by Craig Page-Lee (@cpl_ignite) Let’s focus upon a particular aspect of a great Foreign Affairs article by Klaus Schwab namely the impact upon people of the “fourth industrial revolution”, specifically on the continent of Africa, and the role that major brands have to play.
The opening two paragraphs of Schwab, who is the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, set the context of the expectation:
We stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before. We do not yet know just how it will unfold, but one thing is clear: the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society.
The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production. The Second used electric power to create mass production. The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production. Now a Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century. It is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.
People are central
While much has been said and written in response, including an article written in collaboration with the Mail & Guardian Africa’s Samantha Spooner, “How can Africa prepare for the future of work?”, the key element that stands out for me is that people are central to this so-called revolution, but that they are not necessarily the beneficiaries of the technological evolution.
It is safe to say though that revolution brings evolution (eventually), but at what cost? As per Spooner, “[t]he report, which covered 15 economies accounting for about 1.86 billion workers or approximately 65% of the world’s total workforce, found that there will be hard times ahead with job gains unable to offset expected losses — estimated at a total loss of 7.1 million jobs — in the next five years.”
Why, then, are we interested in a fourth industrial revolution? Does it have relevance for all nations and all sectors of society; will it bring about a ground-swell of change and improvement to the lives of those living in absolute poverty; and what particularly does this mean for Africa, considering the current high percentages of unemployment across most of the continent?
An even greater concern
Taking this into account, an even greater concern for the peoples of Africa is imminent in that Schwab further states “the jobs that are looking to ‘win’ and gain a total of 2 million jobs are in computer and mathematical, and architecture and engineering related fields. Manufacturing and production roles are also expected to see a further bottoming out but are also anticipated to have relatively good potential for up-skilling, redeployment and productivity enhancement through technology.”
We live on a continent where the majority of inhabitants have not had the benefit of a formal education, nor have they had the opportunity of joining the workforce, let alone indulging in a nourishing meal at dinner time. Surely the threat of further job cuts will drive more people over the poverty line and place an even greater burden on aid funds and government subsidies and support? I know that this is definitely not the outcome of any future “industrial revolution” that the majority of the nations of Africa would support.
With this in mind, and while embracing technological advancements and increased cross-border trading opportunities, much of the region remains poor, and hope for a better tomorrow is not even a consideration for majority. As such, the thought of a new industrial revolution has zero meaning for many.
Positive impact
For me, this is where the major brands being consumed on the continent have an important role to play, especially those consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing brands that have built great wealth from Africa. I’m of the opinion that the next real industrial revolution should be one where the most positive impact is made at the lowest level, and where the broadest positive impact upon the lives of a greater mass of human beings is realised. This is not necessarily led by technology, but by brands that exist to make a positive impact on the planet.
As I’ve discussed previously, there are obviously a number of brands that are focused upon sustainability, investing in infrastructure, on eradicating disease and giving back to communities. These brands must be applauded for their efforts but, in reality, there are probably too few brands focused upon ‘branding for good’. It would be naive to ignore that we understand the need for the likes of continuous technology advancement, bringing new super-drugs to market and providing access to the digital world for all of humankind, but the critical mass of effort and focus needs to be channeled back to brands doing good and not just brands developing good technology.
While the fourth industrial revolution will apparently “force companies to re-examine the way they do business”, a greater number of consumers need to re-examine the way they purchase and consume brands and, in turn, force the hand of these businesses to change the way they do business and to entrench a new set of values and culture that puts the needs of people at the centre of product design and decision-making. Such brands doing good will gain the loyalty advantage and remain at the forefront fn making the real difference, thereby creating their own revolution.
Conclusion
It is therefore appropriate to end by quoting the final paragraph of Schwab’s report:
In the end, it all comes down to people and values. We need to shape a future that works for all of us by putting people first and empowering them. In its most pessimistic, dehumanized form, the Fourth Industrial Revolution may indeed have the potential to “robotize” humanity and thus to deprive us of our heart and soul. But as a complement to the best parts of human nature—creativity, empathy, stewardship—it can also lift humanity into a new collective and moral consciousness based on a shared sense of destiny. It is incumbent on us all to make sure the latter prevails.
Let’s hope that the many brands active in Africa can come together soon to achieve critical mass in driving the change necessary to uplift and empower the peoples of Africa in a more purposeful and direct way than them having to wait for the so-called benefits of this fourth industrial revolution.
Craig Page-Lee (@cpl_ignite) is the group managing director of Posterscope South Africa. He has over 21 years of working experience across the disciplines of architecture and retail design/brand communications and marketing management/advertising and media, across 11 pan-European and six pan-African regions. Craig’s monthly column on MarkLives, “Beyond Borders”, focuses on doing business in various African markets. Don’t forget to tune into his #eBizRetail slot on www.ebizradio.com.
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