Aligning Core Competencies with Malaysia’s Industry 4.0 Policy Aspirations

Today, the great economists and industrialists assume that the world is on the brink of another industrial revolution, referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The digital transformation is more profound in the manufacturing sector, hence the reference to Industries 4.0 or Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 is taken seriously at the national and organizational levels as well as at the global arena. Recognizing the urgency in aligning the Malaysian agenda with digital transformation, the Malaysian government has launched the National Industry 4WRD Strategy in 2019. This macro strategy aims to defend the national economy from a disruption in the aftermath of Industry 4.0. The Malaysian Technology Development Corporation, an agency under the Ministry of International Trade & Industry, has aligned several national policies relating to Industry 4WRD. This way, the organization will better promote local technopreneurs’ growth and sustainability according to Industry 4.0 standards. This paper’s objectives are twofold: 1) to gauge the outlook of management towards Industry 4.0 through interviews and; 2) to evaluate the core management competencies in the Industry 4.0 domain. A qualitative approach is utilized in analyzing the interviews with senior and middle-level managers. The paper highlights the importance of specific management skills in setting the agenda for skills growth to reposition Industry 4.0.