Optimization of Management Activities for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses: Approaches and Tools

Abstract

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are a key part of Ukraine's economy, ensuring stability, employment, and the development of market relations. In today's environment, in particular, due to the impact of a full-scale war, SMEs face a number of barriers that hinder their development: limited access to resources, lack of qualified personnel, and difficulty in entering international markets. This necessitates the search for effective tools for managing and optimizing business processes to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises. The purpose of the study is to analyze the role of small and medium-sized businesses in the economic development of Ukraine, identify the main barriers to their growth, study modern management tools for optimizing business processes, and develop practical recommendations for improving management processes at SMEs. To achieve this goal, the following research methods were used: analysis and synthesis of scientific literature to study the theoretical foundations of business process optimization; comparison methods to determine the effectiveness of modern management tools; and a practical approach to assessing the real barriers and challenges faced by SMEs in Ukraine. The results of the study show that SMEs are an important driver of economic development, but their activities largely depend on external and internal conditions. The main barriers that hinder the development of SMEs are identified, including financial and human resource constraints, lack of access to international markets, and the devastating impact of war. The role of modern tools such as Workflow and BPM in improving business processes is outlined. The introduction of these technologies makes it possible to automate processes, reduce time and resources, and increase the adaptability of enterprises to changes in the external environment. Conclusions. The study has confirmed that in order to ensure the sustainable development of SMEs, it is necessary to introduce innovative management approaches and information systems, invest in qualified personnel, and look for new opportunities to expand sales markets.