NONE 20260504100801073 wseas/wseas content-registration-form+ja@crossref.org content-registration-form WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTERS 1109-2750 2224-2872 Mirlinda Jashanica Gashi Academic Affairs Directorate University for Business and Technology, UBT KOSOVO Ira Gjika Department of Management and Marketing Mediterranean University of Albania ALBANIA The business environment in our region is facing multifaceted changes. Globalization, coupled with the opportunities provided by information technology, is pushing companies to adopt new management models that have already proven successful across different countries and industries. Despite the efforts made during the last decades, enterprises in Albania and Kosovo have a road ahead to enhance their competitiveness and long-term sustainability. A comprehensive approach that integrates modern managerial practices with digital tools would contribute to the optimization of processes, elimination of inefficiencies, and achievement of higher operational performance. This study introduces the Lean management concept and explores effective strategies for applying its principles in both manufacturing and service firms in our region, where the approach remains relatively underutilized. It identifies common types of waste within organizations, examines their root causes, and proposes methods for reducing or eliminating them as part of an ongoing improvement process. The study adopts a qualitative approach to build its theoretical foundation and to provide guidance for practical application in the businesses of developing economies, where the economic, social, and cultural contexts differ from those of Lean’s origins. Based on real cases observed in manufacturing firms in both countries, the paper highlights how combining Lean management principles with information technology solutions can significantly improve efficiency, enhance quality, and reduce costs, thereby strengthening business performance and sustainability. The paper provides theoretical and practical contributions to both scholars and practitioners in the region by introducing knowledge about the Lean approach and its implementation in connection with information systems available. The case study method used for the investigation has permitted the exposure of small and medium-sized enterprises to new managerial approaches and provided them with recommendations for better resource utilization while simultaneously advancing the integration of technology and digital systems into their operations. 12 31 2025 12 31 2025 292 31 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en_US 10.37394/23205.2025.24.31 https://wseas.com/journals/computers/2025/a625105-030(2025).pdf United Nations. Available at: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | UN Office for Sustainable Development [Accessed date: September 15, 2025] United Nations. Available at: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | UN Office for Sustainable Development [Accessed date: September 15, 2025] Enterprises. Adapting Operations to Changing Business Environment. Springer, ISBN 978- 981-19-4339-3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4340-9 Ries, E. The Lean Start-Up. USA, Crown Publishing Group, eISBN: 978-0-307-88791-7, 2011. Heizer J., Render B., and Munson Ch. “Operations Management”, 13th edition, Pearson Education Intl, global edition, 2020. Krajewski, J., Malhotra, M.K., and Ritzman L.P. Operations management. Processes and Supply Chains. 11th edition Pearson, USA, ISBN 13: 978-1-292-09386-4, 2016. Gay, C. “8 Wastes of Lean Manufacturing”, Machinemetrics, 2016. Available at: https://www.machinemetrics.com/blog/2016/1/ 24/8-wastes-of-lean-manufacturing [Accessed date: September 17, 2025] Kang, P.S., and Manyonge, L. M. “Exploration of Lean Principles in Higher Educational Institutes – Based on Degree of Implementation and Indigence”. International Journal of Scientific Research, Vol.5, No.2, pp.831-838, 2014. USA, ISSN 2229-5518. Pinho, C., and Mendes, L. “IT in lean-based manufacturing industries: systematic literature review and research issues”. International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, Vol.55, No.24, pp. 7524-7540, December 2017, https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.138458 5 Davies, D.H. Master IT Service Management effortlessly: Revolutionize Your IT Service Management. ISBN 979-8883268990, Independently published, 2024. Demaj, E., and Mehillaj, D. “Implementing Lean Manufacturing Approach in SMEs: A Case Study from the Food processing Industry in Albania”. Chapter 9 in Book Digitalization, Sustainable Development, and Industry 5.0: An Organizational Model for Twin Transitions. Emerald Publishing Limited, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1108/9781837531905 Kromidha, E. “Lean e-integration for development: the case of National Licensing Center in Albania”. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development: Vol.2, pp.69-72, Dec. 2013, South Africa. DOI:10.1145/2517899.2517906 Yin, R. K. Case study research: Design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, Sage, 2018. Andrews, S. “The Case Study Companion” 1st edition, Routledge, London, UK, 2021. Berisha, G., and Pula, J. S. “Defining small and medium enterprises: A critical review”. Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences, Vol.1, No.1, 17–28, 2015, Tirana, Albania. ISSN 2410-3918. Creswell, J., & Creswell, D. Research design - Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. (6th ed.). SAGE, USA, 2023. IBM Statistics 29.0 available at: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/downloadi ng-ibm-spss-statistics-29 [Accessed date: September 17, 2025] Laudon, K.C., and Laudon, J. P. Management Information Systems, 13th ed., Pearson, New Jersey, USA, 2014. Özsahin, M., Çallı, B.A., and Coskun, E. “ICT Adoption Scale Development for SMEs.” Sustainability, Vol.14, No.22, p.14897, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214897. European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Ciciriello, C. and Gray, E., Report on the evolution of eInvoicing in the digital age, Publications Office of the EU, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2873/104234 Western Balkans 6. Chamber investment forum. Studies on obstacles and opportunities for doing business in the region Study no. 3. Electronic invoicing. 2022, Montenegro, www.wb6cif.eu