TRANSFORMING SOUTH AFRICA’S UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY: A ROADMAP THROUGH 4IR LENSES

Since their birth in the 6th century, universities have undergone different forms of transformations, especially of structural, ideological, and epistemological nature. Recently, the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) has triggered a wave of such transformations and just like other industrial revolutions, university management ought to be cautious as such transformations could exacerbate existing inequalities between the rich and the poor students. To this end, a clear roadmap for such a transformation becomes critical. This is the contribution of this paper. We achieve this through a bibliometric analysis of the state of scientific research into the ‘university transformation’ topic, with a special focus on South Africa’s (RSA) context. The content of the identified scientific publications on RSA was further subjected to thematic analysis leading to the revelation that decolonisation, community engagement and structural transformation, are the main research themes. It also emerges that RSA universities have not embraced 4IR as a lens through which to pursue transformation. On the other hand, the RSA government launched the project: “Transformation at Public Universities” during the 2017/18 planning year. Subsequently, all universities in the country adopted and rolled out a customised transformation agenda. Among these universities, are the six universities of technology (UoTs), which, for historical reasons, the transformation project presents unique challenges and opportunities. Created slightly after the millennium, UoTs are still seen as critical role players in the third mission of universities, that of “achieving economic growth and social progress”. These findings, as wells as the existence of systemic exclusion, marginalisation, and discrimination (especially along racial lines) in RSA universities, defines our proposed roadmap. Using one of the UoTs and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as the reference, the proposed university transformation roadmap is supported by empirical data on the assessment of the readiness of students to adopt 4IR technologies.

MITIGATING STRATEGIES OF THREATS TO QUANTITY SURVEYING PROFESSION IN THE NIGERIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Quantity surveying (QS) profession had faced numerous challenges in recent decades than when it was first introduced in developing countries. In addition, opportunities via technology advancement to the profession were also perceived as threats. This, therefore, inform the need to investigate the possible mitigating strategies to the threats confronting the profession in the Nigerian construction industry as an attempt to proffer solutions. Therefore, opinions of quantity surveyors in construction firms, consulting firms and government establishments of Lagos State, Nigeria were collected through a survey. The mitigating strategies garnered from extant literature were used to elicit the opinions of the respondents. One hundred and twelve (112) copies of questionnaires were administered, while the retrieved copies were used to analyse with both descriptive and inferential statistics. Mean score and Standard Deviation (SD) were used to rank the opinions of the respondents, and factor analysis was used to group the mitigating strategies into concise form for ease of discussion. The results of the analysis show that the mitigating strategies identified in the study are significant to mitigating the threats in the QS profession. The factor analysis conducted grouped the mitigating strategies into four major groups, namely practice, knowledge, progressive learning and ethics. These groupings were discussed within the context of the study and in relation with previous researches. This study proffers possible solutions to the threats to the QS profession that had been publicised in many studies.

PREDICTING RURAL STEM TEACHERS’ ACCEPTANCE OF MOBILE LEARNING IN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

In South Africa, high schools’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is faced with many challenges. However, previous studies have shown that mobile learning (m-learning) can be used to lessen the challenges faced in STEM education. Despite the benefits that m-learning can bring into STEM classrooms, its adoption is still below the expected rate. The acceptance of m-learning depends on the attitude of its users. Most studies focused on learners’ acceptance of m-learning. However, very little is known about rural high school STEM teachers’ acceptance of m-learning in the Fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era. This study proposes a model, which extends the Technology Acceptance Model by introducing perceived social influence and perceived resources. Stratified random sampling was used to select 150 teachers to participate in the survey. A total of 114 valid questionnaires were collected, and data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The proposed model explained 37.9 % of the variance in teachers’ behavioural intention to use m-learning in the 4IR era. Perceived attitude towards the use was found to be the best predictor of teachers’ behavioural intention, followed by perceived ease of use, perceived resources, perceived social influence, and lastly perceived usefulness

FACILITATING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION THROUGH CROWDSOURCING IN URBAN PLANNING PROCESSES: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Fostering community participation by planners in South African municipalities poses a challenge during planning processes. Different levels of public apathy have been observed, and they continue to undermine the quest of municipalities to provide sustainable neighbourhoods. Also, value conflicts from different urban stakeholders resulting from this apathy can be ameliorated through improved participation of the communities in the planning processes. In bridging this gap, the paper seeks to explore different Crowdsourcing techniques to be employed in Mangaung to enable urban stakeholders’ participation in planning projects. As such, crowdsourcing, as a new web-based business model, is inclusive in the 4th Industrial Revolution and can be used as the best solution for community participation in planning projects. Based on the foregoing, this paper employs a case study research design and a coterie of techniques: semi-structured interviews and document reviews for data elicitation. Interviewees comprise of purposively recruited town planning and other municipal officials involved in planning projects. The emergent data will be analysed thematically. Expectedly, the findings hold immense implications for planning practitioners as well as other professionals and policymakers working within the urban planning and socio-economic development praxes in South African Municipalities.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: BARRIERS FACING ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN AN EMERGING MARKET

Construction firms over the world involve in Strategy Alliance (SA) in order to achieve efficient time-cost-quality relationship during construction process through knowledge sharing, team culture and risk management with one another. Despite the numerous benefits gained, there are still various barriers facing it in the developing world. This paper is aimed at analysing the current level of awareness and barrier facing SA procurement method in the building industry in an emerging market (EM) using Nigeria as a case study, to profound future steps in avoiding these barriers and to encourage maximum implementation in the construction industry. A survey design was employed in evaluating the level of awareness of SA and barriers facing its adoption in building industry. Construction professionals in Nigeria were examined through a well-structured questionnaire. Mean Item Score and Factor Analysis were utilized in evaluating data gathered on the current barriers to SA procurement method in the construction industry. It was revealed from the study that the awareness level of SA procurement method within the industry amongst construction professionals is moderately high. This indicates that the barrier facing SA procurement method is not the issue of awareness but of willingness to adopt it. It was also established from the study that fear and trust issue, lack of strategic planning toward alliance, inadequate knowledge about alliance and, different in cultural values were the major component barriers facing strategic alliance procurement method. The study shows the true reflection of the current barriers facing the adoption of SA procurement methods in the developing country and notable points in this study can be largely recommended to promote strategic alliance partnership among construction firms the Nigerian construction industry and other emerging economy countries were building projects are carried out in the same approach, style and method.

NONLINEAR PROOF-OF-WORK: IMPROVING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BITCOIN MINING

Bitcoin is probably the most well-known blockchain system in existence. It employs the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus algorithm to add transactions to the blockchain. This process is better known as Bitcoin mining. PoW requires miners to compete in solving a cryptographic puzzle before being allowed to add a block of transactions to the blockchain. This mining process is energy-intensive and results in high energy wastage. The underlying cause of this energy inefficiency is the result of the current implementation of the PoW algorithm. PoW assigns the same cryptographic puzzle to all miners, creating a linear probability of success between the miner’s computational power as a proportion of the total computational power of the network. To address this energy inefficiency of the PoW mining process, the researchers investigated whether a nonlinear probability of success, between the miner’s computation power and its probability of success, will result in better energy usage. A nonlinear proof-of-work (nlPoW) algorithm was constructed by using a design science approach to derive the requirements for and structure of the algorithm. The Bitcoin mining process was tested through statistical simulation, comparing the performance of nlPoW with PoW. Preliminary results, simulating a network of 1000 miners with identical computational power, indicate that nlPoW reduce the number of hash computations, and therefore the energy consumption, required by Bitcoin mining. The findings are significant because nlPoW does not reduce the degree of decentralised consensus, or trade energy usage for some other resource as is the case with many other attempts to address the energy consumption problem in PoW.

A SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) was developed as a set of tools for identifying and making incremental steps to improve situations with poorly defined causes or solutions. The supply chain forms a key process of any construction project; however, on any given construction site, supply chain inefficiencies could arise from many different avenues. Opinions vary, though, on which of these avenues is more important for increasing supply chain efficiencies; whether any problem even exist across the different aspects of the supply chain; as well as what steps should be taken to resolve them. It was therefore studied, here, whether SSM could be employed as a useful tool to systematically apply in the supply chains of a construction project in South Africa, for understanding and targeting the problematic situations that arise. Following thorough cyclical open-ended interviews with 17 workers, supervisors, foremen, site clerks, senior managers, and the CEO of the principal contractor at a new office park construction project in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and a thematic analysis of the data, SSM was performed to understand the existing challenges, and develop a suitable model for improvement. The study found that SSM was a good tool for understanding the ‘messy’ circumstances surrounding the chosen construction project supply chain, as well as actions that could be taken to improve the supply chain’s efficiency on site. The findings add weight to the argument that SSM could be a good tool for project managers to systematically introduce into their project planning regimens

CONSTRUCTION STAKEHOLDERS’ PERSPECTIVE ON EXTERNAL RELATED RISK FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PERFORMANCE

The construction industry is extremely complex, with dynamic project environments creating an atmosphere of high uncertainty and risk. For that reason, risks in construction project have become an inevitable feature and the industry is susceptible to numerous business, socio-political and technical risks that negatively influence project delivery. This study therefore investigates the causes of external risks factors in construction project delivery and the effect on project and organisational performance so that efficient control measures can be designed to minimise its occurrence. A quantitative research design was adopted, and the sample comprised of randomly selected construction professionals in the Western Cape Province. The data was statistically analysed using descriptive and inferential analyses. The salient findings revealed that socio-political-related risk factors were the major causes of risks during construction project delivery, these factors include labour strikes and disputes due to union issues, excessive influence by government on court proceedings regarding construction project disputes, and constraints on the availability and employment of expatriate staff. In addition, the study revealed the impact of external related risks on projects and organisational performance, and it was found that cost overrun was ranked the most significant on project performance and disputes between parties to the contract was ranked the most significant on organisational performance. In the context of the South African construction industry, previous studies tended to focus more on internal risks as opposed to external risks. Therefore, this study makes a contribution to the body of knowledge on the subject within a previously unexplored context. The study provides insights with regard to the sources of external related risks associated with construction project within the context of the South African construction industry.

ESTABLISHING THE KEY ELEMENTS OF INCORPORATION AND OUTCOMES OF 4TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION: A MIXED BIBLIOGRAPHIC AND BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

The rapid, exponential fusion of technologies which profoundly disrupts all industries and processes is commonly described as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4th IR). The Built Environment (BE) sector has long been overdue for radical transformation that is symphonious with global trends. Consequently, how to incorporate 4th IR in BE education remains challenging. This research aims to establish what educational methods, context, tools, and technological pedagogy are required and should be adopted, as well as what the effects and outcomes can be expected from the incorporation of the 4th IR concepts in BE education. The rationale for this research stems from the aspiration to meet the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals, which advocate that young people need to be "future-ready" and this includes digital fluency and ICT literacy. The study utilised a verifiable and reproducible systematic literature review of digital education; with analysis and scrutiny of 582 academic articles for the co-occurrence of keywords, using a mixed bibliographic and bibliometric method. Through clustering analysis based on the bibliometric method, the key elements, outcomes, and their interconnections of incorporating 4th IR in BE education were outlined. The paper revealed that, in adopting 4th IR, Higher education, Design, Innovation and Privacy appear to be the predominant context. Distance education, Collaborative learning and Digital learning are the foremost education methods. Digital technologies, Virtual reality and cloud computing are the most significant education tools and technology elements. Sustainable education, Ethical learning and Student engagement are the resultant primary outcomes of incorporating 4th IR in built environment education. In addition, the results of the interconnections of indicators analysis revealed Higher education, Distance education and Sustainable education are significantly intertwined with Digital technologies. Based on the taxonomy of key elements and outcomes and the analysis of their interconnections, a conceptual framework for adopting 4th IR in built environment education was developed

A SCHEMA FOR IMPROVING CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WITH UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

This article aims to outline how to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for on sites use in South African construction. The use of UAVs is gaining traction in the construction industry, where cyber-physical systems are promoting digital-to physical transformation. Among others, UAVs help assures the safety of people in construction. For instance, they are controlled remotely while moving faster than humans into inaccessible, hard-to-reach, and unsafe areas of job sites. They can be equipped with various types of sensors to transfer valuable data to safety managers and assist with onsite safety monitoring. Based on realised gains and the need to motivate its use, this article uses presents a schema that could help managers deploy UAVs on construction sites for safety performance purposes. The literature-based report utilised the keywords unmanned aerial vehicles and safety in construction to search the relevant database. The findings reveal that the critical hazards on construction sites can be identified using UAVs to allow proactive execution of accident prevention methods. Given that the captured visual images and video clips provide site management with a bird's eye view of a site, corrective measures can be implemented through 'walkabout' and instant instructions. The virtual images and video clips also help to identify hazards and risks that may cause accidents on construction sites. There is significant scope for using UAVs to improve construction safety when appropriate guidelines are implemented.