Industry 4.0 readiness assessment for South African industries
Abstract
Technological advancements related to the fourth industrial revolution are causing disruptive changes that are widely felt at national, industry, and company level. Industry 4.0, an initiative driving the fourth industrial revolution, is happening at an exponential speed, and embracing and adopting it is unavoidable for survival and competiveness. Although noticeable progress has been made in the use of Industry 4.0 technologies, systems, and processes in developed countries, there is uncertainty about the preparedness of businesses and industries in developing countries, including South Africa, to adopt Industry 4.0. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the readiness of South African industry in this regard. A questionnaire instrument with quantitative criteria compiled by the Impulse Foundation of Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau was used in this study. The exploratory study revealed that South African industry is faced with significant challenges in Industry 4.0 strategy formulation and equipment infrastructure to support Industry 4.0 requirements. The assessment pointed out that Industry 4.0 skills exist in pockets in South Africa, and so a further study to reveal more detail on Industry 4.0 skills requirements is essential Tegnologiese ontwikkelings met betrekking tot die vierde
industriële rewolusie veroorsaak verreikende ontwrigtende
verandering op nasionale, industrie-, en besigheidsvlak. Industrie
4.0, ’n inisiatief wat die Vierde Industriële Rewolusie aanvuur,
geskied teen eksponensiële spoed en dit is noodsaaklik om dit te
aanvaar en toe te pas, met die oog op oorlewing en
mededingendheid. Alhoewel daar beduidende vordering is met
betrekking tot die implementering van Industrie 4.0 in ontwikkelde
lande, is daar onsekerheid oor die gereedheid van ontwikkelende
lande, insluitend Suid-Afrika, om Industrie 4.0 te implementeer. Die
doel van hierdie artikel is om die gereedheid van Suid-Afrikaanse
industrieë in hierdie opsig te verken. ʼn Vraelys-instrument met
kwantitatiewe kriteria wat deur die Impulse Foundation van
Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau saamgestel is, is in
hierdie studie gebruik. Die verkennende studie het getoon dat die
Suid-Afrikaanse industrie beduidende uitdagings in die gesig staar
wat betref strategieformulering en toerustinginfrastruktuur om
Industie 4.0-eise te bevredig. Die ondersoek het getoon dat
Industrie 4.0-vaardighede in geïsoleerde situasies in Suid-Afrika
bestaan, en daarom is verdere studie om meer oor die vereistes vir
Industrie 4.0-vaardighede te wete te kom, dringend nodig
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10394/34105http://sajie.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/2231
https://doi.org/10.7166/30-3-2231