Abstract
Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in the manufacturing industry is on the rise across the world, resulting in increased empirical research on barriers and drivers to I4.0 adoption in specific country contexts. However, no similar studies are available that focus on the South African manufacturing industry. Our small-scale interview-based qualitative descriptive study aimed at identifying factors that may inhibit sustainable adoption of I4.0 in the country’s manufacturing industry. The study probed the views and opinions of 16 managers and specialists in the industry, as well as others in supportive roles. Two themes emerged from the thematic analysis: factors that inhibit sustainable adoption of I4.0 and strategies that promote I4.0 adoption in the South African manufacturing industry. The interviews highlighted cultural construct, structural inequalities, noticeable youth unemployment, fragmented task environment, and deficiencies in the education system as key inhibitors. Key strategies identified to promote sustainable adoption of I4.0 include understanding context and applying relevant technologies, strengthening policy and regulatory space, overhauling the education system, and focusing on primary manufacturing. The study offers direction for broader investigations of the specific inhibitors to sustainable I4.0 adoption in the sub-Saharan African developing countries and the strategies for overcoming them.
Highlights
Adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has been on the rise in developed countries’ manufacturing industries, with other developing countries, such as China and India, following suit
Our findings suggest that the South African government could learn and adapt for its own purposes lessons from countries such as Germany, whose government supported the 2020 High-Tech Strategy that led to the establishment and implementation of I4.0 [51,52]
The findings of this study revealed that I4.0 adoption in the South African manufacturing industry should consider balancing competitiveness aspects and meeting the country’s
Summary
Adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has been on the rise in developed countries’ manufacturing industries, with other developing countries, such as China and India, following suit. The term I4.0 was coined in Germany in 2011, and its principles were adopted to enhance the competitiveness and growth of the national manufacturing industry [1,2,3]. The subsequent wide-ranging adoption of this approach recognizes it as an enhancer of competitiveness and growth in the manufacturing industry [4,5]. Its many benefits in the country could include enhancing global competitiveness and boosting productivity and revenue growth of the manufacturing industry [4,5]. The adoption of I4.0 attracts significant interest from sectors related to and supporting the manufacturing industry, including the digital industry, public sector, research and development, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
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