Transformation of foreign approaches to understanding the enterprise competitiveness

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of modern foreign approaches to understanding the competitiveness of an industrial enterprise and the main economic instruments for the development of competitive advantages. The purpose of the study is to identify the main approaches to the concepts of enterprise competitiveness, competitive advantages, methods, and tools of competition in regional and world markets mentioned in foreign literature and their structuring according to areas of analysis. Based on the application of methods of bibliographic historical analysis and comparative studies, four basic directions of foreign research in the field of competitiveness are identified. The features of differences analysis in the strategies of leading firms in relation to basic competitive dynamics available from foreign sources are analyzed. The ways for companies to achieve new leading positions in the industry are shown. The directions and possibilities for their integration with other companies are determined. A list of key areas is provided as part of the analysis of internal factors in the development of the industry life cycle and leading companies, i.e., industry leaders. The fundamentals of competitiveness research are shown based on an analysis of the gap between the resources required to enter the market and leadership in the industry. The role of technological innovation and other technological opportunities is outlined, opening windows for the entry of new firms into the market and industry and ensuring the introduction of new products. The reasons are given for the development of competitive advantages through training or the acquisition of new knowledge by employees of the enterprises. The importance of using network interaction strategies is shown in terms of their influence on increasing the level of training and the amount of knowledge in enterprises, as well as the possibility of attracting a wider range and volume of resources to ensure the competitive advantages of the enterprise.