Competitiveness and competitive advantages of the enterprise. How is the formation of competitive advantages of the company from scratch. Key Success Factors in Competitive Struggle

In the economic literature, competitive advantages are often identified with the ability of a firm to more efficiently manage available resources, i.e. its competitiveness. It should be noted that such an analogy has good grounds, since the meaning of competitiveness is most often interpreted as the ability to outperform rivals in achieving the set economic goals. However, there is a causal difference between these concepts. Competitiveness is the result that fixes the presence of competitive advantages; competitiveness is impossible without the latter. However, the presence of separate competitive advantages does not mean automatic preference. Only in combination they can have a decisive influence in choosing the best. In addition, competitiveness is affected by strategic and tactical changes in the market that are not related to the activities of the enterprise (changes in demand, demographic shifts, natural phenomena etc.). From a comparison of these concepts, an active interest in the study of the nature of competitive advantages becomes clear. It is due to the desire to understand the mechanism of competitiveness, to reveal its internal connections.

The concepts of "competitive advantage" and "competitiveness" have different interpretations depending on the object to which they are applied. In the systematic study of these concepts, a hierarchical structure is distinguished, consistently including the assessment of a product, enterprise, industry, in terms of their superiority over similar competing objects.

The competitiveness of a product reflects its ability to more fully meet the needs of buyers in comparison with similar products on the market. It is determined by competitive advantages: on the one hand, the quality of the product, its technical level, consumer properties, on the other hand, the prices set by the sellers of goods.

In addition, competitiveness is influenced by advantages in warranty and post-warranty service, the image of the manufacturer, as well as the market situation, fluctuations. A high level of competitiveness of a product indicates the feasibility of its production and the possibility of a profitable one.

At the same time, the competitiveness of a product is not only high quality and technical level, it is also skillful maneuvering in the market space and time, and most importantly, maximum consideration of the requirements and capabilities of specific groups of buyers. Moreover, an objective assessment of all aspects of the level of competitiveness can be made only on the basis of the criteria used by the consumer for whom this product is intended. The reasons for the competitiveness of a product must be sought in the competitive advantages of its individual characteristics, which are the result of more efficient management of the process of development, implementation and operation of the proposed products.

Competitiveness is the ability to effectively manage own and borrowed resources in a competitive market. The production and sale of competitive goods is a prerequisite for the company's competitiveness. In more broad sense to ensure competitiveness, systematic work is required throughout the entire production and economic cycle, leading to competitive advantages in the field of research and development, production, management, finance, etc. The competitiveness of a firm is the result of its competitive advantages across the entire spectrum of company management problems.

The competitiveness of an industry is determined by the availability of technical, economic and organizational conditions for the creation, production and marketing (with costs no higher than international ones) of products High Quality that meets the requirements of specific consumer groups. The competitiveness of an industry implies the existence of competitive advantages over similar industries abroad, which can be expressed in the presence of a rational sectoral structure; groups of highly competitive leading firms pulling other enterprises in the industry up to their level; a well-established research and development and progressive production and technological base, a developed industry infrastructure, a flexible system of scientific, technical, industrial, logistical and commercial cooperation both within the industry and with other industries in the country and abroad, effective system product distribution. The competitiveness of the industry is achieved both due to the competitive advantages of its companies and the system of their interaction.

The competitiveness of the economy is a very complex, multifaceted concept that does not have a universally recognized universal definition. It is usually understood as a concentrated expression of economic, scientific, technical, production, managerial, marketing and other opportunities implemented in goods and successfully resisting foreign goods and services competing with them both in the domestic and foreign markets. But this is only one, the most visible side of the concept. The other side is the advantages of the system of state and social structure of the country, political and legal organization and regulation of all parties. public life society, the ability of the state to ensure sustainable, dynamic development and the related material well-being of members of society, which is not inferior to world standards. In other words, in order to have a competitive economy, it is necessary to create a competitive economy with undeniable advantages in various areas human activity.

Subject: " Competitiveness of the organization and the main factors of its competitive advantage»

Introduction.

The ultimate goal of any firm is to win the competition. The victory is not a one-time, not accidental, but as a logical result of the constant and competent efforts of the company. Whether it is achieved or not depends on the competitiveness of the company's goods and services, that is, on how much they are better compared to their counterparts - the products and services of other companies. What is the essence of this category of market economy and why, with all the efforts of any firm, it cannot be strictly guaranteed?

Usually, the competitiveness of a product is understood as a certain relative integral characteristic that reflects its differences from a competitor product and, accordingly, determines its attractiveness in the eyes of the consumer. But the whole problem lies in the correct definition of the content of this characteristic. All delusions start here.

Most beginners focus on the parameters of the product and then, in order to assess competitiveness, compare some integral characteristics of such an assessment for different competing products. Often this assessment simply covers quality indicators, and then (not uncommon) the competitiveness assessment is replaced by comparative evaluation quality of competing analogues. The practice of the world market clearly proves the incorrectness of this approach. Moreover, studies of many product markets unequivocally show that the final purchase decision is only one third related to product quality indicators. What about the other two-thirds? They are associated with significant and significant enough for the consumer conditions for the acquisition and future use of the goods.

In order to better understand the essence of the problem, we single out several important consequences of this proposition.

1. Competitiveness includes three main components. One of them is tightly connected with the product as such and largely comes down to quality. The other is connected both with the economics of creating sales and service of goods, and with the economic opportunities and limitations of the consumer. Finally, the third reflects everything that can be pleasant or unpleasant for the consumer as a buyer, as a person, as a member of a particular social group, etc.

2. The buyer is the main appraiser of the goods. And this leads to a truth that is very important in market conditions: all elements of the competitiveness of a product must be so obvious to a potential buyer that there could not be the slightest doubt or other interpretation regarding any of them. When we form a "competitiveness complex", in advertising it is very important to take into account the peculiarities of psychological education and the intellectual level of consumers, as well as many other factors of a personal nature. Interesting fact: almost all foreign advertising manuals highlight material related to advertising in an illiterate or intellectually undeveloped audience.

3. As you know, each market is characterized by "its" buyer. Therefore, the idea of ​​some kind of absolute, not related to a specific market, competitiveness is initially illegal.

What does practice say? If a certain general view of competitiveness has been formed, let's try to turn to the analysis of a practical example. Perhaps he will enrich in something general definition, and together with everything that we already know, will allow us to get a fairly complete picture of the subject under discussion.

In the fierce struggle between American and Japanese manufacturers in almost all advanced technology markets, the position of the Japanese so far looks preferable. For what? The almost unanimous answer in the 70s was this: price and quality. But already a decade ago, the level of sales, advertising and service culture of Japanese firms began to attract more and more attention from marketers around the world. And today they are already talking about the fact that the "philosophy of quality", characteristic of the Japanese, is becoming only integral part their own "philosophy of service" now emerging. All this more or less coincides with the main positions noted earlier. But here's what's interesting: a number of American researchers and businessmen have long and persistently said that Japan quickly formed an opinion about the highest quality of its products through skillful propaganda, rather than actually showing it in practice.

Even allowing here a significant (and very!) share of exaggeration and wounded pride, we note that in general, the "image of the country" gives a tangible boost to the competitiveness of its products.

The market economy, and after it its scientists, have long and well understood that trying to schematically express the competitiveness of a product is the same as trying to show with a diagram all the complexity and all the subtleties of the market process. For them, competitiveness has therefore become just a convenient term that concentrates attention and thought, behind which all the variety of strategic and tactical methods of management in general and marketing in particular are lined up. Competitiveness is not an indicator, the level of which can be calculated for yourself and for a competitor, and then win. First of all, it is a philosophy of working in a market environment, focusing on:

understanding the needs of the consumer and their development trends;

knowledge of the behavior and capabilities of competitors;

knowledge of the state and trends of the market development;

knowledge environment and its tendencies;

the ability to create such a product and bring it to the consumer in such a way,

so that the consumer prefers it to a competitor's product.

Organization competitiveness

The global factor determining the successful formation of the market space is flexible use competition laws. Real competitive environment is a complex, multifactorial and dynamically changing system, therefore it is necessary to constantly improve the methods and methods for assessing the competitiveness of organizations, determining their potential for successful development in the future. The term “competition” was not used in Russian economy until the 90s of the last century, since there was no need for it. Only Russia's transition to a market economy has led to the emergence of actual competition in almost all areas of activity. Private enterprises represented by their owners began to take care of the competitiveness of their goods and services.
Initially, the word “competition” arose from the Latin concurrere, which means “to collide” in translation. S.I. Ozhegov interprets competition as rivalry, a struggle to achieve great benefits and advantages. Today there are a large number of terms this concept, mostly foreign (the most common definitions of the term “competition” are given in the table).
The presence of a real market struggle in the market of goods or services in which the enterprise operates requires it to ensure a certain competitiveness. Otherwise, he is threatened with ousting from these markets, bankruptcy and death. Competitiveness, in fact, is the ability of an enterprise to withstand competition, to resist competitors that produce similar products (the most common definitions of the term “competitiveness of an organization” are given in the table below). So, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, only every tenth of the established enterprises is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The rest die, unable to withstand the competition.
Following their definitions, we can also talk about the competitiveness of a particular product (service), meaning by this the degree of attractiveness of this product for a consumer who makes a real purchase. In other words, competitiveness can be defined as a set of consumer properties of a product that determines its difference from other similar products in terms of the degree and level of satisfaction of customer needs and the cost of its acquisition and operation. Competitiveness can also be defined as the ability of a product (or object) to bring a return on invested capital that is not lower than a given one, or as an excess over the average profit in the relevant business area.
Competitiveness is a characteristic of a product that reflects its difference from a similar competitive product both in terms of the degree of compliance with a specific need and in terms of the cost of satisfying it. Many firms went bankrupt, unable to provide the quality required by the consumer at acceptable costs. Quality is expensive.
Consequently, the competitiveness of products is nothing more than a manifestation of product quality in the conditions of market relations. . It is determined by the ability of products to be sold in a particular market, to the maximum extent possible and without loss to the manufacturer. If a product or service is competitive in a particular market, it sells more than its counterparts, and the seller works with a profit that ensures its further development.

Linking a product or service to a specific market is required. For example, let's compare sales cars on the Russian market. AvtoVAZ annually sells about 700 thousand cars, and at the same time, the largest foreign companies in Russia sell from a few to two to three tens of thousands of cars a year. The products of these companies in the Western market cannot be called uncompetitive, but in the Russian market they are clearly losing the competition to AvtoVAZ (in terms of price). In relation to the markets of Germany, France or Turkey, the ratio in terms of sales will not be in favor of VAZ.
Studies have shown that the competitiveness of enterprises is significantly affected by the scientific and technical level and the degree of perfection of production technology, the use of the latest inventions and discoveries, the introduction modern means automation of production and other factors of the macroenvironment, microenvironment and internal environment companies. Its assessment can be carried out only among enterprises belonging to the same industry or producing the same goods or services. This largely depends on how the company can adapt to changing market conditions. Unlike the competitiveness of the goods, this quality of the enterprise cannot be achieved in a short period of time. It is achieved only with long-term and flawless work on the market. From this it can be concluded that an enterprise operating more than a long period in the market, has a large competitive advantage over an enterprise that is only entering this market or operating for a short period of time.
financial well-being Organizations follow the competitiveness of their products like a shadow follows a person. Practice shows that this goal is most often achieved by enterprises with a higher competitive potential. Under the competitive potential of the enterprise is meant both the real and potential ability of the company to develop, manufacture, market and serve competitive products in specific market segments. That is, goods that are superior in terms of quality and price parameters to analogues and are in higher priority demand among consumers. Thus, the well-known Nizhny Novgorod enterprise RIDA was able to win a “place in the sun” solely due to the high quality of its armored vehicles, which reflects the high human and technical potential of the enterprise.
Thus, the high competitiveness of an enterprise is determined by the presence of the following three features: 1) consumers are satisfied and ready to buy again the products of this organization (consumers return, but the goods do not);
2) the company, shareholders and partners have no claims against the organization;
3) employees are proud of their participation in the activities of the organization, and outsiders consider it an honor to work in this company.

Analysis competitive positions enterprise in the market involves finding out its strengths and weaknesses, as well as those factors that, to one degree or another, affect the attitude of buyers to the enterprise and, as a result, change its share in sales in a particular product market. Faced with international and domestic competition, according to the French economists A.Ollivier, A.Dian and R.Urse, it must secure a level of competitiveness in eight factors. This is:

• the concept of goods and services on which the activity of the enterprise is based;
• quality, expressed in conformity of the product high level products of market leaders and identified through surveys and comparative tests;
• the price of the goods with a possible margin;
• finance - both own and borrowed;
• trade - in terms of commercial methods and means of activity;
• after-sales service providing the company with a permanent clientele;
• international trade enterprise, allowing him to positively manage relations with the authorities, the press and public opinion;
• pre-sales preparation, which indicates his ability not only to anticipate the needs of future consumers, but also to convince them of the exceptional capabilities of the enterprise to meet these needs.

Assessing the capabilities of the enterprise on these eight factors allows you to build a hypothetical "polygon of competitiveness" (Figure 2.1.1).

Rice. 1. "Polygon of competitiveness"

If we approach the assessment of the competitive capabilities of a number of firms in the same way, imposing schemes on top of each other, then, according to the authors, one can see weak and strengths one enterprise in relation to another (in Fig. 1 - enterprises A and B).

A very similar point of view is expressed by domestic economists. In particular, the “key factors of market success” include: “the financial position of the enterprise, the development of the base for its own R&D and the level of spending on them, the availability advanced technology, the availability of highly qualified personnel, the ability to product (and price) maneuvering, the availability of a sales network and experienced sales personnel, the state Maintenance, opportunities to lend to their exports (including through government organizations), the effectiveness of advertising and public relations systems, the availability of information, the creditworthiness of major buyers.

The analysis of the selected factors, according to the authors, is to identify strengths and weaknesses both in their activities and in the work of competitors, which can, on the one hand, avoid the most acute forms of competition, and on the other hand, use their advantages and weaknesses. competitor.

A number of other authors, analyzing the factors of enterprise competitiveness, offer other principles of systematization. In particular, it is proposed to classify them depending on the intended purpose of the created product of labor.

For enterprises that create consumer goods, there are:

a: commercial conditions - the company's ability to provide customers with consumer or commercial loans, discounts from the list price, discounts on the return of goods previously purchased from the company that used its economic resource, the possibility of concluding barter transactions;

b: organization of a distribution network - the location of a network of stores, supermarkets, their availability to a wide range of customers, demonstration of products in action in the showrooms and showrooms of the company or its resellers, at exhibitions and fairs, the effectiveness of ongoing advertising campaigns, impact by means of "public relations";

c: organization of technical maintenance of products - the scope of services provided, the terms of warranty repairs, the cost after warranty service etc.;

d: consumers' perception of the company, its authority and reputation, its product range, service, the impact of the company's trademark on attracting the attention of buyers to its products;

e: the impact of market development trends on the firm's position in the market.

The competitiveness of enterprises processing raw materials is influenced, first of all, by such factors as the amount of profit received from the processing of raw materials, which depends on the quality and cost characteristics of raw materials, as well as the cost of other production resources - labor, fixed capital, consumed fuel and energy; the state of the market situation for the final product of processing raw materials, price dynamics as a result of fluctuations in supply and demand, the cost of transporting raw materials to the place of processing or consumption; forms of commercial and other relations between producers and consumers.

The level of competitiveness of commodity firms is largely determined by what goods they trade, where and how these goods are consumed.

But perhaps the most fundamental research factors of competitiveness of enterprises was given in the works of M. Porter. At the same time, the factors of competitiveness are understood by him as one of the four main determinants of competitive advantage, along with the strategy of firms, their structure and competitors, demand conditions and the presence of related or related industries and enterprises that are competitive in the world market.

All these four determinants constitute, according to M. Porter, a system (rhombus), “the components of which are mutually reinforcing. Each determinant influences all the others. ... In addition, advantages in one determinant can create or enhance advantages in others” (diagram 2.1.2).

To gain and maintain advantages in knowledge-intensive industries, which form the basis of any developed economy, it is necessary to have advantages in all components of the system.

Competitive advantage based on one or two determinants is also possible. But only in industries with a strong dependence on natural resources or industries that do not use related technologies and highly skilled labor. However, this advantage is usually short-term and is lost with the entry of large companies and firms into this market.

Therefore, the advantages for each individual component of the system is not a prerequisite for competitive advantage in the industry. Only the interaction of advantages in all determinants provides a synergistic (self-reinforcing) effect of the system.

From the approach outlined above, it is clear how great the role of the correct identification and use of competitiveness factors is.

M. Porter directly connects the factors of competitiveness with the factors of production. He presents all the factors that determine the competitive advantages of an enterprise and a firm in the industry in the form of several large groups:

1. Human resources - Quantity, qualification and cost of labor force.

2. Physical Resources - quantity, quality, availability and cost of land, water, minerals, forest resources, hydroelectric power sources, fishing grounds; climatic conditions and geographical position home country of the enterprise.

3. Knowledge resource - the amount of scientific, technical and market information that affects the competitiveness of goods and services and is concentrated in academic universities, state industry research institutes, private research laboratories, market research databanks and other sources.

4. Cash resources - the amount and value of capital that can be used to finance industry and an individual enterprise. Naturally, capital is heterogeneous. It has such forms as unsecured debt, secured debt, shares, venture capital, speculative securities etc. Each of these forms has its own operating conditions. And taking into account various conditions their movements in different countries, they will largely determine the specifics economic activity entities in different countries.

5. Infrastructure - the type and quality of the existing infrastructure and the fees for using it, which affect the nature of competition. These include transport system countries, communication system, postal services, transfer of payments and funds from bank to bank within and outside the country, health and cultural system, housing stock and its attractiveness in terms of living and working.

Industry specifics, of course, impose their significant differences on the composition and content of the applied factors.

All factors influencing the competitiveness of an enterprise, M. Porter proposes to divide into several types.

First, on the main and developed. The main factors are Natural resources, climatic conditions, geographical location of the country, unskilled and semi-skilled labor force, debit capital.

Developed factors - modern information exchange infrastructure, highly qualified personnel (specialists with higher education, specialists in the field of computers and PCs) and research departments of universities involved in complex, high-tech disciplines.

The division of factors into basic and developed is rather conditional. The main factors exist objectively or require insignificant public and private investments to create them. As a rule, the advantage created by them is unstable, and the profit from use is low. Special meaning they are for extractive industries, industries related to agriculture and forestry, and industries that mainly use standardized technology and low-skilled labor.

Much more important for competitiveness are developed factors, as factors of a higher order. Their development requires significant, often long-term investments of capital and human resources. In addition, a necessary condition for the very creation of developed factors is the use of highly qualified personnel and high technologies.

A feature of developed factors is that, as a rule, they are difficult to acquire on the world market. At the same time, they are essential innovation activities enterprises. The success of enterprises in many countries of the world is directly related to a solid scientific base and the availability of highly qualified specialists.

Developed factors are often built on the basis of basic factors. That is, the main factors, not being a reliable source of competitive advantage, at the same time must be of sufficient quality to allow the creation of related developed factors on their basis.

Another principle of division of factors is the degree of their specialization. In accordance with this, all factors are divided into general and specialized.

General factors, to which M. Porter refers the system of roads, debit capital, personnel with higher education, can be used in a wide range of industries.

Specialized factors are highly specialized personnel, specific infrastructure, databases in certain areas of knowledge, other factors used in one or a limited number of industries. An example is now being developed under contract for a specialized software, rather than standard general purpose software packages.

It should be noted that these factors are associated with the use of such a mobile type of capital as venture capital.

Common factors tend to provide competitive advantages of a limited nature. They are available in a significant number of countries.

Specialized factors, which are sometimes based on general ones, form a more solid, long-term basis for ensuring competitiveness. Financing the creation of these factors is more targeted and often more risky, which, however, does not mean that the state will not participate in such financing.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that it is most possible to increase the competitiveness of an enterprise if it has developed and specialized factors. The level of competitive advantage and the possibility of strengthening it depend on their availability and quality.

A competitive advantage based on a combination of basic and common factors is an advantage lower order(extensive type), having a short and unstable character.

It should be noted that the criteria for classifying factors as developed or specialized are constantly being tightened. This is the result of the impact of NTP. What today is considered at the level of a developed factor (let's say scientific knowledge), tomorrow will be attributed to the main one. Similarly, with the degree of specialization (for example, the same scientific knowledge). There is also an upward trend. “It also applies to human resources, infrastructure and even sources of capital.” Therefore, the factor resource as the basis of a long-term competitive advantage is depreciated if it is not constantly improved and made more specialized.

And, finally, another classification principle is the division of competitiveness factors into natural (that is, inherited by themselves: natural resources, geographical location) and artificially created. It is clear that the latter are factors of a higher order, which ensure a higher and more stable competitiveness.

The creation of factors is a process of accumulation: each generation inherits the factors inherited from the previous generation and creates its own, adding to the previous ones. This point of view is shared not only by M. Porter, but also by other Western economists, such as B. Scott, J. Lodge, J. Bauer, J. Zusman, L. Tyson.

It should be noted the following important feature. It has been indicated above how great is the role of the existence of specialized and developed factors. As a rule, they are developed by firms and enterprises themselves, as they are the most aware of what they need right now to ensure a competitive advantage. Government financing of the creation of factors focuses on the main and general factors, as creating the basis for factors of a higher order.

World experience shows that state measures to improve specialized and developed factors, as a rule, fail due to the lack of dynamism of the state system itself.

Of course, it is impossible to create and improve all types of factors at once. What factors are created, improved and effectively used depends on the nature of the demand in the market, the availability and capabilities of related and related enterprises, the nature of competition and the goals of the enterprise itself.

Of course, each of the above classifications has the right to exist. Its use will depend on the purpose of the study being conducted and on the principle underlying it.

Based on the concept of enterprise competitiveness discussed above and critical analysis presented classifications and understanding under the factors of competitiveness of those phenomena and processes of production and economic activity of the enterprise and social economic life societies that cause a change in the absolute and relative value of the costs of production and sales of products, and as a result, a change in the level of competitiveness of the enterprise itself, it is proposed to divide the entire set of factors that determine the consumer's attitude to the business entity itself and its products or services, divided into internal and external in relation to to him.

At the same time, external factors should be understood, firstly, as measures of state influence as an economic nature (depreciation policy, tax, financial and credit policy, including various state and interstate subsidies and subsidies; customs policy and related import duties; state insurance; participation in the international division of labor, development and financing of national programs to ensure the competitiveness of the enterprise), and of an administrative nature (development, improvement and implementation of legislative acts that promote the development of market relations, demonopolization of the economy; state system standardization and certification of products and systems for their creation; state supervision and control over compliance mandatory requirements standards, rules for mandatory certification of products and systems, metrological control; legal protection of consumer interests). That is, everything that determines the formal rules for the activity of a business entity in a given national or world market.

Secondly, the factors of competitiveness are the main characteristics of the market itself of the activity of a given enterprise; its type and capacity; presence and possibilities of competitors; security, composition and structure of labor resources.

The third group of external factors should include the activities of public and non-state institutions. On the one hand, through various organizations for the protection of consumer rights, they act as a deterrent to the growth of the competitiveness of the enterprise. And on the other hand, through non-state investment institutions, they contribute to the growth of the competitiveness of the enterprise, providing investments in the most promising areas of activity.

And finally, the factor of competitiveness, of course, is the activity political parties, movements, blocs, etc., forming the socio-political situation in the country. Above, we have already indicated how important this factor is for the economy of any country and how carefully foreign investors and international monetary organizations approach its assessment.

In this sense, the set of factors presented above determines the formal and informal "rules of the game" in the market, determines the external environment, in which the enterprise will work, and those points that it must take into account when developing a strategy for its development.

The internal factors that ensure the competitiveness of this enterprise include the potential of marketing services, scientific, technical, production and technological, financial, economic, personnel, environmental potential; advertising effectiveness; the level of logistics, storage, packaging, transportation; the level of preparation and development of production processes; efficiency of production control, testing and surveys; the level of provision of commissioning and installation work; the level of maintenance in the post-production period; service and warranty service. I.e we are talking about the potential capabilities of the enterprise itself to ensure its own competitiveness.

As we have already noted, factors are those phenomena and processes of the production and economic activities of an enterprise and socio-economic the life of society, which cause a change in the absolute and relative value of production costs, and as a result, a change in the level of competitiveness of the enterprise itself.

Factors can influence both in the direction of increasing the competitiveness of the enterprise, and in the direction of decreasing it. Factors are what contribute to the transformation of possibilities into reality. Factors determine the means and methods of using competitiveness reserves. But the presence of the factors themselves is not enough to ensure competitiveness. Getting a competitive advantage based on factors depends on how effectively they are used and where, in which industry they are applied.

Ensuring the competitiveness of products and ways to improve it

AT modern conditions there is a need to change the orientation and criteria for evaluating the developed and manufactured products.

The competitiveness of a product is understood as a combination of its quality and cost characteristics, which ensures the satisfaction of the specific needs of the buyer and favorably distinguishes the buyer from similar products - competitors.

Competitiveness is determined by a combination of product properties that are part of its quality and are important for the consumer, determining the consumer's costs for the acquisition, consumption and disposal of products. General scheme assessment of competitiveness is presented in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Competitiveness Scheme

The assessment of competitiveness begins with the definition of the purpose of the study:

O if it is necessary to determine the position of a given product in a series of similar ones, then it is enough to conduct them direct comparison on the most important parameters;

O if the purpose of the study is to assess the prospects for selling a product in a particular market, then the analysis should use information that includes information about products that will enter the market in the future, as well as information about changes in the standards and legislation in force in the country, the dynamics of consumer demand.

Regardless of the objectives of the study, the basis for assessing competitiveness is the study of market conditions, which should be carried out continuously, as before the start of development. new products and during its implementation. The task is to identify the group of factors that influence the formation of demand in a particular market sector:

O changes in the requirements of regular customers of products are considered;

O analyzes the development directions of similar developments;

O considers the areas of possible use of products;

O the circle of regular customers is analyzed.

The above implies " comprehensive study market". A special place in market research is occupied by long-term forecasting of its development. Based on market research and customer requirements, products are selected for which analysis will be carried out or requirements for a future product are formulated, and then the range of parameters involved in the assessment is determined.

The analysis should use the same criteria that the consumer operates when choosing a product. For each of the groups of parameters, a comparison is made, showing how close these parameters are to the corresponding demand parameter.

Competitiveness analysis begins with an assessment of regulatory parameters. If at least one of them does not correspond to the level prescribed by the current norms and standards, then further assessment of the competitiveness of products is inappropriate, regardless of the result of the comparison in other parameters. At the same time, exceeding the norms and standards and legislation cannot be considered as an advantage of the product, since from the point of view of the consumer it is often useless and does not increase consumer value. Exceptions may be cases where the buyer is interested in some excess current regulations and standards with a view to tightening them in the future.

Group indicators are calculated, which quantitatively express the difference between the analyzed products and the need for a given group of parameters and allow us to judge the degree of satisfaction of the need for this group. An integral indicator is calculated, which is used to assess the competitiveness of the analyzed products for all considered groups of parameters as a whole.

The results of the assessment of competitiveness are used to develop a conclusion about it, as well as to choose ways to optimally increase the competitiveness of products to solve market problems.

However, the fact of the high competitiveness of the product itself is only necessary condition selling this product on the market in given volumes. It should also take into account the forms and methods of maintenance, the presence of advertising, trade and political relations between countries, etc.

As a result of assessing the competitiveness of products, the following ways to improve the competitiveness of the solution can be taken:

O change in the composition, structure of the materials used (raw materials, semi-finished products), components or product design;

O change in the order of product design;

O change in product manufacturing technology, test methods, quality control systems for manufacturing, storage, packaging, transportation, installation;

O change in prices for products, prices for services, maintenance and repair, prices for spare parts;

O change in the procedure for selling products on the market;

O change in the structure and size of investments in the development, production and marketing of products;

O change in the structure and volumes of cooperative supplies in the production of products and prices for components and the composition of selected suppliers;

O change in the supplier incentive system;

O change in the structure of imports and types of imported products.

The product quality improvement strategy is an essential part of the company's strategy. The objects of forecasting are product quality indicators that are inferior to those of competitors' products.

In the economic literature, competitive advantages are often identified with the ability of a firm to more efficiently manage available resources, i.e. its competitiveness. It should be noted that such an analogy has good grounds, since the meaning of competitiveness is most often interpreted as the ability to outperform rivals in achieving the set economic goals. However, there is a causal difference between these concepts. Competitiveness is the result that fixes the presence of competitive advantages; competitiveness is impossible without the latter. However, the presence of separate competitive advantages does not mean automatic preference. Only in combination they can have a decisive influence in choosing the best. In addition, competitiveness is affected by strategic and tactical changes in the market that are not related to the activities of the enterprise (changes in demand, demographic shifts, natural phenomena, etc.). From a comparison of these concepts, an active interest in the study of the nature of competitive advantages becomes clear. It is due to the desire to understand the mechanism of competitiveness, to reveal its internal connections.

The concepts of "competitive advantage" and "competitiveness" have different interpretations depending on the object to which they are applied. In the systematic study of these concepts, a hierarchical structure is distinguished, consistently including the assessment of a product, enterprise, industry, economy in terms of their superiority over similar competing objects (Fig. 1.8).

Rice. 1.8. Pyramid of competitive advantages and competitiveness

Competitiveness The value of a product reflects its ability to more fully meet the needs of customers in comparison with similar products on the market. It is determined by competitive advantages: on the one hand, the quality of the product, its technical level, consumer properties, on the other hand, the prices set by the sellers of goods.

In addition, competitiveness is influenced by advantages in warranty and post-warranty service, advertising, the image of the manufacturer, as well as the situation on the market, fluctuations in demand. The high level of competitiveness of the goods indicates the feasibility of its production and the possibility of a profitable sale.

At the same time, the competitiveness of a product is not only high quality and technical level, it is also skillful maneuvering in the market space and time, and most importantly, maximum consideration of the requirements and capabilities of specific groups of buyers. Moreover, an objective assessment of all aspects of the level of competitiveness can be made only on the basis of the criteria used by the consumer for whom this product is intended. The reasons for the competitiveness of a product must be sought in the competitive advantages of its individual characteristics, which are the result of more efficient management of the process of development, implementation and operation of the proposed products.

Competitiveness of the firm it is an opportunity to effectively manage own and borrowed resources in a competitive market. The production and sale of competitive goods is a prerequisite for the company's competitiveness. In a broader sense, to ensure competitiveness, systematic work is required throughout the entire production and economic cycle, leading to competitive advantages in R&D, production, management, finance, marketing, etc. The competitiveness of a firm is the result of its competitive advantages across the entire spectrum of company management problems.

Industry Competitiveness is determined by the presence of its technical, economic and organizational conditions for the creation, production and marketing (with costs no higher than international ones) of high quality products that meet the requirements of specific consumer groups. The competitiveness of an industry implies the existence of competitive advantages over similar industries abroad, which can be expressed in the presence of a rational industry structure; groups of highly competitive leading firms pulling other enterprises in the industry up to their level; a well-established research and development and progressive production and technological base, a developed industry infrastructure, a flexible system of scientific, technical, production, material and technical and commercial cooperation both within the industry and with other industries in the country and abroad, an effective system of product distribution. The competitiveness of the industry is achieved both due to the competitive advantages of its companies and the system of their interaction.

Competitiveness of the economy - a very complex, multifaceted concept that does not have a universally recognized universal definition. It is usually understood as a concentrated expression of economic, scientific, technical, production, managerial, marketing and other opportunities implemented in goods and services that successfully resist foreign goods and services competing with them both in the domestic and foreign markets. But this is only one, the most visible side of the concept. The other side is the advantages of the system of the state and social structure of the country, the political and legal organization and regulation of all aspects of the social life of society, the ability of the state to ensure the sustainable, dynamic development of the national economy and the associated material well-being of members of society that is not inferior to world standards. In other words, to have a competitive economy, it is necessary to create a competitive society with undeniable advantages in various areas of human activity.

"Competitive advantage is gained by a company that performs strategically important activities at a lower cost or more efficiently than competitors" - Michael Porter

The terms “competition” and “competitiveness” are closely related to the concept of “competitive advantage”.

Competition - essential element a mechanism associated in market conditions with the formation of an economic proportion based on the rivalry of commercial entities for better and more economically favorable conditions for the investment of capital, the sale of goods and services.

The most important characteristic of any market is the current level of competition. Operating in the market, the company usually faces competition from other firms that produce and sell similar products. Each of them, as a rule, strives to occupy a leading position and the largest possible market share. It is competition that forces commodity producers to constantly introduce the most effective ways production, update the product range, that is, to form and maintain competitive advantages.

Enterprises compete to achieve a competitive advantage and gain a strong position in the market. Competition takes place in the marketing environment, in specific conditions of time and place.

One of the areas of competition is the formation of competitive advantages of the organization. Within the framework of this direction, the organization needs not only to adapt to the conditions of competition, but also to search for and implement competitive advantages.

The main requirement is that the difference from competitors should be real and expressive. As B. Karlof said: "... it is too easy to declare that you have competitive advantages without taking the trouble to believe whether these supposed advantages correspond to the needs of customers ... as a result, products with fictitious advantages appear." Therefore, the organization must have several competitive advantages that must be protected.

Remedies may include:

Monopoly

Access to sources of raw materials

Know-how.

In order to successfully counter a competitive threat, an enterprise must have a certain anti-competitive potential. The organization and its product must be competitive. Capital and trading capacity should be oriented both to normal conditions for the movement of goods, and to extreme ones, when organizations are confronted by competitors. The reality of a competitive threat is assessed on the basis of an analysis of the market situation, when existing competitors are identified or the probability of their occurrence is determined.

Thus, competitive advantages are inextricably linked with competition. They arise when and where competition is present and develops. The more comprehensive the competition in the market becomes, the more significant for successful activity organizations are competitive advantages.

The role of analysis and evaluation of the competitiveness and competitive advantages of organizations increases with the spread and intensification of competition between them.

Competitive advantages are often identified with the ability of an enterprise to more efficiently manage available resources. This analogy has good reasons, since the meaning of competitiveness is most often interpreted as the ability to outperform rivals in achieving the set economic goals. However, there are differences between these concepts.

Competitiveness is a consequence of the presence of competitive advantages in a competing subject, that is, competitiveness and competitive advantages have a causal relationship.

Competitiveness is a result that captures the presence of competitive advantages in all indicators, which include profitability, management efficiency, business activity, liquidity and market stability. At the same time, the production, sale of competitive goods and the efficient use of all resources in a competitive environment remain the main attributes of a competitive organization. However, the presence of certain competitive advantages does not mean that consumers automatically prefer one or another hospitality enterprise.

The study of the reasons for the emergence of competitive advantages covers almost all levels of the organization's activities, since the awareness of the prospect is realized in real competitiveness.

The competitive advantages of each of the business entities have internal and external sides. inner side represents a set of achievements of a business entity, with which it intends to conquer the market and squeeze out competitors. The external side is an assessment of the degree of attractiveness of a given business entity for the external environment, taking into account its achievements.

An important circumstance in ensuring competitive advantages under the influence of the environment is the presence of a competitive strategy in a competing enterprise. It is designed to solve the problems of adapting the enterprise to the existing conditions, transforming separate conditions environment in order to gain competitive advantage.

Thus, the competitiveness of organizations is a manifestation of the competitive advantage of their characteristics over similar characteristics of competitors, achieved by adapting to changing conditions of the competitive environment. Competitive advantages act simultaneously as the goals of competitive rivalry of business entities, and as tools for such rivalry. If a competitive advantage is easily reproduced by competitors, then it loses value. Therefore, the enterprise needs to develop strategies for their formation and preservation.

An analysis of the competitive position of an enterprise in the market involves clarifying its strengths and weaknesses, as well as those factors that, to one degree or another, affect the attitude of buyers towards the enterprise and, as a result, change its share in sales in a particular product market. Faced with competition, according to experts, it must ensure a level of competitiveness in eight factors:

• * the concept of goods and services on which the activities of the enterprise are based;
• * quality, expressed in the conformity of the product to the high level of products of market leaders and identified through surveys and comparative tests;
• * the price of the goods with a possible margin;
• * Finance - both own and borrowed;
• * trade - in terms of commercial methods and means of activity;
• * after-sales service, providing the company with a permanent clientele;
• * foreign trade of the enterprise, allowing him to positively manage relations with the authorities, the press and public opinion;
• * pre-sales preparation, which indicates his ability not only to anticipate the needs of future consumers, but also to convince them of the exceptional capabilities of the enterprise to meet these needs.

Assessing the capabilities of an enterprise according to these eight factors makes it possible to construct a hypothetical "competitiveness polygon" (Fig. 1.3.).

If we approach the assessment of the competitive capabilities of a number of firms in the same way, imposing schemes on each other, then we can see the strengths and weaknesses of one enterprise in relation to another (in Fig. 1.3. - enterprises A and B).

The disadvantage of this approach is that this scheme reflects the real situation of firms, but does not provide information about their possible further development in one of the directions.

Rice. 1.3.

In particular, the "key factors of market success" include the financial position of the enterprise, the availability of advanced technology, the availability of highly qualified personnel, the ability to product (and price) maneuvering. A strong and reliable relationship with consumers is ensured by factors such as the effectiveness of advertising and public relations systems, the availability of information and the creditworthiness of major buyers.

The analysis of the selected factors is to identify the strengths and weaknesses, both in their activities and in the work of competitors, which can, on the one hand, avoid the most acute forms of competition, and on the other hand, use their advantages and weaknesses of a competitor.

Perhaps the most fundamental study of the factors of competitiveness of enterprises was given in the works of M. Porter. At the same time, the factors of competitiveness are understood by him as one of the four main determinants of competitive advantage along with the strategy of firms, their structure and competitors, demand conditions and the presence of related or related industries and enterprises.

All these four determinants constitute, according to M. Porter, a system (rhombus), “the components of which are mutually reinforcing. Each determinant influences all the others. ... In addition, advantages in one determinant can create or enhance advantages in others” (Fig. 1.4.).

Rice. 2.

To gain and maintain advantages in the industries that form the basis of any developed economy, it is necessary to have advantages in all components of the system.

M. Porter directly connects the factors of competitiveness with the factors of production. He presents all the factors that determine the competitive advantages of an enterprise and a firm in the industry in the form of several large groups:

• * Human resources - quantity, qualification and cost of labor force.
• * Physical resources - quantity, quality, availability and cost of plots, water, electricity.
• * Knowledge resource - market information that affects the competitiveness of goods and services.
• * Cash resources - the amount and value of capital that can be used to finance the enterprise. Naturally, capital is heterogeneous. It comes in forms such as unsecured debt, secured debt, stocks, venture capital, speculative securities, and so on. Each of these forms has its own operating conditions. And taking into account the different conditions of their movement in different countries, they will largely determine the specifics of the economic activity of subjects in different countries.
• * Infrastructure - the type, quality of infrastructure available and the fees for using it, which affect the nature of competition. These include the country's transportation system, communications system, postal services, transfer of payments and funds from bank to bank within and outside the country, the health and cultural system, housing stock and its attractiveness in terms of living and working.

Business strategies win if they are based on sustainable competitive advantage. M. Porter believes that the company's position in the industry determines the competitive advantage. Ultimately, a firm outperforms its rivals if it has a strong competitive advantage, that is, if its customer experience is superior to that of its competitors and it is able to resist the influence of competitive forces. Competitive advantage is achieved when the company offers the buyer a product of such a value that he is unlikely to find anywhere else. By creating an advantage, the company sets higher prices for its product and makes a high profit. Competitive advantage can be economic, psychological or economic-psychological. Economic advantage is especially important in business markets where buyers are driven by the desire to increase their own company's profitability.

Competitive advantage is gained not by those who have unlimited resources, but by those who think constructively. A high rate of return on investment is far from always a condition for long-term growth of a company.

The competitive advantage of the company lies in the fastest provision of customers with new information services and products that will shape the markets of the future. There are many ways to achieve competitive advantage: offer high quality products, provide excellent customer service, offer more low prices than competitors, have a more convenient geographical location, ensure the introduction of a new product in more short time, have a well-known own brand and reputation, provide customers with added value for their money (combining good quality, good service and reasonable prices). At the same time, in order to succeed in creating a competitive advantage, a company must offer customers what they consider the most acceptable for themselves - good product at a low price or a product of improved quality, but more expensive.

The problem of analyzing the competitiveness of an enterprise is complex and complex, since competitiveness is made up of many different factors. However, this analysis is necessary for the enterprise to carry out a number of activities, such as: development of the main directions for the creation and manufacture of products that are in demand; sales prospect evaluation specific types products and the formation of the nomenclature; product pricing, and so on. The complexity of the competitiveness category is determined by the variety of approaches and methods to its analysis.