A systemic overview of the evolution of electrical engineering: a South African perspective

The paper uses the systems approach to analyse how the discipline of electrical engineering has evolved over the years and to ascertain whether the custodians of the discipline have kept pace with this evolution. Particular attention is given to the knowledge system, the societal system, the education system, the world of work and the learned societies. The paper focuses on understanding the various dynamics among the systems so that strategic attention can be given to the relationships between subsystems, rather than specific solutions