COMPETITIVE INTEGRATIVE BENCHMARKING IN ENSURING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

Abstract

The research is grounded on a market-based institutional paradigm of building and developing a competitive integrative benchmarking for small and medium-sized enterprises which incorporates a range of iteration phases, marketing technology, tools and software, such as enterprise audit; comparative and critical SWOT analysis and reference comparison interface; functional decomposition techniques; and quality function deployment. The application of the methodological principles of the effective strategic management theory as well as competitive advantages and marketing management concepts has underpinned the author's research perspective which argues that individual benchmarking, developed within its in-depth internal domain, in modern realia does not contribute to shaping sustainable markets since it assumes largely intensified competition whereas competitive integrative benchmarking ensures gaining mutual benefits from benchmarking partner interactions, helps to enhance the competitiveness of market participants along with boosting a potential marketing impact on the target audience, thus providing a synergistic effect. The implementation of this competitive integrative benchmarking model, adapted for use in the marketing practice of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises, is an effective framework to rank alternative strategic decisions on selecting patterns, forms and methods of partnership and collaboration, and take timely tactical approaches to harmonize and coordinate actions aimed at ensuring the enterprise competitiveness. The proposed conceptual model greatly complements the theoretical description of the current marketing toolkit and being implemented in the local settings as a methodological background for building a system of market actors interaction will translate into enhanced performance and competitiveness of individual companies and their products.