Disruptive Innovation, A Sustainable Strategic Entrepreneurship Imperative In The 4 Th Industrial Revolution

Abstract

Purpose: Disruptive innovation is recognised as a significant tool for fostering industrialisation and entrepreneurship. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence disruption innovation dimensions (product, process, marketing and manufacturing innovation) on both the fourth industrial revolution and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship within the manufacturing sector. Also, the study sought to determine how influence of the fourth industrial revolution influence sustainable strategic entrepreneurship. Methodology: A quantitative research approach was undertaken in this study. A cross-sectional survey of 150 randomly selected respondents was conducted between January and March 2023. The study population was made up of managerial employees within the manufacturing sector in Harare, Zimbabwe. A structured questionnaire with Likert type questions was distributed both electronically and physically to 150 randomly selected managerial employees between January and March 2023. Findings: The study results indicate that each of the selected disruptive innovation dimensions (product, manufacturing, marketing and process innovation) positively influence both the fourth industrial revolution and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the study proved that the fourth industrial revolution positively impact on sustainable strategic entrepreneurship. Implications for theory and practice: The study findings corroborate the disruptive innovation theory which claims that innovation establishes a new market and value network or enters a market from the bottom and eventually supplants long-established market-leading companies, goods, and alliances. Hence the current study supports the claim through the finding that disruptive innovation impacts on the 4th industrial revolution and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship. In order to promote industrialisation and entrepreneurship, the manufacturing sector is recommended to make an effort to foster activities that enhances product, process, marketing and manufacturing innovation. Also, the study suggests that the manufacturing sector should expand the innovation mind-set across entire firms, i.e. from the boardroom to the shop floor. Likewise, firms within the manufacturing in developing markets need to implement new and creative ideas in order to create and add value to their processes. To put it another way, businesses within the manufacturing sector for emerging markets should improve processes that involve a combination of company resources such as facilities, skills and technologies as these may impact on industrialisation and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship. These firms should also improve the marketing innovation by introducing some novel marketing strategies that involve major modifications in product design or packaging, product placement, product promotion, or pricing among others. Originality and value: Disruptive innovation is critical in modern business and it is regarded as a significant tool for fostering industrialisation and entrepreneurship. Research on factors that determine disruptive innovation's impact on 4th industrial revolution and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship has been unheeded. As a result, the current research tried to answer the essential question of how each component of disruptive innovation affects the fourth industrial revolution and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship. The impact of dimensions for disruptive innovation on the fourth industrial revolution and the effect of the fourth industrial revolution on sustainable strategic entrepreneurship were empirically investigated to answer this question. Several studies on innovation have been carried out in industrialised countries, with very little research conducted in low income nations and emerging markets, particularly in the Sub-Saharan area which include Zimbabwe. None of these studies studied the relationship among disruptive innovation, 4IR and sustainable entrepreneurship especially within the manufacturing sector. As a result, the research of this kind is critical because it adds to and validates existing innovation knowledge especially in growing markets. The current study deepens our innovation understanding on the elements of disruptive innovation particularly manufacturing, product, process and marketing innovation with regards to the manufacturing sector in the Sub-Saharan region. The fourth industrial revolution and sustainable strategic entrepreneurship are predicted by all the four dimensions of disruptive innovation.