BENCHMARKING AS A TOOL FOR IMPROVING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF ENTERPRISES IN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Анотація

The article considers benchmarking as a tool for increasing the competitiveness of enterprises in international economic activity, with a focus on working with the European Union market. It is argued that in the EU, suppliers are evaluated not only by price and volume, but also by their operating model – their ability to consistently deliver quality, meet delivery deadlines, maintain service, ensure supply chain transparency, be ready for audits, and handle complaints effectively. Under such conditions, benchmarking should be aimed at comparing not only the final indicators, but also the “technology for achieving results”: standards, control points, quality and deadline risk management, documentation, and interaction with counterparties. The impact of the dynamic EU regulatory environment and increased requirements for safety, labeling, and compliance is emphasized, while it is noted that even with changes in regulatory thresholds, commercial requirements of buyers and audit results often remain high; therefore, the benchmarking system should focus on best practices rather than the minimum acceptable level. The criticality of compliance with fiber naming and composition labeling rules is outlined, as well as the need to take into account the trend towards sustainability and circularity, which increases the requirements for product data and value chain transparency. A three-contour benchmarking model for the EU direction is proposed: strategic contour (selection of segment and competitive offer), operational contour (decomposition of results into processes and KPIs), and advisory contour (accelerated “alignment” of the quality system, documentation, planning, and audit readiness with parallel formation of an internal competence team). Key objects of comparison in the EU market have been identified: product and compliance; production processes and quality; foreign economic activity as a system of business processes; economics and operational efficiency. For the operational circuit, examples of priority indicators (OTIF, lead time, defects, returns/claims, material losses in cutting, productivity, planning accuracy, changeover time), and it is emphasized that the comparison should end with a change in standards (control points, instructions, distribution of roles, KPIs), rather than a formal analytical report. The practical result of the article is the justification of a cyclical algorithm for implementing benchmarking: “planning-execution-verification-consolidation,” where “consolidation” involves standardizing changes through the unification of documentation, updating labeling and packaging instructions, setting quality control points, appointing responsible persons, and launching change management mechanisms (regular review of indicators, corrective actions, staff training). It is concluded that this approach enhances process manageability, reduces losses and rework, and increases the reliability of supplies, which are decisive factors for the long-term consolidation of the enterprise in the EU market.

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