Navigating the Digital Transformation: Key Components of Management Readiness for Education 4.0 in Technical Universities

Navigating the Digital Transformation: Key Components of Management Readiness for Education 4.0 in Technical Universities | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Navigating the Digital Transformation: Key Components of Management Readiness for Education 4.0 in Technical Universities Emmanuel Duncan, Eric Opoku Osei, Emmanuel Arthur-Nyarkoh This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8182290/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Technical universities also play an essential role in preparing graduates with the skills necessary to be able to succeed in the changing job market in Industry 4.0. To successfully implement Education 4.0 (E4.0) in these institutions, management teams must be completely ready. Although the necessity of this shift is undisputable, the existing literature does not provide a detailed model of the concept of management readiness, in particular with reference to developing economies like Ghana. The main aim of the paper is to establish the main elements of management preparedness towards E4.0 at technical universities. The research took a qualitative phenomenological design, where eight international professionals in E4.0, innovating laboratories, technical education policy, and teaching at higher education were in-depth interviewed in Ghana, India, and the USA. The data analysis followed a thematic analysis to reveal seven fundamental components to management readiness: adaptive strategic leadership; E4.0 infrastructure; E4.0 competence; dynamic curriculum; support for faculty and students; and strategic financial management. This study adds a new comprehensive framework that goes beyond the identification of obstacles to delineating effective domains of preparedness. The results provide a strategic route that university leaders, researchers and policymakers can use to navigate the digital transformation in a way that can result in a sustainable success and institutional agility amidst Industry 4.0. Educational Philosophy and Theory Technical University Management Readiness Education 4.0 Digital Transformation Higher Education Management Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Introduction Technical universities have the mandate to give the skills students need to fit in the modern job market (Onu et al., 2024) to respond to the changing requirements of what can be called the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) (Schwab, 2016), which is one of the strategic priorities of the UNESCO Strategy on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) (2022–2029). Industrial sectors are the drivers of the economies of nations. In order to attain modern Economic status, there is a need to promote Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Ghana and the rest of the countries. STI capacity depends on the quality of graduates of the TVET institutions. However, the report by the Technical Committee on Polytechnics, titled The Kwami Report, showed that there were bad conditions that included the lack of curricula, poor quality of teaching, and the inability to do experiential learning (Ministry of Education, 2014 ). According to this, the government of Ghana transformed Polytechnics into universities. Technical Universities are supposed to provide tertiary education based on TVET that is more oriented towards the utilization of the knowledge rather than the new knowledge. Rwanda, South Africa, Malaysia, the UK, Japan, Finland, Indonesia, the USA, and Germany are some of the countries that support TVET higher education with policies that embrace E4.0, which equips students with the emerging industries and to handle 4IR. Cyber-physical systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and connectivity are the main features of 4IR, and it has revolutionised the industry at the global level (Kagermann et al., 2013). 4IR has required a paradigm shift in higher education (Lasi et al., 2014 ) by implementing sophisticated technology, new pedagogies and curriculum reform towards training students to work in digital, automation-based economy. This change necessitates a transformation of the education system particularly in the technical institutions where the future engineers and leaders are trained. E4.0 provides that ability of an individualised and immersive, competency-driven strategy in line with 4IR (Shahroom & Hussin, 2018 ). The core of this is Management 4.0, which fosters data-driven decision-making, agile governance, and partnership to build innovativeness and resilience according to the modern change management concepts (Kotter, 2012). Needless to say, efficient management of the university is vital to facilitate innovation, and that academic activity must be aligned to the industry needs to lead to increased innovation efforts (Philbin, 2008). E4.0 in universities means that leadership preparedness of department heads, deans, and vice-chancellors is the key to success. Research on management readiness (Table 1 ) for E4.0 concentrates on key components, especially managerial skills vital for digital transformation (Mirfani, 2019; Himmetoğlu et al., 2021 ), digital literacy (Narh-kert et al., 2022 ), and funding (Wibawanto et al., 2021 ). These studies are informative although incomplete. Another research gap exists: no complete model has been developed that relates human competencies, infrastructure requirements and managerial strategies to the particular issues of developing economies of technical universities. Though there are literature assessing the components of management readiness, Table 1 again offers significant insight that literature on management readiness components is rare. The current literature mainly focuses on barriers (Alzahrani et al., 2021 ; Costan et al., 2021 ) but lacks a comprehensive outline of the management readiness framework. This highlights an urgent need for research focused on the precise factors that make university management ready for this transition. To fill this gap, this paper outlines a unique combined approach. The first is that it goes beyond problem identification to create actionable readiness categories specific to management preparedness, whereas earlier studies are mostly concerned with barriers to E4.0 adoption. Secondly, owing to their unique industry-academic relationships, technical universities constitute the specific focal point of this research, contrasting with studies that typically examine general higher education institutions. Thirdly, this research provides the inaugural cross-cultural framework for technical universities with limited resources, achieved by integrating expert insights from both developed and emerging nations, including Ghana, India, and the USA. The final model represents the first comprehensive management readiness framework explicitly designed to address the particular needs of technical colleges implementing E4.0. Thus, the goal of this study is to create and verify a thorough framework for management preparedness in the deployment of E4.0 in technical universities in developing nations. The main research question is: What constitutes a management preparedness framework that is necessary for the implementation of E4.0 in technical universities in developing nations? Table 1 Summary of literature on components of management readiness Variable Recognised by Manifestations Method / Design Context/Country Managerial Skills Mirfani, (2019); Creating an advance, stable and harmonius school system, being change leaders and preparing the school system and faculty for digital transformations (Mirfani, 2019) Qualitative Discovery exploratory thinking methods K-12 Education Indonesia Himmetoglu, et al., (2021) Being a change agent, coordinating, cooperating and communicating well, being accountable, being accessible, organizing, operating, empowering and providing support for participatory decision-making processes to prepare for E4.0 (Himmetoglu et al, 2021) Qualitative University Turkey Digital Literacy Skills Mirfani (2019) the ability execute digital initiatives to raise information and communication literacy levels in the school system (Mirfani, 2019); Qualitative Discovery exploratory thinking methods K-12 Education Indonesia Narh-kert, et al., ( 2022 ) the use digital devices to locate and consume, create and communicate digital content (Narh-kert et al., 2022 ) Quantitative Survey Education Officers Ghana Himmetoglu, et al., (2021) acquiring knowledge about digital citizenship, following to digital ethics and global events (Himmetoglu et al, 2021); Qualitative University Turkey University Budget Wibawanto et al., ( 2021 ) University budget for E4.0 Implementation (Wibawanto et al., 2021 ) Quantitative Survey Vocational high school Indonesia Education 4.0 Competence Wibawanto et al., ( 2021 ) Knowledge of E. 4.0 (Wibawanto et al, 2021 ) Quantitative Survey Vocational high school Indonesia Himmetoglu et al., (2021); Technological Skills (Himmetoglu et al., 2021), Qualitative University Turkey Benesova et al. (2019). Hard and soft skills (Benesova et al., 2019). Qualitative University Czech Republic Theoretical Framework This study draws on several theories to build a complete picture of what makes management ready for E4.0, looking at individual motivations, the process of change, and broader organizational factors. On the individual level, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen,1991) informed us about how personal attitudes, the social expectations that a manager feels, and confidence in overcoming obstacles influence their readiness to advocate E4.0 adoption. To supplement this, the Stages of Change Model does not consider readiness as a constant state but as a continuous process, where the institutions need not be aware of the necessity of change but ultimately embrace it in their entirety. To give a more complete view, the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, 2003 ) was used to demonstrate how the uptake of E4.0 will depend on the perceived benefits of the innovation and its degree of acceptance by the society members. In this regard, complementary to it, the Theory of Institutional Change (North, 1993 ) grounds the investigation on the realities of the functioning of the public sector, relevant particularly within a setting like that of Ghana. And, as a last but not the least, to address analytical framework, Fit-Viability Model (Liang et al., 2007) is a practical tool that allows to answer two essential questions: whether a certain E4.0 initiative can help an institution to achieve its strategic goals, and whether the organization has the resources to implement it successfully. This multi-dimensional theoretical model evaluates the institutional change preparedness by integrating personal motivation of managers, the developmental process of an institution, and environmental forces such as the potential of E4.0 and the social environment of the Ghanaian government. This holistic diagnosis is converted into a practical instrument to prioritize initiatives using the integrative Fit-Viability Framework (Liang et al., 2007) that is used as a critical bridge. It is this synthesis that finally provides universities with a methodologically sound, orienting structure on how to organize its shift into the demands and the chances of E4.0. Research Method Research Design As a qualitative study, we decided to use Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to guide our research because of its methodological emphasis on in-depth subjective analysis, which helps the researcher comprehend how people view their own and the social world. The approach is particularly suitable for uncovering the intricate and lived process of meaning-making. Since the main research question is to investigate the multifaceted phenomenon of management preparedness to E4.0, IPA is considered as an invaluable hermeneutic tool. It provides a systematic, but highly nuanced, device of the analysis of the interaction between the personal and the social in such expert narratives (Smith et al., 2022). Figure 1 shows the specific architectural sequence of this analytical project. Research instrument Development of a semi-structured interview protocol was gradual. A first draft, prepared following a review of pertinent literature, was revised with comments of two specialists in management education and qualitative research. Their suggestions on clarity, relevance, and coverage assisted in the final guide that incorporated open-ended questions and supporting probes. Research participants Participant recruitment and data collection concluded at the point of thematic saturation, which was determined systematically. Following each interview, data were transcribed and subjected to preliminary analysis. We tracked the emergence of new themes and the development of existing ones using a thematic codebook. After the seventh interview, no substantially new themes related to the core components of management readiness were identified. To ensure this saturation, an eighth interview produced only instances of previous coded themes, which supports the idea that saturation was reached (Hennink et al, 2017). This procedure is consistent with qualitative standards, which place a high degree of information richness and depth of knowledge more than statistical representativeness (Lim, 2024). Table 2 gives a summary of the participants, whereas Table 3 records the occurrence and exhaustion of the central themes throughout the interview series. Procedures of the Study First, the application was approved by the ethics committee at KNUST. Consent forms were distributed to the study participants on approval. We later on prepared an interview guide that included all the questions we wanted to use based on our research needs. These questions focused on the views of the experts regarding the attributes of management readiness in the Technical University. The researchers prepared an interview protocol with research participants prior to the interview process. They also signed an informed consent form. In addition, they were given pseudonames to conceal their identities. Each individual was interviewed separately over the telephone, and the audio was recorded with the phone's recorder. Interviews lasted between 22 and 35 minutes. Table 2 Participant Overview ID Role & Affiliation Location Expertise Area P1 PhD Candidate / Researcher USA E4.0 Researcher P2 Professor, Technical University Ghana Engineering Education P3 Senior Lecturer, Technical University Ghana Engineering Education P4 Industry Expert (Smart Lab Development) Ghana Lab Design & IoT Integration P5 Engineer, Commission for TVET Services Ghana Technical Education Policy P6 Senior Lecturer, Traditional University Ghana Higher Education Systems P7 Senior Lecturer, Traditional University USA Smart Technology Systems P8 Professor, Technical University India Curriculum Innovation Table 3: Documentation of Theme Emergence and Saturation Interview Boardroom 4.0 E4.0 Infrastructure E4.0 Competence Curriculum Support Budget P1 X X X X X P2 X X X X X X P3 X X X X X P4 X X X X X P5 X X X X X X P6 X X X X X X P7 X X X X X X P8 X X X X X Researcher Positionality and Reflexivity Reflexivity is fundamental in qualitative studies because the researchers are the main data collecting tool. As part of recognizing our bias grounded in our background in education and a positive attitude towards E4.0, we employed a number of strategies in order to make our work trustworthy. We kept reflexive journals, actively pursued disconfirming evidence, and even discussed our beliefs with each other continually, which served to investigate the influence our beliefs had on interpretation. The honesty of feedback of our participants was probably stimulated by our external academic status. This serious reflexivity made sure that the findings were based on the experience of the participants instead of our presuppositions. Analysis of Information Eight participants were interviewed and the results were transcribed and sent back to be verified, with 100 per cent response rate. According to the model suggested by Braun and Clarke (2012), the systematic thematic analysis was conducted to find the essential patterns and significant responses. To increase credibility, preliminary results were distributed to participants to have them member check. Thematic analysis was chosen due to its accessibility and flexibility and offered a central and universal method to work with qualitative data and guarantee that the findings were reliably indicative of the experiences of the participants. Gathering of information The source of information for this research study was derived from the interviews conducted with the research participants. The researchers created a semi-structured interview guide anchored in the study's objectives. After conducting a comprehensive literature review on E4.0, they drafted a protocol with three open-ended questions and supporting probes. This draft was further refined based on feedback from two management education specialists in the faculty. Some of the open-ended questions include “What is your understanding of E4.0?” (to validate the experts’ understanding of E4.0 principles), “How needful is the readiness of management in the implementation of E4.0 in Technical Universities?” and “What constitutes the readiness of Management for E4.0 in Technical Universities?” The researchers interviewed eight participants at separate times, scheduled according to their availability on the phone. While three preferred google meet others were interviewed on phone. Prior to conducting the interviews, each participant was provided with a consent letter to adhere to ethical requirements, specifically to obtain permission. Subsequently, the researchers transcribed the recorded data. The verbatim transcripts were then utilised for thematic analysis, which was presented in a tabular format. To minimise researcher bias, we employed peer debriefing during thematic analysis, ensuring that themes were grounded in participants' responses. Data analysis We studied interview transcripts in two ways: first, we analysed answers question-by-question and coded responses to find key themes and details. Next, the team examined responses across all interviews which revealed wider patterns. We then combined these patterns into clear themes tracking how often concepts appeared and what they meant. the researchers used thematic analysis. This method finds, organises, and explains patterns in data through coding (Naeem et al., 2023). Trustworthiness of the Study Developing trustworthiness is a critical mechanism of defense in qualitative studies to guarantee credibility, confirmability and dependability to counter innate methodological skepticism. The qualitative methods demand strong verification in comparison to the systematic objectivity of quantitative research. This paper dealt with the four main elements of trustworthiness such as credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability by applying a set of rigorous strategies. In order to assure the credibility of the results, there were several control measures. Every respondent checked the accuracy of their interview transcripts by member checking and initial results were discussed with a subgroup to seek additional input. Peer debriefing helped in making the research process stronger as an experienced colleague was involved using the experience of an outside body to disprove the assumptions and thematic structures of the researchers. Also, the research engaged in a proactive search and examination of negative cases - cases where the views of the participants did not conform to the emerging themes. One of the most salient examples was the difference in perception of the preparedness of technical universities; whereas one participant warned of the gap between the local universities and world universities in the terms of equipment and awareness of AI, others stated their applied focus and the possible first place in the case of infrastructure and improved partnerships. To achieve confirmability and dependability, an elaborate audit trail was kept, and the whole process of analysis was documented using codebook, analytical memos and meeting notes. This had the effect of providing a clear documentation of extraction of the data to produce interpretations. Although the research was based on expert interviews, it took into consideration different geographical and professional views of both Ghana, India, and the USA based in academia, policy and industry which was beneficial in the analysis and enhanced transferability of the results. With such thorough attempts, the research managed to secure the quality and rigour of its study as well as respond explicitly to the usual criticism on the validity of the presence of high rates of subjectivity in inductive research. Ethical Approval This study received ethical approval from the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Committee at KNUST (Reference #: HuSSREC/AP/139/Vol. 2). All protocols were rigorously followed, beginning with comprehensive informed consent that detailed confidentiality, the right to withdraw, and data usage. Conducting international research required attentiveness to contextual norms; we prioritized scheduling across time zones and clear communication to meet our ethical obligations to all participants. All digital data was stored on a password-protected computer, identifying details were removed from transcripts, and pseudo names were assigned to ensure anonymity. The data will be retained for five years per institutional policy before secure deletion. Results The qualitative data were analysed to answer the question of the components of management readiness for E4.0 in Technical Universities. The findings were reported around the identified themes using a descriptive and narrative discussion format (O'Brien et al., 2014). In certain instances, verbatim responses from participants were included to convey the richness of their experiences regarding the components of faculty and management readiness for E 4.0. As a result of in-depth interviews aimed at answering two research questions of this study, six major themes and 94 categories emerged, as depicted in Table 2 and Figure 2. The following analysis discusses these major themes, categories, and key concepts related to participants' experiences regarding the components of readiness of faculty and management for E4.0. Table 3 Summarised Themes, Categories and Key Concepts of Management Readiness for E4.0 Theme Categories Key Points 1. Adaptive Strategic Leadership Capacity for strategic foresight - Vision-oriented, people-centred leadership - Focus on student investment and adaptability Sustained change commitment - Active engagement in growth initiatives - Support for staff/initiatives Agile change management proficiency - Embracing technological/paradigm shifts - Quick decision-making and transparent communication Distributed adaptability - Tech adaptability as institutional policy - Leveraging knowledgeable staff Networked collaboration governance - Collaboration for funding/resources - Sustainability of partnerships; balancing academic integrity 2. E4.0 Infrastructure Creating an enabling environment - Management role in fostering innovation - Technical understanding for real-world application Technological infrastructure development - State-of-the-art technologies: Hardware/software - Technology Integration policy Continuous upgrades and maintenance - Regular updates to prevent obsolescence - Physical space transformation Smart laboratories and internet connectivity - Specialised labs for programmes - Reliable power/high-speed internet 3. Transformative Digital Competence Strategic Digital Literacy - Data-driven decision-making - AI knowledge - Advanced technology proficiency Strategic E4.0 Knowledge - Understanding 4IR demands 4. Dynamic Curriculum Iterative review and modernization - Modernisation to include AI/cybersecurity - Industry-aligned content Collaborative development process - Joint curriculum design - Faculty training on emerging technologies Industry-embedded co-creation - Industry-led curriculum development - Real-world projects/internships Integration of advanced technologies - Emphasis on advanced technologies - Requires infrastructure/training support 5. Human-Centric Support Cultivating growth-oriented mindsets - Mindset sensitisation for emerging technology Technical self-reliance and resilience building - Technical maintenance training Systemic support structures - Technical support 6. Strategic Financial Stewardship Strategic resource allocation - Strategic allocation to high-impact areas Financial readiness - Strong finances for workshops/materials - Financial Incentives & Governance policy - Funding for digital infrastructure/professional development - Internal/external grants Accountability mechanisms - Transparent fund utilisation - Sustainability focus Components of Management Readiness for E4.0 E4.0 management preparedness entails major elements of preparing institutions to conform to the Fourth Industrial Revolution which propels them through rapid innovation. This encompasses leadership going beyond traditional governance to agile models, creating strong infrastructure of AI and virtual reality and developing digital management talent. The resilience in curriculum development should remain relevant and flexible as faculty and student support develops. There is no management preparedness without policy and resources support. These themes determine management preparedness to E4.0 in technical universities. Theme 1: Adaptive Strategic Leadership The results postulate that the paradigm of a transformative leadership approach is the cornerstone of the management preparedness to E4.0, the one that we label as Adaptive Strategic Leadership. And that is what Kajaria and Kumar (2023) refer to as a transformation of the traditional governance to integrative digital leadership that optimises decision-making and flexibility. Digital transformation in technical universities is too complex to entail less than such a model. There are some interdependent dimensions in this type of leadership. The first one is the ability to be strategically farsighted, in which leaders need to have a clear and powerful vision of a technological incorporation. As Participant 6 emphasised, "... the management of the [technical] universities' effectiveness is crucial because [that] drives the entire institution, " highlighting the need for management to be " vision-oriented and strategic ." Such strategic clarity is critical when it comes to setting out purpose and direction and is aligned with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) in that it influences institutional attitudes in the direction of the E4.0 adoption. This is what visionary leadership is about ensuring the way to the long-term objectives while dealing with the uncertainty (Suharto et al., 2023). This vision has to be energised by committed change. The management commitment was consistently highlighted by the participants as the key driver that motivates the strategy to action. Participant 2 noted, " the Commitment of management to whatever we are doing is key. It is when they are committed that they can provide support ," while Participant 6 added management must be " ready to work for advancement… open to current ideas, [and] ready to receive new ideas. " This commitment acts as the main driving force behind all initiatives (Ahmed, 2024; Cloutier & Ravasi, 2020) and helps sustain E4.0 tools in daily operations (Himmetoğlu et al., 2020). Without genuine leadership support, innovative projects are likely to fail despite strategic resource allocation (Amin et al., 2020). Furthermore, vision and commitment must be operationalised through change management proficiency. This involves the skilful orchestration of transition processes. As Participant 7 asserted, " Managers should have strategic skills and change management skills. A manager who does not accept change is not effective. Management must find ways to sustain this change. " This ability is necessary to deal with organisational and human dynamics of adoption. Changeability is the main driver of organisational success and well-being, especially the introduction of E4.0 (Mohamad et al., 2019), and assists in constructing resilient organisations during the rapid technological changes (Himmetoglu et al., 2021; Mirfani, 2019). One major expression of such agility is distributed adaptability. As Participant 1 observed, " if the top management is adaptable, then it becomes a policy throughout the organisation, " adding that " managers may not have all the knowledge, but their ability to adapt and understand, and allow knowledgeable workers to work for you " is critical. This dimension understands that flexibility should be institutionalised, encouraging a culture of collaboration, which empowers employees and aids in avoiding overcentralisation threats that would impede cooperation and motivation (Bhupla, 2022). Last is the adaptive strategic leadership which transcends institutional boundaries using the governance of networked collaboration. Participant 7 highlighted its importance: ".... management should also collaborate and network with the industry because let me tell you many industries have funds that can support campus initiatives." Nonetheless, these collaborations need to be carefully managed to achieve alignment between the industry and the academic integrity, since strong corporate relationship may affect integrity of programmes (Bridgstock, 2019) and make curricula too focused on the immediate requirements in the industry. The analysis shows that the adaptive strategic leadership is not just an element of strategic leadership, but a necessary constituent. It drives in technical universities the very coordination, the strategic fit that would not be compromised to truly ascend to E4.0 (Liang et al., 2007). This work is thus a critical hermeneutic act: it is a proactive act of translating far-off, hypothetical futures into present and practical action (Prestiadi et al., 2020). Such a role is indispensable. It is the critical discipline of sailing in the wave of extensive complexity and frequently wholesale technological change. Theme 2: E4.0 infrastructure E4.0 infrastructure is not merely a set of physical objects, but an elegant and interconnected ecosystem required to make the transition to E4.0, as participants testify. This infrastructure is the integration of technological, physical, and human aspects, all of which should work together to incorporate the atmosphere where innovation, collaboration, and practical skill development can be achieved. Such strong infrastructure according to Setyaningsih (2020) is central to facilitating schools to innovate and adjust, thus making learning more adaptive and better equipping students to work in technologically-based careers. An enabling environment is a precursory step to innovation and entrepreneurship. This demands two things: strong structure and profound intellectual preparation. The criticality of this synergy was emphasized by Participant 6, who stated: " well, without well-trained and well-equipped leaders to undertake the transition, the gains of technology will not be properly implemented to industry." The participant further clarified that success demands "... an in-depth knowledge of technologies and its uses, the capability to establish an enabling environment towards innovation and entrepreneurship ." Nevertheless, interviewees and sources warn not to be overly dependent on technological solutions. The overwhelming focus on technological integration might even kill creativity and critical thinking, as Smith (2021) and Chandiok and Kukreja (2025) assert. Kezar (2023) also points out that the idea that knowledge in the classroom can be applied in practice only through effective management is naive as it does not take into account the specifics of different learning environments and student requirements. Hardware, software, and digital tools that constitute the basis of advanced learning environments are also the technological aspect of this theme. Respondents continually highlighted that the accessibility of technologies is a direct factor affecting the success of the implementation. As Participant 6 detailed, "the IT software requirements, the hardware requirements, the learning management systems they need and for instance, high-speed internet, which is now very important in our environment, power, which means the electricity should be as at its optimal that there will not be a shortage of power, because these technologies depend on power." The government ensuring equitable access to technological resources through policies also were emphasised by participants. Participant 5 emphasized this need: "The government [should] have a policy that the basic devices that are required for E4.0, laptops, are available in all schools." Participant 6 added that "... the management must make sure they have the infrastructure, resources, and policies to embrace the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies." The main feature of E4.0 infrastructure is that it is dynamic and needs upgrading and maintenance constantly. participants noted the speed at which technology can make tools become obsolete. As Participant 4 cautioned, "you cannot have a laboratory with [Virtual Reality] VR glasses and think it would last for 5 years... newer and crazier software may have come in making yours obsolete in 6 months." This demand of the unceasing innovation also applies to the physical infrastructure. Participant 7 stressed that "[technical universities] must be willing to upgrade existing physical infrastructure to support new learning environments and provide innovative spaces for innovation." There are problems with this constant innovation, though. Prather (2023) observes that excessive utilisation of hi-tech tools has led to a decline in quality education due to the focus on innovation at the expense of effective teaching and that continuous upgrades can be incredibly expensive (Akang, 2023). The heart of E4.0 infrastructure are Smart laboratories and robust internet connectivity form the specialized components of the E4.0 infrastructure ecosystem. Participant 7 emphasized their importance: "From a management perspective, they should be able to provide robust infrastructure, including high-speed internet connectivity. Investing in virtual laboratories is important... It is incumbent on management to provide technological infrastructure." The challenge of internet connectivity was particularly emphasized in certain contexts. Participant 5 noted that "the internet speed outside the continent is fast, but in Ghana, it is slow. Stability and the speed of the internet and data cost are key in implementing E4.0." With the advent of smart technologies that relies high speed internet connectivity, researchers cannot agree any less the assertion. Despite the fact that these technological factors are essential, such players and sources caution about too many reliance. It is mentioned that the use of emerging technology excessively can overlook the basic skills and interpersonal communication as part of comprehensive learning (Angwaomaodoko, 2023). Memon and Memon (2025) also point out that the assumption of equal benefit of advanced tools does not take into consideration unequal access and digital literacy and may function to increase existing inequalities. Williams (2023) concludes that technology is not to be substituted with such crucial aspects of face-to-face learning and development of core competencies. This discussion determines that the development of E4.0 infrastructure should not be limited to a very limited perspective of technological substances. The key to its successful implementation is a critical balance between the tools and the application of strong pedagogical approaches and the maintenance of meaningful human interaction. We therefore need to specify efficacy, not by technological adoption per se, but by the presence of the technological infrastructure as an enabling platform that both facilitates technological advancement and secures sustainable educational value. Theme 3: Transformative Digital Competence The transition to E4.0 will necessitate not just a list of improvements in skills; this change will demand a new sense of managerial competence as such. In this instance, digital competence is not presented as a single competence, but as a constellation: practical technical competence that is mixed with foresight. This dual competence can help to adjust the administration of educational entities to the dynamics of integration in digital and cyber-physical dimensions, and particularly in technical universities. This change as highlighted by Buntak et al. (2020) necessitates institutional leadership to work proactively in developing greater technological capabilities in order to effectively implement 4IR frameworks. This competence demonstrates itself in two dimensions, which are interrelated and form the basis of organisational flexibility and pedagogical creativity. First dimension, strategic digital literacy, stretches well beyond basic technological functionality, to include the capacity to use data and emerging technologies to make institutional decisions. As Participant 6 emphasised, " when management sits to make decisions, they should have data-driven decisions... they can make informed decisions that will help improve the implementation of E4.0 ." This digital literacy should be a full grasp of artificial intelligence and applications, and the participants reported many technical university managers have major gaps on this front. Participant 5 starkly noted that " Educational managers have only 1% of the knowledge in AI to drive the management of skills delivery ." Hence, the emergence of this literacy needs planned strategies, such as training systems and institutional regulations that uniformise the application of technology. As Participant 1 advised, management should " provide a policy to direct the technology usage in the university. " Nonetheless, such technical orientation should be contrasted with recognition of possible drawbacks. There is an ultimately high risk of marginalizing human relational products and creativity required in decisive leadership as a result of excessive use of digital tools, as Singh and Bhaskar (2025) warn. The second dimension, strategic E4.0 knowledge, is the intensive knowledge of educational principles and practices according to 4IR needs. Such learning will help managers to see the transformative nature of the existing changes in education and to build an environment that can be adjusted successfully. As Participant 6 explained, " without leaders who are well-trained and well-equipped to manage the transition, the advancements in technology will not be effectively integrated... management plays a critical role in creating the enabling environment. " This knowledge aspect demands managers to be proactive about and to advocate E4.0 principles. Another participant emphasized that "they should understand and embrace E4.0... in the technical universities should embrace E4.0 and make sure that the understanding of it will be put forth and make the learners have that this is the way we are going" (P6). Nonetheless, such technical orientation should be contrasted with recognition of possible drawbacks. There is an ultimately high risk of marginalizing human relational products and creativity required in decisive leadership as a result of excessive use of digital tools, as Singh and Bhaskar (2025) warn. Theme 4: Dynamic Curriculum To shift over to E4.0 requires us to reconsider the curriculum, not as a static bundle of requirements, but as dynamic and active connecting technology with teaching and the shifting needs of industry. Under this perspective, the role of curriculum emerges to become the primary manner of reaction of technical universities to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It should be constantly evolved and modified in mutual cooperation to remain topical in the rapidly changing world of technology. It implies that an update of curricula must be repeated regularly and in tandem with emerging technologies. As Participant 5 pointed out, there is often a significant delay in this process: " Our curriculum is even yet to be reviewed to include E4.0 so we haven't come close to the adequate information required to manage E4.0." This loophole highlights the importance of enhancing management skills to spearhead curriculum changes. Regular checkups are necessary to make the graduates acquire skills that can suit the current industry demands (Moreno et al., 2025). Faculty-university leadership is one of the significant components of maintaining the relevance of the curriculum. Participant 6 stressed that " Faculty members are responsible for developing the curriculum, and they should work hand-in-hand with management to create enabling, cutting-edge curriculums using these technologies." This partnership assists in balancing technical with soft skills required in the contemporary working environments and training allows instructors to teach new disciplines successfully. The curriculum is also a gate way to the broader world with direct industry cooperation. Participant 6 explained this shift in responsibility: "The industry now is supposed to lead curriculum development in terms of skills delivery. So they dictate what goes into the curriculum for the training institutions to use to train the students, which will make them job-ready for industry employment." This approach introduces real-life applications, visits to sites, and real life projects into the curriculum bridging the theory-practise gap. Another of the necessary steps is to incorporate new technologies in course content. Participants highlighted the need to teach Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, with Participant 6 recommending that schools " integrate these Fourth Industrial Revolution-related topics into the curriculum and basically should emphasise subjects like data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and digital literacy." This can only be done effectively with the right tools, trained faculty and institutional support without which even the best plans will fail. This new view of the curriculum is not without challenges. As Nussbaum et al. (2021) warn, focusing too heavily on technology could limit student creativity and critical thinking by favouring technical skills over open-ended learning. Weinstein and James (2021), in their turn, note that even a curricular design led by the industry will be uniform, and will not reflect the aspects of the fields that do not have an immediate connection to 4IR. Good curriculum development therefore must be at a compromise, on the one hand it must meet the requirements of technology and industry, on the other hand it must serve the educational values that help in the multiplicity of thinking, multiplicity of reaction to problems and usefulness of the collaboration. This is a medium cure because the graduates are not only expected to learn some technical skills which would prove useful in the current positions, but the mental elasticity to meet the future challenges. After some time, the curriculum does not only reflect the present-day facts in the sphere of technology but also a clue that would open new possibilities concerning the further progress of education at the technical universities. Theme 5: Human-Centric Support Faculty and student preparation is a highly significant human aspect of institutional preparedness towards E4.0, which is concerned with cultivating the adaptive capacity required to respond to 4IR shocks. This support system is a mixture of growth oriented attitudes and empowerment of students with the technical training. In essence, this dimension entails promoting growth oriented attitudes throughout the learning fraternity. Participant 4 stressed the need to develop "the kind of mindset needed to be able to sensitise the students to keep up with emerging technologies." And this is not superficial awareness, but rather a culture that is devoted to lifelong learning and adaptation, which Wartman and He (2019) consider to be crucial in weathering the disruption in technology. The main characteristic of this assistance is the focus on technical self-sufficiency. The fact that the students were empowered to not only use technologies, but also to maintain, repair and even understand them were recurrently mentioned as vital by the members. Participant 4 indicated that the value of "... train[ing] [the] students to maintain and repair [smart labs] technically ..." which contributes to the continuity of operations and more profound practical command. This practical orientation reverberates the perspective of Lewis (2019), who says that direct experience cannot be replaced in the development of an innovation-ready workforce. It is also important that there is a strong institutional technical capacity. This involves the possession of skilled staff members who would be able to sustain digital infrastructure and reduce operational difficulties. This is the base of organizational resilience as it helps schools to revive E4.0 programmes in case of technical obstacles (Browder et al., 2023). However, in order to be operational, more comprehensive changes are necessary in the system: the reform of curricula, teaching techniques, and assessment design (Kumar and Kauer, 2023). What will eventually see the potential of E4.0 achieved in practice is the idea of holistic integration, where technology is linked to equivalent paradigm shifts in educational practice. The importance of this system of support is due to the fact that technological change is finally a human process. The tools under the E4.0 are the subject of advanced technologies, though, their proper implementation requires the development of human capabilities and support systems that would help the stakeholders to effectively utilize these technologies. This anthropocentric view moderates the technical nature of the other readiness dimensions and as such technology will be used to achieve the educational objectives and not to establish them. All of this combined together makes this support system a base upon which all other elements of E4.0 readiness rest and on which technological, curricular and infrastructural advancement is anchored. Cultivating the mindsets and competencies required to make the digital transformation, institutions provide the environment conducive to sustainable innovation and adaptive capacity to the continuing technological change. Theme 6: Strategic Financial Stewardship Faculty and student preparation is a very significant human aspect of institutional readiness to E4.0, and aims at creating the adaptive capacity to negotiate 4IR disruptions. This support system is an integrated approach of growth oriented thinking, student empowerment and technical training. The participants continued to mention that financial preparedness is the foundation on which implementation is reliant. As one noted, "Let me tell you this… The finance readiness of the institution is key... how strong we are financially because these things come with a lot of cost, a lot of workshops must be built and monies should be made available to purchase materials and take students out" (P3). This perception renders it plain that budget constraints have a direct impact on the ability of a university to finance key elements of E4.0. The research found that strategic expenditure involves paying attention to high-impact areas in accordance with the objective of the institution. As one participant explained, “ so proper resource allocation involves identifying areas, such as technological advancement, where what we are putting in will yield the greatest returns” (P6). This is practical thinking, which is in line with Fit-Viability Model (Liang et al., 2007), as financial realities will ultimately determine whether such well-planned projects of E4.0 can be implemented or not. This assertion aligns with the goal programming model (Lee & Clayton, 1972). that guides administrators, in this case technical universities, to prioritize various educational goals effectively. Besides the regular budgeting processes, a variety of future-looking policies along with the budgetary practices, in particular, tax waivers, are highlighted by the participants as an opportunity to mitigate shortages in funding. A very qualified point was raised by one of the respondents: “... the government exempting Industry 4.0 tools taxes should be in our agenda as a country that wants to develop in this era” (P5). This observation highlights the role of larger policy decisions in supporting or depleting the financial ability of a university, and it implies an obvious need to take government action to relieve the fiscal pressure on technical colleges. Strategic thinking over a long period of time was also important. One of the participants puts it succinctly: “The management ought to have a policy that is more effective in governance. A leader who executes sound governance policies puts patriotism before selfishness... such a leader in the real sense realizes that he or she can make sacrifices today to open the door to more opportunities in future ” (P6). That is an opinion to keep us in mind that 4IR projects will need to be maintained over and above the regular budgets. No less important, the study recognised accountability as one of the pillars that can never be compromised. These funds cannot be compromised as the respondents was insistent on accountability. Sustainability of these projects relies on their “ responsible stewardship ” as P7 noted. The participants insisted on open stewardship, which implied that trust - and thus further support of the digital transformation - can be achieved. Such insights provide a fundamental conflict: on the one hand, financial preparedness is a familiar stimulus of 4IR changes (Wibawanto, 2021); on the other hand, scholars warn about excessively transactional practices. Considering that emphasising limited budgets can turn education into a commodity, Ibrahim et al. (2024) caution that it could suppress the innovation of pedagogies. Likewise, according to Walia (2024), strict financial models may fail in recognising the contextual requirements, which is why it is crucial to think about fiscal discipline and adaptive responsiveness to changing educational requirements. What comes out in this analysis is that Strategic financial management of E4.0 is the practical dedication that transforms leadership vision into realisable outcomes. It facilitates the infrastructure upgrade, training and technology integration required to facilitate digital transformation, as well as maintaining these investments tied to the educational values and not just technical objectives. This strategy acknowledges that financial decisions are not simply administrative functions, but rather significant ways of stating the values and priorities of an institution on changing education. Limitations of the Study Although we do have the perspectives of these experts who use their expertise to give insights, they have some limitations regarding their applicability. Eight participants of Ghana, India, and the USA are a pretty sample which gives us insightful experiences based on the specifics of their regions and institutions, though they cannot be applied to all such environments. Also, though the qualitative approach provided insightful nuanced data, the results can be complemented with additional quantitative research to increase their generalisability. Also, phone interviewing at times restricted the rapport building; differences in familiarity with the concepts of E4.0, could also have biased perspective. All along, we had these factors in mind when making our interpretation. Discussion and Conclusion This research aimed to delve into the fundamental elements of management preparedness of E4.0 in technical college. We find that readiness as a construct is multi-dimensional involving six dependences governed by dimensions: Adaptive Strategic Leadership, E4.0 Infrastructure, Transformative Digital Competence, Dynamic Curriculum, Human-Centric Support, and Strategic Financial Stewardship. The following discussion summarises these findings, compares them to the available literature, examines the limitations of the study, and reflects on their practical implications, directly interacting with the critical feedback. One of the major criticisms was the missing initial clear theoretical framework to connect the results. To this end, we assume that our results could well be effectively viewed through the lenses of the Fit-Viability Model (Liang et al., 2007) which is a powerful model of a general nature. According to this model, any successful technology initiative should demonstrate a substantial strategic alignment of its objectives with organisational objectives as well as operational feasibility to be successfully deployed. This model directly overlays with our six themes map (figure 2). The main issues that adaptive strategic leadership, transformative digital competence, and the dynamic curriculum pay attention to are the strategic fit: the alignment between the vision, skills and education material, with the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. On the other hand, E4.0 infrastructure, strategic financial stewardship, and human-centric support are the key pillars to operational feasibility that will supply the actual resources, funds, and human capital to be executed. The inherent tension and balance between these areas, such as the visionary approach of a leader (fit) undermined by the absence of infrastructure funds (viability), is why the work of technical universities is so complicated. This framework surpasses descriptive categorisation and provides a theoretical process to describe success and failure in the adoption of E4.0. Moreover, our result also expands theory. Although the necessity of leadership commitment is not new (Himmetoglu et al., 2020), our understanding of Adaptive Strategic Leadership prescribes how leaders ought to adapt: via distributed adequacy and networked management. In the same way, we deepen digital literacy beyond tools (Mirfani, 2019; Narh-kert et al., 2022) to Transformative Digital Competence, which entails both strategic AI knowledge and policy knowledge, filling a critical literature gap in technical universities. Recommendation In light of the findings presented through the Fit-Viability Model, the technical university leadership is recommended to take a holistic and integrated stance on strategic planning, which implies a comprehensive audit of both strategic (e.g., leadership vision, curriculum relevance, digital competence) and operational (e.g., infrastructure, funding models, staff support) viability when they want ensure that the E4.0 initiatives are not only aligned with the organisational objectives but are also practically feasible. For further study, this research could be deepened by quantitative research to verify and optimise these preparedness dimensions according to a broader sample, and by longitudinal case studies to understand in sequence and correlation the overall process of strategic and operational investments in the attainment of sustainable digital transformation. 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Manage Sci 18(8):395–408. https://doi.org/10.1287/MNSC.18.8.B395 Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8182290","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":549234111,"identity":"0afd3867-5c5b-4236-b99c-63d5b3101bf7","order_by":0,"name":"Emmanuel Duncan","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABEElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBADGQaGBDBDDsJnA2IJ/Fp4YFqMSdeS2EBIC7/Y6cTPhW02PAzsOWYPftTcSd9wI8eA4UPZYQb56AasWiRn526WntmWxsPA88bcsOfYs1yQFsYZ5w4zGN45gFWLwe3cDdK8bYd5GCRyzKQZ2A7nzuw5Y8AMFGEwnJGAVYv97dzNv3nb/kO1/DucLgnS8hePFgPp3G1AWw5AtDC2HU7gZ+8xYAYyGOQlsGuRuJ27zZrnXDIPG8+zMsnevsOG/extBQd7zqXzGODQwg/0/m2eMjs5fvbkbRI/vh2WZ2Nm3vjgR5m1nDwOh8EBGzLnABDzGBzArwMLkG8gWcsoGAWjYBQMTwAAuaNXRp9aAY8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1482-7159","institution":"Valley View University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Emmanuel","middleName":"","lastName":"Duncan","suffix":""},{"id":549234112,"identity":"395d6ade-0ee0-4246-bfed-5a7293959c37","order_by":1,"name":"Eric Opoku Osei","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9871-3900","institution":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and 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16:50:08","extension":"html","order_by":8,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":202708,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8182290/v1/b9ea4673ee6f0810f32df78d.html"},{"id":96914180,"identity":"77a4bb77-7bac-4309-b299-5a86b66c6f80","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-27 14:05:33","extension":"jpeg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":127585,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMethodology flow of the study\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8182290/v1/cf03aae51bcad1c1b282e59f.jpeg"},{"id":96749880,"identity":"4a7aee1d-4616-4ac6-a761-e17e56b6c3b8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-25 16:50:08","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":16197,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eProposed Conceptual model extending Fit-Viability Theory (Liang et al., 2007)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8182290/v1/cd6f3cb6bfc3d28249a7cbc5.png"},{"id":96922161,"identity":"d9d9b0f1-8968-4c8c-8447-1be7781e1ff4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-27 14:18:19","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1129153,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8182290/v1/ed8ad28d-ea5b-4e47-85a3-8fde5d0f6d23.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNavigating the Digital Transformation: Key Components of Management Readiness for Education 4.0 in Technical Universities\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eTechnical universities have the mandate to give the skills students need to fit in the modern job market (Onu et al., 2024) to respond to the changing requirements of what can be called the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) (Schwab, 2016), which is one of the strategic priorities of the UNESCO Strategy on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) (2022\u0026ndash;2029). Industrial sectors are the drivers of the economies of nations. In order to attain modern Economic status, there is a need to promote Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Ghana and the rest of the countries. STI capacity depends on the quality of graduates of the TVET institutions. However, the report by the Technical Committee on Polytechnics, titled The Kwami Report, showed that there were bad conditions that included the lack of curricula, poor quality of teaching, and the inability to do experiential learning (Ministry of Education, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). According to this, the government of Ghana transformed Polytechnics into universities. Technical Universities are supposed to provide tertiary education based on TVET that is more oriented towards the utilization of the knowledge rather than the new knowledge. Rwanda, South Africa, Malaysia, the UK, Japan, Finland, Indonesia, the USA, and Germany are some of the countries that support TVET higher education with policies that embrace E4.0, which equips students with the emerging industries and to handle 4IR.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCyber-physical systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and connectivity are the main features of 4IR, and it has revolutionised the industry at the global level (Kagermann et al., 2013). 4IR has required a paradigm shift in higher education (Lasi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) by implementing sophisticated technology, new pedagogies and curriculum reform towards training students to work in digital, automation-based economy. This change necessitates a transformation of the education system particularly in the technical institutions where the future engineers and leaders are trained. E4.0 provides that ability of an individualised and immersive, competency-driven strategy in line with 4IR (Shahroom \u0026amp; Hussin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR74\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). The core of this is Management 4.0, which fosters data-driven decision-making, agile governance, and partnership to build innovativeness and resilience according to the modern change management concepts (Kotter, 2012). Needless to say, efficient management of the university is vital to facilitate innovation, and that academic activity must be aligned to the industry needs to lead to increased innovation efforts (Philbin, 2008). E4.0 in universities means that leadership preparedness of department heads, deans, and vice-chancellors is the key to success.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch on management readiness (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) for E4.0 concentrates on key components, especially managerial skills vital for digital transformation (Mirfani, 2019; Himmetoğlu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), digital literacy (Narh-kert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), and funding (Wibawanto et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). These studies are informative although incomplete. Another research gap exists: no complete model has been developed that relates human competencies, infrastructure requirements and managerial strategies to the particular issues of developing economies of technical universities. Though there are literature assessing the components of management readiness, Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e again offers significant insight that literature on management readiness components is rare. The current literature mainly focuses on barriers (Alzahrani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Costan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) but lacks a comprehensive outline of the management readiness framework. This highlights an urgent need for research focused on the precise factors that make university management ready for this transition.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo fill this gap, this paper outlines a unique combined approach. The first is that it goes beyond problem identification to create actionable readiness categories specific to management preparedness, whereas earlier studies are mostly concerned with barriers to E4.0 adoption. Secondly, owing to their unique industry-academic relationships, technical universities constitute the specific focal point of this research, contrasting with studies that typically examine general higher education institutions. Thirdly, this research provides the inaugural cross-cultural framework for technical universities with limited resources, achieved by integrating expert insights from both developed and emerging nations, including Ghana, India, and the USA. The final model represents the first comprehensive management readiness framework explicitly designed to address the particular needs of technical colleges implementing E4.0.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThus, the goal of this study is to create and verify a thorough framework for management preparedness in the deployment of E4.0 in technical universities in developing nations. The main research question is: What constitutes a management preparedness framework that is necessary for the implementation of E4.0 in technical universities in developing nations?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSummary of literature on components of management readiness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecognised by\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eManifestations\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMethod / Design\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eContext/Country\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eManagerial Skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMirfani, (2019);\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCreating an advance, stable and harmonius school system, being change leaders and preparing the school system and faculty for digital transformations (Mirfani, 2019)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiscovery exploratory thinking methods\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eK-12 Education\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndonesia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHimmetoglu, et al., (2021)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeing a change agent, coordinating, cooperating and communicating well, being accountable, being accessible, organizing, operating, empowering and providing support for participatory decision-making processes to prepare for E4.0 (Himmetoglu et al, 2021)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTurkey\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDigital Literacy Skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMirfani (2019)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe ability execute digital initiatives to raise information and communication literacy levels in the school system (Mirfani, 2019);\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiscovery exploratory thinking methods\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eK-12 Education\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndonesia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNarh-kert, et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe use digital devices to locate and consume, create and communicate digital content (Narh-kert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuantitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurvey\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation Officers\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGhana\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHimmetoglu, et al., (2021)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eacquiring knowledge about digital citizenship, following to digital ethics and global events (Himmetoglu et al, 2021);\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTurkey\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniversity Budget\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWibawanto et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniversity budget for E4.0 Implementation\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(Wibawanto et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuantitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurvey\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVocational high school\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndonesia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation 4.0 Competence\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWibawanto et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKnowledge of E. 4.0 (Wibawanto et al, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuantitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurvey\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVocational high school\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndonesia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHimmetoglu et al., (2021);\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnological Skills (Himmetoglu et al., 2021),\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTurkey\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBenesova \u003cem\u003eet al.\u003c/em\u003e (2019).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHard and soft skills (Benesova et al., 2019).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCzech Republic\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTheoretical Framework\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study draws on several theories to build a complete picture of what makes management ready for E4.0, looking at individual motivations, the process of change, and broader organizational factors. On the individual level, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen,1991) informed us about how personal attitudes, the social expectations that a manager feels, and confidence in overcoming obstacles influence their readiness to advocate E4.0 adoption. To supplement this, the Stages of Change Model does not consider readiness as a constant state but as a continuous process, where the institutions need not be aware of the necessity of change but ultimately embrace it in their entirety. To give a more complete view, the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR73\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e) was used to demonstrate how the uptake of E4.0 will depend on the perceived benefits of the innovation and its degree of acceptance by the society members. In this regard, complementary to it, the Theory of Institutional Change (North, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e) grounds the investigation on the realities of the functioning of the public sector, relevant particularly within a setting like that of Ghana. And, as a last but not the least, to address analytical framework, Fit-Viability Model (Liang et al., 2007) is a practical tool that allows to answer two essential questions: whether a certain E4.0 initiative can help an institution to achieve its strategic goals, and whether the organization has the resources to implement it successfully.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis multi-dimensional theoretical model evaluates the institutional change preparedness by integrating personal motivation of managers, the developmental process of an institution, and environmental forces such as the potential of E4.0 and the social environment of the Ghanaian government. This holistic diagnosis is converted into a practical instrument to prioritize initiatives using the integrative Fit-Viability Framework (Liang et al., 2007) that is used as a critical bridge. It is this synthesis that finally provides universities with a methodologically sound, orienting structure on how to organize its shift into the demands and the chances of E4.0.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Research Method","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch Design\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a qualitative study, we decided to use Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to guide our research because of its methodological emphasis on in-depth subjective analysis, which helps the researcher comprehend how people view their own and the social world. The approach is particularly suitable for uncovering the intricate and lived process of meaning-making. Since the main research question is to investigate the multifaceted phenomenon of management preparedness to E4.0, IPA is considered as an invaluable hermeneutic tool. It provides a systematic, but highly nuanced, device of the analysis of the interaction between the personal and the social in such expert narratives (Smith et al., 2022). Figure 1 shows the specific architectural sequence of this analytical project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch instrument\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevelopment of a semi-structured interview protocol was gradual. A first draft, prepared following a review of pertinent literature, was revised with comments of two specialists in management education and qualitative research. Their suggestions on clarity, relevance, and coverage assisted in the final guide that incorporated open-ended questions and supporting probes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch participants\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipant recruitment and data collection concluded at the point of thematic saturation, which was determined systematically. Following each interview, data were transcribed and subjected to preliminary analysis. We tracked the emergence of new themes and the development of existing ones using a thematic codebook. After the seventh interview, no substantially new themes related to the core components of management readiness were identified. To ensure this saturation, an eighth interview produced only instances of previous coded themes, which supports the idea that saturation was reached (Hennink et al, 2017). This procedure is consistent with qualitative standards, which place a high degree of information richness and depth of knowledge more than statistical representativeness (Lim, 2024). Table 2 gives a summary of the participants, whereas Table 3 records the occurrence and exhaustion of the central themes throughout the interview series.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcedures of the Study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the application was approved by the ethics committee at KNUST. Consent forms were distributed to the study participants on approval. We later on prepared an interview guide that included all the questions we wanted to use based on our research needs. These questions focused on the views of the experts regarding the attributes of management readiness in the Technical University. The researchers prepared an interview protocol with research participants prior to the interview process. They also signed an informed consent form. In addition, they were given pseudonames to conceal their identities. Each individual was interviewed separately over the telephone, and the audio was recorded with the phone\u0026apos;s recorder. Interviews lasted between 22 and 35 minutes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2 Participant Overview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"531\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eID\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRole \u0026amp; Affiliation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpertise Area\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePhD Candidate / Researcher\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUSA\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eE4.0 Researcher\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfessor, Technical University\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGhana\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEngineering Education\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSenior Lecturer, Technical University\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGhana\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEngineering Education\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndustry Expert (Smart Lab Development)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGhana\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLab Design \u0026amp; IoT Integration\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEngineer, Commission for TVET Services\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGhana\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTechnical Education Policy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSenior Lecturer, Traditional University\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGhana\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigher Education Systems\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSenior Lecturer, Traditional University\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUSA\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSmart Technology Systems\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfessor, Technical University\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndia\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCurriculum Innovation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 3: Documentation of Theme Emergence and Saturation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInterview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBoardroom 4.0\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE4.0 Infrastructure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE4.0 Competence\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurriculum\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSupport\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBudget\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearcher Positionality and Reflexivity\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReflexivity is fundamental in qualitative studies because the researchers are the main data collecting tool. As part of recognizing our bias grounded in our background in education and a positive attitude towards E4.0, we employed a number of strategies in order to make our work trustworthy. We kept reflexive journals, actively pursued disconfirming evidence, and even discussed our beliefs with each other continually, which served to investigate the influence our beliefs had on interpretation. The honesty of feedback of our participants was probably stimulated by our external academic status. This serious reflexivity made sure that the findings were based on the experience of the participants instead of our presuppositions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnalysis of Information\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEight participants were interviewed and the results were transcribed and sent back to be verified, with 100 per cent response rate. According to the model suggested by Braun and Clarke (2012), the systematic thematic analysis was conducted to find the essential patterns and significant responses. To increase credibility, preliminary results were distributed to participants to have them member check. Thematic analysis was chosen due to its accessibility and flexibility and offered a central and universal method to work with qualitative data and guarantee that the findings were reliably indicative of the experiences of the participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGathering of information\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe source of information for this research study was derived from the interviews conducted with the research participants. The researchers created a semi-structured interview guide anchored in the study\u0026apos;s objectives. After conducting a comprehensive literature review on E4.0, they drafted a protocol with three open-ended questions and supporting probes. This draft was further refined based on feedback from two management education specialists in the faculty. Some of the open-ended questions include \u0026ldquo;What is your understanding of E4.0?\u0026rdquo; (to validate the experts\u0026rsquo; understanding of E4.0 principles), \u0026ldquo;How needful is the readiness of management in the implementation of E4.0 in Technical Universities?\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;What constitutes the readiness of Management for E4.0 in Technical Universities?\u0026rdquo; The researchers interviewed eight participants at separate times, scheduled according to their availability on the phone. While three preferred google meet others were interviewed on phone. Prior to conducting the interviews, each participant was provided with a consent letter to adhere to ethical requirements, specifically to obtain permission. Subsequently, the researchers transcribed the recorded data. The verbatim transcripts were then utilised for thematic analysis, which was presented in a tabular format. To minimise researcher bias, we employed peer debriefing during thematic analysis, ensuring that themes were grounded in participants\u0026apos; responses.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe studied interview transcripts in two ways: first, we analysed answers question-by-question and coded responses to find key themes and details. Next, the team examined responses across all interviews which revealed wider patterns. We then combined these patterns into clear themes tracking how often concepts appeared and what they meant. the researchers used thematic analysis. This method finds, organises, and explains patterns in data through coding (Naeem et al., 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrustworthiness of the Study\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeveloping trustworthiness is a critical mechanism of defense in qualitative studies to guarantee credibility, confirmability and dependability to counter innate methodological skepticism. The qualitative methods demand strong verification in comparison to the systematic objectivity of quantitative research. This paper dealt with the four main elements of trustworthiness such as credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability by applying a set of rigorous strategies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to assure the credibility of the results, there were several control measures. Every respondent checked the accuracy of their interview transcripts by member checking and initial results were discussed with a subgroup to seek additional input. Peer debriefing helped in making the research process stronger as an experienced colleague was involved using the experience of an outside body to disprove the assumptions and thematic structures of the researchers. Also, the research engaged in a proactive search and examination of negative cases - cases where the views of the participants did not conform to the emerging themes. One of the most salient examples was the difference in perception of the preparedness of technical universities; whereas one participant warned of the gap between the local universities and world universities in the terms of equipment and awareness of AI, others stated their applied focus and the possible first place in the case of infrastructure and improved partnerships.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo achieve confirmability and dependability, an elaborate audit trail was kept, and the whole process of analysis was documented using codebook, analytical memos and meeting notes. This had the effect of providing a clear documentation of extraction of the data to produce interpretations. Although the research was based on expert interviews, it took into consideration different geographical and professional views of both Ghana, India, and the USA based in academia, policy and industry which was beneficial in the analysis and enhanced transferability of the results. With such thorough attempts, the research managed to secure the quality and rigour of its study as well as respond explicitly to the usual criticism on the validity of the presence of high rates of subjectivity in inductive research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthical Approval\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study received ethical approval from the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Committee at KNUST (Reference #: HuSSREC/AP/139/Vol. 2). All protocols were rigorously followed, beginning with comprehensive informed consent that detailed confidentiality, the right to withdraw, and data usage. Conducting international research required attentiveness to contextual norms; we prioritized scheduling across time zones and clear communication to meet our ethical obligations to all participants. All digital data was stored on a password-protected computer, identifying details were removed from transcripts, and pseudo names were assigned to ensure anonymity. The data will be retained for five years per institutional policy before secure deletion.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe qualitative data were analysed to answer the question of the components of management readiness for E4.0 in Technical Universities. The findings were reported around the identified themes using a descriptive and narrative discussion format (O\u0026apos;Brien et al., 2014). In certain instances, verbatim responses from participants were included to convey the richness of their experiences regarding the components of faculty and management readiness for E 4.0. As a result of in-depth interviews aimed at answering two research questions of this study, six major themes and 94 categories emerged, as depicted in Table 2 and Figure 2. The following analysis discusses these major themes, categories, and key concepts related to participants\u0026apos; experiences regarding the components of readiness of faculty and management for E4.0.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 3\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eSummarised Themes, Categories and Key Concepts of Management Readiness for E4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTheme\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCategories\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Points\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Adaptive Strategic Leadership\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCapacity for strategic foresight\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Vision-oriented, people-centred leadership\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Focus on student investment and adaptability\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSustained change commitment\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Active engagement in growth initiatives\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Support for staff/initiatives\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAgile change management proficiency\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Embracing technological/paradigm shifts\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Quick decision-making and transparent communication\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDistributed adaptability\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Tech adaptability as institutional policy\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Leveraging knowledgeable staff\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNetworked collaboration governance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Collaboration for funding/resources\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Sustainability of partnerships; balancing academic integrity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. E4.0 Infrastructure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCreating an enabling environment\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Management role in fostering innovation\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Technical understanding for real-world application\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTechnological infrastructure development\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- State-of-the-art technologies: Hardware/software\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Technology Integration policy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eContinuous upgrades and maintenance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Regular updates to prevent obsolescence\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Physical space transformation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSmart laboratories and internet connectivity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Specialised labs for programmes\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Reliable power/high-speed internet\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. Transformative Digital Competence\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrategic Digital Literacy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Data-driven decision-making\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- AI knowledge\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Advanced technology proficiency\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrategic E4.0 Knowledge\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Understanding 4IR demands\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. Dynamic Curriculum\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIterative review and modernization\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Modernisation to include AI/cybersecurity\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Industry-aligned content\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCollaborative development process\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Joint curriculum design\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Faculty training on emerging technologies\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndustry-embedded co-creation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Industry-led curriculum development\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Real-world projects/internships\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIntegration of advanced technologies\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Emphasis on advanced technologies\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Requires infrastructure/training support\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. Human-Centric Support\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCultivating growth-oriented mindsets\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Mindset sensitisation for emerging technology\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTechnical self-reliance and resilience building\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Technical maintenance training\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSystemic support structures\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Technical support\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6. Strategic Financial Stewardship\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrategic resource allocation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Strategic allocation to high-impact areas\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFinancial readiness\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Strong finances for workshops/materials\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Financial Incentives \u0026amp; Governance policy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Funding for digital infrastructure/professional development\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Internal/external grants\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAccountability mechanisms\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Transparent fund utilisation\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Sustainability focus\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComponents of Management Readiness for E4.0\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE4.0 management preparedness entails major elements of preparing institutions to conform to the Fourth Industrial Revolution which propels them through rapid innovation. This encompasses leadership going beyond traditional governance to agile models, creating strong infrastructure of AI and virtual reality and developing digital management talent. The resilience in curriculum development should remain relevant and flexible as faculty and student support develops. There is no management preparedness without policy and resources support. These themes determine management preparedness to E4.0 in technical universities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTheme 1: Adaptive Strategic Leadership\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results postulate that the paradigm of a transformative leadership approach is the cornerstone of the management preparedness to E4.0, the one that we label as Adaptive Strategic Leadership. And that is what Kajaria and Kumar (2023) refer to as a transformation of the traditional governance to integrative digital leadership that optimises decision-making and flexibility. \u0026nbsp;Digital transformation in technical universities is too complex to entail less than such a model.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are some interdependent dimensions in this type of leadership. The first one is the ability to be strategically farsighted, in which leaders need to have a clear and powerful vision of a technological incorporation. As Participant 6 emphasised, \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;... the management of the [technical] universities\u0026apos; effectiveness is crucial because [that] drives the entire institution,\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; highlighting the need for management to be \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003evision-oriented and strategic\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026quot; Such strategic clarity is critical when it comes to setting out purpose and direction and is aligned with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) in that it influences institutional attitudes in the direction of the E4.0 adoption. This is what visionary leadership is about ensuring the way to the long-term objectives while dealing with the uncertainty (Suharto et al., 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis vision has to be energised by committed change. The management commitment was consistently highlighted by the participants as the key driver that motivates the strategy to action. Participant 2 noted, \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003ethe Commitment of management to whatever we are doing is key. It is when they are committed that they can provide support\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026quot; while Participant 6 added management must be \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eready to work for advancement\u0026hellip; open to current ideas, [and] ready to receive new ideas.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; This commitment acts as the main driving force behind all initiatives (Ahmed, 2024; Cloutier \u0026amp; Ravasi, 2020) and helps sustain E4.0 tools in daily operations (Himmetoğlu et al., 2020). Without genuine leadership support, innovative projects are likely to fail despite strategic resource allocation (Amin et al., 2020).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, vision and commitment must be operationalised through change management proficiency. This involves the skilful orchestration of transition processes. As Participant 7 asserted, \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eManagers should have strategic skills and change management skills. A manager who does not accept change is not effective. Management must find ways to sustain this change.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; This ability is necessary to deal with organisational and human dynamics of adoption. Changeability is the main driver of organisational success and well-being, especially the introduction of E4.0 (Mohamad et al., 2019), and assists in constructing resilient organisations during the rapid technological changes (Himmetoglu et al., 2021; Mirfani, 2019).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne major expression of such agility is distributed adaptability. As Participant 1 observed, \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eif the top management is adaptable, then it becomes a policy throughout the organisation,\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; adding that \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003emanagers may not have all the knowledge, but their ability to adapt and understand, and allow knowledgeable workers to work for you\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; is critical. This dimension understands that flexibility should be institutionalised, encouraging a culture of collaboration, which empowers employees and aids in avoiding overcentralisation threats that would impede cooperation and motivation (Bhupla, 2022).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast is the adaptive strategic leadership which transcends institutional boundaries using the governance of networked collaboration. Participant 7 highlighted its importance: \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;.... management should also collaborate and network with the industry because let me tell you many industries have funds that can support campus initiatives.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e Nonetheless, these collaborations need to be carefully managed to achieve alignment between the industry and the academic integrity, since strong corporate relationship may affect integrity of programmes (Bridgstock, 2019) and make curricula too focused on the immediate requirements in the industry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe analysis shows that the adaptive strategic leadership is not just an element of strategic leadership, but a necessary constituent. It drives in technical universities the very coordination, the strategic fit that would not be compromised to truly ascend to E4.0 (Liang et al., 2007). This work is thus a critical hermeneutic act: it is a proactive act of translating far-off, hypothetical futures into present and practical action (Prestiadi et al., 2020). Such a role is indispensable. It is the critical discipline of sailing in the wave of extensive complexity and frequently wholesale technological change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheme 2: E4.0 infrastructure\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE4.0 infrastructure is not merely a set of physical objects, but an elegant and interconnected ecosystem required to make the transition to E4.0, as participants testify. This infrastructure is the integration of technological, physical, and human aspects, all of which should work together to incorporate the atmosphere where innovation, collaboration, and practical skill development can be achieved. Such strong infrastructure according to Setyaningsih (2020) is central to facilitating schools to innovate and adjust, thus making learning more adaptive and better equipping students to work in technologically-based careers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn enabling environment is a precursory step to innovation and entrepreneurship. This demands two things: strong structure and profound intellectual preparation. The criticality of this synergy was emphasized by Participant 6, who stated: \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003ewell, without well-trained and well-equipped leaders to undertake the transition, the gains of technology will not be properly implemented to industry.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe participant further clarified that success demands \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;... an in-depth knowledge of technologies and its uses, the capability to establish an enabling environment towards innovation and entrepreneurship\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, interviewees and sources warn not to be overly dependent on technological solutions. The overwhelming focus on technological integration might even kill creativity and critical thinking, as Smith (2021) and Chandiok and Kukreja (2025) assert. Kezar (2023) also points out that the idea that knowledge in the classroom can be applied in practice only through effective management is naive as it does not take into account the specifics of different learning environments and student requirements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHardware, software, and digital tools that constitute the basis of advanced learning environments are also the technological aspect of this theme. Respondents continually highlighted that the accessibility of technologies is a direct factor affecting the success of the implementation. \u0026nbsp;As Participant 6 detailed,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;the IT software requirements, the hardware requirements, the learning management systems they need and for instance, high-speed internet, which is now very important in our environment, power, which means the electricity should be as at its optimal that there will not be a shortage of power, because these technologies depend on power.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe government ensuring equitable access to technological resources through policies also were emphasised by participants. Participant 5 emphasized this need: \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;The government [should] have a policy that the basic devices that are required for E4.0, laptops, are available in all schools.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e Participant 6 added that \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;... the management must make sure they have the infrastructure, resources, and policies to embrace the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main feature of E4.0 infrastructure is that it is dynamic and needs upgrading and maintenance constantly. participants noted the speed at which technology can make tools become obsolete. As Participant 4 cautioned,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;you cannot have a laboratory with [Virtual Reality] VR glasses and think it would last for 5 years... newer and crazier software may have come in making yours obsolete in 6 months.\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis demand of the unceasing innovation also applies to the physical infrastructure. Participant 7 stressed that \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;[technical universities] must be willing to upgrade existing physical infrastructure to support new learning environments and provide innovative spaces for innovation.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e There are problems with this constant innovation, though. Prather (2023) observes that excessive utilisation of hi-tech tools has led to a decline in quality education due to the focus on innovation at the expense of effective teaching and that continuous upgrades can be incredibly expensive (Akang, 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe heart of E4.0 infrastructure are Smart laboratories and robust internet connectivity form the specialized components of the E4.0 infrastructure ecosystem. Participant 7 emphasized their importance:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;From a management perspective, they should be able to provide robust infrastructure, including high-speed internet connectivity. Investing in virtual laboratories is important... It is incumbent on management to provide technological infrastructure.\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe challenge of internet connectivity was particularly emphasized in certain contexts. Participant 5 noted that \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;the internet speed outside the continent is fast, but in Ghana, it is slow. Stability and the speed of the internet and data cost are key in implementing E4.0.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e With the advent of smart technologies that relies high speed internet connectivity, researchers cannot agree any less the assertion.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the fact that these technological factors are essential, such players and sources caution about too many reliance. It is mentioned that the use of emerging technology excessively can overlook the basic skills and interpersonal communication as part of comprehensive learning (Angwaomaodoko, 2023). Memon and Memon (2025) also point out that the assumption of equal benefit of advanced tools does not take into consideration unequal access and digital literacy and may function to increase existing inequalities. Williams (2023) concludes that technology is not to be substituted with such crucial aspects of face-to-face learning and development of core competencies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis discussion determines that the development of E4.0 infrastructure should not be limited to a very limited perspective of technological substances. The key to its successful implementation is a critical balance between the tools and the application of strong pedagogical approaches and the maintenance of meaningful human interaction. We therefore need to specify efficacy, not by technological adoption per se, but by the presence of the technological infrastructure as an enabling platform that both facilitates technological advancement and secures sustainable educational value.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheme 3: Transformative Digital Competence\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe transition to E4.0 will necessitate not just a list of improvements in skills; this change will demand a new sense of managerial competence as such. In this instance, digital competence is not presented as a single competence, but as a constellation: practical technical competence that is mixed with foresight. This dual competence can help to adjust the administration of educational entities to the dynamics of integration in digital and cyber-physical dimensions, and particularly in technical universities. This change as highlighted by Buntak et al. (2020) necessitates institutional leadership to work proactively in developing greater technological capabilities in order to effectively implement 4IR frameworks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis competence demonstrates itself in two dimensions, which are interrelated and form the basis of organisational flexibility and pedagogical creativity. First dimension, strategic digital literacy, stretches well beyond basic technological functionality, to include the capacity to use data and emerging technologies to make institutional decisions. As Participant 6 emphasised, \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003ewhen management sits to make decisions, they should have data-driven decisions... they can make informed decisions that will help improve the implementation of E4.0\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026quot; This digital literacy should be a full grasp of artificial intelligence and applications, and the participants reported many technical university managers have major gaps on this front. Participant 5 starkly noted that \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eEducational managers have only 1% of the knowledge in AI to drive the management of skills delivery\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026quot; Hence, the emergence of this literacy needs planned strategies, such as training systems and institutional regulations that uniformise the application of technology. As Participant 1 advised, management should \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eprovide a policy to direct the technology usage in the university.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; Nonetheless, such technical orientation should be contrasted with recognition of possible drawbacks. There is an ultimately high risk of marginalizing human relational products and creativity required in decisive leadership as a result of excessive use of digital tools, as Singh and Bhaskar (2025) warn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second dimension, strategic E4.0 knowledge, is the intensive knowledge of educational principles and practices according to 4IR needs. Such learning will help managers to see the transformative nature of the existing changes in education and to build an environment that can be adjusted successfully. As Participant 6 explained, \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003ewithout leaders who are well-trained and well-equipped to manage the transition, the advancements in technology will not be effectively integrated... management plays a critical role in creating the enabling environment.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis knowledge aspect demands managers to be proactive about and to advocate E4.0 principles. Another participant emphasized that\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;they should understand and embrace E4.0... in the technical universities should embrace E4.0 and make sure that the understanding of it will be put forth and make the learners have that this is the way we are going\u0026quot; (P6).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNonetheless, such technical orientation should be contrasted with recognition of possible drawbacks. There is an ultimately high risk of marginalizing human relational products and creativity required in decisive leadership as a result of excessive use of digital tools, as Singh and Bhaskar (2025) warn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheme 4: Dynamic Curriculum\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo shift over to E4.0 requires us to reconsider the curriculum, not as a static bundle of requirements, but as dynamic and active connecting technology with teaching and the shifting needs of industry. Under this perspective, the role of curriculum emerges to become the primary manner of reaction of technical universities to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It should be constantly evolved and modified in mutual cooperation to remain topical in the rapidly changing world of technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt implies that an update of curricula must be repeated regularly and in tandem with emerging technologies. As Participant 5 pointed out, there is often a significant delay in this process: \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eOur curriculum is even yet to be reviewed to include E4.0 so we haven\u0026apos;t come close to the adequate information required to manage E4.0.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e This loophole highlights the importance of enhancing management skills to spearhead curriculum changes. Regular checkups are necessary to make the graduates acquire skills that can suit the current industry demands (Moreno et al., 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaculty-university leadership is one of the significant components of maintaining the relevance of the curriculum. Participant 6 stressed that \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eFaculty members are responsible for developing the curriculum, and they should work hand-in-hand with management to create enabling, cutting-edge curriculums using these technologies.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e This partnership assists in balancing technical with soft skills required in the contemporary working environments and training allows instructors to teach new disciplines successfully.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe curriculum is also a gate way to the broader world with direct industry cooperation. Participant 6 explained this shift in responsibility:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;The industry now is supposed to lead curriculum development in terms of skills delivery. So they dictate what goes into the curriculum for the training institutions to use to train the students, which will make them job-ready for industry employment.\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis approach introduces real-life applications, visits to sites, and real life projects into the curriculum bridging the theory-practise gap.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother of the necessary steps is to incorporate new technologies in course content. Participants highlighted the need to teach Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, with Participant 6 recommending that schools \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eintegrate these Fourth Industrial Revolution-related topics into the curriculum and basically should emphasise subjects like data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and digital literacy.\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eThis can only be done effectively with the right tools, trained faculty and institutional support without which even the best plans will fail.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new view of the curriculum is not without challenges. As Nussbaum et al. (2021) warn, focusing too heavily on technology could limit student creativity and critical thinking by favouring technical skills over open-ended learning. Weinstein and James (2021), in their turn, note that even a curricular design led by the industry will be uniform, and will not reflect the aspects of the fields that do not have an immediate connection to 4IR.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood curriculum development therefore must be at a compromise, on the one hand it must meet the requirements of technology and industry, on the other hand it must serve the educational values that help in the multiplicity of thinking, multiplicity of reaction to problems and usefulness of the collaboration. This is a medium cure because the graduates are not only expected to learn some technical skills which would prove useful in the current positions, but the mental elasticity to meet the future challenges. After some time, the curriculum does not only reflect the present-day facts in the sphere of technology but also a clue that would open new possibilities concerning the further progress of education at the technical universities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTheme 5: Human-Centric Support\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaculty and student preparation is a highly significant human aspect of institutional preparedness towards E4.0, which is concerned with cultivating the adaptive capacity required to respond to 4IR shocks. This support system is a mixture of growth oriented attitudes and empowerment of students with the technical training.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn essence, this dimension entails promoting growth oriented attitudes throughout the learning fraternity. Participant 4 stressed the need to develop \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;the kind of mindset needed to be able to sensitise the students to keep up with emerging technologies.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e And this is not superficial awareness, but rather a culture that is devoted to lifelong learning and adaptation, which Wartman and He (2019) consider to be crucial in weathering the disruption in technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main characteristic of this assistance is the focus on technical self-sufficiency. The fact that the students were empowered to not only use technologies, but also to maintain, repair and even understand them were recurrently mentioned as vital by the members. Participant 4 indicated that the value of \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;... train[ing] [the] students to maintain and repair [smart labs] technically ...\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e which contributes to the continuity of operations and more profound practical command. This practical orientation reverberates the perspective of Lewis (2019), who says that direct experience cannot be replaced in the development of an innovation-ready workforce.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also important that there is a strong institutional technical capacity. This involves the possession of skilled staff members who would be able to sustain digital infrastructure and reduce operational difficulties. This is the base of organizational resilience as it helps schools to revive E4.0 programmes in case of technical obstacles (Browder et al., 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, in order to be operational, more comprehensive changes are necessary in the system: the reform of curricula, teaching techniques, and assessment design (Kumar and Kauer, 2023). What will eventually see the potential of E4.0 achieved in practice is the idea of holistic integration, where technology is linked to equivalent paradigm shifts in educational practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe importance of this system of support is due to the fact that technological change is finally a human process. The tools under the E4.0 are the subject of advanced technologies, though, their proper implementation requires the development of human capabilities and support systems that would help the stakeholders to effectively utilize these technologies. This anthropocentric view moderates the technical nature of the other readiness dimensions and as such technology will be used to achieve the educational objectives and not to establish them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of this combined together makes this support system a base upon which all other elements of E4.0 readiness rest and on which technological, curricular and infrastructural advancement is anchored. Cultivating the mindsets and competencies required to make the digital transformation, institutions provide the environment conducive to sustainable innovation and adaptive capacity to the continuing technological change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTheme 6: Strategic Financial Stewardship\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaculty and student preparation is a very significant human aspect of institutional readiness to E4.0, and aims at creating the adaptive capacity to negotiate 4IR disruptions. This support system is an integrated approach of growth oriented thinking, student empowerment and technical training.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe participants continued to mention that financial preparedness is the foundation on which implementation is reliant. As one noted, \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;Let me tell you this\u0026hellip; The finance readiness of the institution is key... how strong we are financially because these things come with a lot of cost, a lot of workshops must be built and monies should be made available to purchase materials and take students out\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e (P3). This perception renders it plain that budget constraints have a direct impact on the ability of a university to finance key elements of E4.0.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research found that strategic expenditure involves paying attention to high-impact areas in accordance with the objective of the institution. As one participant explained, \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eso proper resource allocation involves identifying areas, such as technological advancement, where what we are putting in will yield the greatest returns\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e (P6). This is practical thinking, which is in line with Fit-Viability Model (Liang et al., 2007), as financial realities will ultimately determine whether such well-planned projects of E4.0 can be implemented or not. This assertion aligns with the goal programming model (Lee \u0026amp; Clayton, 1972). that guides administrators, in this case technical universities, to prioritize various educational goals effectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBesides the regular budgeting processes, a variety of future-looking policies along with the budgetary practices, in particular, tax waivers, are highlighted by the participants as an opportunity to mitigate shortages in funding. A very qualified point was raised by one of the respondents: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;... the government exempting Industry 4.0 tools taxes should be in our agenda as a country that wants to develop in this era\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e (P5). This observation highlights the role of larger policy decisions in supporting or depleting the financial ability of a university, and it implies an obvious need to take government action to relieve the fiscal pressure on technical colleges.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrategic thinking over a long period of time was also important. One of the participants puts it succinctly: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The management ought to have a policy that is more effective in governance. A leader who executes sound governance policies puts patriotism before selfishness... such a leader in the real sense realizes that he or she can make sacrifices today to open the door to more opportunities in future\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (P6). That is an opinion to keep us in mind that 4IR projects will need to be maintained over and above the regular budgets. No less important, the study recognised accountability as one of the pillars that can never be compromised. These funds cannot be compromised as the respondents was insistent on accountability. Sustainability of these projects relies on their \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eresponsible stewardship\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; as P7 \u0026nbsp;noted. The participants insisted on open stewardship, which implied that trust - and thus further support of the digital transformation - can be achieved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuch insights provide a fundamental conflict: on the one hand, financial preparedness is a familiar stimulus of 4IR changes (Wibawanto, 2021); on the other hand, scholars warn about excessively transactional practices. Considering that emphasising limited budgets can turn education into a commodity, Ibrahim et al. (2024) caution that it could suppress the innovation of pedagogies. Likewise, according to Walia (2024), strict financial models may fail in recognising the contextual requirements, which is why it is crucial to think about fiscal discipline and adaptive responsiveness to changing educational requirements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat comes out in this analysis is that Strategic financial management of E4.0 is the practical dedication that transforms leadership vision into realisable outcomes. It facilitates the infrastructure upgrade, training and technology integration required to facilitate digital transformation, as well as maintaining these investments tied to the educational values and not just technical objectives. This strategy acknowledges that financial decisions are not simply administrative functions, but rather significant ways of stating the values and priorities of an institution on changing education.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimitations of the Study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough we do have the perspectives of these experts who use their expertise to give insights, they have some limitations regarding their applicability. Eight participants of Ghana, India, and the USA are a pretty sample which gives us insightful experiences based on the specifics of their regions and institutions, though they cannot be applied to all such environments. Also, though the qualitative approach provided insightful nuanced data, the results can be complemented with additional quantitative research to increase their generalisability. Also, phone interviewing at times restricted the rapport building; differences in familiarity with the concepts of E4.0, could also have biased perspective. All along, we had these factors in mind when making our interpretation.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion and Conclusion ","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis research aimed to delve into the fundamental elements of management preparedness of E4.0 in technical college. We find that readiness as a construct is multi-dimensional involving six dependences governed by dimensions: Adaptive Strategic Leadership, E4.0 Infrastructure, Transformative Digital Competence, Dynamic Curriculum, Human-Centric Support, and Strategic Financial Stewardship. The following discussion summarises these findings, compares them to the available literature, examines the limitations of the study, and reflects on their practical implications, directly interacting with the critical feedback.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the major criticisms was the missing initial clear theoretical framework to connect the results. To this end, we assume that our results could well be effectively viewed through the lenses of the Fit-Viability Model (Liang et al., 2007) which is a powerful model of a general nature. According to this model, any successful technology initiative should demonstrate a substantial strategic alignment of its objectives with organisational objectives as well as operational feasibility to be successfully deployed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis model directly overlays with our six themes map (figure 2). The main issues that adaptive strategic leadership, transformative digital competence, and the dynamic curriculum pay attention to are the strategic fit: the alignment between the vision, skills and education material, with the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. On the other hand, E4.0 infrastructure, strategic financial stewardship, and human-centric support are the key pillars to operational feasibility that will supply the actual resources, funds, and human capital to be executed. The inherent tension and balance between these areas, such as the visionary approach of a leader (fit) undermined by the absence of infrastructure funds (viability), is why the work of technical universities is so complicated. This framework surpasses descriptive categorisation and provides a theoretical process to describe success and failure in the adoption of E4.0.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoreover, our result also expands theory. Although the necessity of leadership commitment is not new (Himmetoglu et al., 2020), our understanding of Adaptive Strategic Leadership prescribes how leaders ought to adapt: via distributed adequacy and networked management. In the same way, we deepen digital literacy beyond tools (Mirfani, 2019; Narh-kert et al., 2022) to Transformative Digital Competence, which entails both strategic AI knowledge and policy knowledge, filling a critical literature gap in technical universities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecommendation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn light of the findings presented through the Fit-Viability Model, the technical university leadership is recommended to take a holistic and integrated stance on strategic planning, which implies a comprehensive audit of both strategic (e.g., leadership vision, curriculum relevance, digital competence) and operational (e.g., infrastructure, funding models, staff support) viability when they want ensure that the E4.0 initiatives are not only aligned with the organisational objectives but are also practically feasible. For further study, this research could be deepened by quantitative research to verify and optimise these preparedness dimensions according to a broader sample, and by longitudinal case studies to understand in sequence and correlation the overall process of strategic and operational investments in the attainment of sustainable digital transformation.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n \u003cdiv\u003eThe author confirmed that all appropriate ethical guidelines for the use of human subjects have been followed, any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee review has been obtained, and information about the IRB/ethics committee is included in the manuscript.\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n \u003cdiv\u003eThe author has confirmed that all necessary patient/participant consent or assent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. 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Manage Sci 18(8):395\u0026ndash;408. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1287/MNSC.18.8.B395\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1287/MNSC.18.8.B395\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Technical University, Management Readiness, Education 4.0, Digital Transformation, Higher Education Management","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8182290/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8182290/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eTechnical universities also play an essential role in preparing graduates with the skills necessary to be able to succeed in the changing job market in Industry 4.0. To successfully implement Education 4.0 (E4.0) in these institutions, management teams must be completely ready. Although the necessity of this shift is undisputable, the existing literature does not provide a detailed model of the concept of management readiness, in particular with reference to developing economies like Ghana. The main aim of the paper is to establish the main elements of management preparedness towards E4.0 at technical universities. The research took a qualitative phenomenological design, where eight international professionals in E4.0, innovating laboratories, technical education policy, and teaching at higher education were in-depth interviewed in Ghana, India, and the USA. The data analysis followed a thematic analysis to reveal seven fundamental components to management readiness: adaptive strategic leadership; E4.0 infrastructure; E4.0 competence; dynamic curriculum; support for faculty and students; and strategic financial management. This study adds a new comprehensive framework that goes beyond the identification of obstacles to delineating effective domains of preparedness. The results provide a strategic route that university leaders, researchers and policymakers can use to navigate the digital transformation in a way that can result in a sustainable success and institutional agility amidst Industry 4.0.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Navigating the Digital Transformation: Key Components of Management Readiness for Education 4.0 in Technical Universities","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-25 16:50:03","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8182290/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"98f079bc-57cd-4986-bbb7-da15a558203d","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 25th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":58443064,"name":"Educational Philosophy and Theory"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-11-25T16:50:03+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-25 16:50:03","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8182290","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8182290","identity":"rs-8182290","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}