Methodological Approaches to Study 'Competitiveness' Notion

The paper is devoted to a detailed and comprehensive analysis of such economic category as competitiveness. Its beginning is focused on plurality of interpretations for a “competitiveness” term depending on goals and objectives, and it also provides a description of such economic category as “competitive advantage”. In addition the paper describes the most widespread approaches to competitiveness based on the opinion of reputable scientists and researchers (J. Faberberg, M. Francis, M. Best, A. Figuera) and it gives a definition of competitiveness at the micro-, meso- and macro levels. Detailed description of competitive relation levels, relationship and interaction between subjects (participants) of competitive relations depending on the competition level (national, international) has been given in the paper. Taking into account the approaches developed by prestigious foreign and national scientists, the author has prepared his own classification of methodological approaches to a definition of competitiveness on the basis of factors that ensure its growth and goals which it is striving for (its qualitative characteristics). The given classification includes seven groups of theories: production theories (theories of production efficiency), institutional theories, theories of technological (innovative) development (improvement), market (marketing) theories, theories of national (social) welfare, management theories and mixed theories. In addition, some indicators have been pinpointed and these indicators make it possible to analyze competitiveness (consumer price index, growth rate of inflation, nominal exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble, GDP growth rate, GDP structure (share of national economy sectors), monetization (ratio M2/GDP), availability of financial (credit) resources: dynamics of refinancing rate, credit rates (collateral, intraday, overnight credit, rates on REPO operations), producer price index (growth rate of prices for raw materials, real wages), level of tax burden for enterprises of industry and business, availability of tax incentives for innovative business (presence of an innovative component in business)) and they are proposed to be added for the forms of statistical reports, in particular a report on production of industrial products (works, services), a report on prices, a report on current costs for environmental protection, a report on implementation of research and development, a report on labor.