Study on the competitiveness of the Russian machine-tool builders: marketing aspect

Machine-tool industry, as a basic branch of industry, determines the level of technological development of all economic sectors. The present competitive environment adversely affects market potential of the domestic machine-tool builders. Technological inferiority, long-term absence of investments and strong positions of foreign manufacturers on the Russian market have resulted in near shakeout of the domestic machine-tool builders, making a threat of technological dependency of Russia, which has become especially topical under conditions of the sanctions policy imposed by western countries. High dependency on import in machine-tool industry has conditioned a series of government support measures for the industry, and has provided background for the change in the state of competitive environment. In the framework of the present research, analysis of competitive environment and the factors which affect its formation and development is carried out. It is proved, that, in the present conditions, competitive environment is heterogeneous. It made it possible to single out such factors as market geography and the geography of competitions, which determine the development of competitive environment at the market, from favorable competitive environment for domestic manufacturers at internal market to competitive disadvantages which have presently formed at outer markets. Using this approach for analyzing competitive environment allowed identifying the key areas of activity in order to increase competitiveness of the Russian machine-tool builders. Under conditions of the government measures for market protection, domestic manufacturers should focus on Research and Advanced Development; they should compete for the access to the government support measures, and develop cooperation with other domestic companies.