Scientific and Methodological Approaches to a Comprehensive Assessment of the Competitive Potential of Enterprises and Territories

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to generalize and substantiate scientific and methodological approaches to a comprehensive assessment of the competitive potential of enterprises and territories. The methodology of the comprehensive study made it possible to determine the features of the competitive potential of an enterprise; to divide into levels the competitive potential as a system with a view to effective management of business entities; to determine the main functions of analyzing the competitive potential of business entities at different levels; to analyze and substantiate the existing approaches to assessing the competitive potential of an enterprise; to summarize the methods of assessing the competitive potential of an enterprise; to supplement the principles of assessing and forming the competitive potential of enterprises; to substantiate the main approaches, methods and indicators for assessing the competitive potential of territories; to develop an algorithm for measuring the competitive potential of a territory to use the knowledge gained in its management. Methodology. The main research method used was systematic analysis of scientific and methodological approaches to comprehensive assessment of competitive potential of business entities at various levels, as outlined by the relevance of the work. Monographic, structural and logical methods, methods of analysis and synthesis, comparison, etc. were also used. It is determined that competitive potential is a system of capabilities, competencies and resources, under the influence of which a set of internal competitive advantages is formed in dynamics, which include two components: adaptability and innovation, and which are constantly under the influence of external and internal factors and form the level of competitiveness of economic entities at different levels of management. It has been proved that in order to assess the competitive potential of an enterprise it is advisable to identify, systematize and analyze all the elements that are its components: production, management, human resources, marketing, financial, information and innovation potential. The analysis of the characteristics of these components allows their division into levels for a more efficient management of business entities. Existing approaches to assessment of competitive potential of the enterprise are analyzed. It is determined that the main functions of the analysis of the competitive potential are: objective assessment of the factors determining the increase of the competitive potential; identification of the factors and causes of the achieved status and results; preparation and justification of management decisions; identification and mobilization of reserves for improvement and increase of the competitive potential. The methods used to assess the competitive potential of a company are generalized. The study of scientific and methodological approaches to the comprehensive assessment of the competitive potential of an enterprise allowed to add the principles that contribute to its increase, such as: the orientation of all and each employee to the action, to the continuation of the started business; the proximity of the enterprise to the customer; the creation of a creative atmosphere in the enterprise; the increase of productivity by using the abilities of the employees and their desire to work; simplicity of the organization, the minimum number of management and administrative staff, etc. The results of the study show that the competitive potential of an enterprise is a comprehensive comparative characteristic that reflects the degree of predominance of a set of indicators for assessing the capabilities of an enterprise that determine its success in a particular market over a certain period of time in relation to the set of similar indicators of competing enterprises. The competitive potential of a territory is a set of competitive advantages and attractive features of a given territory, which contribute to the efficient use of available and attractive external resources and distinguish the territory from other competitors in terms of its capabilities for effective socio-economic development. Practical implications. In order to implement the model of measuring the competitive potential of an area, an algorithm has been developed that includes the following steps: determination of the criterion of the competitive potential of an area; substantiation of the model of factors of the competitive potential of an area; formation of a system of requirements for indicators of the attractiveness of an area by factors; selection of a group of indicators for each factor that meet the requirements and characteristics; creation of a mathematical apparatus for the calculation of indicators in the assessment of factors; calculation of indicators and obtaining generalized assessments by factors; aggregation of generalized assessments by competitiveness factors and integrated assessment of the competitive potential of the territory; typology of territories by the level of competitive potential; reflection of individual territories in the ratings of competitive potential assessments; use of the information obtained for strategic planning purposes. Adherence to this sequence and content of work on measuring the competitive potential of the territory will allow to effectively use the knowledge gained in its management. Relevance/originality. The application of the integral method of assessing the competitive potential of a company allows to provide an integrated approach to the assessment of the competitiveness of the company's potential and, in practice, to obtain an assessment of its competitive position on the basis of specific indicators. In addition, the application of this approach to the real conditions of a company's operation makes it possible to take into account both the competitiveness of products and the efficiency of the company's production and economic activities.