Abstract:

Competitiveness means a company’s ability to achieve the planned aims when competing with other business entities. In the traditional approach represented by M. E. Porter, a company can in fact apply effectively only one of three strategies, i.e. low prices, differentiation or market niche. The currently ongoing radical transformation of production processes, referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) leads towards drastic changes in the existing paradigm of competitiveness. The implementation of such inventions as artificial intelligence,  the Internet of Things, blockchain, synthetic biology, 3D printing, nanomaterials, together with widespread automatization, robotization and digitalisation means, in the opinion of the authors, that companies will be able to apply all three forms of strategy at the same time. Autonomous, self-learning cyber-physical equipment installed in a smart factory will be able to manufacture the highest quality products at the lowest possible cost, adapted to individual tastes of consumers, and remaining in contact with them.