IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i18p10168-d633207.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

COVID-19 Pandemic Waves: 4IR Technology Utilisation in Multi-Sector Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Israel Edem Agbehadji

    (Research, Innovation and Engagement, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

  • Bankole Osita Awuzie

    (Centre for Sustainable Smart Cities 4.0, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

  • Alfred Beati Ngowi

    (Research, Innovation and Engagement, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

Abstract

In this paper, we reviewed the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies applied to waves of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). COVID-19 is an existential threat that has resulted in an unprecedented loss of lives, disruption of flight schedules, shutdown of businesses and much more. Though several researchers have highlighted the enormous benefits of 4IR technologies in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent waves of the pandemic call for a thorough review of these technological interventions. The cyber-physical space has had its share of the COVID-19 pandemic effect, and through this review, we highlight the salient issues to help policy formulation towards managing the impact of subsequent COVID-19 waves within such environments. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to review the application of 4IR technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic waves and to highlight their shortcomings. Recent research articles were sourced from an online repository and thoroughly reviewed to highlight 4IR technology applications, innovations, shortcomings and multi-sector challenges. The outcome of this review indicates that the second wave of the pandemic resulted in a lower proportion of patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and a lower rate of thrombotic events. In addition, it was revealed that the delay between ICU admissions and tracheal intubation was longer in the second wave in the health care sector. Again, the review suggests that 4IR technologies have been utilized across all the sectors including education, businesses, society, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture and mining. Businesses have revised their service delivery models to include 4IR technologies and avoid physical contacts. In society, digital certificates, among other digital platforms, have been utilized to assist with the movements of persons who have been vaccinated. Manufacturing concerns have also utilized robots in manufacturing to reduce human-to-human physical contact. The mining sector has automated their work processes, utilising smart boots to prevent infection, smart health bands and smart disinfection tunnels or walkthrough sanitization gates in the mining work environment. However, the identified challenges of implementing 4IR technologies include low-skilled workers, data privacy issues, data analysis poverty, data management issues and many more. The boom in 4IR technologies calls for intense legislation on sweeping data privacy for regulated tech companies. These findings hold salient implications for policy formulation towards tackling future pandemic outbreaks.

Suggested Citation

  • Israel Edem Agbehadji & Bankole Osita Awuzie & Alfred Beati Ngowi, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic Waves: 4IR Technology Utilisation in Multi-Sector Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10168-:d:633207
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10168/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10168/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oecd, 2014. "Cloud Computing: The Concept, Impacts and the Role of Government Policy," OECD Digital Economy Papers 240, OECD Publishing.
    2. Zhu, Bangren & Zheng, Xinqi & Liu, Haiyan & Li, Jiayang & Wang, Peipei, 2020. "Analysis of spatiotemporal characteristics of big data on social media sentiment with COVID-19 epidemic topics," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Lee, Sang M. & Lee, DonHee, 2021. "Opportunities and challenges for contactless healthcare services in the post-COVID-19 Era," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Sang M. Lee & DonHee Lee, 2020. "“Untact”: a new customer service strategy in the digital age," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 14(1), pages 1-22, March.
    5. Langthaler, Margarita & Bazafkan, Homa, 2020. "Digitalization, education and skills development in the global South: An assessment of the debate with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa," Briefing Papers 28, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    6. William Villegas-Ch & Xavier Palacios-Pacheco & Sergio Luján-Mora, 2019. "Application of a Smart City Model to a Traditional University Campus with a Big Data Architecture: A Sustainable Smart Campus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-28, May.
    7. Violeta Sima & Ileana Georgiana Gheorghe & Jonel Subić & Dumitru Nancu, 2020. "Influences of the Industry 4.0 Revolution on the Human Capital Development and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-28, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mvile, Benatus Norbert & Bishoge, Obadia Kyetuza, 2024. "Mining and sustainable development goals in Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chiang, Ai-Hsuan & Trimi, Silvana & Lo, Yu-Ju, 2022. "Emotion and service quality of anthropomorphic robots," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    2. Soon Goo Hong & DonHee Lee, 2023. "Development of a citizen participation public service innovation model based on smart governance," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(3), pages 669-694, September.
    3. Yongqiang Zhao & Liwei Zhang, 2022. "An Advanced Study of Urban Emergency Medical Equipment Logistics Distribution for Different Levels of Urgency Demand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Muhammad, Tufail & Ni, Guohua & Chen, Zhenling & Mallek, Sabrine & Dudek, Marek & Mentel, Grzegorz, 2024. "Addressing resource curse: How mineral resources influence industrial structure dynamics of the BRI 57 oil-exporting countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    5. Feng, Wei & Sun, Shujun & Yuan, Hang, 2023. "Research on the efficiency of factor allocation in the pilot free trade zones," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 727-745.
    6. Chun-Yi Lin & Chen Li & Sadaf Mahmood & Feng Guo & Zuoyi Qian, 2024. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Integrating Culture and Tourism: A Resilient Scale for Digital Transformation Innovation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(4), pages 16122-16155, December.
    7. Jonek-Kowalska, Izabela & Musioł-Urbańczyk, Anna & Podgórska, Marzena & Wolny, Maciej, 2021. "Does motivation matter in evaluation of research institutions? Evidence from Polish public universities," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    8. Albert Banal-Estanol & Jo Seldeslachts & Xavier Vives, 2022. "Ownership Diversification and Product Market Pricing Incentives," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2023, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    9. Daniel Belanche & Luis V. Casaló & Carlos Flavián & Alfredo Pérez-Rueda, 2021. "The role of customers in the gig economy: how perceptions of working conditions and service quality influence the use and recommendation of food delivery services," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 15(1), pages 45-75, March.
    10. Tzu-Chieh Lin & Kung Jeng Wang, 2021. "Project-based maturity assessment model for smart transformation in Taiwanese enterprises," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(7), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Justina Sidlauskiene & Yannick Joye & Vilte Auruskeviciene, 2023. "AI-based chatbots in conversational commerce and their effects on product and price perceptions," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-21, December.
    12. Bhagwan, N. & Evans, M., 2023. "A review of industry 4.0 technologies used in the production of energy in China, Germany, and South Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Özköse, Hakan & Güney, Gül, 2023. "The effects of industry 4.0 on productivity: A scientific mapping study," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    14. Hainan Huang & Weifan Chen & Tian Xie & Yaoyao Wei & Ziqing Feng & Weijiong Wu, 2021. "The Impact of Individual Behaviors and Governmental Guidance Measures on Pandemic-Triggered Public Sentiment Based on System Dynamics and Cross-Validation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-25, April.
    15. Lee, Sang M. & Lee, DonHee, 2021. "Opportunities and challenges for contactless healthcare services in the post-COVID-19 Era," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    16. Mohammed Alnahhal†& Omar Antar & Ahmad Sakhrieh & Muataz Al Hazza, 2024. "Analyzing Energy Consumption in Universities: A Literature Review," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(3), pages 18-27, May.
    17. Gabriel Suster & Cosmin Alin Popescu & Tiberiu Iancu & Gabriela Popescu & Ramona Ciolac, 2025. "The Synergy of Smart Campus Development with Smart City Policies and the New European Bauhaus with Implications for Educational Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-35, September.
    18. Restuning Widiasih & Maria Komariah & Iqbal Pramukti & Raini Diah Susanti & Habsyah Saparidah Agustina & Hidayat Arifin & Yulia Kurniawati & Katherine Nelson, 2022. "VNursLab 3D Simulator: A Web-Based Nursing Skills Simulation of Knowledge of Nursing Skill, Satisfaction, and Self-Confidence among Nursing Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-11, April.
    19. Hyo Geun Song & Hyeon Jo, 2023. "Understanding the Continuance Intention of Omnichannel: Combining TAM and TPB," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-20, February.
    20. Ohnemus, Jörg & Niebel, Thomas, 2016. "On the Determinants of Cloud Computing Adoption," 27th European Regional ITS Conference, Cambridge (UK) 2016 148694, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10168-:d:633207. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.