Sustainable Development Report: Blockchain, the Web3 & the SDGs

This is an output paper of the applied research that was conducted between July 2018 - October 2019 funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and conducted by the Research Institute for Cryptoeconomics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and RCE Vienna (Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development).Series: Working Paper Series / Institute for Cryptoeconomics / Interdisciplinary Researc

Sustainable Development Report: Blockchain, the Web3 & the SDGs

This is an output paper of the applied research that was conducted between July 2018 - October 2019 funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and conducted by the Research Institute for Cryptoeconomics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and RCE Vienna (Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development).Series: Working Paper Series / Institute for Cryptoeconomics / Interdisciplinary Researc

Digitalisation Practices in South-African State-Owned Enterprises: A Framework for Rapid Adoption of Digital Solutions

The dawn of the 4IR (4th Industrial Revolution) brought about numerous opportunities for digitisation of South African State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Yet, it is uncertain to what extent these SOEs are positioned to embrace 4IR opportunities and address the challenges. In this paper we investigate the value of SOEs in South Africa (SA) as a developing economy as well as important components of the 4IR and SA government initiatives to embrace the 4IR. Amongst others, Blockchain, Advanced Analytics, AI, and the IoT have been identified as important 4IR components. On the strength of a literature review, a number of propositions is defined and these together with existing technology adoption frameworks, notably the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework are used to define a digitalisation framework for 4IR adoption by SA SOEs. Key to the framework is collaboration among individuals in the 4IR. The framework is subsequently validated conceptually by linking it to the stated propositions

The readiness of the South African private and public sector for the fourth industrial revolution

The exponential growth of technology over the past few years led to it being given prime slot at the World Economic Forum held in Davos in January 2016, with Forum founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab coining this potentially disruptive phenomenon as the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. Since then, the term Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR) has gained ever increasing relevance and importance. Schwab (2016) emphasised that the world is on the edge of “a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another”; and that in the pure “scale, scope and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before”. What is certain is that the FIR is predicted by many to impact significantly on jobs in the world as robotics; automation and artificial intelligence become more prolific. This shift will have a direct bearing on South Africa as well. With the challenges facing the country, such as infrastructure constraints, frequent industrial actions, rising costs and shortages of skills, the loss of further jobs should be of concern for government and the private sector alike. The outcomes of the in-depth analysis of future studies practice and theory in this research study give credence to the argument that the manner in which planning for the future of the FIR in the South African context is taking place requires profound adjustments. The development of fresh insight through the application of futures studies is essential to this planning process, as is progressively evidenced in the tendency for present day business to make collaborative decisions and strategies that are founded on and informed by futures studies. This research has tried to gain insight into the possible future of the FIR in South Africa through the creation of four scenarios towards 2035. These are outlined as follows: The Fifth Element, which is the ‘best case’ scenario, to which the country aspires; Terminator, the ‘worst case’ scenario, in which everything goes bad; The Matrix, the outlier future based on a surprising, disruptive, emerging issue; and The Day the Earth Stood Still, in which no change takes place, making it ‘business as usual’. The research furthermore endeavoured to discover the preferred future for the FIR in a South African context, as a basis for the Future Vision of the FIR in South Africa towards 2035. All through this study, Inayatullah’s (2008) pillars of futures studies were applied as a guide in mapping the present and future, further deepening and broadening the future through the development of scenarios, and, finally, transforming the future by narrowing it down to the preferred. It is up to the South African public and private sectors to determine which path is to be followed in the decisions surrounding the embrace and acceptance of the FIR as the country moves towards progress and sustainable development. Through a novel and innovative methodology, the creation of an atmosphere of trust, and the sharing of purpose, values and benefits, a national Future Vision of the FIR in South Africa towards 2035 is attainable. All stakeholders have to commit to working in co-operative partnerships, with government, society, local communities and labour striding boldly together into a world of technological, commercial, environmental and social innovation

Review of Sustainable Transformative Performance: Governance and Accountability Imperatives

The present organisational and business landscape makes the quest for sustainable transformative performance an urgent imperative. Because of this, it is crucial to synthesise and understand the many facets of sustainable transformative performance, with a focus on the need for governance and accountability. This paper reviews the relationship between corporate governance, accountability, and sustainable transformative performance imperatives. The paper draws on the knowledge from several research papers submitted to the Issues in Social and Environmental Accounting Journal special issue publication. It thoroughly analyses various perspectives on sustainable transformation, ranging from environmental sustainability and disclosure practices to the function of governance, organisational culture, and responsible investing. Alongside these issues, the paper also explores the integration of technological governance, its impact on innovation, and the nuanced relationship between financial performance, firm size, and corporate practices. Through these thematic lenses, this paper highlights the significance of aligning governance frameworks, fostering accountability, and embracing responsible practices to drive sustainable transformative performance. The findings of the paper provide valuable insights to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, shedding light on the complex nature of sustainable transformation and the imperative of effective governance and accountability. The conclusion drawn from the study highlights the transformative power of ethical decision-making, creative governance models, and responsible behaviours in promoting sustainability, good governance and value-driven performance.     Keywords: Sustainable Transformative Performance, Governance, Accountability, Responsible Investment, Technological Governance, Environmental Disclosure and Performance, Environmental Sustainability, Organisational Culture

STI Roadmaps for SDGs: Smart Specialisation for Territorial and Industrial Development in Rwanda

The International Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmaps for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) took place in Kigali, January 9th-10th 2020. It was the first Workshop organised by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) that addressed Smart Specialisation for Territorial and Industrial Development in Rwanda. In line with the EU Green Deal and the objectives of the Government of Rwanda, the workshop emphasised the sharing of best practices between various countries and taking an evidence-based approach, with localisation of actions and prioritisation of efforts. Follow-up Smart Specialisation cooperation with Rwanda is now taking place in the framework of the JRC Exploratory Research activity on “Smart Specialisation in Innovative and Informal African Economies”.JRC.B.3-Territorial Developmen

Multinational enterprises, industry 4.0 and sustainability:A multidisciplinary review and research agenda

Humanity is facing important challenges in the area of sustainability, for which all parties and means need to be brought together. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) are considered key actors for helping realise a successful transition towards a greener and more equitable future, in a time and age where much hope is set on novel digital technologies (often termed Industry 4.0) to expedite change ‘for good’. Despite this attention, however, there is limited insight into the actual state of the art regarding MNEs, Industry 4.0 and the implications for sustainability. As a result, academic knowledge of how MNEs develop and employ digital technologies, and what significance this has in relation to sustainability, is fragmented along disciplinary boundaries. We therefore conduct a systemic multidisciplinary review of the literature, examining the different types of digital technologies, the geographical scope of the studies, and the sustainability dimensions covered. Based on this critical evaluation, which considers both (potential) positive and negative implications, we present a promising research agenda for scholars on themes that are also highly relevant for organizations, individuals, societies and the planet

Global Initiatives and Higher Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth industrial Revolution (4IR) is forcing higher education (HE) into a new era where it must either actively and positively contribute to innovation, sustainability, and development or become obsolete and redundant. HE must leave its ivory tower and forge links and partnerships with society, industry, and governing bodies by delivering graduates that are holistically educated and trained to bring positive innovation and change and to address the challenges that humanity is facing in the 21st century

Rethinking African City Sustainability through Digital Socio-Technology

In the world within the framework of population needs environment commitments economy trends societal facts and infrastructures urbanization planning and smart urban experience are common concerns to provide sustainable living areas in developed and developing countries Similarly the digital revolution has transformed citizens daily life through the adoption of socio-digital technologies resulting in a transition of traditional cities to smart city model

The 4IR and teacher education in South Africa:

The 4IR has become an overarching framework within which education systems, including teacher education, are operating. Contingent upon the ideology of neo-liberalism, the 4IR seeks to transform societies in ways which respond to the relentless developments in technology, the Internet and digital capacities which, by design and intent, are purposed at increasing both productivity and the associated quality while at the same time reducing human intervention in the same processes. In teacher education, how we teach and train student teachers will be substantially influenced by the imperatives of the 4IR. There are multiple unresolved questions as the 4IR takes centre stage. For example, what will it mean for teaching and learning in schools that have severe technological and digital deficits; for teachers and students who have minimal technological literacies; for delivering high-quality teaching and learning; for transforming both the content and pedagogies of teacher education and, above all, for delivering socially just educational experiences for all our learners, regardless of class, race, and privilege. The discourse of the 4IR is contemporary and requires multiple perspectives to explore what it means in different contexts and settings, the understandings it engenders in people, what it implies across a wide range of educational decision-making levels, and that its fundamental assumptions cohere with national and societal assumptions about equality, equity and social justice. Multiple methodological approaches were utilised in the interrogation of the idea of the 4IR in teacher education in South Africa, including theoretical, empirical, and small-scale case studies, amongst others. The data these approaches provide are equally valued based on the purposes for which they have been derived