ASSESSMENT OF PREREQUISITES FOR INCREASING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF WATER TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

Abstract

Topicality. The transport system ensures the functioning of the country and its local, interregional, international and cross-border connections. However, the inconsistency of the infrastructure, the level of organization of transportation by numerous parameters, in particular the technical condition of the fleet of the water transport sector, with the world and European standards for the quality of the provision of transport services, requires measures to increase the level of competitiveness of enterprises, the sector and the country as a whole, taking into account the available reserves. The activity of the water transport sector in Ukraine, the functioning of which has a significant impact on the country's competitiveness, requires additional research, the development of scientific and applied tools for assessing the level of competitiveness of enterprises in this area and the justification of mechanisms for its increase.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to assess the prerequisites for increasing the competitiveness of enterprises in the field of water transport in the context of the dynamic development of the transport and logistics system.Research results. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the development of water transport in Ukraine are investigated and the essential characteristics of the concept of “enterprise competitiveness” are generalized. This made it possible to note the main aspects of this concept, in particular: rivalry, the struggle between manufacturers for leading positions in the market; the ability to achieve better results; the ability to compete through the efficient use of resources and to develop innovation; the ability of an enterprise to manufacture products or provide services that are competitive in the marketplace. To diagnose the level of competitiveness of the country as a whole and its individual spheres of activity in relation to other countries, the indicator of the Global Competitiveness Index, its parameters, groups and individual indicators influenced by the functioning of water transport was used. As a result of the study, a rating was determined for 10 competing countries that are closer to Ukraine and in which inland waterways, according to the parameter “Infrastructure” and indicators “Efficiency of port services”, which necessitates measures to increase the level of competitiveness of enterprises in the field of water transport. The dynamics of changes in the main indicators of the efficiency of the sphere's functioning has been analyzed, which made it possible to trace the trends of recent years. The stages of diagnostics of the level of competitiveness of a water transport enterprise are proposed, which take into account the specifics of the field under study, the specialization of the activities of its enterprises and are aimed at the development of applied diagnostic tools. Given the strategic importance of the water transport sector for the country, it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of competitiveness of water transport enterprises and develop methodological recommendations for calculating a comprehensive indicator of the level of competitiveness, highlighting its components and corresponding indicators that will contribute to the timely identification of competitive advantages and the effectiveness of their use.Conclusion. The analysis and assessment of the prerequisites for increasing the competitiveness of enterprises in the field of water transport based on the use of the Global Competitiveness Index, its parameters, groups and individual indicators, taking into account the trends in the field of water transport in Ukraine. It is proposed to take these indicators into account when developing methodological recommendations for calculating a complex indicator of the level of competitiveness of water transport enterprises, highlighting its components and corresponding indicators.