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Technology theory
Lai (2017) asserts that as technology advances, established business models face risks and new chances for innovative service offerings. As a result, top companies are able to influence the development of technological applications to their benefit. This idea informs the theories of planned behaviour, task-fit technology, innovation dissemination, consumer adoption of contemporary technologies, and technological acceptance. These are a few of the pillars on which technology theory is understood and discussed. According to Nyagadza, Pashapa, Chare, Mazuruse, and Hove, (2022), fostering a technological innovation appetite across a range of emerging economies’ industries is intended to tackle, adapt to, and maneuver through the digital disruptions and complexities brought about by the new global order or, as most refer to it, the new normal. They firmly believe that the dynamics flowing from the 4IR to the industrial innovation of emerging economies are as old as human settlement. Benassi, Grinza, Rentocchini and Rondi (2022), in contrast, claim that there has been a sharp rise in the advancement of scientific and technological understanding on 4IR-related technologies in recent years.
The degree to which digital production technologies im- pact capital investment efficiency, both with regard to fixed and working capital, is another important factor driving its adoption. Similar to this, Lai (2017) highlights the personal influence on increased efficacy, efficiency, and/or quality, implying that task and technology must be well matched. A task-technology fit, as defined by Spies, Grobbelaar and Botha (2020), quantifies how well developing technologies match the demands of the work. For businesses that oper- ate in underdeveloped nations, where financial constraints can pose a significant barrier to technical advancement, this is an especially important issue.
The 4IR technologies guarantee customer satisfaction with strong, adaptable, and quick prototyping features like 3D printing, computer-aided design, and flexible machining capabilities. They also enhance new product development design thinking, customer feedback, and market research. Kim (2020) draws the conclusion that as a result of this view, automation has increased significantly and will continue to do so in the upcoming years, necessitating that businesses adapt to the rapidly advancing technology of the 21st century. According to Andreoni and Anzolin (2019) digital production technologies are the outcome of connecting hardware, software, and other components into an integrated production system. In this system, technology is successfully linked with organisational culture, structure, strategy, human resources, and leadership. This technical and organisational integration frequently necessitates the retrofitting of already-existing production facilities. An integrated strategy that takes these factors into account and is well designed can boost organisational performance.
Leadership theory
A key lens through which to view the dynamics of the 4IR in the context of information systems (IS) scholarly debate is leadership theory. The focus of leadership theory is on the part of leaders in establishing a strategic vision and promoting organisational change. A leader’s position in the 4IR is crucial in helping to anticipate the future, drive innovation, and facilitate digital transformation. The 4IR is defined by rapid technology breakthroughs like blockchain, big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. A thorough framework for comprehending and directing the integration of 4IR technologies into organisations is provided by leadership theory. Leadership theory places the study of the 4IR firmly within the IS scholarly discourse by emphasising strategic vision, change management, ethical considerations, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This highlights the crucial role of leaders in navigating and realising the potential of these transformative technologies.
According to Naidoo (2021), leadership is a highly dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon that can be described in a number of ways and explained by applying a wide range of theoretical frameworks. According to Cai (2023), leadership is a cooperative process in which the leader inspires and favourably affects the followers to accomplish immediate goals that are consistent with the long-term vision. Shava (2021) goes on to explain that emotional intelligence, cognitive aptitude, communication prowess, and ethics are all incorporated into leadership. Given that the nature of leadership in the 4IR period would differ significantly from the conventional hierarchical structures that many organisations are used to, Gray (2016) contends that leadership must evolve and adapt to a new set of abilities in the 4IR. As a result, Uys and Webber-Youngman (2019) contend that in order to meet the challenges posed by 4IR, a new theory of leadership is needed. This theory should explain leadership in novel and quickly evolving contexts, strike a balance between the impact of leadership and work, establish a firm foundation of balance between individual leadership and prowess, and, lastly, clearly define the direction and goals of leadership as a compass for resilience while remaining adaptive and agile.
According to Deloitte (2019) this perspective indicates that the following four types of leaders will succeed in the 4IR: (a) the social supers, who are capable of both creating new revenue streams from socially useful products or services and prioritising efforts with a societal impact; (b) the data-driven decision-makers – executives who plan development using methodical, data-driven techniques and who are confident in their capacity to leverage the 4IR; (c) the disruptive technologies – the leaders who have previously made investments that have met or surpassed their targeted business outcomes and who
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