Future Competency Requirements in Logistics Due to Industry 4.0: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Digital transformation is a key driver for Industry 4.0. The associated technical developments are currently leading to changes in the requirements for employee competencies. The aim of this paper is to identify competencies that play a central role in Industry 4.0 and will gain in importance in the future. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is used to identify necessary future competencies in production and especially in the logistics environment. Based on scientific studies that deal with changes in production logistics, competencies are gathered and divided into professional, methodological, personal, and social competencies. The analysis reveals that the competencies “willingness to learn”, “interdisciplinarity”, “comprehensive process understanding”, and “communication skills” are becoming increasingly important. In the specialist areas of logistics and production, there is a tendency towards higher qualifications and acquisition of IT competency and process understanding. The reasons for this are specifically the enlarged use of data sets, their analysis, and operational interpretation. Analyzing changes in competencies allows for deriving requirements for qualifications and developments in occupational fields. Furthermore, it may also reveal influences on future forms of organization (e.g., influences on job profiles). This paper aims to contribute to the development of competency management in a digitalized working environment and facilitate targeted personnel development and strategic planning.