The thesis represents the complex approaches of investigating the substantial improvement of theoretical and methodological fundamentals and development of practical recommendations for managing the competitiveness of agri-food products in Ukraine.
The thesis paper generalizes the theoretical and methodological fundamentals of managing the competitiveness of agri-food products in Ukraine; deepens the theoretical essence with such concepts as "competition", "agri-food products competitiveness", "managing of agri-food products competitiveness". The competition classification features are considered. The process of managing the competitiveness of goods (or products) is characterized. The concept meaning of "managing system of agri-food products competitiveness" is defined. The detailed approaches analysis of product management competitiveness and modern methodology for assessing the food products competitiveness are performed.
Proceeding from the reviewed general theoretical and methodological fundamentals of competition and competitiveness of products in market conditions, the author’s definition of the competitiveness of agri-food products concept is provided, as this product is the study object of the thesis. It is theoretically proved that the competitiveness of agri-food products is a system of qualitative and economic parameters (indicators) and a set of consumer properties of basic types of food products in the food facility that meet the sanitary and hygienic, environmental requirements for their consumption as well as the needs of potential buyers and provide producers of agri-food products with effective profitable long-term production and business activities compared to competitors in the food markets.
The paper identifies the key indicators that characterize the agri-food products competitiveness, which include: costs of food production (product costs); the degree of saturation of the market with this type of product; sales prices of finished agri-food products according to distribution channels; the level of purchasing power of consumers; the level of profitability and production of certain types of food products; the rate of return on food products, etc.
Scientific approaches to understanding the concept of product competitiveness management are grouped into two categories: 1) classical approaches which, according to the author, include process, system, synergetic, situational, structural, functional, reproductive and evolutionary ones, etc.; 2) specific approaches – logical, marketing, innovative, global, integration, optimization ones, an approach based on the concept of "food security", etc.
The necessity of introducing a new author's approach to the whole range of approaches to ensuring product competitiveness is substantiated and proved. This approach is based on the concept of "food security" and, in contrast to the existing both classical and specific approaches, involves not only taking into account economic, organizational, innovative and other competitive advantages of specific products, but the formation of a system of quantitative and qualitative indicators. Adherence to the above will ensure the avoidance of both economic and food hazards, as it is the competitiveness of food products that are the subject of the study.
Having made a detailed description of a large number of existing methodologies for assessing the competitiveness of products, a general scheme for determining a comprehensive indicator of the level of their competitiveness is constructed.
The paper presents an analysis and an analytical assessment of the preconditions and the current state of markets of agri-food products in Ukraine. The export potential of domestic producers of agricultural products is estimated by means of the following indicators: indices of the revealed comparative advantage, actual comparative advantages; relative trade advantages; relative export competitiveness; relative dependence on imports, and other indices. Indicators that assess the competitiveness of domestic food products at the international level are calculated.
