World Economic Forum and the fourth industrial revolution in South Africa

Industry 4.0 project

This series of papers was commissioned by the Future Industrial Production Technologies Chief Directorate of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti). This unit is focused on preparing South African industry for the fourth industrial revolution.

Saul Levin (TIPS) directed the project, and Dr Shawn Cunningham of Mesopartner was the lead researcher and author.

This paper, World Economic Forum and the fourth industrial revolution in South Africa, is the second in the series and takes the form of a literature study on the topic of technological change, innovation and building technological capabilities.

For this paper Wendy Nyakabawo (TIPS) also contributed research.

Other papers in the series are:

Framing the concepts that underpin discontinuous technological change, technological capability and absorptive capacity

This paper takes the form of a literature study on the topic of technological change, innovation and building technological capabilities.

Mapping the meso space that enables technological change, productivity improvement and innovation in the manufacturing sector

This paper focuses on meso organisations and policies that strengthen the technological capability of the country or an industry to enable change, adaptation and economic resilience.

Technological change and sustainable mobility: an overview of global trends and South African developments

This paper focuses on technological change and the developments in the sustainable mobility topic in South Africa.