Introduction

First, we will look at the three main concepts of this article, which includes the meaning of Public Policy, Industry 4.0 and Poverty.

Whereby we will discuss whether the Industry will have an effect on Public Policy and the implications and if it might enlarge or reduce poverty.

What Defines Public Policy?

It refers to government maintains order or addresses the needs of its citizens through actions defined by its constitution. However, Public Policy is not seen as tangible thus the term is used to describe a collection of laws, mandates or even regulations that is established through a political process.

Public Policy can defined as governmental actions that reflect the attitudes and rules selected for the public.

Thats why the main content behind Public Policy is initially the problem formulation, setting a public policy agenda, initiation, the basic design, different analysis and lastly the monitoring and evaluation of the final composition.

Types of Public Policy

As already stated Public Policies are there to address the needs of citizens. There are several Public Policies in place although one in particular stands out the Health policy.

Health policy refers to all policies related to the health of a particular group consisting of:

• How disease will be treated
• What steps will be implicated to educate the pubic
• Etc

Challenging Public Policy

Due to that, Public Policies are associated with collection of laws and rules used to manage society. At times, it can be controversial or passionately debated whereby the policy itself can seem unfair.

Thus, public policies often change as the needs or beliefs of a society can change.

Industry 4.0

It is the completely new trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. Which includes cyber-physical systems (integrations of computation, networking and physical processes), the Internet of things and cloud computing.

Thus, Industry 4.0 creates what was once called a “smart factory”. Allowing cooperating with each other and with human in real time via wireless web.

Although before any system or factory can be classified as Industry 4.0 it must consist of the following:

• Interoperability — machines, devices, sensors and people that connect and communicate with one another.
• Information transparency — the systems create a virtual copy of the physical world through sensor data in order to contextualize information.
• Technical assistance — both the ability of the systems to support humans in making decisions and solving problems and the ability to assist humans with tasks that are too difficult or unsafe for humans.
• Decentralized decision-making — the ability of cyber-physical systems to make simple decisions on their own and become as autonomous as possible.

However, with any major shift there are bound to be some challenge that inherent the adopting of any model such as:

• Data security
• Higher degree of reliability and stability
• Maintaining the integrity of people
• Loss of high-paying human jobs
• Avoiding technical problems

Poverty

Poverty is the general scarcity or the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Thus making it a multifaceted concept one, which includes social, economic and political elements.

Poverty is divided into two groups’ namely Absolute poverty and Relative poverty.

Absolute poverty refers to the same everywhere, and can be eradicated as demonstrated by some countries. It measures the amount of money needed to meet basic needs. In addition, is therefore not concerned with the broader quality of life issues. 

Whereby Relative poverty refers when people do not enjoy a certain minimum level of living standards as determined by a government. Defined poverty is relation to the economic status of other citizens of society.

Poverty is not a state bur relationship

Poverty has become a race connotation, because race and class, which South Africa created – survival is now an achievement.

A good example is that culture was a way to divide due that it keep groups small, apart and not united with one another

Will Industry 4.0 enlarge or reduce poverty as societal divide?

If not implemented correctly the Industry 4.0 will certainly enlarge poverty due to few alarming concerns like the systemic lack of experience and labour to create and implement these systems.

In addition, there is the issues of general reluctance from stakeholders and investors to invest heavily in new technologies.

The main question still is not if Industry 4.0 is coming, but rather how quickly it might emerge and whether certain countries are really equiped to handle such sudden change. Due to for those who aviod the change risk becoming irrelevant and left behind.

South Africa is one of those countries that id not prepared might be lost forever due to our high rates of illiterate people, crime, pverty and our land being or falling into recession.

What will the policy implications be?

Policy

Means, goals, or objectives set by the government to achieve. Policy is a declaration and implementation intent. For example, when new government is made, whether union or state they set on objectives to attain during the ruling tenure (one type of objective for the union and state government).

I personally think that the Industry 4.0 will impact policy in means of adapting policy so it can fit into the major change, there also needs to be strict rules and regulations set in place due to technology standard whilst still protecting the safety of its citizens and their integrity. Basic policies shall need to be put into action for what is regarded as safe, legal and stability.

Reference

Guest Speaker. 2017. Poverty [presentation]. 16 Mar., Potchefstroom.

Marr, B. 2016. Forbes; what everyone must know about industry 4.0. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2016/06/20/what-everyone-must-know-about-industry-4-0/#c3a78c0795f7 Date of Access: 10 Apr. 2017.

Oxford Dictionary. 2017. Poverty. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/poverty Date of Access: 11 Apr. 2017.

White, D. 2017. Academy lessons: what is public policy. http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-public-policy-definition-types-process-examples.html Date of Access: 12 Apr. 2017.

Your Dictionary. 2017. Public Policy. http://www.yourdictionary.com/public-policy Date of Access: 12 Apr. 2017.