The 4I Revolution: Industrial – Information Tech – Internet – and Industrious Once More

Jun 12, 2014
Sogeti Labs

The Industrial Revolution is a development that has fundamentally changed our society and economy. The term “development” may seem to indicate some tardiness in the context of a “revolution,” which really signifies a rapid and fundamental change, but there is no doubt that major alterations occurred within a relatively short period. Industries arose and replaced small-scale workshops and craft studios. Textile and pottery factories were the first to recognize the new dawn, and a new infrastructure of canals and railway lines enabled efficient distribution. It was the transition from industrious to industrial, and the start of a boom for both.

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From the first mechanical loom, dating from 1784, exactly 230 years ago, we can distinguish four stages in the ongoing process called the Industrial Revolution. That is the way we currently look at it. The first “acceleration” occurred toward the end of the 18th century: mechanical production on the basis of water and steam. We place the Second Industrial Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century: the introduction of the conveyor belt and mass production, to which the names of icons such as Henry Ford and Frederick Taylor are linked. Number three is the digital automation of production by means of electronics and it.

At present, we find ourselves at the beginning of this fourth stage, which is characterized by so-called “Cyber-Physical Systems” (CPS). These systems are a consequence of the far-reaching integration of production, sustainability and customer-satisfaction forming the basis of intelligent network systems and processes.

In the near future, we even can expect a new technological DIY culture with e.g. 3D printing and easy programming, in which industrial and industrious will blend together. It means that we actually are entering the fourth phase of a continuous 4I Revolution: Industrial – Information Tech – Internet – and Industrious once more.

The fourth stage of the Industrial Revolution is upon us due to the far-reaching integration, accelerated by the Internet of Things, of Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT). This creates completely new opportunities as a result of new combinations of mental, physical and mechanical work by integrating the internet, sensors and embedded systems.

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About the author

SogetiLabs gathers distinguished technology leaders from around the Sogeti world. It is an initiative explaining not how IT works, but what IT means for business.

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