Oral hygiene 24.09.2019
0 (0 votes)

Internal and external factors of enterprise competitiveness. Abstract: The competitiveness of the organization and the main factors of its competitive advantage

Factors of the competitiveness of the organization are divided into external, the manifestation of which to a small extent depends on the organization, and internal, almost entirely determined by the management of the organization.

External factors:

§ state policy regarding exports and imports;

§ level of economic development of the country:

§ state economic policy in the countries-exporters and importers of goods;

§ efficient functioning of capital markets and quality of financial services;

§ the level of infrastructure development in the country;

§ development of scientific and technological potential;

§ Availability and skill level of labor resources;

§ depreciation tax and financial and credit policy, including various state and interstate grants and subsidies;

§ customs policy and related import duties, quotas:

§ state insurance system;

§ participation in the international division of labor, development of financing of national programs to ensure the competitiveness of the enterprise;

§ state system of standardization and certification of products and systems for their creation;

§ state supervision and control over compliance with: mandatory requirements of standards, rules for mandatory certification of products and systems, metrological control;

§ legal protection of consumer interests;

§ main characteristics of the market: its type and capacity; presence and possibilities of competitors;

§ activities of public and non-state institutions.

Internal factors:

§ production and organizational structure of the enterprise;

§ technologies;

§ accounting and regulation of production processes;

§ qualification level of personnel;

§ quality of management;

§ informational and normative-methodical base of management;

§ equipment;

§ functioning of the quality management system;

§ level of strategic management;

§ scope of outsourcing;

§ development of the sales (dealer) network;

§ the degree of protection of confidential information (security of the information support system);



§ scope of application of modern information technologies;

§ using the Internet to sell products;

§ Orientation towards an economy based on the use of knowledge (knowledge economy);

§ the regularity of attracting investments in the development of production;

§ the size of the formed permanent and loyal customer base;

§ the extent of the use of the achievements of scientific and technical progress;

§ reputation (goodwill) of the enterprise;

§ motivation of personnel to improve the quality of goods;

§ the most significant strategic competitive advantages;

§ effective competitive strategy;

§ timeliness of restructuring (merger, acquisition, separation);

§ the value of the enterprise (business), reflecting its investment attractiveness.

The possibilities of the direct impact of the enterprise on environmental factors are quite limited, since they mainly act objectively in relation to the enterprise. The real opportunities for ensuring the competitiveness of the enterprise are in the sphere of factors of the internal environment. However, these factors can be influenced with varying degrees of effectiveness. So, as a rule, significant investments and a long payback period require innovative changes in the technical and technological conditions of work. However, it should be noted that with the current high level of development of scientific and technological progress in the world, the production potential of enterprises, which constitutes a significant part of the economic potential, is practically determined by the modern technologies used in production.

The technologies used at the enterprise form the requirements for the quantitative and qualitative composition of fixed production assets, the communications system, the composition and qualifications of industrial and production personnel, the natural resources used (water, fuel, etc.), and the information processing system. In turn, the above requirements determine the production capacity of the enterprise, the quantity and quality of working capital necessary for the implementation of the production process.

However, to ensure the competitiveness of the enterprise for all the importance of creating modern technical and technological conditions of production, it is also necessary to pay attention to the formation of a management system adequate to these conditions at the enterprise. Therefore, among internal factors competitiveness of the organization the most important role is played by the level of quality of management of the organization, i.e. the level of training of managers, the ability to properly conduct business operations in a constantly changing market. These factors are considered key in determining the competitiveness of an organization in the market.

Michael Porter directly links the factors of competitiveness with the factors of production. He presents all the factors that determine the competitive advantages of an enterprise and industry in the form of large groups.

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

Physical Resources- quantity, quality, accessibility and cost of land, water, minerals, forest resources, sources of hydroelectric power, fishing grounds: climatic conditions and geographical location of the country where the enterprise is based.

Knowledge resource- the sum of scientific, technical and market information. affecting the competitiveness of goods and services and concentrated in academic universities, state industry research institutes, private research laboratories, market research data banks and other sources.

Cash resources- the amount and value of capital that can be used to finance industry and an individual enterprise. Naturally, capital is heterogeneous. It takes such forms as unsecured debt, secured debt, shares, venture capital, speculative securities. Each of these forms has its own operating conditions. 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 and quality of the existing infrastructure and the fees for using it, which affect the nature of competition: the country's transport system, 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.

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

Main Factors- these are natural resources, climatic conditions, the geographical location of the country, unskilled, semi-skilled labor, debit capital.

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

The division of factors into main and developed ones is 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. They are of particular importance for the extractive industries associated with agriculture and forestry, and industries that use mostly standardized and low-skilled labor.

Much more important for ensuring the competitiveness of the enterprise 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 creation of developed factors is the use of highly qualified personnel and high technologies.

A feature of the developed factors is that. that, as a rule, they are difficult to obtain on the world market. At the same time, they are an indispensable condition for the innovative activity of the enterprise. 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 the main factors, which, while not being a reliable source of the enterprise's competitive advantage, at the same time must be of sufficient quality so that related developed factors can be created on their basis.

Another sign of the division of factors is the degree of their specialization. In accordance with this, according to M. Porter, all factors are divided into two types: general and specialized.

General factors which M. Porter refers to the highway system, debit capital, personnel with higher education, can be used in a wide range of industries. As a rule, they provide competitive advantages of a limited nature.

Specialized Factors are highly specialized personnel, specific infrastructure, databases in certain branches of knowledge. An example is specialized software developed under contract rather than standard general purpose software packages.

At the heart of the next sign of the classification of factors of competitiveness of the enterprise is its ability to influence them. These are external factors (the manifestation of which to a small extent depends on the enterprise) and internal (almost completely determined by the management of the organization).

Competitiveness - integral characteristic. In the general case, it is advisable to single out the following components: the competitiveness of the offer on the market, enterprise resources, management and entrepreneurial ideas.

Current competitiveness enterprises is related to the competitiveness of the offer in the market. The offer includes the product, price and related services, and in general - everything that determines the usefulness (profitability) of the acquisition for the client. Often an enterprise has several offers (differentiation), while we can talk about the integral competitiveness of the entire product portfolio.

The marketing approach to determining competitiveness assumes that an offer is competitive if it has one or more consumer characteristics in a given consumer segment that are better than those of analogue goods (while these characteristics are recognized by consumers as leading). An indicator of the relevance of a consumer characteristic can be, for example, the statistics of customer questions asked when purchasing a product. Consumers are not interested in a product that is absolutely the best in all characteristics, but in one that successfully combines the qualities that are most in demand in this market segment, and are often ready to sacrifice individual product characteristics in order to improve others.

Long-term competitiveness is determined by the competitiveness of the resources (potential) of the enterprise: financial, material, technological, managerial, informational, personnel, intellectual and others (in particular, customer loyalty can be considered as a special type of resource). The availability of resources allows the enterprise to provide (maintain) offer competitiveness.

In a competitive environment, the resource base must be maintained in a state relevant to market conditions. The effective use of available resources from the point of view of competition is determined by the competitiveness of the enterprise's management, especially top management. The significance of this component is especially evident in a dynamic external environment and active competitive opposition.

Competitiveness of management- this is a comparative characteristic of the quality of management at the enterprise and among competitors, these are differences in qualifications, motivation, management organization. The assessment of the competitiveness of management is difficult, since the results of each manager's work are integrated into the overall result, which, in turn, may appear with a certain delay. The ability of top managers to make the most important strategic decisions, generate new ideas exactly at the pace that the market requires, and the ability to organize their implementation, willingness to take reasonable risks are the most important factors in the competitiveness of an enterprise.

The connecting element of these aspects of competitiveness is competitiveness of an entrepreneurial idea. The entrepreneurial idea includes the basic idea of ​​the product of the enterprise, the way to meet the needs of customers, maintain and develop potential, and manage the enterprise. The listed components are unique for each enterprise, and their successful combination determines the competitiveness of an entrepreneurial idea.

The concept of "competitiveness of an enterprise" is also influenced by the fact that the enterprise itself can act as:

§ a product that has a market value in the stock markets (stock price, market value of a business);

§ a product that has an investment value in the capital market (the value of investment in an existing business and its expansion - diversification).

CONTROL AND SYSTEMATIC RE-PLANNING

To control the implementation of the business plan, checkpoints are defined that will allow you to monitor whether everything is going as planned. Usually plans are made a year in advance, but there is no need to wait a year to understand whether the plan has been implemented or not. The ratio of income and expenses of the organization, the state of cash, the level of inventory in the warehouse, the implementation of production plans, the quality of goods, invoices that have been transferred from the previous period, and others must be constantly checked (for example, once a month). The control system consists of several elements.

Stock control. By controlling the level of stock, the organization thinks both about itself and about the buyer of its products; the faster it can recoup the money embodied in raw materials and finished products in the warehouse, the faster this money can be invested in the business and, thus, more goods and services the organization can provide to its consumers.

Production control is a comparison of the level of costs that are already provided for in the plan with reporting indicators. Particular attention should be focused on such indicators as the payload of machinery and equipment, the number of man-hours worked, the length of the production cycle, waiting time and downtime.

Quality control. Quality control depends on the type of production, but its goal is the same - to ensure trouble-free operation in the manufacture of products.

Sales control. Information about the growth of sales in physical and cost terms, about the average cost of one purchase, about compliance with delivery dates, about the share of goods sold on credit, is very useful for a correct idea of ​​how things are going in the organization. A reliable system for monitoring the enrollment of payments is needed to avoid overdue accounts and bad debts.

Cost control. For any new organization, it is extremely important to keep track of how much money is spent and for what purposes.

Systematic adjustment of the business plan. Information in the business plans of organizations becomes obsolete over time. The business plan is influenced by external factors: the economic situation in the country, new customer needs, the emergence of new technologies, as well as internal factors (for example, changes in management). This may lead to adjustments to the business plan. The business plan manager must be able to notice information about new trends in the internal life of the organization, in the industry, in market conditions and make changes to the business plan. Adjusting the plan allows you to change the methods of achieving them with the same goals, which means increasing the organization's chances of success.

13.Methodology and organization of business planning.

To carry out the planning process at the proper level, it is necessary to know the planning methodology.

Planning methodology, like any other methodological science, is quite complex and is a system of theoretical provisions, principles, methods, logical approaches, indicators used in the process of organizing and building theoretical and practical planning activities.

The basis of the planning methodology is a systematic approach, according to which each object in the process of its study should be considered as a complex system and, at the same time, as an element of a more general system. From these positions, the planning methodology should also be used in the course of developing plans.

The solution of any problems of management, and, consequently, of planning, has a certain logic - an ordered sequence, mutual consistency and validity of the procedures associated with the solution of any planning problem, as well as the determination of the starting point from which the movement begins and on which the entire planning process should be based.

The planning logic defines the planning process.

The planning process includes the following steps:

1. Definition and formulation of a goal or system of goals (starting point of planning logic)

2. Analysis of the initial level of the object and the formation of the final situation

3. Search for alternatives

4. Evaluation and selection of the best alternative

5. Choosing and designing the best solution

Planning is based on certain patterns, called principles. Principles- starting fundamental concepts that define the tasks, directions and nature of the development of plans, as well as verification of their implementation. Their correct application creates the prerequisites for effective work, reduces the possibility of negative results.

For the first time, the principles of planning were formulated by A. Fayol. In 1916 in the book "General and industrial management" he singled out four basic principles of planning: unity, continuity, flexibility, accuracy. Subsequently, R. Ackoff supplemented them with the fifth principle - participation.

Unity principle(systematic) suggests that planning should be systemic. In accordance with this principle, both the system as a whole and each of its subsystems must perform the function of planning in the direction of a single goal vector. Linking plans should be carried out by integrating and differentiating vertically and by coordinating horizontally. The more elements and levels in the system, the more profitable it is to plan them simultaneously and in interconnection.

Continuity principle defines the planning process as a continuous process within the established cycle, when the developed plans replace each other. The principle concerns, first of all, plans of different time periods, but also includes the connection of planning with forecasting, the circuit and the sequence of planning stages.

Principle of Flexibility is to give the plans and the planning process the ability to change its direction in connection with the occurrence of unforeseen circumstances. In addition, in accordance with this principle, the plans must provide for reserves ( "pillows" or "security allowances" ), which should amortize the results of work in case of deterioration in operating conditions.

The principle of accuracy requires the validity, detailing and concretization of plans to the extent that external and internal conditions allow. The validity of the plan in numerical terms means its compliance with the available resources, including the labor costs of the performers.

Participation principle means that the development of plans should include all specialists of the facility, and, if necessary, external specialists and partners. In the process of such work, new ideas are introduced, one's own vision of solving problems is proposed, which significantly enriches and refines the content of the plans, ensuring their necessity and reality.

In modern domestic science and planning practice, in addition to the considered classical principles, the so-called general classical principles have become widely known:

  • complexity
  • optimality
  • dynamism
  • efficiency
  • stability

14. Risk assessment methods

Risk assessment is a set of analytical measures that make it possible to predict the possibility of obtaining additional business income or a certain amount of damage from a risk situation that has arisen and untimely taking measures to prevent risk.
The degree of risk is the probability of a loss occurring, as well as the amount of possible damage from it. The risk may be:

  • admissible - there is a threat of complete loss of profit from the implementation of the planned project;
  • critical - non-receipt of not only profits, but also revenues and coverage of losses at the expense of the entrepreneur's funds is possible;
  • catastrophic - loss of capital, property and bankruptcy of the entrepreneur are possible.

Quantitative analysis is the determination of the specific amount of monetary damage to individual subspecies of financial risk and financial risk in the aggregate.
Sometimes a qualitative and quantitative analysis is carried out on the basis of an assessment of the influence of internal and external factors: an element-by-element assessment of the share of their influence on the operation of a given enterprise and its monetary value is carried out. This method of analysis is quite laborious from the point of view of quantitative analysis, but brings its undoubted results in qualitative analysis. In connection with this, more attention should be paid to the description of methods for quantitative analysis of financial risk, since there are many of them and some skill is required for their competent application.
In absolute terms, the risk can be determined by the amount of possible losses in material (physical) or cost (monetary) terms.
In relative terms, risk is defined as the amount of possible losses related to a certain base, in the form of which it is most convenient to take either the property state of the enterprise, or the total cost of resources for this type of entrepreneurial activity, or the expected income (profit). Then we will consider losses as a random deviation of profit, income, revenue in the direction of decrease. compared to expected values. Entrepreneurial loss is primarily an accidental decrease in entrepreneurial income. It is the magnitude of such losses that characterizes the degree of risk. Hence, risk analysis is primarily associated with the study of losses.
Depending on the magnitude of probable losses, it is advisable to divide them into three groups:

  • losses, the value of which does not exceed the estimated profit, can be called admissible;
  • losses, the value of which is greater than the estimated profit, are classified as critical - such losses will have to be compensated from the pocket of the entrepreneur;
  • even more dangerous is the catastrophic risk, in which the entrepreneur risks incurring losses in excess of all his property.

If it is possible to predict in one way or another, to assess the possible losses from this operation, then a quantitative assessment of the risk that the entrepreneur is taking has been obtained. By dividing the absolute value of possible losses by the estimated cost or profit, we obtain a quantitative risk assessment in relative terms, in percent. Speaking about the fact that the risk is measured by the magnitude of the possible. possible losses, the random nature of such losses should be taken into account. The probability of an event occurring can be determined by an objective method and a subjective one. The objective method is used to determine the probability of an event occurring based on a calculation of the frequency with which the event occurs.
The subjective method is based on the use of subjective criteria, which are based on various assumptions. Such assumptions may include the appraiser's judgment, his personal experience, the assessment of the rating expert, the opinion of the auditor-consultant, etc.
Thus, the assessment of financial risks is based on finding the relationship between certain amounts of losses of the enterprise and the probability of their occurrence. This dependence finds expression in the constructed curve of probabilities of occurrence of a certain level of losses.
The construction of the curve is an extremely difficult task, requiring sufficient experience of knowledge from employees dealing with financial risk issues. Various methods are used to construct a probability curve for the occurrence of a certain level of losses (risk curve): statistical; cost feasibility analysis; method of expert assessments; analytical method; analogy method. Among them, three should be highlighted: the statistical method, the method of expert assessments, and the analytical method.
The essence of the statistical method lies in the fact that the statistics of losses and profits that have taken place in a given or similar production are studied, the magnitude and frequency of obtaining one or another economic return is established, and the most probable forecast for the future is made.
Undoubtedly, risk is a probabilistic category, and in this sense it is most reasonable from scientific positions to characterize and measure it as the probability of a certain level of losses occurring. Probability means the possibility of obtaining a certain result.
Financial risk, like any other, has a mathematically expressed probability of a loss, which is based on statistical data and can be calculated with a fairly high accuracy. To quantify the amount of financial risk, it is necessary to know all the possible consequences of any individual action and the likelihood of the consequences themselves.
As applied to economic problems, the methods of probability theory are reduced to determining the values ​​of the probability of occurrence of events and to the choice of the most preferable possible events based on the largest value of the mathematical expectation, which is equal to the absolute value of this event multiplied by the probability of its occurrence.
The main tools of the statistical method for calculating financial risk: variation, variance and standard (root mean square) deviation.
Variation - a change in quantitative indicators during the transition from one version of the result to another. Dispersion is a measure of the deviation of actual knowledge from its average value.
The degree of risk is measured by two indicators: the average expected value and the volatility (variability) of the possible outcome.

The mean expected value is related to the uncertainty of the situation and is expressed as the weighted average of all possible outcomes E(x), where the probability of each outcome (A) is used as the frequency or weight of the corresponding value (x). In general terms, this can be written as follows:

E(x)=A1X1 +A2X2+···+AnXn.

The mean expected value is that value of the event magnitude that is associated with the uncertain situation. It is a weighted average of all possible outcomes, where the probability of each outcome is used as the frequency, or weight, of the corresponding value. Thus, the result that is supposedly expected is calculated.
Cost-benefit analysis is focused on identifying potential risk areas, taking into account the indicators of the financial stability of the company. In this case, you can simply get by with the standard methods of financial analysis of the results of the activities of the main enterprise and the activities of its counterparties (bank, investment fund, client enterprise, issuing enterprise, investor, buyer, seller, etc.).
The method of expert assessments is usually implemented by processing the opinions of experienced entrepreneurs and specialists. It differs from statistical only in the method of collecting information to build a risk curve.
This method involves the collection and study of estimates made by various specialists (of the enterprise or external experts) of the probabilities of occurrence of various levels of losses. These estimates are based on taking into account all financial risk factors, as well as statistical data. The implementation of the method of expert assessments is much more complicated if the number of assessment indicators is small.
The analytical method of constructing a risk curve is the most difficult, since the elements of game theory underlying it are available only to very narrow specialists. A subspecies of the analytical method is more commonly used - model sensitivity analysis.
Model sensitivity analysis consists of the following steps: selection of a key indicator against which the sensitivity is assessed (internal rate of return, net present value, etc.); choice of factors (inflation rate, the degree of the state of the economy, etc.); calculation of key indicator values ​​at various stages of the project implementation (purchase of raw materials, production, sales, transportation, capital construction, etc.).
The sequences of costs and receipts of financial resources formed in this way make it possible to determine the flows of funds of funds for each moment (or period of time), i.e. define performance indicators. Diagrams are constructed that reflect the dependence of the selected resulting indicators on the value of the initial parameters. Comparing the obtained diagrams with each other, it is possible to determine the so-called key indicators that have the greatest influence on the assessment of the profitability of the project.
Sensitivity analysis also has serious drawbacks: it is not comprehensive and does not specify the likelihood of alternative projects being implemented.
The method of analogies in the analysis of the risk of a new project is very useful, since in this case data on the consequences of the impact of adverse financial risk factors on other similar projects of other competing enterprises are examined.
Indexation is a way to preserve the real value of monetary resources (capital) and profitability in the face of inflation. It is based on the use of various indexes.
For example, when analyzing and forecasting financial resources, it is necessary to take into account price changes, for which price indices are used. Price index - an indicator that characterizes the change in prices over a certain period of time.
Thus, the existing methods for constructing a probability curve for the occurrence of a certain level of losses are not entirely equivalent, but one way or another they make it possible to make an approximate assessment of the total amount of financial risk.

1. The concept of competition

Competitiveness- the actual and potential ability of companies to design, manufacture and market products that, in terms of their price and non-price parameters, are more attractive than competitors' products.

The main conditions for ensuring the competitiveness of the enterprise:

1) implementation of decentralization of production and marketing operations. To this end, enterprises should create semi-autonomous or autonomous branches, fully responsible for profits and losses. These departments are entrusted with full responsibility for the organization of production and marketing activities. In a relatively small corporate governance body, only strategic development issues related to large investments are concentrated;

2) innovative expansion, search for new markets and diversification of operations. This direction is implemented through the creation of innovative companies within the framework of large companies focused on the production and independent promotion of new products and technologies on the markets and operating on the principles of "risk financing";

3) debureaucratization, constant increase in the creative and production efficiency of the personnel. To this end, a wide variety of measures should be used, including the distribution of shares among the staff and the formation of enterprises collectively owned by their employees;

4) the use of scientific approaches to strategic management.

In a market economy, a manufacturer cannot for a long time take a stable position in the market, relying solely on the competitiveness of its products. It is necessary to assess the competitiveness of the manufacturer, and not the individual product. Such an approach should become commonplace for enterprises developing a new market when making decisions on expanding or reducing activities, as well as when solving a whole range of managerial tasks and problems.

Approaches to assessing the competitiveness of enterprises. According to the theory of effective competition, the intensity of competition and, consequently, the level of competitiveness of the company are determined by the potential of the market; ease of entry into it; type of goods; market homogeneity; the structure of the industry or the competitive positions of firms; opportunities for technological innovation, etc.

The analysis of these factors should be accompanied by a detailed assessment of the economic performance of the firm. This approach allows, within certain limits, to draw conclusions about the activities of not only an individual enterprise, but also the industry as a whole.

The most optimal in terms of information content and practical applicability of the results obtained is a comprehensive assessment of the level of competitiveness. It is based on a thorough analysis of the technological, financial, production and marketing capabilities of the company according to certain indicators. As a result of their analysis, an information array is obtained, which is a significant basis for making further managerial decisions of a structural and infrastructural nature.

2. Methods for assessing competitiveness

The problem of assessing the competitiveness of an enterprise is complex and complex, since competitiveness is made up of many different factors. However, this assessment is necessary for the enterprise to carry out a number of activities, such as the development of basic directions for the creation and manufacture of products that are in demand; assessment of the prospects for the sale of specific types of products and the formation of the nomenclature; setting prices for products, etc. At present, the methodology and methodology for conducting the assessment are not sufficiently developed. The complexity of the category of competitiveness is due to the variety of approaches to its assessment.

Among basic methods analysis in the economic literature, the following stand out:

1) horizontal analysis, or trend analysis, in which indicators are compared with those for other periods;

2) vertical analysis, in which the structure of indicators is examined by gradually descending to a lower level of detail;

3) factor analysis - analysis of the influence of individual elements of the competitiveness of an enterprise on general economic indicators;

4) comparative analysis - comparison of the studied indicators with similar industry averages or with similar indicators of competitors.

As a rule, the following methods for assessing the competitiveness of an enterprise are distinguished in the economic literature:

1) assessment from the standpoint of comparative advantages;

2) assessment from the standpoint of equilibrium theory;

3) assessment based on the theory of competition efficiency;

4) assessment based on product quality;

5) requirements profile;

6) polarity profile;

7) matrix method;

8) SWOT analysis;

9) construction of a "hypothetical competitiveness polygon".

It should be noted that the above methods for assessing the competitiveness of an enterprise are unidirectional: one method takes into account the reserves in the use of production factors, the other - the cost of these factors, the next - the quality of products. In our opinion, the competitiveness of an enterprise should be assessed comprehensively according to all criteria and areas of activity.

The method of expert assessments is based on the generalization of the opinions of expert experts on risk probabilities. Intuitive characteristics based on the knowledge and experience of an expert give fairly accurate estimates in some cases. Expert methods allow you to quickly and without large time and labor costs to obtain the information necessary to develop a management decision.

The essence of expert methods lies in the organized collection of judgments and assumptions of experts with subsequent processing of the received answers and the formation of results.

There are many methods for obtaining expert assessments. In some, they work with each expert separately, he does not even know who else is an expert, and therefore expresses his opinion regardless of the authorities. In others, experts are brought together, where the experts discuss the problem with each other, learn from each other, and incorrect opinions are discarded. In some methods, the number of experts is fixed, in others, the number of experts grows in the course of the examination.

3. The concept of factors affecting competitiveness and their classification. Internal and external factors of enterprise competitiveness

An analysis of the competitive position of an enterprise in the market involves finding out not only its strengths and weaknesses, but also those factors that, to one degree or another, affect the attitude of buyers towards the enterprise. Factor- this is the main resource both at the level of the production activity of the enterprise, and in the economy as a whole; factor is the driving force of economic, production processes that affect the result of production, economic activity.

Factors of competitiveness- these are the phenomena and processes of the production and economic activities of the enterprise and the socio-economic life of society that 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. Factors can change the competitiveness of an enterprise upwards and downwards. Factors are what contribute to the transformation of possibilities into reality. Factors determine the means and methods of using competitiveness reserves. It should be noted that 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.

Competitiveness factors include: the financial position of the enterprise; the state of the base for own research and development and the level of expenditures on them; availability of advanced technology; availability of highly qualified personnel; ability to product and price maneuvering; availability of a distribution network; maintenance status; the possibility of lending; the effectiveness of advertising and sales promotions; availability of information, solvency of the main buyers.

The competitiveness of an enterprise consists of the following factors:

1) resource - the cost of resources per unit of finished product. The enterprise itself is able to control the increase in labor productivity, capital productivity, overall production efficiency, and, consequently, the resource factor for the growth of competitiveness;

2) price - the level and dynamics of prices for all used resources and finished products. This factor is less controlled by the enterprise, since the price level in the country largely depends on the economic policy of the state;

3) "environmental factor" - this factor, according to the author, includes such components as: the economic and political situation in the country and the degree of influence of the state on the market counterparty.

Based on this classification of factors of competitiveness of an enterprise, an enterprise cannot control all factors of competitiveness, and therefore the active intervention of the state in economic processes as an effective guarantor of rights and obligations is becoming increasingly important.

The activity of any enterprise is under the influence of both factors that arise in the closed contact of the subject of the economy and the managerial task, and factors that arise in the open interaction of the enterprise with the external environment in solving the same problem. The whole set of factors of competitiveness of the enterprise in relation to it is divided into external and internal.

Internal factors- objective criteria that determine the ability of the enterprise to ensure its own competitiveness. Internal factors include:

1) the potential of marketing services;

2) scientific and technical potential;

3) production and technological potential;

4) financial and economic potential;

5) personnel potential (structure, professionally qualified composition);

7) the level of logistics;

8) conditions of storage, transportation, packaging of products;

9) the level of loading and unloading operations and transport services carried out in accordance with the requirements;

10) preparation and development of production processes, selection of the optimal production technology;

11) the effectiveness of production control, testing, surveys;

12) the level of maintenance in the post-production period;

13) the level of service and warranty service.

External factors- socio-economic and organizational relations that allow the enterprise to create products that are more attractive in terms of price and non-price characteristics.

External factors should be understood as:

1) measures of state influence: of an economic nature (depreciation, tax, financial and credit policy, investment policy, participation in the international division of labor); administrative nature (development, improvement and implementation of legislative acts, demonopolization of the economy, the state system of standardization and certification, legal protection of consumer interests);

2) the main characteristics of the market itself of the activity of this enterprise (its type and capacity, the presence and capabilities of competitors);

3) activities of public and non-state institutions;

4) the activities of political parties, movements, blocs that shape the socio-economic situation in the country.

Thus, the competitiveness of an enterprise is a combination, on the one hand, of the characteristics of the enterprise itself (internal factors), and on the other hand, external factors in relation to it.

In Russia, managing the activities of enterprises and ensuring their proper level of competitiveness in the context of expanding their rights and obligations and the need to adapt to changes are very difficult.

Flexible adaptation to the external environment, which plays an important role in our country, is one of the conditions for the functioning of an economic entity. Currently, the importance of environmental factors is increasing. It is necessary to select a well-defined specific set of factors that affect the operation of the enterprise in a specific period of time.

Competitiveness is the ability of a business entity to get ahead of rivals using its advantages to achieve its goals.

Definition

This concept is one of the integral characteristics that can be used in evaluating the effectiveness of economic activities of representatives of the business sector. In other words, competitiveness is the ability of a subject to withstand competition.

Approaches to the concept of "competitiveness"

In the thematic economic literature, one can find a variety of approaches to the definition of this concept:

From the standpoint of considering the features of the goals of the study and setting the task, which can lead one or another author to focus on a specific aspect of competitiveness;

As a result of the analysis of the features of the choice of the subject of research itself, which leads to the choice of the subject of competition (goods or services), subjects (enterprises, organizations, industries or the national economy of the state as a whole), etc.

Main types

There is competition at the level of:

Industries;

Region;

Enterprises;

products.

At the country level, competitiveness is the ability of the state to produce such goods and services that would meet the requirements of the world market, which would create conditions for increasing resources and ensure stable growth in the quality of life of people and GDP.

Competitiveness of the region - a similar formulation, but in this case all concepts are given at the level of the region, and instead of GDP, we are talking about the growth rate of GRP.

Considering the competitiveness of an organization, it should be noted that these are the possibilities of a business entity to achieve its goals in conditions of often fierce competition. In this case, we can also talk about meeting the needs of consumers in the production process and offering goods that have certain advantages over analogues on the market.

The competitiveness of an organization should be considered as a combination of all the main characteristics of the enterprise itself, which can be determined by its potential, external socio-economic and organizational factors that make it possible to create products that are attractive to consumers.

And, finally, the competitiveness of a product is its ability for buyers to be attractive in comparison with other products due to its quality and cost characteristics, as well as consumer assessments.

Factors of competitiveness

To achieve some success in a modern market economy, the effective use of various factors that affect competitiveness, namely:

Communication policy of rival companies;

Development of new products and assignment of trade brands and marks;

Attractiveness and quality of packaging of goods;

Efficiency and organization of the service policy of competing firms;

Organization of sales of products from rivals and its main indicators;

Rationality of channels for the movement of goods from similar enterprises in the market.

In other words, the competitiveness factors reflect the indicators that are involved in the specific struggle of entrepreneurial structures to demand their own products, expand the circle of customers and increase their share in the modern market.

External factors

The factors influencing the efficiency of business activities of various business structures that can be used by competitiveness analysis include:

State factors expressed in economic methods (for example, depreciation and tax policies, financial and credit and investment policies, targeted programs and customs policy) and administrative and legal methods (certification, standardization according to the legislative framework);

Market factors determined by the type and size of the market, competitors, labor resources, labor market, income level and industry characteristics;

Socio-political factors in the form of public organizations, political stability, cultural level and social position.

Internal factors

The ongoing competitiveness assessment can use the following internal factors:

The organizational structure of the enterprise (for example, financial, economic and production and technological potential, as well as logistics);

Innovative factor expressed in personnel potential, control and analysis of innovations, system of certificates and standards;

Quality of service and operation in the form of packaging, storage, transportation of products, environmental friendliness of products, recycling possibilities, etc.

Problematic issues

Competitiveness is associated with many controversial issues. This is, firstly, determining the degree of adequacy of the entire production and technical structure to the requirements in the field of marketing, assessing the possibility of effective resource saving in the production of high-quality and economical products.

Secondly, an increase in the level of competition between enterprises can affect the degree of awareness among employees of the organization's strategy and its goals.

Thirdly, increasing the competitiveness of the regulatory framework depends on regulations, technological and methodological documentation, as well as various qualities of finished products.

Fourthly, rivalry in the field of information resources can be expressed in a certain practical applicability, consistency and power of attorney.

Increasing the competitiveness of the enterprise

The success of any entrepreneur also depends on such an important factor as the internal environment, which is directly dependent both on the entrepreneur himself and on his competence, determination, willpower, skills and abilities in the process of doing business. In this case, it is impossible not to mention that the increase in the competitiveness of an enterprise is influenced by the strict observance by the entrepreneurs themselves and their managers of the regulations that are responsible for regulating the activities of a particular business, or the organizational and legal form.

Competitive advantages

These indicators can manifest themselves in the organizational, economic and technical and technological spheres of the entrepreneur's activity in the form of profit, high profitability and growth in sales. The assessment of competitiveness allows, using modern technologies, to reduce the cost of finished products, the effective use of certain market segments, as well as rapid adaptation to its changes.

An important criterion for grouping competitive advantages is the basic condition that determines the nature of the source of their manifestation. According to this feature, the following types of such advantages are known:

Economic orientation (state of the market, government policy, market factors that have a stimulating effect on demand, as well as the degree of allocation of financial resources of the enterprise);

Legal and regulatory benefits provided in the form of benefits, subsidies, subventions, customs legislation;

The structural nature of competitiveness, expressed in the integration of the production process and the sale of finished products;

Administrative nature, manifested in the restrictions on the part of the municipal and state authorities when issuing licenses and patents, quotas, etc.;

Technical character in the form of technical and technological features of production.

Competitiveness factors are those phenomena and processes of the production and economic activity of an enterprise and the socio-economic life of society that cause a change in the absolute and relative value of production costs, and as a result, a change in the level of competitiveness of an enterprise. Factors can change the competitiveness of an enterprise upwards and downwards.

Competitiveness factors include: the financial position of the enterprise; the state of the base for own R&D and the level of expenditures on them; availability of advanced technology; availability of highly qualified personnel; ability to product and price maneuvering; availability of a distribution network; maintenance status; the possibility of lending; the effectiveness of advertising and sales promotion tools; solvency of the main buyers.

The competitiveness of an enterprise consists of the following factors:

l resource - the cost of resources per unit of finished product;

l price - the level and dynamics of prices for all used resources and finished products;

l "environmental factor" - this factor includes: the economic and political situation in the country and the degree of state influence on the market counterparty.

The whole set of factors of competitiveness of the enterprise in relation to it is divided into external and internal.

Internal factors are objective criteria that determine the ability of an enterprise to ensure its own competitiveness (scientific and technical potential, financial and economic potential, personnel potential, advertising effectiveness, conditions for storage, transportation, packaging of products, the level of service and warranty service, etc.)

External factors - socio-economic and organizational relations that allow the company to create products that are more attractive in terms of price and non-price characteristics.

External factors should be understood as:

l measures of state influence: of an economic nature (depreciation, tax, financial and credit policy); administrative nature;

l the main characteristics of the market itself of the activity of this enterprise (its type and capacity, the presence and capabilities of competitors);

l activities of public and non-state institutions;

l the activities of political parties, movements, blocs that shape the socio-economic situation in the country.

As noted in the source, the criteria for the competitiveness of an enterprise should be considered as factors of the competitiveness of a product, assessed from the position of the consumer. These factors include:

  • -- production;
  • -- market;
  • --sales;
  • - service.

American marketing firm A.S. Nielsen" in the 70s. the competitive capabilities of a manufacturing company were assessed using a simple semantic scale: “above average”, “average” and “below average”. Production capabilities according to this method were evaluated according to three indicators: 1) equipment and personnel; 2) raw materials; 3) engineering and technical knowledge and experience of the staff.

Over the past decades, the level of enterprise management has grown significantly, and the system of performance indicators has improved significantly.

Evaluation of the characteristics underlying market factors allows you to get an answer to the question: how will the market accept a particular product? The manufacturer must give a partial answer to this question at the stage of designing a new product. The need for a detailed description of market opportunities arises already in the development of the production of new products intended for a specific market and in the search for new markets.

Market factors are the subject of the Marketing discipline. Therefore, they will be considered rather briefly and only in terms of their quantitative assessment as part of a general assessment of the competitiveness of goods.

Sales and service factors operate at separate stages of product distribution. Their action must be taken into account by manufacturers and intermediaries - the subjects of the distribution channel, carrying out the promotion of goods from the manufacturer to the consumer.

Sales factors directly affect the competitiveness of services and indirectly, through service factors, on the competitiveness of goods. If the specialists of the manufacturer managed to create a successful design and technology of a new product, but the company's managers could not ensure its effective sale or find qualified traders, then the company will fail. A poorly organized dealer network, the establishment of inflated trade discounts or margins by traders can nullify hard-earned profits.

Marketing firm A. S. Nielsen (USA) proposed three marketing factors:

  • 1) linking new products with the range of products;
  • 2) creation of an extensive dealer network;
  • 3) advertising software.

This list should be supplemented with three more factors:

  • 1) the form of payment with the supplier;
  • 2) transportability of goods;
  • 3) delivery reliability.

According to the method of the firm "A.S. Nielsen" factor "linking new products with the range of products" increases the competitiveness of the product if the product complements the existing incomplete range. In this case, its production contributes to the sale of other products. If a new product does not fit well with the existing assortment, then its sale will lead to a decrease in demand for the rest of the product.

Creation of an extensive dealer network is also a significant factor in competitiveness. Competitors seek to secure their business by creating an extensive network of product sales. This factor will help to improve competitiveness if sales are fully supported by the existing network and the existing staff of sales specialists. The influence of the factor will be negative if the sale of goods requires additional channels, major changes in the staff and training of sales managers.

Advertising collateral is highly valued if the improved features of a new product provide a good opportunity for effective advertising, promotion, and product demonstration, especially in ways the firm is better at. If the quality of the new product is equal to that of competing products, the assessment of the factor will be low if the organization of advertising work in the company is at a lower level than that of the main competitors.

The form of payment with the supplier of goods involves cash, bank transfer, prepayment. The financial capabilities of stores in some cases do not allow purchasing goods from suppliers (manufacturers) who sell goods on the basis of prepayment for a consignment of goods.

The transportability of goods is determined by a wide range of indicators. This is due to the variety of products, methods and means of their transportation. Most of the indicators are cost indicators, such as transportation costs, and affect the price of consumption. The basis of transportability can be based on the persistence of the goods, and in this sense it affects competitiveness through quality.

Reliability of supply is an important condition for mastering the market.

Service factors operate at the stage of circulation and are taken into account in the activities of both manufacturers providing services, and enterprises in the sphere of personal services.

The services of retailers play an important role in shaping the competitiveness of goods. They are at the stages of pre-sales and after-sales service.

Factors at the pre-sales stage include:

  • 1) the conditions for the acquisition of goods and the form of payment;
  • 2) demonstration of a complex technical product in action and providing the buyer with the opportunity to taste the food product;
  • 3) selection of goods, based on the individual characteristics of the buyer.

The traditional approach to the question of the factors of the company's competitiveness is associated with the selection of parameters that characterize:

  • qualitative features of the company (technological level of production, qualification of personnel and quality of management, assortment and quality of products, distribution channels and marketing efficiency, presence of a trademark and brand)
  • features of its business environment (volume and dynamics of demand, intensity of competition, investment climate, tax system and administrative regulation, availability of funding sources).

These parameters undoubtedly have an impact on the competitiveness of firms and should be taken into account in its analysis. At the same time, describing the state of the firm and the environment, they do not reflect the forces that ensure the firm's ability to learn. If we consider the issue of factors from the standpoint of competitiveness, which is based on the creation of new knowledge by the firm, the emphasis should be shifted to parameters that reflect precisely this ability of the firm. With this approach, three groups of factors of the firm's competitiveness should be distinguished: micro-, meso- and macroeconomic.

Microeconomic factors are a set of intra-company properties that ensure the generation of new knowledge and skills that form the dynamic capabilities of the company. Among these properties, we highlight the following.

  • innovative activity, which is determined by the level of technological structure, professionalism of the personnel apparatus and the type of organizational culture based on values ​​that counteract the strengthening of organizational conservatism;
  • Organizational Flexibility It is expressed in the ability of the company to bring its actual state in line with the required one with minimal time and money. It includes: 1) operational flexibility - the ability to maintain efficiency and profitability in the face of a sharp fluctuation in demand; 2) structural adaptability - the ability to rebuild the organizational structure in accordance with the requirements of the environment; 3) strategic adaptability (transformability) - the ability to radically update or change their basic competencies in order to move to the production of qualitatively new products.
  • Ability to quickly make the right decisions in conditions of dynamic competition and a high degree of uncertainty of market changes, it becomes the most important advantage of the company. It is associated with the ability to highlight the most significant facts, recognize the causal relationship between them, build probable solutions and choose the best of them. The condition for this ability is a corporate culture based on constant monitoring of the internal and external environment, as well as the involvement of a wide range of employees in the decision-making process.
  • Competitive spirit- it's not just a willingness to compete and the desire to win. This is a type of behavior that is motivated by a continuous drive to excel. Therefore, a form of expression of the competitive spirit is a victory not over competitors, but over oneself. The difficulty lies in the fact that the achievement of such a property is possible only by creating a system of incentives that combines elements of rivalry (but not competition) and cooperation at the same time.

Mesoeconomic factors - ego intra-industry parameters that determine the entrepreneurial climate in the industry - the type and nature of the behavior of competing firms. Prominent among them are:

  • Type of industry demand. A steadily growing or shrinking world does not encourage innovation and learning, encouraging firms to focus on economies of scale. On the contrary, the uncertainty of changes in demand associated with differentiation, by creating motivation for gaining competitive advantages by adapting to changing needs, contributes to the intensification of innovation activity.
  • Degree of uniformity(applied technologies and size of firms) industries. Innovative activity and learning are most intense in industries with an average level of homogeneity. With a high homogeneity of the industry, the possibilities for obtaining information about innovations are limited, which weakens the possibility of their dissemination, and hence training. High industry heterogeneity narrows the number of points of contact between competitors, causing a break in information links and difficulties in disseminating knowledge.
  • Type of industry competition. The learning process of firms is more intensive in the conditions of non-price competition. Intense price competition leads to the absorption of added value and reduces the innovative activity of competitors.
  • Type of communication links in the industry expressed in the intensity of interaction and in the degree of openness of contacts among competitors. Industries characterized by their close interaction demonstrate more active learning, which is expressed in the effect of the “infectious” spread of innovations, i.e., in a flexible response to competitors' innovations through imitation.
  • The level of development of related and supporting industries determines the intensity and speed of innovation, due to access to high-quality complementary resources, as well as due to the rapid exchange of information through emerging cooperative ties between firms.
  • Degree of industry globalization. The higher the integration of industry firms into world economic relations, the faster knowledge spreads among them and the more actively the process of their learning.

Macroeconomic factors form the general conditions for the functioning of firms and, as such, have an active influence on the development of their competitive potential. They act as hemi quantitative and qualitative parameters of the environment, which determine the dominant type of behavior of firms through the mechanism of competitive selection. It can be innovative, when competitive advantages are gained through innovation, or rent-seeking, when competitive advantages are maintained due to the presence of special dispositions and special positions. Among the most important macroeconomic factors, we highlight the following.

  • The volume and structure of aggregate demand, determined by the level of income of the population, have an active influence on the choice of competitive strategies of firms. Under conditions of small and homogeneous demand, firms are deprived of incentives for deep product differentiation, which hinders their organizational development and thereby undermines competitiveness. Differentiated demand, on the contrary, leading to market segmentation, creates a wide field for the implementation of the various capabilities of firms, contributing to the development of their competitive properties through the accumulation of knowledge both through self-improvement and the exchange of experience.
  • The level of development of productive societies, manifested in the level of development of technology and technology, general educational and vocational training of the workforce, in the level of development of science and the degree of its application in production, can be called the determining factor of competitiveness, since it creates the prerequisites and opportunities for the implementation of creative behavior.
  • Level of market development and access to investment resources determine "the ability of firms to combine factors of production. The more developed the market, the greater access it provides to larger and more diverse production resources, which naturally facilitates the innovative search for firms.
  • The quality of law-making and regulatory institutions(legislation and bodies ensuring its application) is a factor that determines the principles of remuneration of competitors and the sources of formation of their benefits, and through the ego and the type of economic behavior - competitive-innovative or rent-oriented. The quality of institutions depends on their ability to provide uniform and equal requirements for all rivals, rewarding them strictly in accordance with the results achieved. Figuratively speaking, this is achieved through the rule of law.
  • Moral Sanctioning of Entrepreneurship along with those noted may seem to be a little significant factor. In fact, it plays a very significant role, moreover, it increases with the transition to a knowledge economy. The legal sanctioning of entrepreneurship provides economic freedom to competitors in the form of the opportunity to choose the type of activity, have equal access to resources and markets, and appropriate income. Moral sanctioning means not only justifying the acquisitive motivation of entrepreneurship, but also recognizing it as a creative force, which contributes to the revitalization of entrepreneurial activity, in particular, in the innovation sphere.
  • Ethics and social responsibility of business are becoming more and more prominent. The requirements for them are becoming tougher, and the scope of these requirements is expanding. These demands are becoming more informal, linked to worldview imperatives (protection of animals and the environment, fight against global warming and smoking), while the number of observing stakeholders represented by non-governmental organizations is increasing. With the trust of society and the ability to quickly mobilize public opinion, public organizations have become an influential condition for the formation of the competitiveness of the company, capable of depriving the company of competitiveness in the blink of an eye by undermining its reputation at the slightest discrepancy between the behavior of the company and public sentiment. Under these conditions, the ability to capture socio-political sentiments, take them into account when making strategic decisions, and develop a behavior strategy that meets these sentiments becomes the most important factor in increasing the competitiveness of a company.
  • Globalization becomes not just a significant factor in the competitiveness of the company, but turns into a mega-factor, the action of which absorbs and levels out other macroeconomic factors: features of the parameters of market demand and supply, as well as regulatory institutions. On the one hand, it serves as a transmission mechanism for market changes that operates beyond national borders, and on the other hand, by eliminating the spatial localization of rivals, it equalizes competitive conditions. Even if they are not directly in contact with each other.

We advise you to read



Similar posts