*1.5. Objectives*

This demarche was performed aiming to understand the following issues:


#### **2. Motivation**

The Industry 4.0 Revolution requires the Smart Manufacturing concept. In this new context, employee interactions with machines are defined. The interconnections created between the various actors represent defining elements of the new intelligent production systems, and the interfaces between workers and machines become key points. These characteristics require creative and inventive workers who are also endowed with expertise and skills to work in such environments. Their provider can only be an education system based on creativity, inventiveness, and knowledge [38]. In the context of Industry 4.0, human resources management faces new challenges of knowledge and skills related to new technologies and processes. To meet the needs of the present and future labor market, the development of the labor force requires the development of necessary skills. In Agolla's opinion [38], to effectively cope with the new challenges of the workplace, as defined by the Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 Revolution, workers must develop specific competencies, abilities, skills, knowledge, and attitudes. They must become familiar with the technology of things (ToT), be capable of human-machine interactions, be able to access the technology-technology interfaces, proving that they possess a good understanding of the systems in the network, creativity, and innovation.

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) researchers have stated since 2015 that infrastructure and education must be adapted [39]. Manufacturers and suppliers need to consider their adaptation as they incorporate the technologies of Industry 4.0. Government, industry associations, and businesses should participate in this combined effort. The infrastructure must be fast, secure, and reliable enough for companies to be able use it for real-time data transmission. In the opinion of BCG scholars, the necessary improvements are aiming at fixed and mobile broadband services. Regarding education, BCG members stated that, on the one hand, school, training, and university programs need to be adapted and, on the other hand, entrepreneurial approaches must be strengthened, to increase the IT skills and innovation skills of the workforce. In a narrower sense, human capital management is gaining new meanings for corporate strategies. The intelligent manufacturing and Industry 4.0 Revolution involve the automation of processes, which leads to an increase in the number of workspaces with a high level of complexity, thereby requiring a high level of staff education [40].

The expectations of the industry as a result of its transition to the fourth phase of development justify EU's budgetary effort to implement the Industry 4.0 Agenda. The main benefits consist of increasing manufacturing efficiency by reducing the duration of the technological process, reducing the waste in the process chain, greater adaptability to the needs of customers, improving the quality of the products, and, finally, reducing the costs of manufactured products and reducing the waiting times for the final consumer. These led to the inclusion of the Industry 4.0 concept in the strategic development programs of some developed countries in world. Emerging economies must be an active part of this qualitative leap in industry.

The following considerations justify this analysis:

