THE INFLUENCE OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) ON THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE CONFECTIONERY INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES

The modern interpretation of the product quality concept goes beyond just technical characteristics of manufactured products and is becoming closer to the concept of competitiveness. This approach is supported by a number of international ISO series standards. The main aspects of the ISO 9001: 2015 standard, and the effect of the total quality management (TQM) implementation are considered in this article. Namely, effect of TQM implementation includes reducing unnecessary resource costs, increasing the number of customers, sales growing, reducing the risk of wrong decisions, the risk of dependence on individual employees, and more. The introduction of TQM is the potential to obtain significant effects that form the basis of enterprise competitiveness. The article substantiates the division of competitiveness indicators into «external» or obvious, and «internal» or hidden, and provides a list of such indicators. Respectively, the official recognition of the organization's total quality management through certification is aimed at improving the «external» indicators of competitiveness, such as image, brand loyalty, the commitment of consumers and contractors, and more. The article demonstrates the relationship between TQM aspects, expected effects, and competitiveness indicators. It was visualized that the deep implementation of TQM allows increasing the «internal» or hidden characteristics of competitiveness, namely the satisfaction degree of individual needs, financial characteristics, level of innovativeness, productivity, etc. The article presents the research results that are based on the example of competitiveness evaluating of Ukrainian confectionery enterprises. The matrix method and the construction of the competitiveness polygon were used. The impact of the TQM implementation on the competitiveness through the growth of a group of indicators and ensuring the development and strengthening of market positions of the Kharkiv company «Sweet World Shoud'e» was noted.