Investigate the role of skills development hubs in equipping disadvantaged communities in South Africa to gain competencies required for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
Date
2020
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
South Africa’s participation in the global trend of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), has grown to include almost every business segment and is set to influence every conceivable aspect of all industries. This 4IR era, which is blurring the lines between the digital, physical, and biological spheres, began as an initiative to combat challenges faced by the manufacturing sector. Today, however, it is characterized by a blend of technologies and can be somewhat daunting to many organisations, not to mention individuals in general. South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) highlights the fact that together with social development, there is a dire need for bridging the gap of skills shortages, especially in disadvantaged communities (Kraak, 2004).
This social entrepreneurship research investigates the extent that skills development hubs in disadvantaged communities can assist in the alleviation of poverty, by bridging the gap of skills in 4IR areas that will be essential for equipping Africans to be at the forefront of technological advancements. The research focused on the development of Africa 4IR training hubs, targeting initially, the main economic hubs of Gauteng province and then expanding throughout South Africa.
Technological skills are deemed to be in short supply in South Africa and filling this skills gap could invariably alleviate unemployment and poverty, especially amongst disadvantaged communities. The projections and proposal for the need of training hubs through this research is based on findings drawn from existing literature and from interviewing young professionals, university students, corporate managers and entrepreneurs.
Using institutional theory as a lens, this research aimed at investigating the role of skills development hubs in equipping disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Additionally, it provided a suitable collaborative framework that involved all relevant stakeholders from the context of social entrepreneurship. Also, to start low cost training hubs and develop competencies required in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution through public-private partnerships
Description
Thesis presented in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Business Administration to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2020
Keywords
4IR, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Social Entrepreneurship, UCTD
Citation
Desai, Mohsin. (2020). Investigate the role of skills development hubs in equipping disadvantaged communities in South Africa to gain competencies required for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/39987