FACTORS OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS OF UKRAINE

Background. One of the main priorities of national interests of Ukraine is to create a competitive, social market economy that can successfully integrate into European political, economic and legal space. To implement this priority, ensuring sustainable development of the Ukrainian economy and avoid negative external effects it's necessary to develop and implement strategies to improve the international competitiveness of our country. The aim of the article is identifying relationships between the level of competitiveness and its key factors, construction of models that describe the influence of these factors on the level of international competitiveness of Ukraine, determination of competitive advantages, forming the practical recommendations for Ukraine in relation to strengthening its positions in internal and external markets. Materials and methods. The study was conducted based on a thorough analysis of the scientific works of foreign and domestic economists on international competitiveness, materials of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the World Economic Forum, International Institute for Management and Development, International Institute for Management Development, a set of new methods of scientific knowledge, systematic approach and synthesis was implemented. Methods of economic and mathematical modeling, correlation and regression analysis were used. Results. The work contains a description of method of rating evaluation and the research of dynamics of competition positions of Ukraine in the world in accordance to the well known international rating methodologies. In particular there was investigated the dynamics of positions of Ukraine in accordance to such rating as the Global Competitiveness Index, Human Development Index, Global Peace Index, Corruption Perceptions Index, Index of Globalization, Ease of doing business Index, Press Freedom Index, Index of Economic Freedom. Using the methods of cross-correlation and regressive analysis there were developed the models that can be used for an analysis, prognosis and forming of measures to increase international competitiveness of Ukraine. These measures must be based on the basis of minimization of negative external influences and maximally effective use of competitive advantages of the country, such as considerable and quite various natural resources, good climatic terms, that facilitate the development of agriculture, high level of education and literacy of the people, high level of openness of economy of Ukraine, its integrating in global processes. Conclusion. Analysis of studies of foreign and domestic scientists and development of international rating agencies showed that the factors which most determine the competitiveness of a country is GDP, foreign direct investment, foreign trade balance and exports. Factors having the greatest impact on the international competitiveness of the state were identified with the help of correlation and regression analysis by the example of Ukraine. These factors turned out to be volume of exports and increase in foreign direct investment.