The dissertation investigates the theoretical-methodological and scientific-practical principles of the process of formation and implementation of mechanisms for managing the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine in modern conditions of a dynamic environment. Critical analysis of existing scientific positions on competitiveness management allowed to systematize them and develop a definition of "competitiveness of agricultural enterprises" by identifying it as a comprehensive characteristic of the ability of agricultural enterprises to operate effectively with certain products in certain target markets. Accordingly, the study identified the factors of formation and criteria for assessing the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises.
The dissertation identifies the scientific principles of formation and functioning of the organizational and economic mechanism of competitive relations in the target markets of agricultural enterprises, the mechanism of managing the creation and implementation of competitive advantages of agricultural enterprises, and the mechanism of managing competitive behavior in target markets. Based on the application of the synthetic concept, the principles of construction and operation, as well as the architecture of a comprehensive mechanism for managing the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises, which combines the levers, tools, tools and factors to form the appropriate level of competitiveness take into account the conditions of the latter in the food and resource markets.
The thesis identifies the dynamics of economic efficiency and trends in the level of competitiveness of domestic agricultural enterprises, as well as the relationship of these indicators with the characteristics of competitive construction of target markets for agricultural products. This allowed to identify structural and dynamic trends in the development of competitiveness of domestic agricultural enterprises and relevant management systems. In this context, the priority of using three groups of tools to increase the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises, namely the tools of cost management of agricultural enterprises with regard to creating price competitive advantages, tools for integration of agricultural enterprises, and tools for innovation to create unique competitive advantages for specified agricultural products and sustainable advantages of production and technological nature, which significantly affect the price and quality components of competitiveness. At the same time, the directions of formation of competitive advantages are determined and the reality of their implementation is assessed, taking into account the innovative maturity of enterprises and potential development opportunities.
The dissertation substantiates methodical approaches to determining and maintaining the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises on the basis of maximum use of the system of competitiveness factors in the current legal regulation. Such methodological procedures as comprehensive diagnostics of competitiveness (including assessment of its level and use of competitive potential) and analysis of external conditions (provides risk analysis and assessment of the institutional environment's performance of competition protection functions, elimination of information asymmetry and negative external influences). The current state of the agro-industrial complex is characterized and the competitive positions of domestic agricultural producers in the national and international markets are analyzed, approaches to monitoring the market situation on the main types of agricultural products are proposed, the degree of influence of certain markets is determined.
The research proves that the basis of the mechanism of competitiveness of the enterprise is a system of competitiveness management, which includes control and managed components, which, in turn, consist of elements designed to perform the functions of competitiveness management depending on the levels of its formation. It is established that the main principles of the competitiveness management system of the enterprise are flexibility, adaptability to environmental conditions, efficient use of the competitive potential of the enterprise, innovation, quality of information support. On the basis of the substantiated concept of construction and functioning of the mechanism of management of competitiveness of the agricultural enterprises methodical bases of implementation of tools of realization of competitive behavior of the agricultural enterprises and development of their competitive potential with the further definition of the basic strategies of increase of competitiveness of the enterprises are identified.
