Challenges impeding women into leadership roles in a student-led organization at a South African higher education institution

Technological changes that come with industrial revolution have largely affected businesses, as well as society. With the current technological shift and Fourth Industrial Revolution, many questions arise regarding the impacts and effects on current ways businesses operate. This study presents a retrospective analysis and overview of previous industrial revolutions. The aim of the retrospective analysis is to identify common characteristics that may lead to lessons learned for the forthcoming Fourth Industrial Revolution and thus complement the current debate on technological change. All previous industrial revolutions have led to change in business environments and new challenges for managers and owners. The findings show that all previous revolutions have led to increase in the number of service jobs created. The key approach of successful countries during the times of industrial revolution has included education as the source of new skills and knowledge necessary for adaption. Countries that were able to produce high skilled people could not only invent, but also adapt to new technologies sooner than others. Similarly, these approaches included introduction of new managerial practices in order to be able to utilize new technologies and new skilled workers effectively. The research article processes secondary data together with literature review on this topic.

The modern concept of open innovation highlights the role of technology transfer from universities to the business environment. An increase in technology transfer efficiency is one of the tasks assigned to Ukrainian universities by the state. The nature of technology transfers in the world and the role of universities in this process call for revising traditional approaches to its production in Ukraine. This stipulated the substantiation of theoretical and methodological principles of technology transfer from universities to the business environment, which should serve as a fundamental platform for further economic, technological and other actions in the innovation development of Ukraine. For this purpose, the modern theoretical and applied components of technology transfer from universities to the business environment are researched; the theoretical and methodological principles of technology transfer are determined and the conceptual approach to understanding technology transfer from universities to the business environment is proved. To achieve the tasks at hand, the background and trends in technology transfer from universities to the business environment have been researched; the role of universities in modern technology transfers is analyzed; the peculiarities and potential of the scientific area of Ukraine are considered; the influence of university technology transfer centers on the universities’ academic entrepreneurship has been studied; the nature of knowledge transformation during the technology transfer is substantiated; the influence of technology transfer on the university subsystems is considered; the effects of technology transfer are investigated; models of interaction in the system “University – Governmental Authority – Business” are studied; and modern approaches to the technology transfer from universities to the business environment are researched. Given the research conducted, theoretical and methodological principles for technology transfer were formed, which conceptualize the technology transfer from universities to the business environment.

The paper deals with the analysis of methodology of Environmental Performance Index. The authors analyzed and systematized the main existing integrated indices, which were used for evaluation of environmental, social and economic situation in the countries. The authors allocated the environmental performance index as a basis for analyzing the environmental policy of the country. In this direction, the authors analysed the main features, structure and indicators of environmental performance index. The authors allocated the world-leader countries with huge level of CO2 emissions. According to the results, the authors aproved that these countries should improve their environmental policy. Accordingly, they occupied less position in environmental performance index. For the purpose to analyze the relation between ecological, social and economic welfare, the authors analyzed score of sustainable development goal index, social progress index and gross domestic product per capita. The comparison analysis of findings showed that countries with good position on environmental performance index have the strong position on sustainable development goal index and social progress index. The authors suggested that Ukraine should orient to the EU countries with purpose to improve the environmental policy.