Desai, Mohsin2024-08-062024-08-062020Desai, 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/10539/39987https://hdl.handle.net/10539/39987Thesis 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, 2020South 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 partnershipsen© 2020 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.4IRRoboticsArtificial IntelligenceMachine LearningSocial EntrepreneurshipUCTDSDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructureDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg