The Integration of Industry 4.0 into Corporate Social Responsibility Projects: A Review

This research seeks to explore the integration of Industry 4.0 in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Projects. CSR is an ever-evolving concept due to its multidimensionality. Although Industry 4.0 unfolds the opportunity for ideas, and infusion of technologies that increase project management (PM) success, organisations are reluctant to fully embrace industry 4.0 and integrate it into their CSR projects. There is a dearth of research on the deployment of Industry 4.0 in CSR projects. A systematic review of recent literature on CSR projects reveals that companies are not eager to upgrade the project deliverables and proficiency in the PM process by integrating relevant 4.0 tools. Is this because of the trade-off between cost and benefit of investing in 4IR deployment in the CSR project? The study found top management commitment as paramount for this technological integration. Efforts should be made to demystify the perceived risk of Industry 4.0. Further, it is recommended that implementers are upskilled and educated on the benefits of embracing the 4IR tools. The 4IR integration strategy must be developed with the involvement of all stakeholders to obtain their commitment and minimize resistance during implementation. Future studies should empirically assess the impact of Industry 4.0 on CSR projects.