From the course: Foundations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0)

Unlock the full course today

Join today to access over 23,200 courses taught by industry experts.

Economic and demographic shifts

Economic and demographic shifts

- Understanding the major changes taking place in the world today requires us to step back and take a look at some influential macro factors. I'll explore what I believe are two of the most important areas, economic and demographic shifts. Let's begin with economics. In the early 1800s, over 80% of the world's population lived in extreme poverty. By 2015, 200 years later, that number had dropped to 9%. This reduction has occurred despite the world's population growing 800%, leaping from 1 billion to 8 billion today. During the 20th century, despite two catastrophic world wars, many economies flourished and created remarkable new innovations. The century began with most homes lacking electricity and ended with a computer powerful enough to beat a human at chess. Economic circumstances dictate which societies will thrive and those that will struggle. In particular, the last few decades of the 20th century have seen…

Contents