards a digital paradigm. It then emphasizes on the challenges and opportunities that emerge from the impact that artificial intelligence has in transforming Public Administration. Finally, it concludes that the key challenge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is to achieve a boost towards a Digital and Intelligent Administration and government, which promotes the effectiveness of rights and an inclusive technological development that assures the digital dignity of people.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 965-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Bienhaus ◽  
Abubaker Haddud

Purpose While digitisation is a key driver of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0); organisations have different approaches to deal with this topic to get a clearer picture of the opportunities and challenges concerning the digital transformation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of digitisation on procurement and its role within the area of supply chain management. The research will also explore potential barriers to digitising procurement and supply chains and ways to overcome them. Finally, the significance of potential enabling technologies to the digitisation will also be examined. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approached utilising an online survey was used to collect the primary data for this study. Data were collected from 414 participants directly involved with procurement or related business functions and work for different organisations in different industries. The survey included eight items about the impact of digitisation on organisational performance in the area of procurement and supply chains; ten items related to key barriers to digitisation of organisations and ways to overcome them; and seven items about enabling technologies to leverage procurement procedures and processes digitisation. All of these items utilised the Likert five-point level of agreement scale. Findings The findings indicate that digitisation of procurement process can yield several benefits including: supporting daily business and administrative tasks, supporting complex decision-making processes, procurement will become more focussed on strategic decisions and activities, procurement will become a strategic interface to support organisational efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability, and supporting the creation of new business models, products, and services. The authors were also able to confirm that there are barriers to digitising procurement process and supply chains and such barriers found in existing procedures, processes, capacities, and capabilities. Finally, the significance of a number of enabling technologies to the digitisation process was revealed. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind with participants located world-wide. Industry 4.0 as a topic had been explored within different business areas and functions but very limited research specifically explored potential impact, barriers, and enabling technologies of procurement 4.0. The results can be beneficial for organisations already implemented Industry 4.0 or planning to do so. The study can also benefit academic scholars interested in the researched topic, business professionals, organisations within different sectors, and any other party interested in understanding more the concept of procurement 4.0.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 1227-1235
Author(s):  
V. D. Ardzinov ◽  
N. V. Chepachenko ◽  
A. A. Leont’ev

The presented study examines the comparative characteristics of industrial revolution targets, national goals, and strategic objectives for the development of the Russian economy; proposes methods for measuring and evaluating technological development; describes its impact on economic growth and shows the performance of enterprises.Aim. The study aims to determine the specific features of formation of economic and social development targets and the potential of new technologies, including breakthrough technologies, for shaping the technological development of the Russian economy; to propose methods for measuring and evaluating technological development and its impact on the growth and development of the national economy that would improve the quality of economic and managerial decision-making.Tasks. The authors clarify the interpretation of the concept of breakthrough technologies; identify distinctive features in the formation of industrial revolution targets and priority targets for the development of the Russian economy; substantiate methodological approaches to identifying parameters and indicators, methods for measuring and evaluating the level of technological development, its impact on the results of changes in economic growth and development of the national economy and its economic entities.Methods. The authors use the methods of scientific research, theoretical and comparative analysis, synthesis, generalization, general theory of economic growth, and elements of the economic efficiency theory.Results. The interpretation of breakthrough technologies as dominant new technologies that can ensure accelerated progressive development of the economy and minimize damage to the natural environment is clarified. The distinctive features of formation of industrial revolution targets and their relationship with the targets for the development of the Russian economy are identified. Evaluative features are substantiated; indicators for measuring and evaluating the transformation of the technological development of enterprises engaged in different activities and indicators for measuring and evaluating the impact of new technologies, including breakthrough technologies, on economic growth and development are proposed. The influence of the recommended measurement and evaluation methods on improving the quality of management decisions is shown.Conclusions. The study substantiates the need to improve methods for assessing the actual achieved (projected, planned) level of technological development as a necessary prerequisite for its qualitative analysis, evaluation, control, and monitoring required to make sound economic and managerial decisions. The proposed methods for measuring and evaluating technological development, measuring and evaluating the impact of new technologies, including breakthrough technologies, on the quality of economic growth, efficiency and competitiveness of the national economy (region, industry, activity, enterprises) improve the quality of managerial decision-making in achieving national goals for the development of the national economy.


Author(s):  
Sibel Yildiz Çankaya ◽  
Bülent Sezen

Modern industry developed over several centuries and three industrial revolutions. Today, we experience the fourth era of the industrial revolution, Industry 4.0. The advance of industrialization brought along many problems, including environmental pollution, global warming, and depletion of natural resources. As a result, the concept of sustainability began to gain importance. Sustainability can be achieved through a balance between economic, social, and environmental processes. In order to establish such balance, businesses need new business models or insights. At this point, Industry 4.0 can be regarded as a new business mindset that will help businesses and communities move towards sustainable development. The technologies used by Industry 4.0 bear a strong promise to solve these problems, after all. Even though Industry 4.0 attracts a lot of attention lately, few works are available on its impact on sustainability. This chapter examines the impact of Industry 4.0 on sustainability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 7066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radu Godina ◽  
Inês Ribeiro ◽  
Florinda Matos ◽  
Bruna T. Ferreira ◽  
Helena Carvalho ◽  
...  

Additive manufacturing has the potential to make a longstanding impact on the manufacturing world and is a core element of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Additive manufacturing signifies a new disruptive path on how we will produce parts and products. Several studies suggest this technology could foster sustainability into manufacturing systems based on its potential of optimizing material consumption, creating new shapes, customizing designs and shortening production times that, all combined, will greatly transform some of the existing business models. Although it requires reaching a certain level of design maturity to completely insert this technology in an industrial setting, additive manufacturing has the potential to favorably impact the manufacturing sector by reducing costs in production, logistics, inventories, and in the development and industrialization of a new product. The transformation of the industry and the acceleration of the adopting rate of new technologies is driving organizational strategy. Thus, through the lenses of Industry 4.0 and its technological concepts, this paper aims to contribute to the knowledge about the impacts of additive manufacturing technology on sustainable business models. This aim is accomplished through a proposed framework, as well as the models and scales that can be used to determine these impacts. The effects are assessed by taking into account the social, environmental and economic impacts of additive manufacturing on business models and for all these three dimensions a balanced scorecard structure is proposed.


Author(s):  
Łukasz Tomczyk ◽  
Vladimir Costas Jáuregui ◽  
Cibelle Albuquerque de La Higuera Amato ◽  
Darwin Muñoz ◽  
Magali Arteaga ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of the article is to highlight the key elements related to the implementation of new technologies in education from the perspective of the opinions and experiences of educators in the field in Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Finland, Poland, Turkey, and Uruguay. The text compares issues related to attitudes towards the use of new media in education, experiences with different forms of e-learning, and the level of restrictions on the use of smartphones in school. These variables are juxtaposed with the self-assessment of digital competence and how cyberspace is used. The survey was conducted using a standardised survey questionnaire translated into the relevant national languages in the first half of 2019, and involved a sample of 873 teachers representing eight countries. On the basis of the pilot studies it was noted that: 1) Teachers from LAC and EU like to use digital media - this is a constant trend independent of geographical location; 2) Teachers note that new technologies are not always better than analogue didactic aids; 3) Teachers from selected countries (the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Turkey, and Uruguay) have much greater techno-optimism in themselves than teachers from Bolivia, Poland, Finland and Turkey in terms of the impact of ICT on student motivation and engagement; 4) In all countries teachers prefer free online courses (the different forms of e-learning are used most often by those in the Dominican Republic, and the least often in Bolivia and Poland); 5) In each country teachers who highly value their own digital competences and have a positive attitude towards new media use ICT much more actively; 6) There is also a global trend in that the extensive use of cyberspace (typical e-services) appears in combination with the extensive use of various forms of e-learning; 7) Teachers from Ecuador are most likely to want to ban the use of smartphones in schools. The most liberal approach in this respect is taken by the Uruguayans; 8) The knowledge of the conditions related to restricting the use of smartphones goes beyond the analyses related to the style of use and attitude towards new media. This article is the result of pilot studies conducted within the framework of the SMART ECOSYSTEM FOR LEARNING AND INCLUSION project carried out in selected Latin American, Caribbean (LAC) and European (EU) countries.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rostislav Kapeliushnikov

Nowadays there are many gloomy prophecies provided by both technologists and economists about the detrimental effects of the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution on aggregate employment and its composition. These prophecies imply that in the near future we will face Robocalypse — a massive replacement of people by machines alongside an explosion in joblessness. This paper provides theoretical, empirical and historical evidence that the phenomenon of technological unemployment is a phantom. The most general results can be summarized as follows: in the long run, reduction in labor demand under the impact of new technologies is merely a theoretical possibility that has never before been realized in practice; at the level of individual firms, there is a strong positive relationship between innovations and employment growth; at the sectoral level, technological changes cause a multidirectional employment response, since different industries are at different stages of the life cycle; at the macro level, technological progress acts as a positive or neutral, but not a negative factor; a surge in technological unemployment, even in the short-term, seems a remote prospect since in coming decades the pace of technological change is unlikely to be fast enough by historical standards; the impact of new technologies on labor supply may be a more serious problem than their impact on labor demand; technological changes seem to have a much greater effect on the composition of employment than on its level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1 SI) ◽  
pp. 39-42
Author(s):  
Yevhenii Yefimov

The report states that the presence of digital technologies in the modern world is a normal, everyday phenomenon. Modern humanity cannot imagine its life without digital technologies. Confirmation of the words is the rapid deployment of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), which radically changes not only the technical, technological capabilities of production, but also the very way of life. The latest technologies are changing entire sectфors of the economy, changing forms of employment, business models, the relationship between capital and labor, the structure of forms of capital. In this regard, the main purpose of this report is to determine the role of digital technologies, which they have an impact on the interaction of technology transfer actors: business and government.


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