Key socio-economic megatrends and trends in the context of the Industry 4.0 framework

With the development of Industry 4.0, modern companies are forced to adapt quickly and flexibly to changing competitive conditions. This has an impact on the strategic management of the enterprise and is reflected in the creation of new strategic models, such as those that allow the introduction of innovations, the rapid reorganisation of processes and the highlyflexible adaptation of business operations to new conditions. The aim of the article was to identify trends and megatrends and to assess their impact in the context of the implementation of the Industry 4.0 framework in enterprises. The research used bibliometric analysis, force-field analysis and the results of a survey conducted on a group of small and medium-sized enterprises. The matrix for assessing the impact of megatrends and socio-economic trends in the context of the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies was established using the expert method. The article presents key trends in the development of enterprises implementing Industry 4.0 technologies. The results may provide useful guidelines when formulating new strategies for enterprises.