Entrepreneurship, Education and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Africa

Wim Naudé

No 10855, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is impacting on the industrialization options for Africa inter alia through three interrelated sets of technologies, namely automation, additive manufacturing and the Industrial Internet. In this paper I set out the case for why Africa should industrialize. I then explore the opportunities and threats the 4IR pose for Africa. Threats include job-losses and the re-shoring of manufacturing to advanced economies. Among the opportunities are products-as-services, the sharing (collaborative) economy, and digital services and digital exports. These are markets that are currently underdeveloped in Africa but have substantial potential given Africa's geography, demography and on-going urbanisation. In order for the continent to benefit from the 4IR more needs to be done to improve entrepreneurship and education. A number of policy recommendations for 4IRcompatible entrepreneurship and education policies are made.

Keywords: industrial policy; entrepreneurship; education; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 L26 O14 O25 O33 O55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 25 pages
Date: 2017-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-ent, nep-ict, nep-ino, nep-pay and nep-sbm
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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