INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS OF UKRAINE IN THE FIELD OF RAIL TRANSPORT

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to determine the competitive position of Ukraine in the field of railway transportation in comparison with Poland (a neighbouring country), Switzerland (a benchmark in the field of railway transportation) and Canada (which professes a completely different “American” principle of operating railway networks, where freight transportation is a priority). Methods. In the process of working on the article, the following research methods were used: analysis and synthesis in the selection of indicators and their grouping (production and financial, scientific and technical development, personnel characteristics) depending on the direction they characterise; methods of economic analysis – multidimensional comparative analysis, index analysis, Delphi method in determining the weight of indicators selected for analysis, rating to determine the final positions of each of the countries selected for analysis. Results. Among the main results of the study is the determination of Ukraine’s competitive position, primarily in comparison with Poland as a neighbouring country. The next most important is the group of indicators that put Ukraine behind the Swiss railways’ benchmarks, in particular, the quality of infrastructure and electrification. The scientific novelty of the results obtained is an attempt to assess the competitive positions of railway transport, which seemingly cannot compete with each other, since each of them operates in a separate territory (in most cases within the same country) and their interests hardly overlap. Currently, this is not entirely true, since, after the large-scale invasion, due to the blockade of Ukrainian seaports, a significant part of export and import commodity flows has moved to rail transport, and by analysing the situation in each individual transit country, it is possible to choose the direction that will be most acceptable for the long-distance transportation of goods to “third” countries. The practical significance of the results obtained can be viewed from at least two perspectives. The first is the indicators that have caused the Ukrainian railway to lag behind the benchmark state (Switzerland) and the work to improve the situation in each of the areas. The second side is the possibility of conducting a similar assessment of the situation in rail transport among all of Ukraine’s neighbouring countries and identifying the highest priority areas for sending most of the export and import cargo to “third” countries.