THE FATE OF MARKETING LOGISTICS IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE 4.0. REVOLUTION

Abstract

The products of human inginuity of the Fourth Industrial Revolution provide the opportunity for those already fortunate enough to enjoy the advantages of previous Industrial Revolutions to shape, not only the design of new technologies, but also agile forms of management and extraordinary benefits that can fundamentally transform the way people live, work, communicate and relate to each other. More powerful technologies dramatically modify not only traditional production models, but also conventional ways of „delivery service” and distribution of the value. The implementation of the latest technological advances, primarily in the form of RFID technology, which is designed to provide continuous communication and „refresh” data in the entire supply chain in real-time, will result in raising the quality of logistics services to a higher level while simultaneously significantly rationalizing and controlling costs. There is a growing trend in increased use of robotic manipulators and RFID-based smart shelves and smart factories, and retail stores without sales staff which eliminate the need to read and pay for products at cash registers are on the horizon. The revolutionary changes in marketing logistics are conditioned by the emergence and increasing use of multidimensional, so-called 3D printing that has the potential to initiate a trend towards approaching consumption production, which would significantly modify the current role of marketing logistics in the entire supply-chain. New technologies have not changed the essential role of marketing logistics, but the establishment of consistency in the physical movement of goods has evolved over time to the level of science-fiction. Logically, we impose the question of the fate of marketing logistics in the conditions of the 4.0. Revolution, as well as a much more serious question of the future of Man in the event that the humanoid machines made „in the image of man”, insensitive to the destiny of mankind, „master” the World.