the adequacy of human capital for the fourth industrial revolution era in the mining industry in zimbabwe

This paper examined the adequacy of human capital in the fourth industrial era. this has been prompted by the fact that human capital has been regarded as the key driver of value creation, financial performance and sustainability. however, concerns have been raised regarding the adequacy of human capital in the new era, particularly in emerging economies such as zimbabwe. this paper adopted a qualitative critical literature review approach in assessment of human capital preparedness in the fourth industrial era. the paper utilised secondary data extracted from the corporate annual reports and existing related literature. a thematic analysis process was used for analysing qualitative data related to the zimbabwean mining companies and the analysis was carried out until a saturation point was reached. the findings suggested that the adoption of industry 4.0 technologies in zimbabwe's mining industry was still in its infancy, and there was limited investment in human capital development. the study also highlighted several challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to funding, and a shortage of skilled labour. it was also established that, while there was some training provided, it was inadequate to keep up with the rapid technological changes. the study concluded that the adequacy of human capital in the mining companies in zimbabwe was a significant concern in the context of industry 4.0. the study recommended that policymakers and industry stakeholders prioritize investment in human capital development, including upskilling and reskilling programmes, to ensure that the mining industry is well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities presented by industry 4.0.