Background – In order to withstand an increasing pressure of competition, to provide customers with constantly improved quality and innovations, while at the same time securing the financing from operating businesses, processes have to be optimized and non-value-added activities have to be eliminated. In this context, recent digital technologies promise significant improvements in managing complexity. Congruently, administrative power must be continuously increased to keep overheads low. Lean administration offers this potential.

Purpose – This paper contributes to the discussion on the relationship of lean administration and digitalization, and whether companies should excel in either first before drawing to the other.

Methodology/Approach – In order to address the research question, expert interviews have been chosen as a qualitative approach. Process managers and Lean experts of companies from different industrial sectors were interviewed to investigate the relation of lean administration and digitalization.

Findings – Results show that on the one hand lean administration can profit from advances in digitalization, while on the other hand lean administration supports the digital transformation. Experts attest both a symbiotic relationship. Furthermore, a correlation between a company’s lean and digital maturity is observed. Rather than either of both is a prerequisite for the other, they rely on similar organizational conditions and requirements.