STRENGTHENING OF COMPETITIVNESS OF SMALL ENTERPRISES IN METAL INDUSTRY IN BRODSKO POSAVSKA COUNTY

Metal industry is one of the largest and most important industries, together with agriculture, in Brodsko Posavska County. Through history this industry was and still is one of the main drivers of the economy, but in the last two decades, this industry has experienced stagnation, decline and was neglected. Large number of enterprises does not exploit their competitive advantage. Sometimes think they have it, but are not aware that they do not. The second case is to have a strong competitive advantage that they do not know and fail to promote their service users or goods. Often small-sized enterprises do not specify its competitive advantages, which should be the basis for all strategic and operational decisions. The main goal of this paper is to research and evaluate approaches, views and factors that determine the competitiveness of 15 small-sized enterprises in 2013 in metal industry in Brodsko Posavska County. Analysis is based on primary research by questionnaire. The targeted objectives are to understand the necessity and role of strengthening competitiveness, to evaluate current state and investigate what enterprises can do to improve and achieve better scores in future. Try to find answers what the enterprise distinguishes from the rest of the competitors in the market-why it operates, maintains and allows growth.