Analyzing Technological Change and Effects on Labor Market Dynamics: A Case Study of Manufacturing Sector in Zambia Lusaka

It is evident that the manufacturing industry in Zambia has experienced immense changes over the years which have had a direct effect on the labor market. The continual rise of automation and digitalization in this space calls for more insight into its impact on employment and skill sets. This paper seeks to examine the impacts of technological changes on labor market dynamics in Zambian manufacturing sector. More specifically, it aims to determine the boundaries of jobs considered as vulnerable to automation, examine the skills needed for the new positions to be filled, and propose measures for the policy framework on coping with the shift. To achieve this, a mixed approach will be used in conducting the research. Data documents will be gathered via surveys and interviews conducted with industry stakeholders, policymakers, and the workforce. Furthermore, the analysis will incorporate statistical methods to mark the claim of the proportion of jobs that are susceptible to automation alongside thematic techniques to articulate the effects on the labor market. The study aims to prove that a large proportion of the workforce in the manufacturing sector in Zambia will be vulnerable to automation, especially those whose functions are highly mechanized and cyclical in nature. Such changes will create a need for new investments and training in learning new coping technologies. This means that there is need to address skill gaps among the youth, investments in digital infrastructure, lack of socio-economic inequality, and more focus on education that would lead to higher economic productivity.