The competitiveness of companies in the EU process and enhancing enterpreneurship

Although international competitiveness is considered as a concept thatis used to compare the macro economic competitiveness of countries, it isactually a concept that is used to introduce the comparative competitiveadvantages of micro economic producing units (companies) in the globalmarkets. Consequently, a raise in the competitiveness position of companies,or business in other words, means the promotion of the competitiveness ofcountries in macro level. On the other hand, entrepreneurship is the keyelement in the promotion of competitive power of countries in global markets.Today the countries that are aware of the importance of entrepreneurship aremaking efforts to improve their investment climate and to facilitate makingbusiness both for domestic and foreign investors.This study is composed of three parts. In the first part, the concept ofcompetitiveness is tried to be explained and the internal and external factorsthat affect the competitiveness is examined. Lastly the latest discussions oncompetitiveness in the European Union are summarised.In the second part it is tried to determine the competitive position ofTurkish companies with the help of selected indicators. The aim in this part ofthe study is to determine the conditions of Turkish labour market andinvestment climate over against the countries of European Union.In the third part of the study, the entrepreneurship concept, which isone of the key factors in promoting the competitive power of countries, isexamined. In this framework, the definition of entrepreneurship, itsimportance in raising the competitiveness of countries and the efforts in theEuropean Union in enhancing entrepreneurship is tried to be explained. As aconclusion, the measures that are needed to be taken to enhanceentrepreneurship, which has the great importance in promoting thecompetitive power of Turkey, is listed.