Industry 4.0, Digitalisation, Transport Logistics and the Intervening Factors in the Revitalisation Drive to Manufacturing Firms in Zimbabwe: Exploratory Insights from a Harare Brickmaking Company

Abstract

This article explores and discusses the linkage between logistics and other factors, such as digitalisation, influencing the strengthening of the manufacturing companies in Zimbabwe.    It argues that the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by advanced technology and efficient logistics can revitalise Zimbabwean manufacturing firms. The key point of this article is that digitalisation of manufacturing firms in Zimbabwe can go a long way in the reinvigoration of the sector along with good logistics. Data were gathered using a qualitative research design with a bias towards the interpretive research design. The qualitative design allowed for the use of interviews and open-ended questionnaires to generate data from stakeholders within manufacturing companies. The study had a population of 26 supervisors and used a sample of 13 supervisors from Homestyle Bricks, a local Harare brickmaking company.  Evidence on the reinvigoration of manufacturing firms, from the sources show three critical aspects that are digitalisation, clustering, and logistics.  The article concludes that manufacturing firms need to digitalise to survive the global wave of technological revolution sweeping across the global village as failure to do so can signal a discord in logistics and the supply chain. The study concludes that Zimbabwean manufacturing firms can either revitalise through clustering or perish in a bid to monopolise their market strength.  It is recommended that there be an inspection on the digitalisation of firms to ensure their survival in the forthcoming industrial revolution.