September 2016
THE BRINK OF A TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION
By Nick Vieira
we live and work. In just a few years
This revolution, termed the Fourth
we have developed into societies that
Industrial Revolution, is the continued
“We stand on the brink of a techno-
are connected around the world but
integration of everything into smart
logical revolution that will fundamen-
are less present in the now. At the
systems, where everything is connect-
touch of a button we can connect to
ed and communicating, including tech
family, friends and colleagues via the
implanted humans. Work as we know
mation will be unlike anything human-
Web, not just audio but sight and
it will be fundamentally different with
kind has experienced before. We do
touch also. Developments in science,
automation and software taking over
not yet know just how it will unfold,
health, robotics, AI, organisational,
many roles currently fulfilled by peo-
but one thing is clear: the response to
management and leadership theory
ple. This impact will not only be felt in
are fundamentally changing the way
the world of unskilled and semi-skilled
humankind lives and works. However,
workers, but will also be felt in highly
vate sectors to academia and civil
even as the world rushes ahead tech-
skilled sectors like Medicine and Law.
society.” (Klaus Schwab, Founder and
nologically,
of
The resultant change poses massive
Executive Chairman of the World
“progress” throws up fresh questions
social and societal questions. For a
Economic Forum)
of sustainability and benefit for all
country like South Africa with already
and not for just the select few. With
high unemployment rates, the poten-
the growing recognition that much of
tial for societal upheaval is magnified.
what we do as a species to organise
The World Economic Forum’s “The
ourselves is not working, we are fast
Future of Jobs report” indicates that
approaching a point where funda-
for every one job created in the near
mental questions as to the kind of
to mid future, South Africa stands to
world we desire to create for our col-
lose two. Coming off of such a low
We already see the effects of this
lective future cannot be kicked down
base already this could be disastrous!
technological revolution in the way
the road any longer.
tally alter the way we live, work, and
relate to one another. In its scale,
scope, and complexity, the transfor-
it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the
global polity, from the public and pri-
the
whirlwind