Engineering Construction and Architectural Management (Journal)

Ejohwomu, O. (Editor in chief)

Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work › Research

Description

Lead Guest Editor: Evidencing the productive value of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the AEC sector

Period	1 Jan 2020 → 1 Apr 2021
Type of journal	Journal
ISSN	0969-9988
Degree of Recognition	International

Documents & Links

The changes brought about by the First, Second and Third Industrial Revolutions were arguably strongly associated with the productivity gains of that era. It is therefore no surprise that recent reports are echoing similar future value gains across many industries as the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) continues to unfold. In particular, that 70 per cent of businesses will have at least one form of AI capability by 2030 (McKinsey). The World Economic Forum is also predicting significant changes in future labour markets where job share between humans and automated processes will be equal. While PwC is predicting a $15.7trn global return on investments in 4IR by 2030. However, these predicted economic business gains are predisposed upon a coalescence of technological, process and information communication innovations. Yet despite this aforementioned presupposition, the prevailing discourse within academic literature remains largely silent on inherent value accrued from adopting technological disruption within contemporary project management in the delivery of change across the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) in private, public and third sectors (Chan and Ejohwomu 2018). A total of 197 articles published between 1978 and 2018 were systematically examined by Chan and Ejohwomu (2018), which is inclusive of the digitisation era but not the mechanisation and electrification eras. Their review also emphasised the need to move beyond track-based conceptualisations and measurements of productivity, to consider productivity at a more systemic level. This is why we need to question where we measure productivity as much as we do for how and why. In addition, the true impact of technologies, such as AI and cloud computing and their impacts to managerial practices, are still not well understood. Consequently, there is clear need to acquire a deeper understanding of the true link between 4IR and productivity and provide qualitative and/or quantitative evidence to substantiate such. 4IR is arguably the leading area of investigation within the contemporary construction and civil engineering management discipline, given international governmental encouragement to adopt 4IR innovations as a means of encouraging industrial and economic reform and competitiveness. This Special Issue of Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management is at the cusp of change and at the vanguard of reporting key developments in the field. Moreover, the work will have practical impact – namely, to repurpose the use and expectations of productivity as a tool for generation of economic wealth will require compelling evidence to support such assertion. This Special Issue will provide that evidence.

Engineering Construction and Architectural Management (Journal)

Description

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