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Assessing Export Competitiveness
Let’s learn about Assessing Export Competitiveness. Competitiveness involves an enterprise or industry developing and then maintaining an advantage over other enterprises in the same market space. Improving competitiveness is a function of increasing efficiency, improving quality, pursuing product differentiation, influencing demand, or a combination of these individual strategies. Most SMEs do not have sufficient bargaining power with buyers in the market to influence demand. Questions to be explored in assessing enterprise competitiveness include
- What are my production costs and methods? What is the relationship between methods and costs?
- Will changes be required to sourcing of inputs in order to compete effectively?
- Will my company need to undertake Business Upgrading* to achieve productivity and efficient production costs? (*introduction of technology, staff development, other investments)
- How will I/ we finance appropriate market promotion?
- How will I/ we handle the need for constant innovation?
- Is seeking entry to this market the most efficient use of available resources? (Human, financial, etc.)
- How will I/ we handle the need to undertake appropriate business planning and assessment of risks?
- What linkages should I/ we form with other companies and institutions?
- In what directions do I /we expect to achieve growth in the overall business through export? (e.g. new markets, new products, additional sales) What are the implications for costs and organizational structure and functions?
- What support services will I/we need to access through local, regional and/or international agencies?
