WORKFORCE ADAPTABILITY AND LEARNING CURVE IN THE ERA OF INDUSTRY 4.0: AN ECONOMIC STUDY

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing the workforce's adaptability in digitisation and technological manufacturing system. This research used logit to model the relationship between reward, training, employee resilience, knowledge sharing, age, probationary period, working experiences and workforce adaptability. By using a purposive sampling technique, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 140 workforces working in American MNCs in E&E sectors at Penang, Malaysia. Results indicated that training, knowledge sharing, age, probationary period, and working experience are influencing workforce adaptability. Reward and employee resilience have no relationship with workforce adaptability. The study may be useful to the government and organization to prepare the talents for the opportunities of Industry 4.0 and enhance the competitive advantage of an organization. The study that related to workforce adaptability in the Industrial 4.0 era is rather limited. This research makes an early contribution to the area by providing an empirical research result based on the primary data collected from American MNCs at Penang, Malaysia.