More Kenyans tipped to lose jobs to machines
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However Kenya, like other developing countries, still lags behind developed countries in adopting digital technology for both production of manufactured goods and management of value chains. This means that as more industries blur the line between physical and digital processes, manufacturers and investors will seek out opportunities for reducing labour costs and increasing productivity, turning back to developed countries. “A persistent digital divide in Kenya in the context of growing digitalisation globally can lead to increasing re-shoring of manufacturing jobs and to the concentration of future production of digitally-enabled goods in developed countries,” said the report. It further notes that Kenya might already be de-industrialising prematurely, with the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP shrinking from 12 per cent in 2007 to eight per cent last year. The country has one of the highest labour costs in the region and this could work against it as manufacturers opt to outsource business processes to machines either locally or in other economies.For More of This and Other Stories, Grab Your Copy of the Standard Newspaper.
“One such international impact pathway is through reshoring of manufacturing tasks from labour-intensive to capital-intensive regions,” said the report.Do not miss out on the latest news. Join the Standard Digital Telegram channel HERE.