The Opportunities and Challenges Associated with the Implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies to Manage Health and Safety

The fourth industrial revolution (4iR) technologies offer an opportunity for the construction industry to improve health and safety (H&S) compliance. Therefore, implementing the technologies is of top priority to improve the endless H&S incidents in construction projects, which lead to poor quality of work, late project delivery, and increased labour injury claims. Central to improving the nature of work and other industrial processes, the 4iR technologies have emerged. Concurrent with this trend is the importance of 4iR technologies in enhancing health and safety performance on construction sites. However, the implementation of 4iR technologies in the construction industry is faced with various challenges. Therefore, this paper reports on a study aimed at examining the challenges associated with implementing 4iR technologies in the construction sector in South Africa towards effective management of H&S. The study followed a systematic literature review, data collection using a questionnaire survey and thereafter, descriptive, and inferential analyses were conducted. The findings revealed that the implementation of 4iR technologies is challenged by a lack of adequate relevant skills, the unavailability of training capacities, expensive technologies, and negative perceptions such as fear of job loss by industry professionals. The findings are essential for the advancement of H&S research and implementation. In addition, the findings are important to industry decision-makers in order to elevate their awareness and promote the use of 4iR technologies to manage construction activities. The study implications include the need for the construction industry to collaborate with higher education institutions to conduct research and include 4iR in the curriculum.

The multiple mediating effects of Korean workers’ perception of the fourth industrial revolution, career attitudes and future learning intent

Purpose This study aims at analyzing the impact of perceptions of the fourth industrial revolution (crisis and opportunity) in the relationship between workers’ career attitudes and future learning intentions. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed the multiple mediating effect of the perception of the fourth industrial revolution in the relationship between career attitudes and future learning intention using data of 305 Korean workers. As career attitude variables, boundaryless and protean career orientation variables were used, and perception of the fourth industrial revolution was analyzed (opportunity and crisis perception). Findings Both workers’ boundaryless career orientation and protean career orientation influenced future learning intention through the perception of opportunity for the fourth industrial revolution. This result suggested that flexible career attitudes positively recognized the changes of the fourth industrial revolution and had an effect on promoting attitude toward future learning. Research limitations/implications The study confirmed that workers’ flexible career attitudes could promote perception of opportunity rather than crisis in changing situation and strengthen their intention to prepare for the future by mediating this perception. These results suggest that lifelong learning and competency development can be reinforced by facilitating perception of an opportunities for external change for individual career development. Originality/value Insights for personal career development were provided by analyzing the relationship between flexible career attitudes, which are increasing in importance in the modern society, and perceptions of changes in external environment.

Human resource development 4.0 (HRD 4.0) in the apparel industry of Bangladesh: a theoretical framework and future research directions

PurposeThe transition from Industry 3.0 to the fourth industrial revolution was a big jump that created a vacuum in many developing countries. Drawing upon institutional theory and resource-based view theory, the current study proposes a theoretical model linking the institutional pressures and resources (workforce skills) in context to the apparel industry of Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a qualitative approach involving 20 semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic analysis using NVivo 12 software. The researchers impose both deductive and inductive thematic analysis to generate themes. The data analysis involves various stages applying the phenomenological approaches.FindingsInstitutional pressures (coercive) positively influences the workforce skills (technical and managerial) in the fourth industrial revolution in Bangladesh apparel manufacturing industry; institutional pressures (normative) is positively related to the workforce skills (technical and managerial) in 4IR in Bangladesh apparel manufacturing industry; institutional pressures (mimetic) has shown a positive association with the workforce skills (technical and managerial) in 4IR in Bangladesh apparel manufacturing industry; workforce skills (technical and managerial) are positively influencing the development of human resource capabilities in fourth industrial revolution in Bangladesh apparel manufacturing industry.Originality/valueThis paper is the first of its kind to offer a thematic analysis on human resource development 4.0 in the apparel industry of Bangladesh. The study provides an understanding of the role of institutional pressure on workforce skill development and the adoption of 4IR technology.

Leibniz-Informationszentrum Technik und Naturwissenschaften und Universitätsbibliothek ISBN 978-3-03943-597-5

The advent of the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, brings about both opportunities and challenges that are likely to set developed economies even farther apart from emerging economies. This book, through the perspective of researchers in the emerging markets, presents analyses on a number of issues important to entrepreneurial finance, such as debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, stock market efficiency, resource allocation and consumption, and sustainable development.

Technische Universität Braunschweig ISBN 978-3-03943-597-5

The advent of the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, brings about both opportunities and challenges that are likely to set developed economies even farther apart from emerging economies. This book, through the perspective of researchers in the emerging markets, presents analyses on a number of issues important to entrepreneurial finance, such as debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, stock market efficiency, resource allocation and consumption, and sustainable development. It aims at improving our understanding of the financing needs as well as the financial risks involved in entrepreneurial endeavors in less developed settings in the new era.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Haus Potsdamer Straße ISBN 978-3-03943-597-5

The advent of the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, brings about both opportunities and challenges that are likely to set developed economies even farther apart from emerging economies. This book, through the perspective of researchers in the emerging markets, presents analyses on a number of issues important to entrepreneurial finance, such as debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, stock market efficiency, resource allocation and consumption, and sustainable development. It aims at improving our understanding of the financing needs as well as the financial risks involved in entrepreneurial endeavors in less-developed settings in the new era.

Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen

The advent of the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, brings about both opportunities and challenges that are likely to set developed economies even farther apart from emerging economies. This book, through the perspective of researchers in the emerging markets, presents analyses on a number of issues important to entrepreneurial finance, such as debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, stock market efficiency, resource allocation and consumption, and sustainable development. It aims at improving our understanding of the financing needs as well as the financial risks involved in entrepreneurial endeavors in less developed settings in the new era.