Fourth Industrial Revolution: technological drivers, impacts and coping methods

The world is marching into a new development period when the digital technology, physical technology, and biological technology have achieved an unprecedented development respectively in their own fields, and at the same time their applications are converging greatly. These are the three major technological drivers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This paper discusses the specific technology niches of each kind technological driver behind the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and then evaluates impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on global industrial, economic, and social development. At last this paper proposes possible measures and policies for both firms and governments to cope with the changes brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.