Human resource development AS a contributor to industry 4.0 implementation IN Albania

The increasing popularity of Industry 4.0 and the premises to apply it in different industries are obvious in the Albanian business environment. The role of new technologies, which stay at the center of this paradigm, is unseparated from the whole management systems in the framework of companies and value chains. Introducing new technologies should be supported by new or adapted business models, organizational systems, and human resources capable to manage them. Preparing the present and future human resources to execute their roles in compliance with the requirements of Industry 4.0 enabling technologies is a challenge for all actors involved. It requires recognition, acceptance, and development of the relationship between technology advancement and management. Our paper deals with human resource development and management in the context of Industry 4.0 introduction and implementation in the Albanian economy. It intends to highlight the role of education and management in preparing the workforce, the companies, and other stakeholders to understand and commit to new technological development, which brings manifold benefits to the country. The method used for the above analysis is a combination of a desk study and an empirical survey. The data analysis enables to point out the key factors influencing human resources development in Albanian companies. Their discussion can modestly bring some theoretical and practical implications regarding the human resources that will implement I4.0 enabling technologies in the country.