Firm competitiveness. The competitiveness of the organization and the main methods of its assessment Competitiveness of the company

In a competitive environment, the most important property is the competitiveness of the company, and marketing efforts are aimed at ensuring it.

Firm competitiveness- is the ability to compete for a specific object, a limited resource and to succeed in competition with other firms. It means the ability to profitably produce and sell marketable products at a price no higher and no worse in quality than any other firms - participants in the competition in the corresponding market niche.

You can also define competitiveness as the ability of a firm to acquire and / or retain a certain market share as a state and a set of properties of the firm that allow it to compete effectively.

The competitiveness of the firm depends on the totality of the competitive forces of the market and on the availability of competitive advantages.

The main thing appointment competitiveness - to ensure the achievement of the company's goals by counteracting the competitive environment.

tasks competitiveness are providing the firm with buyers and resources, protection from the rivalry of competitors.

Competitiveness is a relative concept and is determined in comparison with competitors. Competitors can be current and potential, this applies to both firms and products.

Competitiveness can be divided into active and passive. Active competitiveness involves the impact on the external environment, and passive - adaptation to the external environment.

Sources The competitiveness of the firm lies in the internal resources of the firm, which allow it to adapt to changes in the external environment.

The external expression of competitiveness is the effective methods of competition used by the firm.

For formation The so-called "critical success factors" (CSF) are important for the competitiveness of the company - a small number of the most important areas, good results in which will ensure a successful competitive position for the organization. Poor results in these areas lead to a deterioration in the performance of the company as a whole.

Exist four main factors of formation KFU firms:

1. structure of a specific industry. Each industry inherently has a set of CSFs that are defined by the specific characteristics of the industry. Some industries are capital-intensive, others are labor- or intellectual-intensive;
2. competitive strategy, position in the industry and geographic location. Each company in the industry is in a unique situation, which is defined by its history and current competitive strategy. For small organizations in an industry dominated by one or two large companies, the actions taken by these major companies can create significant challenges. A competitive strategy for a small firm may involve entering a new market niche, ceasing the production of a particular product group, or redistributing resources among different product groups. Differences in geographical location can lead to different CSFs for companies (for example, differences in income levels of the population in different regions);
3. environmental factors. Changes in the domestic national product, economy, political factors and demographics lead to a change in the CSF of various industries and firms:
4. temporary factors. Internal organizational conditions often become temporary CSFs. These factors relate to the areas of the company's activities that are especially important for the company in a particular period of time, as the performance in these areas fell below the threshold. Let's say reducing accounts payable is a critical success factor for a company whose suppliers refused to ship before maturity.

Excellence in CFU represents a firm's competitive advantage. The presence of competitive advantages determines the competitiveness of the organization.

Competitive advantage(CP) is the exceptional value of the company, giving it superiority over competitors. It is the property of an organization that enables it to outperform its rivals in overcoming the forces of competition and doing the job of attracting customers.

Traditionally allocate two types of competitive advantage: cost advantage and benefits of differentiation(classification by M. Porter).

Advantage in costs- the ability to produce a similar product at a lower cost than competitors. This advantage is achieved through the use of economies of scale when expanding production, through innovations in technology that reduce unit costs, through standardization of products, reducing costs at each stage of the value chain (see Fig. 4).

Advantage differentiation- the ability to produce a unique product or a product with special properties that more effectively satisfies the same need as a competitor's product. This advantage is created through innovations in the product, marketing, logistics, allowing you to add value to the product at every stage of the value chain.

Competitive advantages can also be classified by the level of formation of the company's strategy. Depending on the level of formation, competitive advantages can be distinguished at the functional, business and corporate levels (Fig. 11).


Functional competitive advantages lie in the superiority of the organization in the activities of functional units (production, financial, marketing and other departments). All departments of an organization create value (value), and we can consider a company as a set of activities united (according to M. Porter) in a value chain, including logistics, production, sales marketing and after-sales service.

Competitive advantage at the business level represents an advantage over competitors in the field of customer acquisition and includes three main types: differentiation (a kind of differentiation - focused differentiation), cost leadership and quick response. Particular attention should be paid to the selection of market niches and their protection. A set of business-level competitive advantages can constitute an enterprise-level competitive advantage.

Competitive advantages at the corporate level represent an effective combination of the firm's business units, giving superiority over competitors either in the greater stability of the corporation and more efficient use of internal resources (with horizontal diversification), or in better control over resources (with vertical integration). Horizontal diversification can be considered as a subtype of corporate competitive advantage, achieved through the diversity of structural units operating in different industries. Vertical integration is the second kind of corporate competitive advantage, achieved by combining enterprises in the same industry, but at different stages of the product processing process.

The most valuable are the competitive advantages that are formed due to the synergy of various competitive advantages of the business level, as well as the functional level. Diversification, which strengthens the value chain and increases competitive advantage, is the best option for corporate advantage.

Corporate advantages enable companies to successfully compete with non-integrated rivals. To obtain corporate advantages, a firm must develop the ability to actively influence competitors, including the ability to acquire production facilities (acquire other companies).

To ensure the high competitiveness of the company, it is important to provide sustainable competitive advantages.

Exist two approaches to sustainable competitive advantage. The first is secure positioning in the market, according to which a sustainable advantage lies in choosing and maintaining a market niche.

The sustainability of this advantage is ensured by the following factors:

• the uniqueness of the competitive position (market niche) of the company;
• Subordination of all company activities to a specific strategy:
• a clear demonstration to competitors that this unique position requires the company to “sacrifice” other positions, i.e. the strategy followed by the company is incompatible with other strategies (you should not "chase two birds with one stone" at the same time);
• a holistic set of complementary activities. The second approach is the creation of a unique resource base of the company, when sustainable competitive advantages are provided by non-copyable internal resources of the company. In the modern economy, such resources are the intangible resources of the company, which include:
• human capital - a set of knowledge and skills of the company's employees;
• structural capital - organizational strategies, organizational culture of the company;
• relational capital - established relationships with suppliers, consumers, government and other organizations that are important for doing business.

New CSF organizations are associated with the access, protection, processing and creation of information. In the conditions of the information economy, the most competitive will be information-rich organizations with more information than their competitors. Information in an organization is increased in the following ways.

• acquisition of information resources;
• materialization of ideal information (knowledge and skills of employees);
• creation of new information and replication of old;
• increasing staff knowledge.

Thus, in modern conditions, special attention should be paid to the development of competitive advantages based on intangible values, since at their expense it is also possible to acquire material competitive advantages.

As market relations are created within the country and involved in world economic relations, interest in competitiveness issues moves to the enterprise, to the industry. In a market economy, a manufacturing company that supplies its goods abroad cannot take a stable position for a long time, relying in its strategy only on the indicators of the competitiveness of the goods, i.e., not taking into account the costs of creating and selling the goods. When entering a new market for oneself, when making a decision to expand or reduce production, when making investments in order to modernize technological equipment or renew products, an assessment of the competitiveness of the manufacturer, and not of an individual product, is already required.

In the economic literature, a single concept of "competitiveness" and methods for assessing the level of competitiveness of a manufacturer have not yet been developed. The main factors that determine the possibility of multiple interpretations of this concept are the different starting positions of economists, as well as what to consider as a producer - a firm, an individual enterprise, an industry, or the entire economy as a whole.

A certain variety of author's positions is related to the extent to which the competition of producers is considered - in the national, regional or world markets. Many of the modern methods for determining competitiveness, subject to individual modifications, are applicable in the analysis of the competitive positions of various objects.

The classification of methods for assessing the competitiveness of a manufacturer is to a certain extent conditional, due to the fact that the methods used in practice can be based on several approaches simultaneously.

Studying Competitiveness in Terms of Comparative Advantage

Most approaches to assessing competitiveness at the industry level are based on the classical theory of the international division of labor. In accordance with the law of comparative advantage, a country specializes in the production and export of those goods that are relatively cheaper to it, and imports of those that are relatively cheaper in other countries than at home.

The location of production between countries should follow the law of comparative costs - each country specializes in the production of those goods for which its costs are lower, although in absolute terms they can sometimes be somewhat higher than those of competitors. The possession by the country of the advantages that make it possible to ensure relatively lower production costs in any industry is a prerequisite for the achievement of a strong market position for this industry, i.e. for its competitiveness.

In addition, a country may have a comparative advantage not only in existing industries, but also in new areas of production for itself, if they are launched. Faced with foreign competition, such industries often find themselves unable to overcome the difficulties of the formative period on their own. However, if their development is facilitated at the initial stage by the introduction of protectionist customs duties, then new production may become competitive over time.

At the initial stage, the development of any new branch of the national economy in an open market economy faces significant obstacles, the overcoming of which requires much more effort than the development of existing sectors.

It is not possible to directly measure comparative advantage, so several indirect methods have been proposed. One of the most commonly used methods is based on the assumption that the lower the cost of production in an industry, the greater the advantage the industry has over its competitors.

Based on the methodology of comparative advantages, it is difficult to assess the competitiveness of an exporting company in general terms, since the existing advantages characterize the competitiveness of not only a particular company, but the entire industry.

The methodological incompleteness of the available approaches was a prerequisite for the development of other ways of solving the problem within the framework of the theory of comparative advantages. In this case, the end result of the interaction of the manufacturer with the market is considered in terms of achieving the manufacturer of any goals - profit volume, profit margin, sales level, market share, etc. And if any results taken as a competitiveness criterion are achieved, it follows from this that the manufacturer in question is more or less competitive.

The study of the competitiveness of the manufacturer based on the theory of equilibrium

An independent line of research is the methods for assessing the competitiveness of a manufacturer, based on the theory of equilibrium between the firm and the industry of A. Marshall and the theory of factors of production. Equilibrium is understood as such a state when the producer does not have incentives to move to another state, i.e., to change the volume of production (change its market share).

Under conditions of producer equilibrium (when the maximum possible volume of output and sale of goods is reached, with the nature of demand and the level of development of technology in the given market unchanged), each of the factors of production is used with the same and at the same time the highest productivity. At the same time, firms in the industry also do not have excess profits due to the action of any of the factors of production, and, therefore, outside firms have no incentives to enter the industry.

The opportunity for expanding output appears when some factor of production is not fully utilized and the existing scale of production does not provide a minimum of costs. The criterion of competitiveness within the framework of this model is the presence of the manufacturer of such factors of production that can be used with a better performance than other competitors.

Methods for assessing the competitiveness of a manufacturer based on the theory of equilibrium and factors of production, although they can be used in relation to firms and sectors of the economy, still have significant limitations in their application.

First, the theory of producer equilibrium was developed to study the development of an industry under conditions of perfect competition, i.e., with a significant number of firms in the industry, the possibility of free access of other firms to the industry, product homogeneity, perfect knowledge of the market by buyers and sellers, and complete mobility of factors of production between industries and firms.

Secondly, this method is based on a theory that assumes that industries, as a result of their development, must come to a state of equilibrium. But such a state is practically not observed, which is associated with the influence of scientific and technological progress, under the influence of which demand, the level of development of technology and production conditions change. As a result, for a particular exporter, the method of assessing competitiveness, based on the theory of equilibrium, turns out to be difficult to accept.

The study of the competitiveness of the manufacturer based on the theory of effective competition

A separate group consists of methods for determining competitiveness, built on the assumption that the stronger the market position of firms whose activities fall into a given industry, the more competitive the entire industry is. The theory of effective competition is based on the development of a criterion for recognizing the level of competition available in the industry as sufficient to maintain high efficiency of economic activity.

Proponents of this approach believe that when analyzing competition processes at the industry level, we should first of all talk about the rivalry of firms, since it is precisely from their activities that the position of the industry ultimately develops. The main tool for analyzing the competitiveness of an industry is to compare the position of companies in the industry with competing firms on the basis of indicators that are applied to an individual firm.

Within the framework of this theory, there are two main approaches to determining the criterion of effective competition (competitiveness): structural and functional.

According to the structural approach, an assessment of the situation can be made on the basis of knowledge of the level of monopolization of the industry, i.e., the concentration of production and capital, and barriers for new companies entering the industry market. The main obstacles to new competitors usually include: the economy of large-scale production, the degree of product differentiation, the absolute cost advantages of existing firms, the amount of capital required to organize efficient production.

The theory of international marketing made it possible to study the influence of external conditions on the competitiveness of a firm. The possibility of a firm conquering any market depends not only on internal factors, but also on the circumstances prevailing in the market, the following factors are distinguished that affect the intensity of competition and thereby affect the level of competitiveness of companies:

— market potential (possible capacity);

- ease of access;

- type of goods;

— entry barriers (required investments, state regulation);

— homogeneity of the market;

- the structure of the industry or the competitive position of firms;

- the degree of involvement of firms in the industry;

— possibility of technological innovations;

- economies of scale;

- Diversification of firms.

The second method for determining the criterion of effective competition is the functional approach. The main role here is played by the economic performance of firms: the cost-price ratio, capacity utilization, output volumes, profit margins, etc. This method allows, within certain limits, to draw conclusions about the entire industry. An example of determining the competitiveness of an industry is the activity of the well-known American consulting firm Dun & Bradstreet, which calculates generalized data for the industry based on market activity indicators. In this case, the subject of analysis, as a rule, are three main groups of indicators.

The first group includes indicators that reflect the efficiency of production and marketing activities of companies in the industry: the ratio of net profit to net sales, the ratio of net profit to the net value of tangible assets, the ratio of net profit to net working capital.

The second group of indicators includes: the ratio of net sales to the net value of tangible assets, the ratio of net sales to net working capital, the ratio of net sales to the value of inventories, the ratio of fixed capital to the value of tangible assets, the ratio of inventories to net working capital .

The indicators of the second group characterize the state of the production sphere of the companies' activities—mainly the intensity of the use of fixed and working capital.

The third group includes indicators related to the financial activities of enterprises: the ratio of working capital to current debt (repaid within 1 year), the period of payment of current accounts, the ratio of current debt to the value of tangible assets, the ratio of total debt to the value of tangible assets, the ratio of current debt to the cost of inventories, the ratio of long-term liabilities to net working capital.

The functional method makes it possible to evaluate the competitiveness of individual enterprises or their groups that are constituent parts of firms. In this case, indicators that usually refer to the whole company are also applied. This is labor productivity, calculated as the ratio of value added to the total number of employees in the enterprise, the ratio of net value added to the number of employees in the enterprise.

Comparison of these indicators characterizes the degree of competitiveness of the entire company and its individual enterprises. As a rule, in sufficiently large and diversified companies, these indicators may differ by 2–3 times for certain types of activities or enterprises, which indicates the lack of the necessary production efficiency in one of them. In addition, comparing the overall productivity of the enterprise in question with others in the industry allows you to find out what place it occupies in relation to its competitors in the industry. In modern conditions, a gap in labor productivity of 10% or more contains a threat to competitiveness. Additionally, return on investment and rate of return are used as indicators of competitiveness.

Methods for determining the competitiveness of a manufacturer (firm, industry), based on the theory of effective competition, have become widespread in the United States and Western Europe and can be recommended for use by exporting organizations.

The study of the competitiveness of the manufacturer on the basis of the theory of product quality

An independent group includes approaches to assessing the competitiveness of a manufacturer, which link its level with indicators of the quality of products. A subjective assessment of quality, as a rule, is given by an individual consumer based on his own requirements for the product. A more balanced assessment is taking into account the opinions of a large circle of consumers of this product. An objective approach to quality assessment involves comparing the product of the producer in question with a similar product of a firm or competitor industry. Comparison is most often carried out on the basis of a comparison of a number of parameters of both products, reflecting the consumer properties of the goods.

The assessment of the manufacturer's competitiveness in terms of product quality is carried out by the "profile method". It is based on the principles of marketing theory and is used by consulting firms in Western Europe. Various criteria for satisfying consumer needs in relation to any product are identified, their hierarchy and comparative importance are established within the range of characteristics that the consumer is able to notice and evaluate, and the technical and economic data of the product are compared with other competing products. This procedure is carried out in three stages.

The first step is to establish what market (or markets) exists for a given product and what the requirements of the markets are. For each market, it is necessary to establish how its requirements are met by competing products in comparison with the ideal product that the consumer would like to have. Information at this stage is collected on the basis of a survey of fairly representative groups of consumers. Then the question is solved: what should be the created product so that it can be sold with maximum profitability? At the last stage, the work of the sales division of the company and the entire distribution network is analyzed in comparison with similar divisions of competitors. The purpose of this step is to measure the duration of the Marketing Burden and explore ways to reduce it.

All methods of this group do not contain simple and unambiguous criteria that would allow assessing the competitiveness of the manufacturer. If the practical goals of economic research make it possible to build and calculate comparative indicators for one or more goods, then in the case of diversified production, such calculations become technically and economically inexpedient. Therefore, when using methods for assessing the competitiveness of producers based on the characteristics of product quality, indirect generalized indicators or a system of indicators are used. To a certain extent, this reduces the methodological value of the approaches and limits the possibility of their use by exporting enterprises.

Matrix methods for studying competitiveness

A special place is occupied by matrix methods for assessing the level of competitiveness. They are based on the idea of ​​considering the processes of competition in dynamics. The theoretical basis of these methods is the concept of the life cycle of a product and technology. Any product or technology, from the moment it appears on the market until it disappears, goes through certain stages of the life cycle, which include introduction, growth, saturation and decline. Sometimes additional stages of the life cycle are distinguished, which are in fact a refinement of the main gradation. At each stage, the producer can sell a product or a product of this technology on one scale or another, which is objectively reflected in the market share and sales dynamics.

The main research tool is a matrix built using two indicators, one of which is temporary. The vertical shows the growth rate of the market capacity on a linear scale, and the horizontal shows the relative share of the producer in the market on a logarithmic scale. All strategic business units can be placed on this matrix depending on their characteristics and market conditions. The most competitive will be those that occupy a significant share in a rapidly growing market.

Using this method, it is possible to assess the competitive position of "strategic business units", to develop a strategy of behavior in the market. Matrix methods are widely used by American consulting firms and are a convenient practical tool with which exporters can assess the level of competitiveness not only of their rivals, but also of their own.

Differences in the characteristics of the competitiveness of the manufacturer from a similar characteristic of the product

An analysis of modern concepts of the competitiveness of a manufacturer shows that this characteristic, as applied to a firm, has at least two fundamental differences from the characteristics of the competitiveness of a product.

First. The competitiveness of a firm, which reflects the differences between a given manufacturer and rivals, is applicable to a sufficiently long period of time. The competitiveness of a product can be determined in any short period of time from an economic point of view - a month, a week, a day.

This most important difference is due to the fact that the company, as a rule, is busy with the release of various and updated products. For the manifestation of significant differences from competing firms in the relevant product market, at least one cycle of product renewal must go through, i.e., the launch of new products on the market.

Second the fundamental difference is that the assessment of the manufacturer's activity is given not only by the consumer, but also by the entrepreneur himself. The latter decides whether it is profitable for him, in the scale and conditions of the given economy, to engage in the production of the goods in question. If in the case of determining the competitiveness of a product, we could say that the consumer is not at all interested in the costs at which the product was produced, then in the case of determining the competitiveness of the producer, this can no longer be said. Another side of the social need in relation to the manufacturing company is the need to create a surplus product in the production process, which forms the basis for the growth of the welfare of any society. From the point of view of the entire society, the competitiveness of a producer can be assessed by the degree to which its development corresponds to social needs.

The process of achieving the most important goals of society in a market economy is reflected in the market strategy of companies, in the formulation of their long-term goals. With a huge difference in management doctrines in the system of long-term goals, two groups of indicators can be distinguished that ensure the solution of the main tasks. The indicators of the first group (the company's market share, its dynamics, sales volume, etc.) generally reflect (albeit indirectly) the degree of consumer satisfaction with the company's products or services. The indicators of the second group (profit volume, profit margin, labor productivity, value added production, etc.) reflect the level of production efficiency of a given firm.

The dynamics of the indicators of the two groups in the general case will be opposite, since in conditions of perfect competition, an increase, for example, in the selling price of products reduces the degree of consumer satisfaction and leads to a decrease in the share of this manufacturer in the market, but at the same time contributes to an increase in profits. And accordingly, the assessment of the competitiveness of the manufacturer would be very problematic due to the impossibility of achieving opposite goals.

However, in conditions of real competition, where the monopolization factor takes place, as the company captures an increasing market share of any product, the company can significantly influence the price situation in the market. As a result, the process of achieving the two main Goals is transformed from a predominantly search for a compromise to a process of achieving competitive advantages with internal unity. And what is most important is the commonality and interconnection of various interests, which are essentially the object of competition.

The competitiveness of a manufacturer (firm, industry) can be defined as a relative characteristic that reflects the differences in the development process of a given manufacturer from a competitor manufacturer both in terms of the degree to which their goods or services meet a specific social need, and in terms of the efficiency of production activities. The main meaning of the concept of "competitiveness of the manufacturer" is that it characterizes the possibilities and dynamics of the adaptation of the manufacturer to the changing conditions of competition in the market.

Assessment of the level of competitiveness of the manufacturer

Based on the accepted definition, the manufacturer's competitiveness indicator should include two elements: a criterion that reflects the degree of consumer satisfaction in dynamics, and a time criterion of production efficiency. The first is an indicator of the competitiveness of the product (I t), and in relation to a diversified firm or industry, the competitiveness of the mass of commodities. It is determined by the ratio of the sum of the use values ​​of all goods of the producer to the cost of consumption of these goods.

The efficiency of competitors' production activities can be characterized using the second criterion (I e), which is the ratio of the performance indicators of the producer under consideration and that of the competitor. This criterion also depends on time.

The general indicator of the level of competitiveness of the manufacturer is determined by the following formula:

K \u003d It * Ie,

K is a general indicator of the manufacturer's competitiveness;

It is the index of competitiveness in terms of commodity weight;

h is the relative efficiency index.

Indicator K is an integral numerical characteristic of the competitiveness of the producer. If K<1, то рассматриваемая фирма уступает другой компании по конкурентоспособности, если K>1, then superior; with equal competitiveness K=1.

What is the relationship between the indicator of the competitiveness of the manufacturer and the sale of his goods on the market?

The substitution of one phenomenon for another in the field of technology, economics, and even wildlife in the most general form can be described by an S-curve, sometimes called a logistic curve. The dynamics of any process described by an S-shaped curve is quite accurately reflected by the mathematical dependence:

dF/dt=(K-1)*F(1-F),

F - market share;

t is time;

K is an indicator that characterizes the dynamics of the replacement process.

F =V/V 0

B is the current sales volume of this manufacturer in the market;

At 0 - the maximum possible sales volume in this market.

The solution of this equation is written by the following formula:

F=1/(1+b*e (1-k)*t)

b is a characteristic of the market, reflecting the conditions of competition;

e is the base of the natural logarithm.

In relation to the issues of competitiveness, the indicator K will be exactly the indicator that corresponds to the previously defined criterion for the competitiveness of the manufacturer.

The equation can be written as:

F/(1-F)=b*e(k-1)*t

This record allows you to go, if necessary, to the solution of the equation for the indicator of the competitiveness of the manufacturer K:

K = 1/t * ln(F/(1-F) * 1/b) + 1

The last entry reflects the fact that between the level of competitiveness of the manufacturer and its market share there is not a linear relationship, but a logarithmic one. In other words, the result in the form of an increase in market share is achieved not in direct proportion to the efforts made, but in proportion to the power function of the invested funds.

Using the formula, you can determine how long it takes for a new competitor to capture the maximum possible market share for him, given the existing competitiveness. Let's assume that the required period of time will start at the moment when t=0.1 and end at t=0.9.

In this case

t=4.4/K

will be called the "period of characteristic growth", since this period of time for any manufacturer will depend only on the indicator of competitiveness.

The main goal of any company in a market economy is to maintain and expand its position in the market (or its segment), growth, or at least stable profit. This is possible only with a focus on profit maximization, the main means of achieving which is to ensure high competitiveness.

This problem is becoming increasingly relevant for Russian enterprises, primarily in those areas of the economy where a competitive environment is beginning to form - in retail trade, public catering, the food industry, the assembly and sale of personal computers, etc. The competitiveness of a company is its real and potential the ability to manufacture and sell goods or provide services that, in terms of price and non-price (quality) characteristics, are more attractive to buyers than goods and services of other competing firms.

The concept of firm competitiveness

The competitiveness of a firm is a relative concept. It can only be identified and evaluated by comparing firms that produce similar products or provide the same services in relation to the territory within which these firms operate (local, regional, national, world markets). Therefore, one and the same firm can be competitive in the local or national market and not be competitive in the regional and even more so in the global one.

The theory of the firm's competitiveness and its competitive advantages was developed in the works of A. Smith, D. Ricardo, E. Heckscher, B. Olin and others (see Chapter 33). However, new trends in the development of the world economy required a revision of orthodox views. In the last decade, the most significant contribution to the development of problems of competitiveness of firms was made by American economists I. Ansoff, M. Porter, and others. Analyzing the reasons for the high competitiveness of firms, these economists came to the conclusion that it largely depends on the availability and effective use of existing home countries. conditions: the necessary factors of production, developed demand, the maturity of the competitive environment, the quality of management, sound public policy, and even favorable chances.

The mechanism for ensuring the competitiveness of the company

Competitive advantages of the company are provided in the process of competition with the so-called five forces (directions) of competition, i.e. with other sellers of similar products, firms - potential competitors, manufacturers of substitutes, suppliers of resources, buyers of its products. They can be seen as the main market forces. The analytical concept of the interaction of the main competitive forces can be represented as the following diagram (Fig. 8.3).

Rice. 8.3. Model of five forces (directions) of competition

The five forces (directions) of competition model is an effective method for analyzing the main competitive forces that affect the position of a firm in the market. This model makes it possible to more purposefully assess the competitive situation in the market and, on this basis, develop such a variant of the long-term strategy of the company, which will ensure its protection from the impact of competitive forces to the greatest extent and at the same time contribute to the creation of additional competitive advantages.

How does the firm assert its advantages against major competitive forces? What are the features of this process in modern Russian conditions?

The competitive strength of suppliers of economic resources is determined primarily by the level of prices and the quality of the resources supplied. This direction of competition is of particular importance in the case when the share of purchased resources in the production costs is large, and the quality of the final product of the company largely depends on their quality. The position of resource suppliers is also strengthened when their supply is limited, which makes it possible to supply resources on less favorable terms for buyers. In turn, the strengthening of the competitive position of firms - consumers of resources contributes to the expansion of the range of suppliers, including the possibility of switching the company to import supplies of resources on more favorable terms.

One of the most effective methods of strengthening the position of firms - buyers of resources is to pursue a strategy aimed at establishing control over firms - producers of raw materials or suppliers of components by creating vertically integrated companies. The positive aspects of vertical integration include: greater protection from fluctuations in resource prices, greater reliability of supply, as well as more efficient coordination of various stages of production, combined into a single technological chain.

In the conditions of modern Russia, vertical integration is being developed significantly through the creation of holdings or financial and industrial groups.

The competitive power of buyers arises due to the fact that buyers (trading and intermediary firms, enterprises - consumers of investment goods, as well as individuals - final buyers of consumer goods) have an impact on manufacturing firms through the impact on the prices of goods and services consumed, the requirements for their quality and after-sales service. In order to ensure a stable guaranteed demand for their products and sell them on favorable terms, manufacturers in many cases seek to deepen the differentiation of their products in order to occupy new niches in the market and reduce their dependence primarily on buyers of large quantities of goods.

Of no small importance, especially in Russia, is the expansion of direct deliveries from enterprises, bypassing the trade and intermediary network, the provision of deferrals for payments for products purchased by customers, the use of various schemes for preferential lending to individuals - end consumers of goods.

One of the most effective means of strengthening the position of manufacturing firms in relation to buyers is the use of a strategy for expanding the scope of firms by: acquiring trading and intermediary companies or establishing control over structures located between firms and end users of their products, i.e. sales network (sales channels).

The strength of firms potentially ready to enter a given market of goods and services is determined by the fact that the emergence of new firms in it leads to a redistribution of the market (or its segment), increased competition and lower prices. The reality of the penetration of new firms into the market depends on the level of entry barriers that prevent such penetration. The essence of them is that they can cause an increase in the size of the initial investment or an increase in the degree of risk for new firms. Entry barriers include high monopolization of the market, economies of scale (with an increase in output, the total cost of producing a unit of output decreases), patent and license protection of key technologies and know-how, control over limited types of economic resources and better distribution channels. In the conditions of Russia, additional barriers are associated with criminal influence on the market, including the division of spheres of influence between criminal structures.

The competitive strength of firms producing substitute goods depends primarily on the ratio of prices for original and substitute goods, as well as on differences in their qualitative characteristics. Countering competition from substitute products is, first of all, improving the quality of manufactured products, maintaining prices for original products at an acceptable level, as well as giving them such unique properties that make it difficult to switch to the use of substitute products. In Russia, the greatest threat from substitute goods is caused by the expansion of imports of goods whose production has not been mastered by domestic producers, in particular, certain types of food products, medicines, audio and video equipment, and industrial equipment.

The strength of rivalry between companies producing similar goods and services is the main force (direction) of competition, since in the most concentrated form it reveals the success or failure of the company in providing additional competitive advantages. At the same time, competition between firms acquires specific features depending on a number of factors. It has the most creative and fruitful character if a competitive environment has already developed on the market, since under these conditions competition leads to the release of new types of products by firms, the expansion of the range of services they provide, and the introduction of new technology. However, in Russia the competitive environment is just beginning to take shape, and in many sectors of the economy the oligopolistic market structure inherited from the administrative-command system is still preserved.

Competition takes on a clearly pronounced offensive, aggressive character, when with the advent of new types of goods, new market segments are formed, penetration into which promises the opportunity to receive high profits. Under these conditions, larger firms, seeking to increase their market share, act aggressively, buying up smaller firms, introducing new technologies to them and expanding the production of products under their own brand. In Russia, competition acquires a similar character in those so far few sectors of the economy that have emerged from the crisis earlier than others (the so-called points of growth), are oriented to real effective demand, and where, in this regard, the competitive struggle takes aggressive forms.

Finally, competition is most fierce and dramatic in depressed industries with high exit barriers; when the costs of exiting the market (Conservation of production, payment of compensation to dismissed personnel, etc.) exceed the costs associated with the continuation of the Competition. Financially distressed firms are forced to pursue a defensive strategy, trying to stay afloat, maintain their niche in the market even in the face of falling profitability and lack of return on capital. This situation is typical for many branches of modern Russia.

All the main directions of strengthening the competitive positions of firms are reflected in the development of a long-term strategy, which in modern Russian conditions has a number of features compared to the strategies of firms operating in a developed market economy. First, the goal of firms is often not only to ensure sustainable profits, but also to maintain employment in order to avoid exacerbating social tensions. Secondly, a sharply increased degree and specific nature of the risks of decisions made, which primarily include frequent changes in state financial and credit, tax, customs policies, as well as the low solvency of buyers of the company's products, including government departments and institutions.

The essence of the competitiveness of the company

Definition 1

The competitiveness of a firm is its advantage relative to other firms in a particular industry, both nationally and globally.

Competitiveness is not an immanent quality of a firm. In other words, the competitiveness of a firm should be assessed only within a certain group of firms that belong to the same industry, or firms that produce similar goods (provide services). Revealing the level of competitiveness is a kind of process of comparing such firms among themselves within the country or abroad.

A competitive firm tends to earn high profits in the marketplace. At the same time, the firm should aim to achieve a level of competitiveness that would help it survive in a fairly long term. Therefore, sooner or later, every organization faces the problems of tactical and strategic management of the development of the ability to survive in constantly changing conditions.

Assessment of the degree of competitiveness

The relativity of such a concept as “competitiveness of a firm” is confirmed by the fact that, for example, the same firm in a regional industry group can be competitive, but not on the world market. In order to assess the degree of competitiveness of one firm in relation to others, first of all, it is necessary to determine the basic objects for comparison: to choose a firm - a leader in the industry of the country or in the world. Such a leading company should have the following parameters:

• the commensurability of the characteristics of manufactured products in terms of the identity of the needs that it satisfies;
• the commensurability of the market segments for which the manufactured products are intended;
• commensurability of the phase of the life cycle of the company in which it operates.

So, to assess the competitive advantage of one firm over any other is possible only when both firms satisfy similar consumer needs related to identical market segments. With all this, firms should be in approximately the same phase of the life cycle. If the specified conditions are not met, the comparison will be incorrect.

Factors of competitiveness

The competitiveness of an enterprise is influenced by a number of factors that are commonly called components of competitiveness. It is customary to classify these components into three separate groups:

• technical and economic;
• commercial;
• legal.

Among the technical and economic factors are such as: quality, selling price and operating costs or consumption of goods (services). These components are determined by productivity and labor intensity, production costs, knowledge intensity of products, etc.

The role of commercial factors is that they determine the conditions for the sale of goods in a particular market. Among them:

• market conditions (the degree of competition intensity; the ratio of supply and demand for a particular product; regional or national market features that affect the formation of effective demand);
• related services provided (manufacturer's dealer and distribution points or service stations in the client's region, quality of repairs, maintenance and other services provided);
• advertising (availability and effectiveness of advertising or other means of influencing the client in order to increase demand);
• the image of the company (the level of brand popularity, the reputation of the company or the country as a whole).

Regulatory factors include requirements for the technical, environmental and other safety of using products in any market, as well as requirements for patent clearance and protection. In case of product mismatch

1. Competitiveness of the enterprise: the search for a definition

Let's start with the basics. Let's try to define the phenomenon of "enterprise competitiveness". It (the definition) is necessary not so much for the sake of observing scientific formalities, but so that both the authors and guests of the project clearly understand the subject of research, what will be discussed further.

Here we encounter our first difficulties. It turns out that despite the fact that the number of dissertations devoted to the topical issues of increasing the competitiveness of enterprises doubles every year, and the concept of "competitiveness" has long been used by Russians and is used at all levels of the scientific and economic life of society, there is no generally accepted definition of the category under consideration by domestic economists. worked out. In confirmation, we give a number of definitions of the competitiveness of an enterprise found in domestic economic literature:

• the ability of the enterprise to produce competitive products, as well as the competitiveness of the enterprise and the possibility of its adaptation to changing competitive conditions;
• the ability of the enterprise to make a profit on invested capital in the short term is not lower than a given profitability;
• the ability of the enterprise to produce products in demand with the effective use of production, human and financial potential;
• the ability of the firm to produce competitive products, the advantage of the firm in relation to other firms in the industry within the country and abroad;
• the real and potential ability of the enterprise, as well as the opportunities it has for this purpose, to design, manufacture and sell goods that, in terms of their price and non-price characteristics, are more attractive to consumers than the goods of competitors;
• the property of the subject of market relations to act on the market on a par with the competing subjects of market relations present there;
• a generalizing characteristic of the enterprise, reflecting the level of efficiency in the use of economic resources relative to the efficiency of the use of economic resources by competitors.

We deliberately do not provide links to bibliographic primary sources, so as not to put pressure on the guests of the project with the big names of the authorities of economic thought. We confine ourselves to pointing out that among the authors of the definitions there are such luminaries of the theory of competitiveness as R. A. Fatkhutdinov and M. Porter, highly respected by us.

The presented definitions of the competitiveness of an enterprise contain extremely heterogeneous elements of the phenomenon under study: from the enterprise's products to the efficiency of using the organization's potential. At the same time, these definitions are just the tip of the iceberg; in the economic literature, you can find dozens of definitions that differ in content. As a result, every economist dealing with the problem of the competitiveness of enterprises is forced to state that "the generally accepted definition of the competitiveness of an enterprise has not been developed, therefore this concept is subject to clarification." After that, with a clear conscience, he gives his own definition, exacerbating the existing variety of concepts and meanings.

The noted connotational confusion, in our opinion, is due to the fact that the competitiveness of an enterprise refers to economic categories, the essence of which does not find its objective expression. Competitiveness is not an immanent, objectively inherent property of an object. It owes its very existence to economic science, which introduced the category under consideration into circulation. In other words, competitiveness finds its expression only in conditions of competition, and does not exist outside of competition.

Yes, but back to the definitions above. Analysis of the proposed definitions, discarding the details, allows us to identify three main approaches to determining the essence of the competitiveness of an enterprise. The essence of these approaches can be briefly summarized as follows:

1. The competitiveness of an enterprise is the competitiveness of its products
2. The competitiveness of an enterprise is the ability to compete
3. The competitiveness of an enterprise is a measure of the effectiveness of its activities.

Let's note one more approach which was not met above. Its supporters believe that the "competitiveness of an enterprise" is a kind of "philosopher's stone" over which economists "meditate" in the hope of finding a single universal indicator that will dot all i's. Simply put, according to the above approach:

1. Enterprise competitiveness is a chimera

On the one hand, the abundance of different approaches, points of view and opinions cannot but rejoice. On the other hand, such pluralism resembles chaos and entails the impossibility of achieving our goal due to the uncertainty of the subject of research. In order to confirm the thesis about the identified connotational confusion, we conducted a survey on the question of whether "What is the competitiveness of an enterprise?".

496 visitors of our project took part in the voting on the question "What is the competitiveness of an enterprise?", which we conducted from January 2009 to January 2012. The votes of the respondents were distributed as follows:

2. Competition and competitiveness: theoretical foundations

2. 1. The concept and essence of market competition

The theoretical foundations of competition began to be laid back in the period of pre-capitalist formations. However, the first most holistic theoretical propositions about competition and its driving forces appeared only in the middle of the 18th century. A huge merit in this belongs to the representatives of classical political economy A. Smith, D. Ricardo. In subsequent periods, the theory of competition received significant development thanks to the works of A. Marshall, J. Keynes, V. Leontiev, J. Schumpeter, P. Sraffa, M. Porter and others.

Competition is a well-known fundamental economic category. However, the term "competition" itself is often understood by economists in different senses.

Etymologically, the word "competition" goes back to the Latin "concurrentia", meaning "collision", "competition". It was the behavioral interpretation of this category that was initially established in the economic literature. Adam Smith, in particular, associated competition with fair competition, without collusion, between market participants for the most favorable conditions for the sale and purchase of goods. He saw price changes as the main method of competition. At the same time, he noticed that a market economy, not controlled by a collective will, not subject to a single plan, nevertheless, follows strict rules of behavior in the market. In accordance with these rules, free competition acts as a force that ensures the interaction of supply and demand, balancing market prices. As a result of the rivalry between sellers and buyers, a common price is established for homogeneous goods and a specific type of supply and demand curves. Thus, competition ensures the functioning of the market pricing mechanism. At the same time, competition is a mechanism for regulating the proportions of social production, since due to competition, capital is redistributed between industries. Competition is the "invisible hand" that coordinates the activities of market participants.

The ideas of price regulation of the market due to competition were developed by D. Ricardo. The position of perfect competition, of which he developed a theoretical model, helped to understand how "natural" prices in long-term equilibrium are combined with the principles of decentralized government, and how the latter contribute to the development of the economy.

In the future, the behavioral understanding of competition has been improved in the direction of a more precise indication of its purpose and methods of conducting. Thus, in the Marxist interpretation, competition is the antagonistic struggle inherent in commodity production between private commodity producers for more favorable conditions for the production and sale of goods, for obtaining the highest profit.

The neoclassical version of the behavioral interpretation of competition, one of the founders of which is rightly considered the English economist A. Marshall, connects it with the struggle for rare economic goods and, of course, for the consumer's money, with which they can be purchased. The logic of this approach is that most goods (goods, services, resources) are scarce in the sense that their quantity is less than the potential needs of society. Therefore, the owners of goods have the opportunity to distribute them, guided by their own benefit. They set conditions or criteria (the required level of prices, quality, etc.) and, depending on the fulfillment of these conditions, decide who to provide benefits and who not. "Competition is the desire to meet the criteria for access to rare goods as best as possible," the American economist P. Heine believed.

Along with the behavioral interpretation of competition in the 19th and especially in the 20th century, a structural interpretation became widespread. Its origins go back to the works of F. Edgeworth, A. Cournot, J. Robinson, E. Chamberlin and other prominent scientists who laid the foundation for the modern Western theory of competition.

Dissatisfaction with the existing model of perfect competition was caused by excessive attention paid to only one of its types (price competition), and the inability to reveal the essence of competitive activity with its help. Speaking about perfect competition, J. Schumpeter noted: "... This is not the kind of competition that can be attributed to existing products, but this type of competition can be especially relevant when it comes to a new product, new technology, new resources or a new type of organization." F. Hayek spoke more specifically: "... We must take into account the fact that the state structure already exists ... and the process of competition takes place in an already existing system. If the model of perfect competition would ever exist in a real state, then it would not there would be no restrictions in all spheres of activity. But this is actually impossible, since restrictions on the part of the state are vital."

Critics of the perfect competition model pointed to the elements of monopoly that permeate the economy and are not reflected in the existing concept of competition. A significant contribution to the theoretical models of oligopoly and monopoly was later made by F.I. Edgeworth (mathematical description), A.L. Lerner (monopoly power and its assessment), K. Wicksell (competition and price discrimination), J. Schumpeter, F. Hayek and others.

Thus, by the middle of the 20th century, general ideas about the essence of competition and its main driving forces were formed, expressed in the postulation of four classical models of market competition: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and pure monopoly. The position of this group of scientists in modern Western economics is so strong that the very term "competition" is more often used in the structural sense. If it is necessary to emphasize the behavioral side of competition, they often use a different word - "rivalry" ("rivalry").

With a structural approach, the emphasis shifts from the very struggle of competitors with each other to the analysis of the structure of the market, the conditions that prevail in it. So, in the works of K. R. McConnell and S. L. Brew, it is said that "competition is the presence in the market of a large number of independent buyers and sellers, the opportunity for buyers and sellers to freely enter the market and leave it."

The same idea can be expressed in another way: the focus is not on the rivalry of economic entities in setting prices, not on finding out who won and why, but on establishing the fact of the fundamental possibility (or impossibility) of the influence of an individual economic entity on the general level of prices in the market. If such an impact is impossible, then we are talking about a market of perfect competition, otherwise - about one of the varieties of imperfect competition.

The third approach to determining the essence of competition can be defined as functional. He considers the role that competition plays in the economy. J. Schumpeter, in particular, within the framework of his theory of economic development, defined competition as a rivalry between the old and the new. Innovations are skeptically accepted by the market, but if the innovator succeeds in implementing them, the competitive mechanism forces out the enterprises using outdated technologies from the market.

F. Hayek considered competition as a "discovery procedure". In his opinion, it is only through competition that the hidden becomes clear in the market. Let's say, in conditions of a lack of information typical for the real market, several possible lines of behavior of the enterprise may initially seem equally attractive. And only competition "discovers" which of them is actually true, and which leads to a dead end.

Having considered the above approaches to the definition of competition, we can conclude that each of them takes into account certain aspects of this concept. However, in our opinion, the essence of competition as an economic phenomenon that determines the activities of specific economic entities in the market most fully reflects the behavioral approach. Thus, for the purposes of this paper, competition can be defined as rivalry between economic units that are interested in achieving the same goal, subject to limited resources contributing to the achievement of this goal. If the goal is specified from the point of view of a market economy, then market competition is the struggle of economic entities for profit. The main way to make a profit in a market economy is the sale of products and the surplus value embedded in it (hereinafter, products are understood to mean any produced and / or sold goods, work performed or services rendered). At the same time, the activities of economic entities are carried out in conditions of limited resources, necessary for the production of products, and demand for these products from consumers.

The essence of competition and its driving forces are discussed in detail in the writings of the famous contemporary economist Michael Porter. He came to the conclusion that not only direct applicants participate in the competition. Rather, the industry competition that underpins the economy and the competing forces go well beyond the usual squabbles within a single industry. Customers, suppliers, potential entrants, and substitute products are all competitors that influence the industry in one way or another.

The result of Porter's research was the concept five forces of competition allowing to determine the determinants that have the greatest impact on economic entities in the conditions of market competition. According to this concept, the state of competition in a particular market can be characterized as the result of the interaction of five competitive forces:

• the threat of invasion by new competitors;
• the threat of the emergence of substitute products;
• economic potential of suppliers;
• economic potential of buyers;
• rivalry among existing competitors.

These forces ultimately shape the conditions in which a particular market and its constituent units operate. The state of each force and their combined impact determine the company's ability to compete and its competitive potential. On the other hand, the significance of each of the five forces is determined by the structure of the industry, its production, technological, economic and other characteristics. Let's briefly consider each of the presented forces.

Michael Porter notes that competition is a dynamic and evolving process, a constantly changing landscape in which new products, new ways of marketing, new production processes and new market segments appear. Market conditions change because forces are in motion that create the conditions for change. Porter himself identifies at least eleven main driving forces that change the conditions and nature of competition. Obviously, this list, although quite complete, is not exhaustive. Porter's model of the five forces of competition considered is a conceptual tool for formulating and diagnosing the fundamental structural forces of the mechanism of market competition.

It can be stated that the degree of influence of competitive forces determines the marginal profit potential of the industry. The goal of the enterprise is to find and take a position in the industry where it will be best protected from the influence of these forces or can influence them from its side. An analysis of the observed forces of competition provides a solid foundation for a strategic plan of action. At the same time, each business entity is in a unique competitive situation, which necessitates the search for unique competitive solutions.

An assessment of the forces that influence competition in an industry makes it possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise. Next, an action plan can be drawn up to strengthen existing or conquer new competitive positions in the market, which in general will include positioning the enterprise in such a way that its capabilities provide reliable protection against the forces of competition and / or influence the balance of power through strategic maneuvers, capable of improving the positioning of the enterprise, as well as forecasting changes in competitive factors and responses to these changes in order to gain an advantage by choosing a strategy that is most appropriate for the new competitive balance.

Thus, the main conclusion that can be drawn for the purposes of our study, summarizing the theoretical research of the classics in the field of competition, is that market competition is a dynamic, complex and very complex phenomenon. In a competitive environment, an enterprise is immediately affected by several groups of factors, forming and constantly modifying the competitive environment of its activities. The noted complexity is exacerbated by the fact that each of the mentioned groups, in turn, consists of many elements, and the composition and structure of the elements are unique for each particular enterprise. Because of this, competition cannot be presented as an exhaustive list of competitive forces and factors.

2.2. Enterprise competitiveness

Differences in the approaches of economists in determining the essence of competition are also reflected when considering the category of competitiveness. The main task of each researcher who studies the problems of the competitiveness of an enterprise is to determine the criteria, as well as to find the sources and factors of competitiveness. However, here the colossal connotational confusion, the uncertainty of concepts and meanings becomes obvious. Uncertainty is already revealed at the level of the conceptual apparatus. So, it was already noted earlier that in the economic literature one can find very heterogeneous definitions of the competitiveness of an enterprise. Here they are again, now with attribution:

• the ability of the enterprise to produce competitive products, as well as the competitiveness of the enterprise and the possibility of its adaptation to changing competitive conditions (Adaeva T. Yu.);
• the ability of the enterprise to make a profit on invested capital in the short term is not lower than a given profitability (Zabelin P. V.);
• the ability of the enterprise to produce products that are in demand with the effective use of production, personnel and financial potential (Ershova I. V.);
• the ability of the firm to produce competitive products, the advantage of the firm in relation to other firms in the industry within the country and abroad (Fatkhutdinov R. A.);
• the real and potential ability of the enterprise, as well as the opportunities it has for this, to design, manufacture and sell goods that, in terms of their price and non-price characteristics, are more attractive to consumers than competitors' goods (Pichurin I.I.);
• the property of the subject of market relations to act on the market on a par with the competing subjects of market relations present there (Porter M.);
• a generalizing characteristic of the enterprise, reflecting the level of efficiency in the use of economic resources relative to the efficiency of the use of economic resources by competitors (Voronov D.S.).

The reasons for such a plurality of concepts have already been considered earlier. For the purposes of this study, we consider the most adequate definition of competitiveness based on the efficiency of economic activity. Indeed, within the framework of this work, competition is defined as rivalry between economic units interested in achieving the same goal, subject to limited resources contributing to the achievement of this goal. If this goal is specified from the point of view of a market economy, then market competition is the struggle of economic entities for profit.

The main way to make a profit in a market economy is the sale of products and the surplus value embedded in it. At the same time, the production and/or sale of products is carried out through the use of limited economic resources. From this it follows that profit in a market economy is mediated by the efficiency of the use of economic resources or the ratio of the result obtained and the costs incurred to achieve it. Consequently, the essence of market competition is the struggle for maximum profit through the most efficient use of economic resources.

The degree of efficiency in the use of economic resources by an enterprise is determined relative to the level of development of productive forces achieved by social production and, of course, production and other relations, relative to the efficiency of the use of resources by competitors. Thus, the competitiveness of an enterprise in a market economy is a generalizing characteristic of the activity of an economic entity, reflecting the level of efficiency in the use of economic resources by an economic entity relative to the efficiency of the use of economic resources by competitors.

An analysis of the economic literature shows that the competitiveness of an enterprise as an economic category is insufficiently studied in the works of economists. At the same time, most researchers focus their attention on either the competitiveness of products or the competitiveness of enterprises based in different countries - at the international level.

The competitiveness of products has been widely studied in the works of both domestic and foreign economists. Most often, the competitiveness of products is understood as such a combination of its use value (utility for the consumer) and consumption value (i.e., the consumption price, which includes, along with the selling price, operating and other current costs over the life of the product), which provides products success in the market compared to similar products from other suppliers. In other words, the higher the consumer characteristics and the lower the price of product consumption, the higher its competitiveness. To determine the competitiveness of products, as a rule, marketing and qualimetric methods are used, taking into account a number of factors, among which researchers give paramount importance to the parameters of price and product quality.

In the framework of international competitiveness studies, economists most often focus on the analysis of the macroeconomic conditions of enterprises at the level of the national economy. At the same time, it is concluded that these macroeconomic conditions ultimately determine the degree of competitiveness of enterprises based in the respective countries in the course of international trade.

Here, however, it should be noted that the competitive behavior of enterprises is considered in sufficient detail in the framework of the study of the oligopolistic interaction of competitors, as well as in works on strategic management. The first of these approaches (which was developed in the framework of the structural consideration of competition) is based on the application of mathematical methods of game theory in relation to the choice of a competitive strategy in relation to production volumes and price levels in an oligopoly. In the second case, the necessity of focusing the efforts of the enterprise on the most promising market segments is substantiated. In this case, the criterion for selecting segments, as a rule, is the size and growth dynamics of the segment. Both approaches are united by the fact that they focus their attention on the external aspects of the choice of tactics and strategy of an enterprise in a competitive environment, which, of course, is significant, but does not allow identifying internal factors and sources of competitiveness of enterprises. Therefore, these approaches are not considered in detail in this study.

Thus, the competitiveness of enterprises as independent economic entities is considered mainly in terms of the competitiveness of products and/or international trade. Without disputing the correctness of this approach in general, we note that the competitiveness of a particular enterprise is determined by many other factors, which cannot be ignored.

We can agree that the competitiveness of products has a significant impact on the competitiveness of an economic entity. However, the competitiveness of an enterprise is a much more capacious concept and includes many aspects of activity in addition to manufactured products: management, marketing, financial policy, operational efficiency, and so on. Because of this, in our opinion, it is unlawful to reduce the competitiveness of an enterprise only to the competitiveness of its products.

The same can be said about international competitiveness. The macroeconomic conditions of business in the home country have a huge impact on the competitiveness of an enterprise at the international level, but far from completely determine the competitiveness of an economic entity. Macroeconomic conditions only create the basis for achieving competitive advantages. The implementation of the existing prerequisites for achieving high competitiveness of a particular enterprise depends on many other factors. Otherwise, absolutely all enterprises based in countries with optimal macroeconomic conditions would be absolutely competitive. Based on the theory of international competitiveness, it is impossible to determine what is the reason for the different competitiveness of enterprises based in the same country. Consequently, the theory of international competitiveness does not give an exhaustive answer to the question of the reasons for the competitiveness of specific enterprises and therefore is not applicable for the purposes of microeconomic analysis of the activities of a particular economic entity. In fairness, we note that researchers of international competitiveness do not set themselves such a task.

At the same time, it should be noted that the very approach of researchers of international competitiveness to determining the factors and sources of competitiveness of competitive entities seems to be quite reasonable and can be taken as a basis for the purposes of this work. In essence, enterprises and industries of various countries, competing on a global scale, appear in the process of international trade as elementary subjects of economic activity. Naturally, the analysis of such an economic category as the competitiveness of an enterprise involves consideration of competition not only in the international, but also in the local markets, which necessitates supplementing and correcting the theory of international competitiveness when considering the competitiveness of an enterprise as such.

At the same time, for the purposes of this study, the application of general principles and concepts of international competitiveness in the course of analyzing the competitiveness of individual enterprises is quite reasonable. Thus, due to the fact that the competitiveness of an enterprise as an independent economic entity has not been sufficiently developed in the economic literature, the main concepts and principles of international competitiveness will be considered in the future with a view to their subsequent adaptation at the enterprise level.

For the first time, an analysis of the competitive advantages of enterprises of a particular country in international trade was given by A. Smith. He linked countries' competitive advantages to lower costs. In his opinion, the country could export those goods for the production of which it spent less than the importing country. If, for example, Sweden, which had iron ore, could produce iron products at a lower cost than France, which had to import metal blanks from somewhere, then it was profitable for Sweden to sell metal products to this country. France, in turn, due to the excellent climatic conditions, grew grapes at low cost and therefore could supply wine to Sweden in exchange for metal products. In general, A. Smith looked at international trade as an exchange between ordinary enterprises: the exchange is beneficial when they acquire such a product, for the manufacture of which the buyer himself would spend more than he pays during the exchange.

D. Ricardo developed the idea of ​​A. Smith regarding competitive advantages. He agreed with A. Smith's premise about lower costs, but considered this condition insufficient for determining the subject of export. D. Ricardo believed that the country should not export any product, but only the one, the sale of which ensures the most efficient use of resources. For example, France produced wheat and grapes at a cost lower than the European average, and therefore could sell both at a profit. But the difference in its costs in the production of grapes in comparison with the European average is greater than in the production of wheat. This means that by concentrating its resources on the production of only grapes, France could gain more than by spending them on both grapes and wheat. And, consequently, said D. Ricardo, it should direct its resources to the cultivation and processing of grapes, the sale of which will bring the maximum benefit.

In the middle of the 19th century, the theory of factors of production appeared (Hechter, Ohlin). According to this theory, all countries have roughly the same technology, but are endowed with factors of production (such as land, labor, natural resources, and capital) to varying degrees. Countries that have enough land suitable for agricultural production are able to sell grain and meat. An example could be the USA, Russia. Countries with a surplus of labor could export labor-intensive products (China, Japan). Finally, countries that accumulated sufficient capital (means of production) could export industrial products (England, Germany). Countries that had coal, iron, could produce metal products.

This concept was widely known in the first half of the 20th century. Of course, even then it should have been accepted with some restrictions. So, arguing that all countries have approximately the same level of technology, the authors unwittingly narrowed the whole world to European civilization, because, of course, it was impossible to compare the technological level, say, China, England and Brazil. In the countries of Europe and the USA, it was possible to approximately compare the technological level, and therefore the authors of the theory of factors excluded it from consideration when analyzing the causes of different levels of costs.

Currently, a number of new theories of international competitiveness have appeared, the analysis of which allows us to conclude that they all focus on any one competitive factor: technology, resources, cost levels, and so on. In our opinion, such emphasis when considering such a capacious economic category as competitiveness is unreasonable. Many examples can be cited, both confirming one or another approach, and refuting it. The thing is that the competitiveness of an enterprise is not determined by any one parameter, but is the result of the interaction of many factors that are unique in each specific situation. In some cases, one or another factor may be decisive, but this should not be the basis for raising it to the rank of generally significant, since the indicated decisive importance can often be achieved only with a given combination of all other factors and parameters.

In view of what has been said, the theory of M. Porter seems to us to be the most integral theory of international competitiveness. Among other things, the choice in favor of the concept of M. Porter is due to the fact that he proceeds from the fundamental principle: competitiveness reflects the productivity of the use of resources. This principle, in our opinion, is valid both at the level of the country's economy as a whole and at the level of an individual enterprise, which allows us to adapt M. Porter's theory of competitiveness for the purposes of our study.

Considering such factors as the availability of labor, the abundance of natural resources, the government's protectionist policy, differences in enterprise management practices, etc., M. Porter came to the conclusion that none of them, taken separately, allows a sufficiently convincing answer to the question what exactly determines the competitiveness of the enterprise.

The level of competitiveness of an enterprise depends on the set factors, which can be conditionally grouped into two blocks: competitive environment and basing. The essence and nature of the influence of factors of the competitive environment can be represented in the form of a model of the five forces of competition, considered in detail. The result of the impact of this block of factors is the appropriate strategic positioning of the enterprise, the degree of adequacy of which to the existing competitive balance is directly related to the level of competitiveness of the enterprise.

On the other hand, in addition to the factors of the competitive environment, the level of competitiveness of an enterprise largely depends on the factors of its location. The influence of this block of factors can be represented as the following system of determinants:

• conditions of production factors;
• demand conditions;
• related, supporting and related enterprises;
• strategy and structure of the enterprise.

The presented determinants determine the presence of an environment in which enterprises arise and enter into competition. Their composition and interaction determine the advantages and disadvantages of the enterprise in the course of competition. Let's briefly consider each of these determinants.

Conditions of factors of production

The conditions of production factors include the availability of production factors, the hierarchy between production factors (basic factors: natural resources, geographical location, unskilled labor, etc., or specialized factors: information infrastructure of modern digital databases, a system of research institutes, etc. .), creation of factors of production (investment, fundamental research, education system, cooperation and coordination with public institutions in the innovation process), as well as individual deficiencies in factors of production (deficiencies in basic factors, for example: lack of labor, lack of domestic supplies of raw materials and materials, harsh climate that creates obstacles for the innovation process).

Narrowing the focus, we note that the category "provision with factors of production" itself consists of five components: human resources (number, qualification and cost of labor); physical resources (quantity, quality and availability of land, water, minerals, forests, energy sources, climatic conditions and geographical location); knowledge resources (knowledge and information accumulated in databanks and statistical services or access to data accumulated in public institutions); capital resources (the amount of capital that can be attracted by the enterprise); infrastructure (transport system, communication system, housing stock, healthcare and education systems, cultural institutions).

Despite the fact that the availability of basic factors of production has a significant impact on the competitiveness of an enterprise, favorable basic factors do not always contribute to an increase in the competitiveness of an enterprise. Basic factors such as labor resources or local natural resources do not provide an advantage in knowledge-intensive industries. In the complex industries that form the backbone of any advanced economy, the most important are the specialized factors of production, such as a skilled labor force or a scientific and technological base for production. Moreover, these factors are not inherited, but created. Note that the set of factors that an enterprise has at a certain point in time turns out to be less significant than the speed and efficiency of their creation and updating.

Moreover, individual deficiencies in most of the underlying factors can encourage an enterprise to innovate and upgrade, which turns these deficiencies into a source of competitive advantage. If there are favorable underlying factors, the enterprise can simply be content with this advantage and, often, use them inefficiently. The shortcomings of the basic factors stimulate the enterprise to increase production efficiency, which ensures an increase in its competitiveness.

At the same time, disadvantages can become sources of advantages only under certain conditions. First of all, deficiencies should give enterprises the appropriate "signals" about circumstances that are important for competitors, and this stimulates the introduction of innovations ahead of competitors. The second condition is the favorable parameters of the other groups of factors of competitiveness presented above, which provides resources and incentives to overcome the shortcomings of the basic factors of production and turn them into competitive advantages.

Demand conditions

Businesses achieve competitive advantage in those industries or market segments where demand gives them an understanding of customer needs earlier and more accurately than competitors. The group of factors under consideration can, in turn, be represented as the following subsystem: the structure of demand; demanding buyers; exactingness of intermediaries; the amount of demand; number of independent buyers; demand growth rate.

An enterprise has a competitive advantage if local demand provides a clearer or earlier indication of the emerging needs of buyers, provided that demanding buyers put pressure on the enterprise to innovate faster and thus gain a more sophisticated competitive advantage than competitors. In this case, the volume of domestic demand turns out to be much less significant than its nature.

The state of domestic demand helps to create competitive advantages in the event that the corresponding market segment is larger or more visible in the domestic market than in foreign markets, which leads to greater attention from the enterprise. More important than just a set of market segments is the nature of the buyers present in the local market. The company gains a competitive advantage if local customers are the most developed and demanding. They provide a progressive vision of customer needs; forced to adhere to high standards; force to make improvements, innovations, improve and move towards the most developed segments. Local buyers can help a business benefit if their needs anticipate or even shape the needs of buyers in other regions—if these needs provide constant "early warning indicators" of external market trends.

Related, supporting and related businesses

The third determinant that determines the competitiveness of an enterprise is the presence of related, supporting and related enterprises. If we talk about the role of suppliers, then the point is not only that they supply quality materials. Their close contact with the consumer allows both to develop rapidly. The exchange of ideas (they can occur in both of them) and the coordination of actions play a huge role in achieving the competitiveness of enterprises. First of all, they provide the most cost-effective factors of production - in advance, quickly, and sometimes in a privileged way.

Much more important, however, is the advantage that local sister and support enterprises drive innovation and modernization—the advantage is based on close business relationships. Suppliers and end users located close to each other benefit from easier communication, the ability to provide a fast and constant flow of information, and a continuous exchange of ideas and innovations. The enterprise gains the ability to influence the direction in which suppliers take their improvement efforts, and can also act as reference points for testing their research work, thereby accelerating the advancement of innovation.

An enterprise has special advantages if related, supporting and related enterprises themselves are highly competitive. It is very useful for the enterprise to create "closed" suppliers, completely dependent on the internal industry and not serving external competitors. Internal competition in related industries provides similar benefits: the flow of information and technical exchange increase the speed of innovation and modernization.

Enterprise strategy and structure

This group of factors reflects the specifics of enterprise management and its rivalry with existing competitors and can be represented as the following system of parameters: enterprise goals; individual management goals; social values; risk attitude; influence of prestige of the enterprise; sustainable commitment; personal motivation of employees to work and improve professional skills; nature of competition in the local market.

The conditions in the place where the enterprise is based have a significant impact on how the enterprise will be created, organized and managed, as well as determine the nature of local competition. The competitiveness of an individual enterprise is the result of the confluence of management practices and organizational models that are most preferable for a given area, and the sources of competitive advantages of this enterprise.

Enterprises differ greatly in terms of the goals that organizations as a whole and individuals seek to achieve. To achieve competitive advantages, personal motivation to work and improve professional skills is also essential. The goals of local governments and the values ​​offered to individual citizens and businesses, as well as the prestige that surrounds certain businesses, drive capital and human resources – which in turn directly affects the competitiveness of individual businesses.

Of particular importance among these parameters is local competition, which causes pressure on the enterprise, which forces it to improve and search for new competitive solutions. Local competitors encourage each other to lower prices, improve quality and service, and create new products and processes. In addition, local competition often goes beyond purely economic competition and becomes psychological in nature, becoming a competition of individuals for the right to boast of the results, which is perhaps the most important.

In addition, the presence of strong local competitors cancels out the benefits that come from simply existing in a particular business environment – ​​factor costs, access or privileged access to a local market, or costs to foreign competitors importing into that market. Enterprises are forced to go beyond the above mentioned in creating competitive advantages, resulting in more sustainable advantages. It is strong local competition that drives enterprises to increase their efficiency, conquer other markets and achieve success there.

In addition to the identified determinants within the framework of basing factors, the competitiveness of an enterprise is influenced by random events, in particular: inventions, major technological shifts, unexpected large-scale price changes, wars, and political decisions.

It is important to note that each of the considered components of competitiveness is closely interconnected with other components, all of them taken together make up a dynamic system that is much more complex in its impact on the competitiveness of an enterprise than a simple sum of its components. A weak position in any of the components will limit the competitiveness of the enterprise as a whole, and vice versa, an advantage in one of the components will enhance the positive dynamics of the others.

In conclusion of the section, let us once again pay attention to the fact that the competitiveness of an enterprise at the industry level remains out of the field of view of researchers. The above is obviously interconnected with the above-mentioned lack of a generally accepted definition of the competitiveness of an enterprise and once again indicates that the considered economic category has not yet found proper scientific study.