TITLE:
Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Readiness Assessment of Project Managers in Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Edephonce Ngemera Nfuka
KEYWORDS:
Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, Project Managers, Readiness Assessment
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Software Engineering and Applications,
Vol.16 No.3,
March
29,
2023
ABSTRACT: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is transforming the way we live, learn, work, and relate to one another. However, there is still an awareness inadequacy of the 4IR among project managers and the society in Tanzania, thus low readiness to conceptualize, implement and manage 4IR-related projects in the country. This study aimed to assess the 4IR readiness of project managers in Tanzania. The assessment is made in the frame of 4 readiness dimensions: strategy and governance structure, technology awareness, human capital digital skills development, and social-economic impact. The research used a quantitative method with the diffusion of innovations theory perspective, and data were collected mainly through an online survey questionnaire. The survey aimed at answering the research question concerning the project managers’ readiness for the 4IR. The 50 valid samples were completed by project managers from various industries such as agriculture, finance, consulting, construction, education and training, government, healthcare, Information Technology, and manufacturing. Data were analysed using SPSS. The results revealed that despite the generally low awareness of 4IR, several project managers in Tanzania have some varying awareness of 4IR technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, blockchain, robotics, cryptocurrency, chatbots, drones, and other digital transformation platforms. The results also indicated that project managers in Tanzania had little extent in readiness to initiate, develop and implement 4IR products and services due to inadequate 4IR-related awareness, strategy and governance structure, human capital digital skills development, and social economic impact. Consequently, some recommendations are made in the frame of the four assessed readiness dimensions for improvement. The value of this research is mainly to provide the state of 4IR readiness of project managers and associated recommendations to policymakers, practitioners, academia, donors, business industry and youth in digital innovation. The study also contributes to the body of knowledge on 4IR, project management and digital transformation.