The fourth industrial revolution, most SME’s still have a long way to go
We are in the fourth industrial revolution, in which the transition to smart industry (Industry 4.0) and an advanced, data-driven supply chain (Supply Chain 4.0) are central.
Advanced automation and the integration of systems and machines can make production and logistics processes more efficient, flexible and customer-oriented. Partly due to developments such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems, Blockchain and Artificial
Intelligence (AI), data can be exchanged in real time and analyzed at lightning speed.
This not only leads to improved decision-making and responsiveness, but also to an improvement in sustainability and efficiency (Fatorachian & Kazemi, 2021). To grow with this transition, most logistics (SME) companies still have a long way to go (Wolter et al., 2021; Evofenedex, 2021)
Source: 2025_VLW, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352644758_The_Analytics_Maturity_of_Logistics_SMEs_Gaining_a_deeper_understanding
Future of Jobs Report 2025: Climate-change mitigation is the third-most
transformative trend overall
Climate-change mitigation is the third-most transformative trend overall – and the top trend related to the green transition – while climate-
change adaptation ranks sixth with 47% and 41% of employers, respectively, expecting these trends to transform their business in the next five years.
This is driving demand for roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers and electric and autonomous vehicle specialists, all among the 15 fastest growing jobs.
Climate trends are also expected to drive an increased focus on environmental stewardship, which has entered the Future of Jobs Report’s list of top 10 fastest growing skills
for the first time.
Bill Gates makes alarming prediction: AI will replace teachers and doctors within 10 years, warns humans may become obsolete for most tasks
However, the transition could bring with it opportunities and challenges, as per a report.
