Transformation towards Industry 4.0 - identification of research trends and aspect of necessary competences in the light of selected publications

The concept of Industry 4.0 associated with the increasing digitization of the entire production system is often described as the fourth industrial revolution. The fourth wave assumes a progressive digitization of the value chain in the industry and the development of the networks of contractors, machines, objects, processes and systems that exchange information immediately. These new realities, determine the need to adapt and enhance the qualifications of workers in industrial enterprises. It is natural to ask about the set of competences that will be significant from the perspective of the transition towards Industry 4.0. General purpose of this article is to try to answer this question. In the first part of the article the concept of Industry 4.0 is briefly described. Special attention was paid to the analysis of the network of thematic areas, in which the publications related to this topic are presented. The final part of the article deals with an analysis of the set of competences that will be needed while working in the realities of the fourth industrial revolution.