It is increasingly important to understand the fundamentals of international competitiveness in today’s globalized world, when economic borders between countries are becoming increasingly transparent. Countries that can compete effectively in the global market have better opportunities for stable economic growth, investment attraction, and improvement of the living standards of their citizens. The article aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical and practical aspects determining the international competitiveness of a country and to identify the main internal and external factors influencing its level. The article analyzes the internal and external factors that shape the international competitiveness of the national economy. The focus is on the impact of economic, political, technological, socio-cultural, natural, and geographical factors. The article examines how global market conditions, global competition, and economic integration influence the country’s economy. The importance of political stability and international norms in the context of economic growth is considered. Special attention is paid to the role of the latest technologies and global innovations that determine the country’s ability to adapt and influence the international arena. The authors also reveal how cultural compatibility and international labor migration influence the competitive advantages of the national economy. The article proves the necessity of using an integrated approach to analysis and strategic planning, which will lead to an increase in the country’s international competitiveness. The authors define the international competitiveness of the national economy as the ability of a country to ensure a high standard of living for its citizens and to maintain and expand its position in world markets based on resource productivity and resilience to external disturbances. The economic nature of international competitiveness covers a number of key elements, including production efficiency, innovation, quality of goods and services, technological development, and the ability to adapt to the changing conditions of the global economic environment. 

competitiveness, international economy, internal factors, national economy, external factors, efficiency, investment 

The territorial marketing toolkit includes a variety of methods and actions aimed at analyzing the marketing opportunities of the region, as well as strategic planning and implementing measures for effective positioning of the territory. It also includes identifying and meeting the needs of the community’s key customers, carefully organized and targeted within a comprehensive marketing plan. The article aims to identify the marketing tools for the management of territorial communities to ensure competitiveness and promote sustainable development of the territory. The article presents theoretical approaches to the application of marketing mechanisms at the territorial level and describes in detail the components that make up the marketing strategy of communities. The author examines the peculiarities of the use of marketing tools, including the 4P model – product, price, place, and promotion in the territory supplemented by two Ps – policy and public, which are becoming important in the development and management of communities through a marketing approach due to the growth of democratization. Particular attention is paid to the segmentation of target consumers and market research to identify the needs of target audiences in the context of public services. The author emphasizes the need to consider the territorial community as a complex system with multiple components, which can be analyzed from three aspects: administrative-territorial division, consumer needs, and sectoral analysis. The use of various approaches to structuring marketing elements helps to strengthen competitive positions and attract interest in the territories. The article proves that territorial marketing covers a set of actions and skills aimed at effectively presenting the characteristics of the territory to potential stakeholders, including both quantitative and qualitative attributes, meeting the needs of various target audiences. Defining the unique identity of the territory and its advantages, as well as identifying weaknesses to further address them is an important step. The final stage involves positioning the territory and highlighting its distinctive features in comparison with competitors to attract investment and resources. 

marketing, territorial marketing, territorial marketing tools, territorial communities 

The completion of the decentralization of authority and finance in Ukraine has opened up new horizons for the creation of innovative approaches to territorial community management. Local governments were granted significant powers and financial resources, which creates new opportunities for the development and expansion of the capacity of communities. The rights of local governments in the organization of community management were expanded, which contributes to a more effective and balanced solution to local problems. Thus, the management of competitive advantages of territories is an important topic in economics, management, and regional development. The study of this issue is becoming increasingly relevant as more and more regions around the world compete to attract investment, develop entrepreneurship and tourism, develop transportation infrastructure, create jobs, and improve the quality of life. The article aims to examine new approaches to the development and management of competitive advantages of territories based on foreign experience. The article analyzes the peculiarities of competitive advantage management in local communities of several EU countries. Based on the study, the authors identify and substantiate the advantages of foreign experience and reveal the shortcomings that should be taken into account when implementing this experience. The author substantiates the process of decentralization reform and its impact on the development of territorial communities in terms of the use of management tools to increase the competitiveness of territories. The article shows that clustering, strategic planning, and public-private partnerships are the main tools for improving the competitiveness of communities. The main directions used by a number of countries to improve the efficiency of territorial development are characterized. 

territorial communities, foreign experience, competitive advantages, management, decentralization 

The large-scale war between Ukraine and Russia has generated an economic crisis that won’t be overcome without the attraction of external donor funds. The threat caused by the severe bombing of cities and destruction of infrastructure and many companies forced a lot of foreign investors to partially stop investment. These steps had to be taken since a range of companies lost their resources, and there was nothing to invest in. Indeed, the interpretation of the nature of investment resources provides that they include all types of monetary and other assets involved in investment in investment objects. The investment process stops with the loss of the investment object. Therefore, such a short-term period of investment suspension is totally reasonable and logical. The article aims to identify the main problems of attracting investment resources and substantiate the directions of their minimization and elimination. The main features of the current development stage of the Ukrainian economy are characterized in the context of changing principles and directions of their further functioning. The features of the impact of present hostilities on the development of some economic sectors are analyzed. The main attention is focused on the interest of foreign business in the stabilization of the situation in Ukraine since the conflicts lead to significant losses for investors who establish companies here and put lots of money. The article reveals the threats caused by active hostilities and growing international saturation of the domestic market with different food products. It describes the stages directed at the creation of investment resources for both the companies and the country as a whole. The authors characterize modern challenges and specify the measures related to the change of additional opportunities to improve the investment climate in Ukraine and attract foreign direct investment in the priority sectors of the national economy more actively. 

investment, war, economic resources, companies, infrastructure 

The theoretical and methodological foundations of formation and development of clusters, which are the newest and effective tool for increasing the competitiveness of the national economy, are considered. The world experience in the formation and effective functioning of cluster formations is analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the development of clustering of the economy of European countries. The main branches of European countries, in which the largest number of clusters operates, are determined. The peculiarities of functioning of the cluster economy model in Scandinavian countries, Italy, Germany, countries of Central and Eastern Europe are analyzed. The clusters that work most effectively are listed. The advantages of combining enterprises into clusters and the influence of the latter on the development of technology transfer and the innovation and investment development of the country and its regions in the conditions of global competition are determined. The peculiarities of economy clustering and its new forms are studied. The expediency of using the clustering mechanism in Ukraine based on the experience of highly developed countries of the world is substantiated. The methodical approaches to comparative analysis of development stages and mechanisms of effective use of economic advantages of clusters on micro, meso and macro levels, as well as typology of clusters and the classification of types of cluster associations have been improved, which made it possible to identify the structure of economic interests of cluster participants in the process of implementing competitive relations. The transformational changes in the activity of clusters as a result of the evolution of global processes and the intensification of the use of information and communication technologies are considered. The expediency of creation and functioning of clusters in Ukraine as an important factor in ensuring the competitive advantages of its economy in the conditions of global development is substantiated. The current state and problems of the development of innovation-technological clusters in Ukraine are revealed. The identified areas of the economy and the sectors in which the clusters were created are the following: the construction industry, heavy and light industry, the agrarian sector and tourism. The prospective directions of clustering at the level of transport infrastructure, cross-border clusters and clusters with IT technologies are mentioned. The paper explores the mechanism of formation of cluster associations on the basis of identification of the main market trends and determines organizational principles and forms of interaction of cluster participants, as well as technologies of forming current competitive advantages in national sector clusters and increasing the competitiveness of the Ukrainian economy. The author suggests the directions of improvement of the state policy in terms of stimulation of creation and functioning of innovation-technological clusters in Ukraine and attraction of small and medium enterprises to their network. Proposals regarding the increase of cluster functioning efficiency and ensuring of their positive influence on the development of national economy are offered. Recommendations on the implementation of cluster strategies in Ukrainian economy are developed. 

clusters, clustering of economy, competitive advantages, global innovation space