Tag: 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR)

Dell’s Digital Transformation Index 2020 surveyed over 4,000 business leaders globally and reported that eight in ten organisations fast-tracked their digital transformation programmes in 2020. Technology is evolving rapidly and organisational responses to this process of change are forever dynamic and accelerating.

By proclamation in the Gazette, President Cyril Ramaphosa has fixed 1 December 2021 as the date on which certain sections of the Cybercrimes Act, 19 of 2020 (Cybercrimes Act/the Act) come into operation.  This means that the Act is now enforceable.

Is access the alternative to ownership? In 2011, the sharing economy was dubbed by Time magazine as one of the ‘Ten ideas that will change the world’ and it has been widely hailed as a major growth sector, by sources ranging from Fortune magazine, to the World Economic Forum, to former President Obama.

Whilst most corporations across the world have had to make drastic changes to their business operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many business leaders believe that the disruptions caused by the pandemic have inadvertently introduced more advantages than disadvantages. 

As the challenge of conceptualising, designing, and implementing fulfilling and productive humane workplaces within the emerging 4th and 5th Industrial Revolutions becomes more apparent, it is clear that the future remit of every Industrial Organisational Psychologist will be rising to the task of integrating people and technology.

The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a digital revolution that has massive transformative potential. Technology is rapidly evolving, and if used correctly, it can improve both the spend and quality of business operations. However, without the right skills within the business, technology is either used ineffectively or not used at all, which can be detrimental.

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless broadband is no longer a future technology - it’s here and is already available in limited key metropolitan areas in South Africa. The country, with its limited internet access and infrastructure, high data costs and ailing economy, can benefit in multiple ways from 5G.

Sub-Saharan African is challenged and blessed with a dynamic mix of formal and informal sectors, laced with effective and ineffective layers of entrepreneurial behaviour and action.

Higher education institutions have long been considered to be the repositories of knowledge and learning and the structures through which knowledge is produced and disseminated. They have survived sweeping societal changes created by technology – the moveable-type printing press, previous industrial revolutions, information and communication technologies, electronic media and computers.

The recent announcement that heavyweight Wall Street bank, JP Morgan Chase has agreed to buy UK Robo-Adviser, Nutmeg, indicates the far-reaching effects of COVID-19 on the financial advice and wealth management industry as big business embraces this new model.